Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority expands its network of overseas offices to Italy

Italy becomes the sixth country on ADTA's overseas network which already features offices in the UK, Germany, France, China and Australia.

The move was announced by His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, ADTA as he welcomed Italian Tourism Minister, Her Excellency Michela Brambilla to the UAE capital to inaugurate a tourism and hospitality forum - Abu Dhabi & Italy: Expanding Tourism Ties. The forum, attended by Italian tour operators and media in a 50-strong Italian mission to Abu Dhabi and leaders of Abu Dhabi's tourism and hospitality industry, was aimed at increasing tourism dialogue between the two destinations and unearthing new business opportunities.

"The opening of the offices in Rome and Milan sends a clear signal to the international industry that Abu Dhabi is maintaining its long term vision of attracting 2.7 million hotel guests to the emirate by 2012," said Sheikh Sultan.

News of the office openings comes as tourism and cultural links between Abu Dhabi and Italy expand. At the end of March, Etihad, the award-winning national airline of the UAE, is to increase its service from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Malpensa International in Milan to five flights a week from its current thrice-weekly service. Etihad will operate a wide-body, twin-engined, Airbus A330, in a three class - first, business and economy - configuration, on the route.

Italian cruise line operator Costa Crociere S.p.A. (Costa Cruises) has also signalled its intention to enhance its Abu Dhabi programme in 2010. The company already sends around 40,000 passengers a year to Abu Dhabi - around half of which are Italian is aiming to more than double this in the November 2009 - April 2010 season.

Italy is also well-represented in the inaugural Abu Dhabi Yacht Show, which will run at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from March 12-14 this year with flagship Italian super-yacht leaders Benelli S.p.A., Ferretti and Azimut as well as prominent Italian boat-builders Rodriquez Cantieri Navali in strong focus.

Italy is also heavily involved in Abu Dhabi's expanding cultural proposition with the directorship of the annual Al Ain Music Festival now coming under the renowned Accademia Teatro Alla Scala - the performing arts academy of Milan's La Scala, one of the world's most famous opera houses.

"Italy's influence on Abu Dhabi's leisure and business tourism propositions is significantly strengthening and we are entering an era where these ties will be actively encouraged, nurtured and enhanced with the active support of the Italian government," added Sheikh Sultan.

In the first nine months of last year, some 19,742 Italian nationals stayed in hotels throughout Abu Dhabi emirate putting the destination well on course to meeting, if not exceeding, the 26,621 Italian hotel guests received during the whole of 2007.

"We have begun an intense stakeholder networking programme which is seeing the Abu Dhabi tourism industry actively engage with their Italian counterparts," said HE Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA. "We are establishing the groundwork for increased trade and consumer awareness of Abu Dhabi as an upmarket destination of distinction, just five hours flying time from Italy. In addition, we wish to capitalise on Abu Dhabi's potential as a stop-over destination for the many Italians visiting Australia and flying Etihad. This is a considerable market as Italy has exceptional strong links with Australia, where Italians make up the second largest migrant population in the country after the UK and Ireland."

ADTA's offices in Italy will undertake a range of activities including exhibitions and road shows, promotional sales calls and visits, acting as a destination information resource, generating media coverage, the organisation of media and trade familiarisation trips to Abu Dhabi and providing destination training for travel agents.

ADTA is also mounting Abu Dhabi pavilions at two major travel fairs in Italy this year, starting with Boursa Internazionale del Tourismo (BIT) in Milan later this month and including TTG Incontri, which will be held in Rimini in October.

The opening of the ADTA offices in Italy is in line with the authority's five-year strategy targets with expansion of its overseas office network featuring as among its service delivery priorities.