Abu Dhabi tourism industry heads to World Travel Market in London targeting 20% increase in UK

Abu Dhabi's tourism industry is at London's World Travel Market (WTM) later this month – one of the world's largest trade fairs – to highlight the emirate's rich diversity of landscape, culture and attractions.

The WTM Abu Dhabi pavilion will be spearheaded by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) – with almost 100 products being promoted, many of them new-to-market, by the best of the emirate's hotels, resorts, attractions, tour operators and destination management companies.

The trade fair, which begins on November 2, attracts travel professionals from 186 countries and regions and attracts more than 50,000 travel professionals annually.

"The UK remains the leading European market for visitors to Abu Dhabi with guest arrivals rising 16% year on year to 142,134, delivering 586,521 guest nights across the emirate, which is a significant rise of 10% on the previous year," said Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director, Promotions and Overseas Offices, TCA Abu Dhabi.

"WTM is a perfect platform for us to build on our successes and ensure we meet our target of a 20% increase in UK guests staying in our 163 hotels and hotel apartments and to increase their length of stay, which is currently 4.13 nights. Key to achieving our ambitious target is building on our existing relationships with agents and tour operators and establishing an even wider business network. We are confident of meeting these expectations by working with our stakeholders in highlighting our fabulous destination."

The Abu Dhabi pavilion will emphasise the diverse nature of three destinations for visitors in just one emirate - Abu Dhabi city, the United Arab Emirates' capital; Al Ain, the emirate's heritage heartland; and Al Gharbia, the emirate's Western Region, where the desert meets the sea, to offer visitors a chance to delve into Abu Dhabi's rich history and culture.

The ‘Oasis City' of Al Ain is one of the world's oldest permanently inhabited settlements and is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, forts and palaces. A new state-of-the-art museum, Qasr Al Muwaiji, the birthplace of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, will complement the region's rich cultural attractions when it opens shortly.

By contrast, Al Gharbia offers desert adventures among the sand dunes of the Empty Quarter and the wildlife attractions of Sir Bani Yas Island. The home of the Arabian Wildlife Park has more than 130,000 free-roaming animals including cheetahs, giraffes and highly endangered Arabian Oryx and offers visitors an experience like no other in the country.

Abu Dhabi has a year-round schedule of high-profile events and has recently seen the conclusion of a highly successful Abu Dhabi Summer Season which welcomed a series of international theatre shows coupled with promotions, prize draws and offers for all the family held emirate-wide from June until September.

From November 27-29, Yas Marina Circuit welcomes the world's best drivers for the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for one of the biggest events of the year and the concluding race of the 2015 Formula One season. Along with the race, a series of high-profile concerts will be staged across the city as part of the largest city-wide entertainment programme run by any Formula One host city.

Abu Dhabi Classics, the international concert season, which runs until May 2016, is currently well underway with a line-up of world-class performers and orchestras from across the world making appearances in spectacular venues across the emirate. This season will include 26 concerts including among others the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Kremerata Baltica with Martha Argerich, China Philharmonic Orchestra and Jordi Savall with Hesperion XXl.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi – all under construction on Saadiyat Island – will also help cement Abu Dhabi's credentials as a cultural hub of the Arabian Peninsula.

Another focus of the Abu Dhabi delegation will be the new state-of-the-art Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal which is set to open on December 13 and will establish the emirate as a leading winter-sun cruise destination and allow an expected 220,000 passengers from 113 ship calls a year to experience the city's attractions. The new terminal will be at Zayed Port and offer a range of facilities including 24-hour immigration and customs facilities, banks, shops and restaurants. MSC Cruises will be the first cruise line to make the terminal its home, followed by Celebrity Cruises in 2016/17.

Joining the Abu Dhabi delegation in London will be The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, the largest falcon hospital in the world. Its award-winning, unique and exciting tourism programme showcases the world of falcons - the UAE's national emblem - throughout history right up to modern times.

Dr Margit Gabriele Muller, Director Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, said: "Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital is one of the main tourism attractions in Abu Dhabi and in 2014, our guest numbers rose by almost 40% showing the tremendous interest of visitors from all over the world. Moreover, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital won the prestigious ‘Middle East Responsible Tourism Award' from the World Travel Awards for the third consecutive year in 2015.

"The European market is one of the most important markets for us. We are planning to further expand our customer base in Europe by providing unique, exciting and unforgettable tours through the world of falcons. At the same time we offer the MICE service to this market by having opened the Shaheen Conference Centre as special venue all kinds of events. This gives the clients the opportunity to experience events in a traditional Emirati environment combined with latest technology. This combination is especially preferred by culture-loving Europeans."

Also present in London will be TCA representatives showcasing the emirate's rich maritime heritage of pearl diving, especially on the islands of Sir Bani Yas and Delma - one of the Arabian Gulf's most important pearl diving areas first inhabited 7,000 years ago.

Visitors to Abu Dhabi can enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime ‘Pearl Journey' experience aboard a traditional ‘Jalboot' boat to understand the Gulf's ancient pearling industry.

The five-star Royal Rose hotel in Abu Dhabi, operated by City Seasons, is aiming to capitalise on its rising room occupancy and room revenue from the UK market.

Elise Sarkis-Talj, Group Director for Marketing and Brand Development, said the hotel aimed to expand its contacts, spread awareness of City Seasons hotels and carry out productive networking at WTM. "The UK market has been a great addition to our business over recent months, therefore City Seasons is working to strengthen the relationships already acquired to help build stronger bridges as we believe the UK market is much larger than we have seen and should only expand in the UAE. One of our main targets for 2016 is to establish City Seasons as a strong name in the leisure markets coming from UK and northern Europe."

Visitors to the Abu Dhabi pavilion will also be in with the chance to win return flights from London to Abu Dhabi and other prizes.