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Abu Dhabi: UK's largest online travel agent, expedia.co.uk, has selected Abu Dhabi as one of the world's top 10 destinations to visit in 2008, a development which is likely to further boost the popularity the emirate enjoys among global tourists, among whom are high net worth individuals.
"This is a fantastic development as there's a lot of competition among global cities to be on that list," said an Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
ADTA is the apex body that manages Abu Dhabi's tourism sector. Its responsibilities include destination marketing; infrastructure and product development; and regulation and classification.
"To get on the expedia.co.uk list as a top-ten tourism destination will help Abu Dhabi woo more tourists from all over the world in the long run as awareness about this place will go up tremendously," the ADTA official added.
Abu Dhabi ranks among New Zealand, Argentina, China, Cape Verde, Alaska, Reykjavik, Berlin, Boston and Liverpool as one of the Top Ten places to visit this year, the British travel agent said.
"Few places can have undergone such fundamental change over the past 50 years as the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Today visitors can enjoy the beach, desert safaris, variety enough to quench even the strongest thirst for retail therapy," said expedia.com while explaining the choice of Abu Dhabi as a leading global destination.
"The choice of Abu Dhabi in expedia.co.uk's top 10 places to visit in 2008 is a reiteration of the growing stature earned by the emirate in the global tourism industry," said Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, chairman of ADTA.
"Abu Dhabi has an eclectic spread of choices that meets the demands of global travellers. Apart from famed sea, sun, sand and luxurious choices, which visitors to the UAE are assured of, Abu Dhabi also offers a unique cultural and heritage environment that fascinates visitors," said Mubarak Hamad Al Muhairi, ADTA's director general.
Abu Dhabi has embarked on an ambitious strategy to attract three million visitors per year by 2015. The Abu Dhabi Executive Council in its policy agenda for 2007-08 said: "Tourism is a critical element in the overall development of Abu Dhabi. It will stimulate and diversify the economy, generate new private sector opportunities and elevate the Emirate's international standing."
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Your comments
I am from Canada and have been in the UAE for the past three months -- I must say it is a fascinating place. The culture, the history, the historical monuments -- all of them make the UAE a great place to visit, live and work.
Raja
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 14, 2008, 14:40
Yes, this is really nice news. But we should try to make our city more green. Some places do have greenery but it has not been maintained properly and looks ugly.
Ahmed
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: January 14, 2008, 11:18
Abu Dhabi is one of the best tourist destinations for the following reasons: it is surrounded by the sea; clean city with lot of variety; lot of food choices at reasonable prices; no bureaucracy so life is simple; lot of opportunities for entertainment and a great night life; safe place for tourists; central location
David
Toronto,Canada
Posted: January 14, 2008, 10:21
I am in Abu Dhabi for the past two years. I love this city more than any other city I lived and worked in so far. The things that make Abu Dhabi superior are: cleanliness, less traffic problems, very low crime rate and facilities are in line with global standards.
Ravi
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: January 14, 2008, 08:38
Except South America, I have visited every corner of the earth. According to me, Abu Dhabi remains unmatched. You can enjoy the best beaches, best food -- I love shawarma -- and it is very secure.
Asad
Auckland,New Zealand
Posted: January 14, 2008, 08:15
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