Cruise Arabia, a collaborative initiative formed by the tourism ministries of Abu Dhabi, Oman and Dubai, is set to embark on a four-city roadshow to drive growth in GCC bookings for Arabian Gulf cruises.

Running for the third time, the roadshow will take place from October 19 to 22, and call at Kuwait and Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia.

The roadshow aims to push tour operators to encourage holiday package development and train regional travel agents to sell cruises and bolster the emirate’s commercial appeal as a regional base for the world’s leading cruise lines.

The prospect of enticing more cruise ships to Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Port was top of the Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) priorities list, according to the company’s CEO Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi.

ADPC is building a permanent cruise terminal at Zayed Port which is expected to open in 2016.

“The new terminal design, together with the package of incentives that we have developed and the prospect of a unique beach stopover location all add up to make Abu Dhabi a compelling and exciting winter cruise destination. This is certainly being noted by industry commentators who are now highlighting the Gulf region as an up and coming cruise destination and definitely ‘one to watch’,” Al Shamisi said.

Cruise sector growth is spurring exponential business opportunities, according to Joseph A Joseph senior manager cruise business development of UAE- based operator Orient Tours.

“Awareness has definitely grown in Abu Dhabi as a cruise destination, and other ground operation business opportunities have emerged which I believe are being sparked by this heightened awareness,” he said. – TradeArabia News Service