Abu Dhabi tourism to cross Australia on four city roadshow

ABU DHABI, 30th July, 2015 (WAM) -- Abu Dhabi’s tourism industry is embarking on a four-destination roadshow to Australia next month in a bid to increase awareness about the emirate’s growing business and tourism opportunities. The 11-strong delegation, led by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, (TCA Abu Dhabi), will be in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney from August 3rd - 6th advising Australian retail travel agents and MICE consultants on current and new tourism experiences and offerings across Abu Dhabi. The delegation will visit Perth in western Australia for the first time to leverage interest and potential trade between the two cities following the launch of daily flights into Abu Dhabi from Perth in July 2014 by Etihad Airways - the UAE’s national airline. Etihad Airways currently operates daily flights from all four cities with double daily flights from Sydney and Melbourne into the UAE capital. "We expect to meet with around 450 travel agents and key influencers during our trip around Australia at a time when more Australians are visiting Abu Dhabi than ever before," said Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director, Promotions and Overseas Offices, TCA Abu Dhabi. "In the first six months of this year 23,794 Australians stayed in the emirate’s hotels and hotel apartments, an increase of 11% on the corresponding period the previous year. Last year, a total of 49,450 Australians arrived in the emirate – an impressive rise of 24% on the previous 12 months – and delivered 161,371 guest nights, staying on average 3.26 nights. We aim to capitalise on this impressive growth pattern and further increase guest arrivals as the year progresses." – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/economics-emirates/1395283775908.html