destination reports: abu dhabi: Capital expansion
Capital expansion
The emirate of Abu Dhabi is firing on all cylinders in its mission to develop a leading global tourism destination that will continue to attract growing numbers of business and leisure visitors in the long-term, as Claire Malcolm discovers
In 2005, Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), said that tourism would continue to be the key driver for the emirate’s economic diversification. Fast forward to 2010 and pipeline plans have become crowd-pleasing realities and infrastructure developments are bringing new business into the city.
Abu Dhabi’s fiscal stability and its measured approach to long-term development under Abu Dhabi Plan 2030, is underpinned by an estimated 9.2 percent of global hydrocarbon reserves. According to Oxford Business Group’s most recent destination report the emirate is also expected to be well insulated against a global drop in leisure tourism thanks to its established base in business-related tourism.
Over the last few years the emirate has committed billions of dollars to creating an infrastructure that will allow Abu Dhabi to capitalise on all market segments and attract continued private sector investment essential to its much-vaunted positioning as a serious player on the world business stage.
Commenting on prospects for 2010, Sheikh Sultan says: “With ever-expanding attractions, tour and infrastructure propositions impacting the face of tourism throughout the emirate, we begin the next 12 months with a solid base on which to move significantly ahead in our aim to develop a world-class destination of distinction. We have, of course, much to achieve, but the huge strides we have made underline exceptional progress for such a youthful entrant onto the world tourism stage.”
