Dubai alternative emerges

Market update by Teresa Machan

Dubai alternative emerges

Abu Dhabi starts to attract operators’ attention

DESPITE a raft of new hotels jostling for space on the Dubai skyline, the cry ‘no room at the inn’ is becoming all too familiar.

With current bedstock failing to meet demand in peak season, it is only a matter of time before neighbouring emirates muscle in on the visitor market.

The top contender for Dubai’s crown is neighbouring Abu Dhabi, already featured by a handful of operators, and slowly but surely attracting the attention of others.

In the absence of a centralised tourism body, Abu Dhabi’s promotional mantle is carried by the tourism arm of Abu Dhabi National Hotels, Sunshine Tours.

The operator wore the public face of Abu Dhabi at last year’s World Travel Market where it launched its Sunshine UK brochure.

Its primary goal is to provide UK-based travel partners with a reliable and knowledgeable destination handling agent.

Sales manager Chris Raeymakers said if Sunshine can’t accommodate a particular request it will know someone who can. “We’re all keen to get the message out about Abu Dhabi and there’s little that we can’t organise,” he said.

The UK is considered a key market and is in a unique position being the only inbound market not requiring an entry visa. Viewed primarily as a business destination, Abu Dhabi is now pitching to UK operators with a leisure product that is less commercialised than Dubai’s – a value-for-money modern city that retains its tradition and culture.

“It’s green, it’s an island and its beaches are within the city boundaries. In fact, Abu Dhabi’s biggest advantage is the close proximity of city and beach,” said Raeymakers. “If we continue in the right direction, we should at least double UK visitor arrivals.”

Though keen to promote, Abu Dhabi’s development strategy favours sustainable, not wild, growth. “We have to stay within the limitations of our infrastructure,” said Raeymakers. “Tourism here is very relaxed. Abu Dhabi is a real city with a different appeal to Dubai. We’re not looking to turn it into an artificial Disneyland.”

Although Abu Dhabi offers wild beaches accessible right in the city, operators’ main criticism is the absence of an unobstructed seascape.

“Because we are a group of islands, there are no open sea views, like there are at Jumeirah,” said Raeymakers. “But we can offer miles of pristine coastline and some of best beaches the emirates has to offer.”

Distant Dreams managing director Peter Traynor, visited Abu Dhabi in January. “It’s a good beach and city alternative to Dubai,” he said. “It has shopping, a good range of hotels and resorts, it’s close to the desert and above all it’s very good value for money. If the preview brochure is well received, we will introduce it to our Worldwide Brochure next year,” he said.

A step ahead: the close proximity of city and beach is one of Abu Dhabi’s main draws

Good value: Abu Dhabi offers a less commercial product than Dubai