Following the establishment of strong demand from two major Asia-Pacific source markets, India and China, Abu Dhabi is now preening its feathers for more travellers from the region, with South Korea and Pakistan on its checklist.
Abdulla Yousuf, director of international operations with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), underlined the importance of the Asia-Pacific region. He stated that India and China are among the top three tourism performers for Abu Dhabi, and the rest of the region holds great potential for growth.
Citing South Korea as an example, Abdulla said an upgraded air service agreement between the UAE and South Korea was inked in 2023, and that led to a doubling of flights between the two points. In-market efforts are facilitated by an Abu Dhabi tourism office in South Korea.
“We are now studying the potential of the Japanese outbound market. Data shows that Japanese travellers have a keen interest in the Middle East. We want to find out what their spending power is, what they look for on their trips, etc, before designing our strategy for Japan,” he told TTG Asia.
DCT Abu Dhabi has made firm inroads into India and China through the power of celebrity endorsement. In India, the NTO signed on Indian superstar Ranveer Singh for a two-year contract in May 2023. As destination ambassador, he appears in Abu Dhabi’s One Summer Isn’t Enough campaign, where he explores Abu Dhabi’s top draws.
In China, Chinese actress Liu Yifei fronts the destination’s campaigns.
Would DCT Abu Dhabi draw on additional stars to raise its brand presence in other Asia-Pacific markets? Abdulla said plans are still in the works, and the celebrity would likely be a “global face that can be plugged into multiple markets”.
He added that DCT Abu Dhabi maintains market presence throughout the year, via a global brand campaign and a specific campaign each for winter and summer. The campaign slogan, Find your pace, inspires curiosity for every type of traveller to explore Abu Dhabi, presenting the destination’s hidden gems and popular attractions through a new lens.
“Whether you travel with the family, favour adventure, seek culture, or just want to go slow and lie on the beach all day, Abu Dhabi allows you to find your own pace within the destination,” Abdulla elaborated.
Destination branding is supported by trade partnerships for tactical offers and B2B roadshows in key source markets. The tourism office led several roadshows across India, China and South Korea throughout 2023, and will continue to do so this year.
The inaugural APAC Summit will debut in June 2024, bringing trade buyers from across Asia-Pacific into the destination for knowledge exchange and a chance to experience Abu Dhabi for themselves.
When asked about new tourism draws, Abdulla said: “Abu Dhabi’s existing attractions are still refreshing because many travellers did not get to travel outbound for a long time. It is important that a destination not only highlights new draws but also finds new experiences within existing attractions and landmarks.”
Yet, Abu Dhabi does have a few new lures. Snow Abu Dhabi opened last year, allowing visitors to ski all year round. Also new is SeaWorld Abu Dhabi. According to Abdulla, the marine attraction rescues creatures from the Gulf for rehabilitation before releasing them back into their natural habitat.
“SeaWorld Abu Dhabi has attracted a lot of school groups from abroad as well as marine researchers,” he said.
Coming up soon is teamLab Phenomena in the Saadiyat Cultural District, and a new season of NBA (National Basketball Association) Abu Dhabi Games 2024, where Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets will play two pre-season games on October 4 and 6 in Yas Island.
“Abu Dhabi is so good with culture, family activities, and events. Some of the best events of the world are held here, like NBA, Formula One and UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship),” he added.
