Abu Dhabi preparing for Arabian Travel Market

Abu Dhabi is rolling out a whole new look at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) – the region's biggest travel and tourism fair which runs in Dubai from May 5-8 – in a bid to capture the increasing attention of GCC travel influencers and maintain growing visitor numbers from its neighbouring states.
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Figures just released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) show that in Q1 of this year, hotel guest arrivals from the GCC, with the exception of the UAE, rose 30% on the first three months of 2013 to 58,698. The GCC guests delivered 131,416 guest nights during Q1 – a 29% uplift on last year and stayed, on average, 2.24 nights.

“All five of our GCC neighbours delivered double-digit growth for our hospitality industry in Q1 with Saudi Arabia accounting for the lion’s share and which now ranks as our seventh largest international source market, with Oman and Qatar also among our top 20 at 14th and 18th place respectively,” explained Sultan Al Dhaheri, acting executive director tourism, TCA Abu Dhabi. “Our challenge is to continue this upward trajectory and to convince GCC travellers to stay longer and explore an emirate which now offers much more to see and do.”

This year’s Abu Dhabi ATM pavilion has been designed to reflect the vibrancy of the emirate with a new-look summer season programme being one highlight.

“Slightly larger than last year and with more partners, at 48, and 85 products, we are going all out to engage the GCC travel trade with events to be packaged around, including our new-look Abu Dhabi Summer Season, new partners to forge business links with and fresh products to sell,” explained Al Dhaheri.

“We are intent on intensifying our efforts to build destination awareness of our product within the GCC and to get across the message that there are valid reasons for staying longer in the emirate where our partners are providing exceptional facilities and services at highly affordable prices. Our current average room rate is US $133 which represents great value for money when judged alongside the standard of offering.”
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The new stand will highlight the revamped Abu Dhabi Summer Season, which will run from June 5-August 31 and will be the destination’s most dynamic, fun and show-packed summer to date with  events including headline concerts and international show performances.
 

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