Abu Dhabi has reported a strong rebound from the UK market for the winter season following the easing of restrictions to allow fully-vaccinated travellers and those arriving from green list destinations to avoid quarantine on arrival.
Husain Al Hashmi, regional section head for Europe & Americas at the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, said the lifting of the quarantine requirements on September 5 had resulted in an influx of visitors, with the UK performing strongly both for search and visitor numbers.
He said the UK remains a key market in terms of volume and quality, with a focus remaining on premium product and accommodation, as the destination aims to build its total visitor numbers of 14.7 million leisure and MICE travellers in 2019 to more than 23 million by 2030.
“The UK is one of the biggest markets we have,” he said. “It is good to see tourists coming back and we are seeing strong interest from the UK for the winter season, which is the best time to visit.”
Speaking at World Travel Market, Al Hashmi said new hotel openings including a Hilton on Yas Island and the imminent unveiling of the first Warner Bros-branded property in the world continued to diversify options for UK travellers.
And he said the destination would continue its focus on the travel trade as customers looked for expert insight and advice.
“The Covid pandemic brought attention back to the trade and the security you get by booking through an agent,” he said. “Why would you book on your own?”
He added: “We have been very active in our support for the trade in the UK and we have plans for more new initiatives in 2022. Our presence [at WTM] demonstrates our commitment to those partnerships.”
Ongoing trade activity includes digital training, competitions, incentives and a fam trip programme including an educational this year focusing on affordable luxury.
Focuses for the year ahead include the Golden Jubilee celebrations for the United Arab Emirates, including the opening of The Abrahamic Family House, a cultural landmark which will include a synagogue, a church and a mosque.