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Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi is to double the hotel capacity to 25,000 rooms by 2012 to cope with a surge in the UAE capital's tourism intake, officials told the local media at a briefing on Sunday.
"Hotel rooms are also expected to reach 25,000 within five years according to the plan, exceeding our earlier projections by 4,000 rooms," Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), the emirate's tourism regulatory body, said.
ADTA's original target is to increase the number of visitors to 3 million tourists by 2015, a figure that is now under revision given the suggested increase in the five year-plan. Abu Dhabi is investing Dh25 billion in modernising its airport that will cater to 50 million passengers annually by 2012 and help support its tourism plan.
Abu Dhabi is promoting the city as a cultural and family tourism destination by attracting major international museums and theatres that will add attractions to the Cultural District on the Saadiyat Island - the Dh100 billion tour-ism project.
"Our five-year strategy indicates international tourism arrivals to reach 2.7 million visitors by 2012, representing a 12.5 per cent increase compared to our previous estimates," he said.
The authority is the first among 26 government departments that will be announcing strategic plans in tandem with the directives of the emirate's Executive Council as part of its government services reform plan.
"It is difficult to predict in the field of tourism, but we expect the figure to be in the vicinity of 3 million visitors by 2015 with an error margin of 10 per cent," Mubarak Al Muhairi, ADTA director-general said, emphasising that the emirate will only target the high-end segment of the market.
"The World Travel and Tourism Council, the international tourism sector will generate $8 trillion worth of revenues in 2008, a figure that will grow up to $15 trillion within ten years up to the year 2018, an annual growth average of 4.4 per cent," Shaikh Sultan said.
What do you think of this initiative? How do you think it compliments the government's plan to diversify and attract more tourists?
Your comments
If they're only targeting the high-end travellers, it's not really a diversified plan to increase tourism. What about some ideas for the budget end of the market as well? If backpackers can be attracted to the country when they're young - and they enjoy the experience here - they'll come back as high-end tourists when they've grown up and have even more cash to spend. And what about plans for eco-tourism, rather than just more hotels leaving a giant carbon footprint?
Georgia
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 21, 2008, 08:55
The initiative may have been well rated had their been enough buildings for residents. But nowadays there are much more hotels than residential buildings. So first, the current problem of housing should be solved, otherwise landlords will start converting residential buildings into hotel apartments.
Parameshwaran
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: April 21, 2008, 08:08
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