Abu Dhabi witnessed a strong surge in Indian arrivals in 2017 with as much as 18 per cent growth over the previous year. Its hotel rooms-nights from Indian arrivals surged past one million stays, likely the first time. The momentum has continued in 2018 too with about 18 per cent growth in the January-June period over the same period the previous year.
This has come amidst a number of new developments in the destination that is making Abu Dhabi increasingly attractive too Indian travellers, as well as the NTO’e efforts to develop Indian market through increasing trade engagements that will see the Emirate host the forthcoming TAFI Convention later this month.
According to Bejan Dinshaw, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism Country Manager – India, “Abu Dhabi recorded 18 per cent growth in Indian arrivals last year as we welcomed over 360,000 Indians into Abu Dhabi who stayed in Abu Dhabi hotels. This does not include VFR or transit visitors. The average stay of these visitors was three nights. This year Abu Dhabi has continued the momentum with close to 18 per cent growth for the January-June period over the same period the previous year.”
Attributing the strong growth to a number of new developments in the Emirate, Dinshaw informed that there are host of exciting new development taking place on Abu Dhabi’s tourism landscape like the Louvre Abu Dhabi that opened late last year and the latest being the Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi that opened in July, just over a month ago.
“The latest addition is Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. This is an indoor air-conditioned theme park based on the DC Comics character of Superman, Batman, Tom & Jerry, Flintstones, Jetsons etc. It has been a runaway success and it is going full every day,” he informed.
Furthermore, Dinshaw said, “Everything is looking good. The Indian market has accepted the destination very well. There is ethnic connection too. Also the two governments are very close and there are a lot happening at that level as well. So it is all working out very well.” Drawing attention on the ease of travel, Dinshaw pointed that the Jet-Etihad combine offers over 260 flights a week between 12 destinations in Indian and Abu Dhabi.
