ABU Dhabi is to target the UK as its prime market following the opening of its first overseas tourism office in London this week.
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, a government-funded body created 14 months ago, was set to bring a 15-strong official delegation to the opening of its Knightsbridge office yesterday.
It is the first time the largest of the United Arab Emirates has courted tourism seriously and the authority stressed it was not out to create “another Dubai”, but to complement it.
Already there are plans for a series of high-profile promotions in the UK, as well as roadshows for the trade, likely to be in Manchester, Birmingham and London this spring, and an online training programme for agents.
Tourism authority marketing director Ali Al Hosani said: “Our strategy is to make the UK one of the prime markets for inbound tourism.”
In 2005 there were 100,000 arrivals from the UK through Abu Dhabi’s Airport. It hopes to triple international arrivals to three million a year by 2015.
The sheikdom is targeting both leisure and business travellers, and particularly discerning short-break holidaymakers.
Tour operators such as Gold Medal and Kuoni feature Abu Dhabi, but the aim will be to increase the country’s coverage significantly in the next year.
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