Abu Dhabi, UAE – 8 November 2017: Led by The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, a Cruise Sector Committee meeting was convened recently to tackle the challenges faced by the industry and plans for the future of the sector in the emirate.
Held at the headquarters of the Department, and led by its chairman, HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, the meeting hosted many high level management figures from partners and industry stakeholders including Brigadier General Mansour Al Dhaheri from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Abu Dhabi, Captain Mohammed Al Shamsi from Abu Dhabi Ports, Mohammed Al Bulooki from Etihad Airways, Engineer Jamal Al Hosani from the Department of Municipal Affairs, Mohammed Al Qemzi from the Integrated Transport Center and Sufian Al Marzooqi from the Tourism Development & Investment Company.
For the upcoming 2017/18 season, the Department estimates growth of 5 per cent in the number of passengers from the previous year’s figure of 346,000, after a series of initiatives were launched in order to develop Abu Dhabi’s cruise sector as a primary niche product as part of the emirate’s economic diversification.
Served by the state-of-the-art Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, the capital welcomes leading international cruise lines, those originating from Abu Dhabi and visiting the destination as a port-of-call and with four maiden calls scheduled in Abu Dhabi for this season, the emirate is at the forefront of the Arabian Gulf’s ambitions to become the leading international alternative winter sun cruise destination.
Abu Dhabi is also home to the region’s only dedicated cruise stopover beach on Sir Bani Yas Island in the Emirate’s Al Dhafra Region. The first of its kind in the Arabian Gulf, the beach is a unique addition to Abu Dhabi’s cruise market offering.
