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Tourism chiefs target China
Tourism chiefs in Abu Dhabi are targeting China in a bid to attract visitors to the emirate seeking cultural holidays.
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has opened offices in three key cities in China looking to capitalise on the growing outbound market which, according to the UN World Travel Organisation, will be the world’s biggest by 2020.
By then, the UAE capital will have five major museums, art galleries and a performing arts and believes the Chinese will want to visit the city.
Cultural treats in the UAE capital will include the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum – the world’s largest Guggenheim museum – and the Louvre Abu Dhabi – the only Louvre outside of France. Both are expected to open in 2012/2013.
The ADTA’s new offices are in the Chinese capital Beijing and the country’s largest and third largest most populous cities Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Peter Phang, one of China’s leading experts on outbound travel has been appointed ADTA’s country manager, China and will oversee the authority’s activities throughout the vast nation.
He said: “A number of prevailing factors led us to prioritise China in our five-year overseas promotion strategy including the sheer size of the outbound Chinese market, the propensity of the Chinese tourist for culture and the substantial air links between Beijing and Abu Dhabi."
Chinese government figures prove the republic is now the largest outbound market in Asia with Chinese travellers accounting for 40.95 million overseas trips last year.
“We have to get into this vast market now, build destination awareness and prepare our audience well in advance of the opening in Abu Dhabi of some of the world’s leading cultural institutions,” he added.
ADTA’s Promotions Division is now looking to seal closer ties with the 930 travel agencies which operate within China.
China will now play a key role in ADTA’s expanding industry and media familiarisation programme which aims to attract 2.7 million hotel guests annually by 2012 – up from 1.45 million last year.
ADTA believes Abu Dhabi, which aims to become a global destination of cultural distinction, will resonate well with the Chinese tourist with research showing they have a strong appetite for culture.
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