Tourism & Culture
From The Report: Abu Dhabi 2019
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The last 10 years have seen Abu Dhabi’s visitor appeal grow rapidly thanks to the government’s prioritisation of tourism and culture as part of the emirate’s long-term strategy for economic diversification. With an array of high-end accommodation already in place and Louvre Abu Dhabi shining as the emirate’s latest addition to a growing number of attractions, sector authorities are looking to further expand offerings by developing new segments such as cruise tourism, medical tourism and ecotourism, as well as by continuing to develop and promote Abu Dhabi’s identity as a destination for authentic cultural and historical experiences. This chapter contains interviews with Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi; and Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Fully booked: Development of new attractions and hotels should promote further growth as the sector matures
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The last 10 years have seen Abu Dhabi’s visitor appeal grow rapidly thanks to the government’s prioritisation of tourism and culture as part of the emirate’s long-term strategy for economic diversification. With an array of high-end accommodation already in place and Louvre Abu Dhabi shining as the emirate’s latest addition to a growing number of attractions, sector authorities are looking to further expand offerings by developing new segments such as cruise tourism, medical tourism…

Interview

Culturally rich: Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), on institutional partnerships and promoting Abu Dhabi’s heritage
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Interview:Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak How are Abu Dhabi’s partnerships with international institutions such as the Louvre acting as catalysts for broader cultural investment? MOHAMED KHALIFA AL MUBARAK: The inter-governmental agreement that led to the development of the Louvre Abu Dhabi is unprecedented in scope, and is representative of our belief in reaching out to leading institutions around the world to ensure that cultural developments in the UAE are in line with international standards,…

Analysis

Healthy movement: Cross-sector collaboration opens doors to an expanding segment
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Abu Dhabi’s government bodies in charge of tourism and health have teamed up to actively promote the emirate’s medical tourism sector. In October 2018 the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Medical Tourism Association, an industry leading global non-profit, to help position the emirate as a top destination in the segment. Building on a trend towards international private participation in the health care sector…

Interview

Diverse offerings: Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, on working with cultural venues and local businesses to encourage visits to the emirate
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Interview:Saif Saeed Ghobash How is Abu Dhabi strengthening its position as a leisure tourism destination? SAIF SAEED GHOBASH: Abu Dhabi promotes itself as a leisure and family-friendly destination, and has all the necessary elements to attract this segment of the tourism market. We have shopping malls, beaches, theme parks and other relevant infrastructure to attract these visitors. Major projects have been finalised in 2018 that have greatly boosted the emirate’s profile on this front,…

Analysis

Riding the wave: A growing variety of attractions and new port facilities are solidifying the emirate’s status as a cruise destination
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The increasing popularity of the Middle East as a destination for major international cruise companies in recent years has driven a substantial rise in investments in the segment’s infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, resulting in high growth in the number of ships and passengers calling at the emirate. With a season that runs from October to May, Abu Dhabi is one of the most active participants in the regional cruise market, attracting the interest of operators, which see an efficiency win in…

Analysis

Travel partner: Continued growth in Chinese visitors as the emirate leverages unique offerings and tailored services
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Building on deepening trade ties and China’s position as the world’s most lucrative outbound tourist market, Abu Dhabi has made a series of strategic decisions to attract Chinese visitors. A combination of strategic partnerships, promotional activities and changes to visa legislation have seen successive years of strong growth, culminating in the country becoming the emirate’s number-one source market in 2017. Rapid Growth More than 372,000 Chinese visitors stayed in Abu Dhabi…