Interviewed by Natalia Remmer The emirate capital of Abu Dhabi, having centuries-old traditions of Arabian hospitality, since 2004, has been actively developing as an international tourist destination, attracting over 2 million tourists annually.
According to the authorities of Abu Dhabi, and, above all, the Office of Tourism and Culture, from year to year the tourist flow to the emirate will only grow. The introduction of new five-star hotels, large shopping centers and the improvement of entertainment infrastructure is actively contributing to this. Mubarak Hamad Al Muheiri, Director General of the Department for Tourism and Culture of the Emirate, spoke about the tourism potential of Abu Dhabi, its plans and achievements.
Mr. Al Muheiri, according to various estimates, from 75 to 100 thousand representatives of the Russian-speaking community live in the UAE, and the flow of tourists from Russia and the CIS countries is constantly growing. Do you feel the growing popularity of Abu Dhabi among Russian-speaking tourists?
Close ties have been established between Russia and Abu Dhabi for a long time, which, as we expect, will only be strengthened in the future. In 2012, almost 20 thousand guests from Russia had a rest in our hotels and apartments, which is 40% more than a year earlier. This is a very good trend! This year, in the first two months alone, the number of tourists from Russia increased by 119% compared to 2012. The average duration of their stay is also growing, which also cannot but rejoice.
I would like to warn: we cannot say exactly how many Russian-speaking tourists are visited by the emirate of Abu Dhabi. We can count only those who stay in hotels and apartments. We do not have a mechanism for counting the number of sightseers who come to us, for example, for one day.
In terms of tourist flow, Russia ranks 18th among all countries of the world.
We are encouraged by the fact that Russian tourists are increasingly coming to the UAE. In many respects, we owe this to our Moscow office, which is actively working both among travel agencies and among end-users of a travel product.
How do you plan to support the growth of tourist flow from Russia?
We are very active in the market of Russia and the CIS. We constantly participate in tourism exhibitions and recreational events, communicate with media representatives. For example, in April, the crew of the My Planet television channel came to us, who recorded a large story about our emirate. In September, we will again represent Abu Dhabi at the Moscow exhibition "Leisure / Leisure" and hold road shows in the cities of Ukraine and Kazakhstan. It is also planned to implement a number of marketing initiatives together with our Russian partners.
What, from your point of view, attracts Russian-speaking tourists to Abu Dhabi? And how do they prefer to spend their leisure time - in hotels, on the beach or in shopping centers?
We will have a clear picture of the preferences of our guests from Russia, as soon as we get the results of our first international study at the end of this year.
But, of course, it can already be noted now that Russian tourists are attracted to luxury hotels, magnificent beaches and the proximity of major shopping centers, the number of which will only grow. I am sure that the introduction of the Yas Mall on Yas Island, as well as similar centers on Saadiyat and Al Maria Island (Sowaah Square) will only strengthen the attractiveness of Abu Dhabi as a shopping destination. Today, our tourists can enjoy a wide selection of shops at The Avenue at Etihad Towers Gallery or visit the Gold Market.
Do you plan to develop a year-round tourist destination?
The year-round destination in Abu Dhabi is now popular, and we will continue to develop. In the summer, still in the low season for us, we hold the festival "Summer in Abu Dhabi", which attracts tourists from neighboring countries of the region.
The rest of the year we hold numerous cultural and sports events, including the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship Golf Championship, the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon Triathlon Tournament, Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Abu Dhabi Art Festival and many more. In addition, we recently announced the return to Abu Dhabi of the Volvo Ocean Race, the international sailing regatta, which will be held in December 2014, so we expect a significant increase in interest from foreign guests.
One should also note the many excursions and entertainments that the emirate is rich in today: desert safaris, boat trips, helicopter and seaplane tours. And, of course, trips to the city of Al Ain, where you can get acquainted with the rich heritage of our country.
Are you going to develop Abu Dhabi as a luxury destination? And what do you offer today for a luxurious vacation?
I would say that today Abu Dhabi is a destination for a luxurious vacation, with a wide range of opportunities for discerning tourists. We have a huge selection of five-star hotels represented by leading global operators: Kempinski, Jumeriah, Sofitel, Rotana, Fairmont, Shangri-La, Anantara, Hilton and InterContinental. Westin Hotel is next to Abu Dhabi Golf Club, while St. Regis and Park Hyatt are in close proximity to Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, which makes them attractive for sports tourists and lovers of an exquisite lifestyle.
Of course, we must not forget about our iconic Emirates Palace Hotel, with its half-kilometer private beach; the original Yas Viceroy Hotel, overhanging the Formula 1; or Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, set in the middle of an unspoilt desert.
We definitely see progress in terms of attracting tourists for cultural holidays, so we do not leave issues of preserving cultural heritage aside. Al Ain's entry into the UNESCO World Heritage List and the construction of the Cultural Quarter on Saadiyat Island with three museums - the Louvre Museum of Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum and the Guggenheim Center in Abu Dhabi - will make the emirate one of the leading destinations for cultural activities. And all this will be supported by an annual increase in the number of new hotels, luxury restaurants, modern harbors with yacht parking, world-class golf courses and large shopping centers. Here you will find everything you want.
What hotels will you open in Abu Dhabi in the near future?
Already today, the prices for our accommodation in hotels are among the most competitive. Recently we launched the fashionable Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi Hotel, Grand Canal, which became the first object of this operator in the UAE capital, new Rosewood Abu Dhabi hotels (this brand will also be presented for the first time in Abu Dhabi) and St Regis Abu Dhabi , which will open at the end of the year.
Mr. Al Muheiri, how do you plan to develop sports and cruise tourism in Abu Dhabi?
Sports tourism is one of the fundamental elements of our tourism strategy. Today we hold a large number of sporting events of international level, some of which I have already mentioned. In October we will host the 17th FIFA World Cup, and next year the Volvo Ocean Race.
Thanks to these events, we will not only be able to support the growth of tourist flow, but also show our capabilities to a global audience.
If we talk about cruise tourism, there is also a steady growth. Last season we received 165 thousand passengers and 74 vessels, this year their number will increase to 180 thousand and 90 vessels, and by 2015 it will grow to 250 thousand people and 100 cruise liners.
What business events are planned for this year?
In April, we hosted the Global Tourism Summit of the World Tourism and Travel Council. And even earlier, in March, we opened a Congress Bureau, which should support the business tourism sector. Within 5 years, we plan to enter the top 50 areas for business meetings of the International Association of Congresses and Conferences. We will establish contacts with various sectors of the economy and industry in order to support the growth in the number of exhibitions and conferences in the emirate.
This year we will hold 6 important business meetings, next year - 8, and another year later - 10. Thus, the contribution to the economy of the emirate will grow by 7% per year, until 2020. In June we will hold the annual conference of the Institute of Tourism and Travel with 450 participants, in November - the International Conference on Neurology and Epidemiology, designed for 600-800 delegates. In 2015, the 20th Asia-Pacific Congress on Cardiology, the 16th World Congress "Tobacco or Health" and the meeting of the International Association of Zoos and Aquariums are planned.
Mr. Al Muheiri, thank you very much for the conversation. See you soon!
