Abu Dhabi s tourism industry heads to World Travel Market in bullish mood
Almasalla, ATP News- ABU DHABI, (WAM) – Abu Dhabi s tourism industry is at London s World Travel Market, one of the world s largest trade fairs, in bullish mood citing growing Etihad Airways links with the UK and an expanding product line up as cause for optimism.
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Over 8o stakeholders are sharing the 500-square-metre WTM Abu Dhabi Pavilion, spearheaded by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, TCA Abu Dhabi, 13 more than last year with over 100 products being promoted, many of them new-to-market.
The iconic Emirates Palace, one of the world’s most opulent hotels, is looking to build on the record leisure business high year it contracted last year. "We had a historic summer this year," said Maya Mueller, Assistant PR Manager. "On the same basis as 2013, the first quarter of the year was also significantly good in terms of revenue and has created a strong basis for 2014. We now aim to diversify and review our target countries’ portfolio and will be prospecting new partners and opportunities with a dedicated Sales Representative for European markets.
"Europe being one of our major producers, it’s crucial for Emirates Palace to be present at WTM and meet to discuss 2015 with our partners and potential new partners. With more and more connectivity to the destination, additional opportunities must be developed. In terms of action and activities, a special offering for the summer has been implemented in our contract as well as a rolling offer on the entire year. Furthermore, food and beverage outlets, as well as both swimming pools, have been refurbished. The Spa has also been redesigned and rebranded as The Emirates Palace Spa." Emirates Tours and Safaris LLC, a local destination management company, says it will be unveiling new products including romantic dune dinner-safaris and camel trekking while at WTM.
"So far, we have been encouraged by a 9% increase in our sales in the first six months of this year," said Marketing Manager, Suzette A. Holandez. "We are also increasingly targeting the meetings, incentive, conferences and exhibitions sector looking for a 5% sales uplift in this segment in the coming year." The company has already built up a successful MICE track record, handling three incentive groups from Germany last year and delivering their ground handling and tours and activities. "We have excellent client feedback," said Ms. Holandez. "In 2015, we hope to increase traffic from Germany and Europe to offer our services directly to events planners, travel agents and tour operators. We hope to showcase Abu Dhabi as one of the finest destinations for FITs and incentive groups.
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"They are visiting Abu Dhabi or the UAE in general to enjoy the weather, appreciate the culture, tours and activities and they like the quality of the services. In particular, our Liwa Full-Day Safari and Liwa Overnight safari are popular as they are very thrilling dune and adventure experiences." Also upbeat is Abu Dhabi’s home grown Jannah Hotels and Resorts which opened its first property at the end of the third quarter of 2013 in the UAE capital’s Eastern Mangroves.
"In the first three months of operation, Eastern Mangroves Suites by Jannah received growing demand from the GCC and international markets," explained Guillaume Delbecque, Chief Commercial Officer. "In the first half of this year, our average occupancy was 79% which is a great for our first year in business. For the last quarter of 2014 we are looking at a good booking situation and expect occupancy to be above 80% while for 2015 we are looking to further increase occupancy to reach an average of 85% at the Eastern Mangroves Suites." The company is also looking to use WTM to build awareness of its new brand from which the first product, the Al Seef Resort by Andalus five-star apartment-style hotel suites, will roll out in September next year.
"The hotel features 216 one, two and three bedroom suites, a huge pool area including Jacuzzi and kids pool. The Al Seef Promenade will feature superb dining experiences and small retail shops for the whole family, and for those who want to relax a little more the resort will boast a 2,500sq.m. spa," explained Delbecque. "In addition the resort is attached to Al Seef Mall offering food options as well as beauty salons, a kids’ fun centre and a variety of exclusive shopping brands." Al Ain Zoo, which last year welcomed just short of a million visitors through its doors, will be looking to leverage its strategic partnership with Edinburgh Zoo to build awareness of its facility in Scotland ahead of next June’s launch of Etihad Airways’ Abu Dhabi-Edinburgh flights, particularly its planned Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre which is due to open imminently.
"As part of the UAE’s commitment to wildlife conservation, both within the UAE and internationally, Al Ain Zoo is transforming the area around the existing zoo into a new institution dedicated to exhibiting, interpreting and conserving desert wildlife. This sustainable leisure and learning destination, called Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort, will provide an extraordinary opportunity for visitors to explore and learn about the desert world and experience a world-class tourist destination. Embedded within the UAE World Desert, the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre will feature educational exhibits that celebrate the wildlife and traditions of the desert, celebrate the conservation heritage of the late Sheikh Zayed and help chart a sustainable future for desert living," said Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, Director-General of the zoological park.
And the multi-award-winning Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, which now has 21 international accolades to its name, says it is reviewing its tour offering strategy for the Scottish market. Dr. Margit Muller of the hospital says visitor numbers are up 26% year-on-year with the Chinese and cruise markets holding out significant potential. "We tackle the European market by offering our Shaheen Conference Centre as a unique venue for special events. We have already lots of enquiries from event companies who are interested in finding exciting and unique venues for incentives and special events for their clients. We are planning to expand our tour offering for a larger number of cruise ships." Meanwhile, Omeir Travel, an Abu Dhabi-based travel management agency, buoyed by European response to its dedicated sports and shopping packages, will be launching niche sports packages at WTM.
"Abu Dhabi is now a good transit point from Europe to the Far East, and we hope to utilise this to enhance our inbound business for stop-over clients," said Conrad Caeiro, Operations Manager.
For the new Al Bada Desert Resort in Abu Dhabi’s heritage heartland of Al Ain, the WTM marks its first trade fair promotion aimed at helping achieve 60% occupancy for 2015. "We plan to launch the property and initiate travel agent relationships in the European market," said Ali Rizvi, General Manager. "Inbound traffic to the UAE from Europe is massive and we’re looking forward to getting sizeable business from there." Ayla Hotels, which operates its flagship property in Abu Dhabi’s second city of Al Ain, says that the WTM is as much about promoting the Oasis City as its hotels. The company is planning to open two more properties, the Ayla Bawadi Hotel by the end of this year and the Ayla Grand Hotel in Q2 2015. "Our main WTM objective is to increase awareness about Al Ain as destination and Ayla Hotels’ expansion. With a new brand identity, our properties will be very interesting for the European market, especially our packages that are designed to present the true essence of the UAE, the cradle of Emirates’ history and tradition, with various activities and shopping options," explained Mohamed Soussan, General Manager. "With Ayla’s extensive list of options and packages, guests can have an adventure, relaxation and knowledge all in one place. We take it as our mission to help guests explore all that Al Ain has to offer, and the fun begins with upgraded value-packed deals. Together with Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club, we have created value-packed packages that are all inclusive of spacious accommodation, meals, driving range and practice facilities. In addition to the 18-hole course, a 9-hole par 3 Academy Course is also available." Etihad Airways’ daily non-stop flights from Abu Dhabi to Edinburgh, launching in June, are spurring further product creation. "It’s great news and we are currently preparing a special package for the Scottish market," said Eloide Azar, Deputy General Manager, Kurban Tours.
Also looking to explore the potential of Etihad’s new link, its third UK gateway after Heathrow and Manchester, is the Park Hyatt Resort and Villas on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island.
"We definitely want to grow the UK market," said Hande Unveren, Marketing Communications Manager. "Europe is important as it represents 80% of the business in our hotel and we looking at creating a special package for the Scottish market." Scotland is also in the focus of the four-star Al Mafraq Hotel which is looking to build its outbound MICE business from Europe. "The Scottish market will be one of our main targets and we hope to have easier access to it with the co-operation of Etihad Airways," said Fahim Zaman, Director of Sales and Marketing. Also planning short break and stopover packages with Etihad for the Scottish market is the City Seasons Hotels group focusing on its Abu Dhabi, five-star flagship, the Royal Rose.
The five-star Southern Sun Abu Dhabi has already begun its promotion in Scotland, in partnership with leading UK travel agency, If Only. "We are introducing new products including daily beach transfers from the hotel to the Corniche and Saadiyat Island and major shopping malls and are looking to sign agreements while at WTM for summer 2015 and winter 2015 and 2016," said Pierre Delfau, General Manager.
The Sheraton Abu Dhabi Resort says it’s already in touch with Scotland’s biggest tour operators and is providing them allocations for next season. The hotel says the European market is still its most important, delivering a 30% year-on-year increase on leisure business so far this year. The hotel says the European visitor’s average spend and length-of-stay is higher than others.
Abu Dhabi’s new-look WTM pavilion is segmented into Abu Dhabi city and its surrounds and islands, the Oasis City of Al Ain, which is the emirate’s heritage heartland and host to a myriad of UNESCO World Heritage sites, and Al Gharbia, the emirate’s Western Region, which is where the desert meets the sea.
"Our aim with the new design is to let people know just how much there is to see and do in our emirate by highlighting its great landscape, and our cultural and attraction diversity," said Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director Promotions and Overseas Offices, TCA Abu Dhabi. "Obviously we are going all out to attract more visitors – and the new Etihad Airways link holds out significant opportunity for us – but we also want to encourage those that do come to get out and discover our destination and linger longer with us." Meanwhile, pavilion visitors will have the chance to enjoy ‘Cloud biking #InAbuDhabi’, a game lets visitors cycle and fly around Abu Dhabi’s key attractions through a virtual 3D game platform using iPads and a big screen. The engaging game highlights Abu Dhabi’s key attractions and gives visitors the chance to win daily prizes by achieving the fastest lap around Abu Dhabi. Daily prizes include a flight, hotel stays and exciting Abu Dhabi tour packages. All entrants will be automatically subscribed to the visitabudhabi e-newsletter.
The digital corner will also feature a 3D model of the destination’s hashtagInAbuDhabi and a live feed social media aggregator displaying live feed performance data. Visitors can also navigate the new abudhabievents app, recently launched as a one-stop guide to the emirate’s comprehensive events calendar which includes early plans for the next Abu Dhabi Summer Season which will run from June 11th – September 5th.
"Following the season’s successful inaugural outing this year, we are already working on plans for 2015 to include shows by international artistes, beach activations, concerts, kids and family entertainment and comedy nights across the entire emirate backed up by unbeatable hotel and attractions deals," explained Al Nuaimi.
"In January the immensely successful Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship will celebrate its 10th anniversary in style while March will welcome the International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series – the world’s pinnacle triathlon circuit contested by the best Olympic competitors," explained Al Nuaimi. Following a five-year partnership between Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and ITU – the international Federation for triathlon – the sport’s season opener will be held in the UAE capital from 2015-2019 with next year’s event centred in and around the city’s stunning Corniche on March 6th-7th.
Also new to the Abu Dhabi calendar is the International Sailing Federation’s (ISAF) World Cup Final – the world’s ultimate sailing regatta contested by the best Olympic-class competitors. Following a multi-stakeholder approach by Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yacht Club (ADSYC) with the support of the UAE Sailing & Rowing Federation (UAE SARF) and Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), ISAF will stage its Sailing World Cup Final in the UAE capital for the next six years, starting November this year.
An associated deal will also see the UAE capital host the 2016 ISAF Annual Conference when delegates, who include representatives of national governing bodies, class associations, leading industry personalities, manufacturers, sponsors and the media, discuss the hottest topics facing the sport. The 2016 Conference, which is estimated will deliver 1,500 hotel room nights to Abu Dhabi, will also feature a Presidential election.
"Next year looks extremely promising for our destination and stakeholders and we look forward to a key highlight – the planned year-end opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi universal museum on our Saadiyat Island’s Cultural District. We anticipate huge interest in this development emanating from the European market with some 300 artworks from French museums joining the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s permanent collection for the December 2015 opening, including works by Monet, Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Warhol and Matisse," explained Al Nuaimi.
TCA Abu Dhabi is also leveraging WTM for the launch of its new ‘Online Discovery’ travel agents online training resource.
