Tourism & Hospitality | Saturday 29 August, 2015 5:10 am |

 A total of 62,499 Saudi tourists visited Abu Dhabi over the first half of this year, a 28 percent rise compared to the same period last year.
The Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (ADTCA) said that over the same period 30,909 Saudis visited Oman marking a 15 percent increase, while 13,306 visited Kuwait, and 13,156 went to holiday in Qatar.
The ADTCA said the average spending for a family of four varies between SR2,000 and SR4,000 a day, which is SR500 to SR1,000 per person.
The ADTCA said that attempts are now underway to attract more Gulf visitors by highlighting various attractions including the emirate’s marine destinations, modern entertainment locations, desert spas and heritage and cultural sites.
Sultan Al-Mansouri, director of the authority, said: “After the success of our promotional tour in the Gulf States during Ramadan, we will go back to major Gulf cities again to present more offers that will encourage Gulf tourists to spend their time in the emirate for longer periods, especially when the weather improves and the temperatures go down.”
“We will focus on several cultural and arts activities, in addition to shows presented to visitors by hotels and commercial centers. Events, activities and promotional presentations play a major role in attracting visitors to the emirate,” he said.
The major events include the national day celebration that coincides with the Eid Al-Adha holiday. In October there would be several cultural and heritage events including the seventh ‘Eye Can Read’ exhibition, which would host major Emirati writers. There would also be an Abu Dhabi traditional arts festival.
The capital would be the focal point of the major Union Aviation Awards alongside the Formula 1 race in November. Other events include the Abu Dhabi Art Exhibition and the Sheikh Zayed traditional festival in the Al-Wathba desert hills.