The first eight months of 2018 saw Abu Dhabi hotels receive 1.3 million visitors, which is an increase of 5.8 percent compared to 2017. August 2018 alone saw the emirate’s 162 hotels, resorts and hotel apartments receive just under half a million visitors.
The Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (ADCT) cited improvements in local tourism as one of the principal reasons behind the increase of visitors to the emirate.
Other touristic additions are the ‘Bait Al Gahwa’ (House of Coffee), launched in 2018 to preserve, promote and support local heritage and reintroduce traditional Arabian coffee culture; the ‘Abu Dhabi Culture’, a digital platform gathering historic and cultural information and the various artistic and cultural activities and events in Abu Dhabi.
The ADCT also encourages visitors to explore authentic cultural heritage landmarks in Al Ain, including locations listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Business tourism was also highlighted, along with creating awareness about tourism attractions and tours in Al Ain, Al Dhafra, and Abu Dhabi City.
The ADCT said that it is launching cultural and heritage infrastructure projects, to keep pace with the new requirements of visitors, including the current reconstruction and redevelopment of Al Ain Museum, which will continue until the final quarter of 2020.
