Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector is poised for a gradual re-opening and officials are preparing to attract an international traveller that is much more health-conscious post-Covid-19 to the emirate with a mix of competitive deals and flexible packages.
The Department of Culture and Tourism is working to support hotels and resorts through a very difficult period as well as helping them prepare to re-open once the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) gives the greenlight, said Ali Al Shaiba, the department’s executive director of tourism and marketing.
“We have the protocols in place … they are just on standby mode... So maybe within a week, within two weeks, I have no idea but we are discussing it with the government. It's on the table of NCEMA and whenever we receive back from them, the next day we will announce” that hotels can re-open, he said.
It will take longer for tourist attractions like museums and theme parks to follow given their higher levels of physical interaction, he said.
“However, we are working also on the measures that would allow the whole sector to recover gradually by building post-Covid-19 protocols and procedures that meet the highest worldwide standards,” he said.
“We are confident that we will be amongst the first to recover and get back to business stronger than before.”
Hotel staff have been tested for the coronavirus and the department has begun a cleanliness and hygiene certification programme which provides detailed rules including physical distancing requirements and which facilities can be open. For example, buffets will not be allowed when resorts and hotels first re-open, Mr Al Shaiba said.
This is part of the emirate’s efforts to make visitors feel comfortable in terms of their health and safety, which will be one of three key considerations for anyone booking travel in the future, he said.
The second is cost and the third major factor is a “hassle free” experience, according to the department’s analysis.
To make sure Abu Dhabi is ready to receive tourists again and “in the right way”, the department has set up a command centre "filled with a best class analysts and digital experts monitoring and analysing more than 30 different markets”.
The government, as well as international partners such as Google, booking.com, Expedia and other tourism companies, are providing the data on which weekly reports are based.
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Abu Dhabi heritage
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The information includes the state of Covid-19 related restrictions in a country and the economic situation as well as the extent of the health crisis there.
Only China and Singapore are at “stage three” with signs that travel is beginning to rebound and are at the point at which they are ready to be marketed to, Mr Al Shaiba said.
Officials are in discussions with airlines, hotels and tour operators to create competitive packages for when it is time to go to market. Any package will have to include flexible terms so bookings can be refunded, he said, given that there will continue to be uncertainty around travel. Full packages beyond just hotel stay and air ticket will also be looked at.
In the wake of the pandemic the tourism and travel sector in Abu Dhabi has been hit very hard with zero inbound visitors as borders closed around the world and air travel almost ground to a halt.
Mr Al Shaiba said as soon as the pandemic began a government task force was assembled to engage with the sector and find out what was needed to successfully mitigate its impact. The government responded “exceptionally” quickly, he said, with measures such as the waiving of taxes and fees, rent rebates, facilitating access to bank support and the provision of billions of dirhams in subsidies for water and power bills.
He said the leadership in Abu Dhabi is willing to do “whatever it takes” to help navigate the crisis and the government is showing “the stakeholders and the businesses that we care about everyone here in Abu Dhabi, not only individuals but all businesses”.
This is why Mr Al Shaiba, who is in daily contact with those working in tourism, remains optimistic about a recovery even though it will take longer for destinations to bounce back even as air travel demand returns.
“Destinations have more components like hotels, tour guides, tour operators, travel agents, destination management companies, assets, museums, theme parks, that might take much more than just [what] an airline [might need] to travel [again],” Mr Al Shaiba said.
For Abu Dhabi, this year will be a "domestic and regional play" with staycations and visits from neighbouring countries the more likely opportunities.
"I would say 2021 will be gradually open to international visitors but 2020 I would stay optimistic, I would say domestic and maybe regional [markets] will be open,” he said.
Whatever the timeline, tourism "will not be the same again”.
"Future travellers’ behaviour will change drastically. The choice of destination will heavily depend on your standards and requirements,” Mr Al Shaiba said.
Abu Dhabi’s reputation for quality health care will play an important part in its ability to attract international visitors quickly as “the first thing you will consider is a destination that could accommodate you if you face any health issues".
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Abu Dhabi islands
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The other big shift will be around technology with travellers wanting everything to be accessible through their personal device including menus, room keys and payments, Mr Al Shaiba said. The department is going to pilot these technologies.
“So, we are looking... how to make the journey of the traveller much easier from the booking to the planning to the arrival into Abu Dhabi. To not have contact anyone through the journey from the airport, to transportation, and so on,” he said. That “will change everything” including taking part in activities around the emirate when they are here.
Planning for the future of travel and tourism started last year, before the pandemic, Mr Al Shaiba said, and now because of the rapid shifts happening they are accelerating their timeline to implement them.
However, events and exhibitions, an important factor behind a record number of visitors to Abu Dhabi last year, are more complicated to get going again.
The corporate segment may be a little easier to manage in terms of protocols and managing numbers but festivals and concerts will be more difficult to control, Mr Al Shaiba said.
The plan is to host concerts at some point “but in a way that we assure the health and safety of the consumers and also assure that the atmosphere and the environment and the experience won't be changed”.
Major sporting events such as the Special Olympics, the football Asian Cup and the UFC were held successfully in Abu Dhabi last year. Globally, some competitions are now beginning to trickle back even if it is without spectators.
"I believe Abu Dhabi has the capability to kick start sporting events in the same direction within 2020. And who knows, you know, you might hear a surprise from us very soon,” Mr Al Shaiba said.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Results
Stage Two:
1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 04:20:45
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates
4. Olav Kooij (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
General Classification:
1. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix 09:03:03
2. Dmitry Strakhov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:04
3. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 00:00:06
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:10
5. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:12
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs: 2018 Bentley Bentayga V8
Price, base: Dh853,226
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 550hp @ 6,000pm
Torque: 770Nm @ 1,960rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.4L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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LIVERPOOL SQUAD
Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner, Naby Keita, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Joe Gomez, Adrian, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana, Andy Lonergan, Xherdan Shaqiri, Andy Robertson, Divock Origi, Curtis Jones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Neco Williams
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
'Of Love & War'
Lynsey Addario, Penguin Press
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
I Care A Lot
Directed by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
3/5 stars
Who is Allegra Stratton?
- Previously worked at The Guardian, BBC’s Newsnight programme and ITV News
- Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
- In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
- The idea was later scrapped and she was appointed spokeswoman for Cop26
- Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
- She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
- Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth
THREE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
