The Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority aims to expand its appeal to the wider ME traveller, while capitalising on domestic and GCC arrivals, which last year brought just over 1 million Gulf nationals as guests to its hotels and hotel apartments.
GCC guests accounted for more than 2 million guest nights in 2012, while in the first two months of this year 156,747 GCC nationals stayed in Abu Dhabi accommodation delivering 363,185 guest nights.
“We are seeing upward movement in the average length of stay of the GCC guest, which has risen from 2.16 nights last year to the current 2.45 nights and we believe with our expanding product portfolio we can build both the number of arrivals and the length of stay – at least that is our aim,” said Mubarak Al Nuaimi, director of promotions & overseas offices, TCA Abu Dhabi.
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To capitalise on the strong performance of the region’s hotels TCA Abu Dhabi plans a show-of-force at the up-coming ATM show, where it is presenting a line-up of 46 stakeholders representing 80-plus product ranges.
As part of this showcase the TCA will be highlighting major developments in it tourism infrastructure including the opening of Yas Beach and the Yas Waterworld, the first ‘green’ certified waterpark in the Middle East at Yas Island, alongside new hotel openings including the 283-key St. Regis Abu Dhabi, due to open its doors this year – making the emirate the only destination to boast two St. Regis properties.
It also plans to showcase the new 189-room, five-star Rosewood Abu Dhabi, alongside Thai hospitality group Anantara’s forthcoming twin properties at Sir Bani Yas Island.
“We receive about 50% of our total business revenue from within the UAE and GCC so it is our most valuable market. We expect strong support again in 2013,” said David Garner, Anantara’s regional director for sales and marketing.
Danat Hotels & Resorts, the hotels management division of the National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels will also be debuting its new Danat Residence and Hotel Apartments due to open Q3 2013.
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