UK eyes tourism push with Emirates deal

VisitBritain, the UK’s national tourism agency, is planning to launch a marketing drive to increase the number of tourists from the United Arab Emirates by 30 percent within seven years.

About 250,000 UAE residents visit the country each year, but the UK wants to see that increase to more than 300,000 by 2020.

A delegation from VisitBritain and British tourism operators travelled to Abu Dhabi on Wednesday in a bid to attract tourists.

VisitBritain is also hoping to enter a marketing deal with Dubai's Emirates Airline to help boost the country’s profile as a tourism destination, as well as to promote areas outside of London.

It also is increasing use of its Arabic Twitter feed, which already has 10,000 followers.

“We do plan to step up our activity in the region," VisitBritain CEO Sandie Dawe said during a sales mission to Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, according to The National.

"We've been very focused on Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but we do want to be doing more in the region as a whole. We are quite confident we will get something up and running with Emirates."