Tourism & Hospitality | Saturday 21 April, 2018 2:17 am |

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is leading a delegation of partners and stakeholders in a three-city roadshow to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).  Given KSA’s important source-market status, this promotional tour is consistent with DCT Abu Dhabi’s promotional strategy and aims to persuade even more Saudi nationals and residents to visit Abu Dhabi and enjoy longer stays in its hotels. The roadshow is covering Riyadh (April 17), Jeddah (April 18), and the Eastern Province (May 6).

The delegation is meeting with commercial interests from a variety of sectors, including aviation, hotels and entertainment destinations, in an effort to showcase Abu Dhabi’s unmatched tourism credentials. In addition to representatives from DCT Abu Dhabi, the Roadshow includes delegates from 10 further entities namely Etihad Airways, Rosewood Hotels, Yas Island, Al Ain Zoo, Rotana Hotels, Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi, Armed Forces Officers Hotel & Club, Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, Gromax Hotels, and Al Raha Beach Hotel.

HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabisaid: “With its ever-growing contribution of guests to Abu Dhabi’s hotels, KSA is a vital market for us and has contributed greatly to the record 4.9 million plus guests last year. More specifically, Saudi Arabia represented 151,496 hotel guests in 2017, which was an increase of 3% from 2016, highlighting the strategic importance of engaging Saudi tourists. Since the beginning of 2018, we have already seen this trend expand exponentially, so we are very excited about the future holds.”   

Related to the significance of the KSA market, DCT Abu Dhabi has just concluded a successful participation at the Riyadh Travel Fair 2018 where the delegation engaged with industry stakeholders from across the Kingdom. To build on the Fair, the Roadshow aims to showcase Abu Dhabi as a premier, world-class destination for the Saudi market. With the Riyadh and Jeddah events already completed, the delegation will next visit the Eastern Province to promote the strong cultural attributes and tourist attractions that continue to offer a compelling visitor experience to Saudi guests.

With a diverse range of leisure and entertainment options and a plentiful supply of high-quality hotels and shopping malls, Abu Dhabi continues to position itself as an attractive destination for Saudi travellers.