Sheikh: UAE must coordinate tourism promotion

Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has called for greater cooperation between the emirates in promoting themselves as one destination.

He told ATN in an interview: “At the end of the day we are the United Arab Emirates. So it would be logical to coordinate. We have these models around the world. Australia, promotes itself with Tourism Australia, also the UK. There is some specific marketing and promotional activities where you need to coordinate on the federal level.”

Until recently the emirates have embarked on very separate tourism marketing campaigns, with the result being that many visitors don’t even realise Abu Dhabi and Dubai are part of the UAE. This may be about to change however with the recently formed ‘Tourism and Antiquity Council for the UAE’.

“This [council] is to coordinate our marketing and promotional activities in the UAE and issues related to heritage,” explained Sheikh Sultan.

“I think this is a way to address these challenges and I think it’s a great thing.” He said that as the body was still brand new there was no strategy as yet on what direction it would take in terms of UAE promotion.

“I don’t have the details. I know that they have only just created it – they have started last autumn. I’m not sure what the next plans are, I think we don’t want to raise expectations as it’s a newly created entity.

But we know that this move is needed since a long time ago and we are moving in the right direction – but this is coming and everyone is working on this. To promote the whole UAE as one entity there is clear benefit for all emirates.”