The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, DCT Abu Dhabi, will lead a delegation of partners and stakeholders to the ITB China event later this month in a bid to capitalise on and reinforce the emirate’s popularity with Chinese travellers, said a report.

The department will be joined by five key stakeholders at the travel and tourism fair, which is being held at the Shanghai World Expo and Exhibition Centre from the May 16 to 18, including Etihad Airways, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Miral, Nirvana Travel & Tourism, and Omeir Travel Agency, a report in WAM said.

Inbound visitor arrivals from China have seen dramatic rises over recent years, with the number of hotel guest rising almost 40 per cent in 2017 compared to the previous year. The first quarter of 2018 has also seen China maintain its position as leading international hotel guest supplier, with more than 127,000 Chinese staying in the emirate – an increase of 31 per cent compared to the same period in 2017.

Mubarak Al Nuaimi, director Promotions and Overseas Offices, said: "China is our number one overseas market for guests, with huge increases over the past couple of years. The first quarter of this year has continued this upward trend, with more than 30 per cent growth compared to the same period in 2017."

"These gains have been the result of the sustained attention we have given to our Chinese market, with initiatives such as sending our Discover Abu Dhabi roadshows and Abu Dhabi Week events to the country, as well investing in a targeted digital campaign in China. This campaign, which began in December 2017, has prompted a 50-fold increase in the traffic to the Chinese language version of our Visit Abu Dhabi website over the last three months.

"We have also made sure our emirate is as welcoming as possible for our Chinese guests, with visa restrictions lifted and numerous tourist attractions and hotels in Abu Dhabi having received the China Tourism Academy’s Welcome Chinese Certification, which are awarded to hospitality establishments and destinations that offer high-quality services to Chinese visitors, including Mandarin-speaking staff members.

"But as impressive as our figures are, we still see potential for growth in the future, so we are very excited to be visiting Shanghai once again to showcase, with our partners, the latest additions to what Abu Dhabi has to offer."

Miral, the destination management company for Yas Island, will be showcasing the latest upcoming addition to the offerings on Abu Dhabi’s ‘entertainment hub’, the soon-to-open Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. The indoor theme park will open its doors to the public on July 25 and will feature 29 rides and attractions in six immersive lands, which will include DC’s Metropolis and Gotham City, as well as Cartoon Junction, Bedrock, Dynamite Gulch and Warner Bros. Plaza, the report said.

The ITB China event will also allow Miral the opportunity to introduce ‘Yas Experiences’ to Chinese audiences. Yas Island’s one-stop promotional hub, the new company will function as a one-stop destination partner; tailoring package solutions which inspire, facilitate and promote leisure and entertainment itineraries on Yas Island that appeal to all types of holidaymakers.

DCT Abu Dhabi will also use ITB China as a platform to introduce the China market to the extraordinary Louvre Abu Dhabi - the region’s first universal museum, which opened its doors to the public in November 2017 - as well as to promote its year-round calendar of events and festivals including the new Abu Dhabi Summer Season, this year being held between June 17 and August 18, the 2018 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the end of November and the annual Abu Dhabi Food Festival. - TradeArabia News Service