October, 2013 (Abu Dhabi, UAE) – The UAE National Council for Tourism & Antiquities (NCTA) is gearing up to host two workshops in the U.S. in early October. The events will showcase the UAE’s rich tourism offering with workshops in Washington, DC (in conjunction with the UAE Embassy) on October 8, and in New York on October 10. The workshops, the first to be held in the United States, aim to open a new horizon of cooperation in this important tourist market for the UAE. Similar workshops have been held in other leading markets such as Germany, The Netherlands, India, Malaysia, and Singapore.
The events will feature such prominent representatives as H.E Mohammed Khamis Al Muhairi, Director General of the Council, Abdulla Saleh Al Hammadi- Director, Marketing and Overseas Promotions, and Khalid Ibrahim bin Nassar- Director, Corporate Communication.
The workshops will feature the participation of tourism authorities from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah, as well as 19 tourist representatives and the country’s two national airline carriers, Etihard Airways and Emirates Airlines.
The event will highlight the theme “Seven Emirates… One Destination,” a slogan recently approved to promote the UAE as a safe, secure, affordable, diverse and attractive tourist hub in the region.
“This collaboration between the emirates will encourage a unified image of one tourist destination under the name of the UAE in the future,” said Director General Al Muhairi.
“This will boost the position of the country on the world tourist map, promote tourism in the country, and attract more tourists on an annual basis.”
“With the number of American arrivals increasing every year, the U.S. is an indispensable market for the UAE,” said Al Muhairi. “We are seeking to amplify our engagement and increase communication with the tourism industry to better promote the UAE.”
The UAE registered 673,974 American hotel guests in 2012, compared to 591,100 in 2011.
In addition, the number of American passengers traveling via the Dubai International Airport increased by 20 percent year on year, increasing from 1,630,589 in 2011 to 1,952,104 in 2012.
To date, Etihad Airways has carried more than two million passengers between Abu Dhabi and its destinations in North America, achieving 12.6 per cent growth in passenger numbers in 2012.
The UAE delegates and partners including hotels, tourism companies and travel agencies will also be meeting with leading representatives from the tourism industry in Washington and New York to explore joint promotional opportunities.
Additional workshops in the U.S. are slated for 2014.
“We are thrilled to share the wonders of the UAE with American travelers,” said Al Muhairi.
“Bringing together tourism authorities from throughout the emirates as one delegation allows us to provide a more comprehensive picture of the many tourist attractions throughout the seven emirates.”
Delegates will include:
Abu Dhabi: Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director of Promotion & Overseas Offices, Kershing Goh, and Paul McDonaugh
Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, North America: Saleh Al Gaziri, Director of Overseas Promotion, Jessica Herring, Director of Marketing, North America, and Daniella Middleton, Acting Director, DTCM North America
Sharjah: Sheikh Majid bin Abdullah Al Qassimi, Ahmed Alqaseer, Chief Operating Officer, Mohammed Fadel AlMazroui, AlMajaz waterfront Manager
Fujairah: Saeed Al Samahi, Director General of the Fujairah Tourism and Antiquities Authority, and Khamis Al Hafiti, PR – Fujairah Tourism & Antiquities Authority
Ras Al Khaimah: Khalid Al Motk, Director
For more information on the UAE National Council of Tourism & Antiquities, please contact info@ncta.gov.ae or visit www.uaetourism.ae/en
