Abu Dhabi Week in India attracts more visitors

Traditional Al Ayala dancers, a dance form is included on the Unesco Cultural Heritage list, previews of Louvre Abu Dhabi, features on the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the UAE’s first female chef, Khulood Atiq, and her Emirati culinary delicacies, captivated residents and visitors alike for the second day of the three-day "Abu Dhabi Week in India", in Mumbai on Saturday.

Side by side with these star attractions for prospective visitors to Abu Dhabi was a virtual reality booth providing life-like encounters of Ferrari World, introductions to Abu Dhabi Desert Safaris and promotions from Etihad Airways.

Expressing satisfaction with the response to the Abu Dhabi Week events on the second day, Bejan Dinshaw, Country Manager in India for the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, said that the India promotion project has been planned to bring the tourism fraternity and the consumer together to showcase the vibrant world of the UAE's capital city. "The department has always been in the forefront of promoting the culture and heritage of Abu Dhabi, as reflected in the growing tourist traffic to the emirate," he said.

Judging from the response at the Mumbai exposition to Louvre Abu Dhabi, which is set to open its doors on November 11th, it is certain to be a big draw for Indian tourists in the future, much like the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque which is a "must see" now for Indians travelling to the emirate, Dinshaw added.

The projection of Louvre Abu Dhabi as a cultural beacon bringing different cultures together to shine fresh light on the shared stories of humanity, appears to have caught the imagination of Mumbai's local population, he said.

Meanwhile, organisers of the Abu Dhabi Week today released figures of hotel occupancy in Abu Dhabi by Indians in September 2017, which stood at 32,000.

Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director of the Promotions and Overseas Offices of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, said, "Through this promotional tour, we want to increase that figure and encourage visitors to explore more and stay even longer in order to do justice to the emirate's attractions."