Interview: Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi
In what ways is cooperation among local and international stakeholders helping to enrich Abu Dhabi’s tourism and entertainment offerings?
MOHAMED ABDALLA AL ZAABI: Abu Dhabi has a collaborative and supportive working environment involving all key national stakeholders – including Etihad Airways, Department of Tourism and Culture – Abu Dhabi, and Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi – working towards a unified goal of making the emirate successful. National efforts are supported by international partnerships with entities such as Warner Bros., Ferrari and Sea World, and enable the emirate to tap into high-value market segments. For example, proximity of WB Abu Dhabi, a hotel affiliated with Warner Bros., to theme parks has helped it achieve a 90% occupancy during the low season.
What are the broader benefits of attracting international entertainment and hospitality brands?
AL ZAABI: International partnerships help to boost the development of the tourism sector and related industries. For example, large-scale projects provide more opportunities for local contractors. A contractor that began operations in 2010 in the UAE is able to obtain 90% of their business from Miral’s projects. This provides stability and experience of working in an auxiliary company, which helps these firms expand their operations outside of the UAE.
Another economic benefit is job creation. Theme parks are not a typical choice of employment for Emiratis. To counter this, Miral launched a fully sponsored ambassador programme in 2017 for locals interested in learning about the industry. The programme initially attracted 200 nationals, and has developed into an accelerator programme with the eventual goal of promoting beneficiaries to managerial positions once they have the necessary experience. As of July 2022 the programme had recruited 500 emiratis. We also launched a new programme in 2022 called Maharati (My Skills), with the aim of providing young graduates with the skills of the future. Initiatives such as these, which are also undertaken by other companies across the country, have significant benefits. In our case, it has resulted in locals and expatriates working together to welcome customers to our facilities.
How can Abu Dhabi balance plans to attract 23m annual visitors by 2030 with the need to ensure environmental sustainability?
AL ZAABI: Sustainability has become important for the government as well as many companies, and several corporate commitments have been made to reach net zero by 2050. At Miral, we have partnered with Masdar and now have solar panels across the Warner Bros. theme park to meet 40% of the energy needs. This demonstrates the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to enhance value creation in the economy.
Wildlife conservation is another area related to sustainability, and is leading to advancements in fields such as zoology. Many sustainability initiatives are being implemented by companies and the government alike, as will be evident when COP28 UN Conference on Climate Change is hosted in the UAE in November 2023.
To what extent has Abu Dhabi become more accessible to tourists and investors?
AL ZAABI: Abu Dhabi has made improvements in policies and regulations to cater to all kinds of tourists. Regulations in terms of visas for visitors have been revamped in recent years to provide on-arrival services and even exemptions for citizens of certain countries. Policies have been amended or in some cases completely revised to make the country more accessible to tourists and investors alike. Steps have been taken to regulate the provision of a wide variety of accommodation options, from five-star hotels to Airbnb rentals and serviced apartments. The authorities have recognised that visitors must have the freedom to select the accommodation and services that best fit their circumstances.
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