Mubarak Al Muhairy: WTA awards came to crown the efforts of developing tourism in Abu Dhabi

He said the winning of such a prestigious award which is being granted annually for the best achievements realised in the world's tourism industry, came to crown the unstinting efforts of the ADTA, which was founded in 2004 to promote and market Abu Dhabi's tourism industry worldwide.

"The two awards which have been received on Wednesday by ADTA's officials in the party held in the emirates palace came at a time when Abu Dhabi's Tourism industry has made a tremendous achievement, reflected in the over 1.3 million tourists that visited the emirate in 2006 with the visitors spending 2.5 million nights, which represent a rise of 40% compared to the figure recorded in the previous year," Al Muhairy elaborated..

"Our winning of the "Best Promotion Board" and the "Best New Tourism Destination" awards is another recognition by international tourism institutions of the great efforts being made by the ADTA to boost Abu Dhabi's position among the world's leading tourism destinations," he added.

He pointed out that the two awards reflect Abu Dhabi's great potential as an international tourism destination for business and recreation tourism. "It also re-affirms the increasing recognition of Abu Dhabi by international travel and tourism bodies," he said, adding that the achievement was the result of ADTA's proactive presence in international tourism events and the fruit of its exerted promotional campaigns in its targeted tourism markets.

He said Abu Dhabi's tourism sector, in the past few years, had witnessed a major surge reflected in the high rates of hotel occupancy with the average rate standing at 84.4% in 2006, up from the 78.4% recorded in the previous year. The growth rate, he said, stood at 7.6%, adding that there was also a high increase of visitors to Abu Dhabi in 2006, putting the figure at 1.345 million tourists. The figure represents a rise of 12% compared to 2005.

He said ADTA also intensified its activities both at the local, regional and international levels. These activities include the organising of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship early this year, sponsoring of classical music, opera and the showing of the "Chicago Fever" drama recently, as well as the organising of the Gulf Incentive Tourism Exhibition and Conference, which is the first of its kind in the region.

Touching on the participation of Abu Dhabi in exhibitions abroad, Al Muhairy said it is still the major objective of ADTA to market and promote Abu Dhabi as one of the world's best tourism destination and to put the emirate at an enviable position on the world tourism map, adding that Abu Dhabi had made a giant stride in that regard.