Hotel group Rotana and Farah Experiences, a leading provider of world-class entertainment experiences, have signed a strategic partnership agreement aimed at supporting the growth of leisure tourism in Abu Dhabi.

The agreement, which hopes to promote the emirate’s unique tourist attractions and experiences in key international markets, was signed in the presence of Omer Kaddouri, president and CEO of Rotana, and Olivier Garaialde, CEO of Farah Experiences, at a ceremony held in Park Rotana Abu Dhabi.

The agreement includes Rotana being bestowed the distinction of “Preferred Hotel Partner” by Farah Experiences, which operates Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world’s first Ferrari-branded theme park, as well as Yas Waterworld, the UAE’s unique Emirati themed waterpark.

“As a proud Abu Dhabi-based brand, Rotana is constantly exploring opportunities to enhance the emirate’s global image and bring prosperity and growth to its tourism sector. Today, with this partnership with Farah Experiences, we build on our long-standing commitment to promote to a broad international audience, not only the rich heritage and culture of Abu Dhabi but also the ever-expanding portfolio of world-class leisure and entertainment attractions that uniquely enable the emirate to offer visitors the best of both worlds,” said Kaddouri. “Rotana’s extensive and growing presence in the global hospitality industry will be pivotal in helping the partnership reach its goals and we look forward to working closely with Farah Experiences and other stakeholders in bringing Abu Dhabi’s tourist attractions into broader international limelight.”

Garaialde said: “We are proud to partner with such a prestigious group as Rotana to promote our continuously evolving portfolio of experiences to a wider international audience, and to enable us to offer our guests additional benefits to make their Abu Dhabi experience even more rewarding. We look forward to activating this strategic partnership and to welcoming more and more guests at our iconic entertainment and hospitality attractions in Abu Dhabi.”

Under the terms of the partnership, Rotana and Farah Experiences will jointly promote the capital’s top leisure and entertainment offerings abroad to drive increased traffic to Abu Dhabi, via tactical marketing campaigns and FAM trips targeting the travel trade industry in cities that count as major source markets for Abu Dhabi’s tourism industry.

In addition, the campaigns will help draw greater attention to Abu Dhabi’s world-class entertainment offerings through Rotana hotels’ marketing channels across the UAE and the region. Rotana’s Global Sales Offices in Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, China, Germany, India and the UK, to name a few. To achieve these goals, the partnership will leverage Rotana’s formidable hospitality footprint, with 58 of the company’s properties around the world tasked to actively engage in pushing Abu Dhabi’s tourist attractions to their guests and travel trade partners. As well as promoting the city’s two best-known leisure and entertainment attractions - Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld - via the marketing channels of the different Rotana hotels internationally and in the UAE, the hospitality behemoth will facilitate tourists’ visit to Abu Dhabi and the parks during their stay in the other emirates.

Furthermore, the two entities will offer exclusive benefits for each other’s guests at Rotana hotels worldwide and at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld.

As part of this agreement, guests staying at Rotana hotels in the UAE will enjoy free concierge service, and receive exclusive discounts on merchandise and food and beverage and much more when visiting Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld, while park guests, as well as members of Rotana Rewards, one of the most successful guest and frequent-booker loyalty programme in the region, can look forward to enjoying complimentary upgrades on rooms at Rotana hotels as well as exclusive discounts at Rotana food and beverage outlets.

Similarly, Annual Pass holders of the two parks will be eligible for dining discounts and complimentary upgrades on rooms at Rotana hotels across the UAE.

Named the "Middle East's Leading Tourist Attraction" at the World Travel Awards 2015, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is the world’s first Ferrari-branded theme park, boasting more than 30 unique rides and attractions for visitors of all ages and interests – from thrill rides to the truly advanced simulators and family-friendly attractions – in addition to a wide variety of restaurants, unique shopping experiences and exciting seasonal entertainment.

Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi is a milestone in the leisure sector in the Middle East; where guests can enjoy a unique family experience inspired by the Emirati pearl diving legend. The UAE’s mega waterpark is home to 45 exhilarating rides, slides and attractions – five of which can be found nowhere else in the world.

Over the past few years, Abu Dhabi has been investing heavily in developing its tourism infrastructure and is targeting five million visitors annually by 2021. The emirate’s tourism sector has been showing steady growth, with the number of guest arrivals during the first three months of 2016 increasing 11 per cent when compared to the previous year. - TradeArabia News Service