ADNEC Group's Tourism 365 has achieved a new milestone with the launch of the first-ever weekly charter flight, operated by Air Samarkand, connecting Uzbekistan directly to Al Ain.
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) held an appreciation ceremony for 17 Emirati students who completed the inaugural Tourism Youth Summer Camp in Al Ain, a 10-day immersion into the emirate’s growing tourism and hospitality industry.
s the world continues to battle against the deadly coronavirus pandemic, Ayla Hotel in Al Ain city, owned by Nayel & Bin Harmal Group had reportedly opened the doors of its luxury hotel to accommodate medical professionals who are serving the COVID-19 patients.
Jazeera Airways’ flight J9 139 landed at Al Ain International Airport (ANN) on December 13, 2019 in the first ever direct service between the airport and Kuwait.
The service was made possible with the support of Abu Dhabi Airports and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).
The ambassador of the UAE to Kuwait, H.E. Saqer Nasser Al Raisi, attended Jazeera Airways’ inaugural flight of the first ever direct service between Kuwait and Al Ain, UAE. The ambassador was welcomed by the airline’s chairman, Marwan Boodai.
In a welcome reception held following the landing of the flight, Marwan Boodai, chairman, Jazeera Airways, said, “Jazeera Airways’ new flights to Al Ain is a milestone for our airline which has been growing steadily and providing a reliable service to customers in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. We are very pleased to be serving customers from Kuwait and our network with flights to the unique region of Al Ain.
The service also provides flight connections between Al Ain and the airline’s network of another 33 destinations in the Middle East, Europe and Asia.
Danat Hotels and Resorts, a division of National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels, has appointed Kevin Lawless as its new general manager of Danat Al Ain Resort.
Bawadi Mall in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi is hosting a 24-hour Mega Sale featuring discounts of up to 90 percent across major brands from June 15 – 16.
The progress made by TCA Abu Dhabi is unequivocal, with a broad range of incentives to boost all sectors of tourism, including MICE.
In particular, Advantage Abu Dhabi, an Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau programme, is seen as a catalyst in bolstering the emirate’s MICE segment by adding bespoke destination support to business event organisers as well as stimulating business for local suppliers and enhancing the overall experience for delegates.
“TCA Abu Dhabi has done a wonderful job exposing our destination opportunities to the MICE buyers and influencers, especially within key target markets such as China, India and Eastern Europe,” enthused van Alphen.
Testament to this, Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi has worked alongside TCA Abu Dhabi, with the aim of utilising every possible opportunity to showcase both the property and the city, especially in regards to familiarisation trips.
Taking advantage of TCA Abu Dhabi’s activity across the world and success in showcasing its product, Maifi noted that Mecure Abu Dhabi Centre Hotel has worked closely with the organisation, following its guidelines and participating in numerous exhibitions under its umbrella.
Acknowledging the importance of maintaining ties with ADNEC, exhibitors and event organisers, Tannous said, “We see them as our long drawn partners for success.
” He added that through such collaborations, the hotels have been able to truly grasp what different visitors look for.
Tannous further outlined that both Centro Capital Centre and Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana offer various tailor made packages as part of the group’s Business Escapes initiative, which provides guests ample opportunity to unwind after a busy day on the MICE circuit.
Moreover, each property features a dedicated team to plan and execute the event from start to finish.
Similarly, in an effort to entice MICE organisers to the property, Mahy Noor, events manager, Bab Al Qasr, explained that the address offers complimentary rooms for every 25 paid room nights per night along with room upgrades and commission on room rates as well as food and beverage spend.
ADAPTING TO CHANGE
Confident that the market will return to healthy levels once the global economy stabilises, van Alphen concluded that this moment in time is nothing other than an opportunity to push and expose the capital for future MICE as well as the chance to think differently and seek business in new areas.
Mentioning the need for unique concept events that provide global solutions, Tannous agreed, “Stakeholders in the hospitality industry need to align their strategy with Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 to focus on attracting a wide pool of business travellers to the emirate.”
While the addition of rooms is putting pressure on hoteliers, it is also stimulating the industry.
Lance summarised, “The number of full service and international branded hotels coming into the marketplace has also made Abu Dhabi more attractive as a MICE destination.”
He continued to say that this, and competitive rates are the two decisive factors for MICE buyers.
Vaubell expounded that the boost in hotel rooms will enable the capital to host much larger city-wide events, indicating what the future will hold for Abu Dhabi.
Even with the spectacular transformation seen in the hospitality industry in the past decade, Lance elucidated, “Abu Dhabi is still in an awareness phase, similar to where Dubai was 10 – 12 years ago.”
However, this leaves plenty of room for growth.
Explaining that TCA Abu Dhabi is on a mission to enhance its tourism product with Etihad Airways as an invaluable and strategic partner, Lance predicted, “Abu Dhabi will soon be not only the fastest growing MICE destination in the region, but on a global scale.”
Considering its strategic geographical location, it is no wonder that Abu Dhabi is set to play host to such a varied, global calendar of events, from Special Olympics in 2019 to the 18th Ottawa Conference on Medical Education in 2018, among many others.
DESPITE ITS STRONG EMPHASIS ON MICE IN RECENT YEARS, THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN ABU DHABI WAS NOT IMMUNE TO THE CHALLENGES OF 2016.
ROBERT CLARK has been welcomed at Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi as the new general manager. Clark has worked with InterContinental Hotels Group for 17 years, having started his career in New Zealand within the rooms division, before moving to revenue management.
