The Al Ain Economic Development and Tourism Promotion Authority (AAEDTPA) has embarked on a plan to hard sell the Eastern Region of Abu Dhabi emirate as the top tourist destination, a top official said, according to the Khaleej Times.

The authority is exploring innovative ideas and proposals to the concerned public departments with the aim of realising a conducive investment climate to allure more entrepreneurs and businessmen, Mubarek Al Mihairi, Director General of the authority, said. The plan includes presenting suggestions for new laws on investment protection and back-up, he added. The AAEDTPA has drawn up programmes to promote tourism in the region like organising seminars and workshops for the secondary school and university students and the annual extravaganza Al Ain Festival.

He also stressed the need of the private sector`s involvement in tourism promotion and called upon businessmen and investors to present their ideas in this regard to the authority in order to make the coordination between the private and public sectors a tangible reality.

The director of the AAEDTPA also revealed that the authority has formed a joint committee with Al Ain-based tourism and travel agents. The committee will draw up plans and strategies to promote internal and inbound tourism, he added. The committee will also endeavour to promote Al Ain as one of the important local tourism hubs, bearing in mind the demands of the regional and international tourism markets.

The AAEDTPA is also planning to organise promotion campaigns through a number of international, Arab, Asian and European tourism and travel fairs. The joint panel recently held its first meeting under the chairmanship of Ibrahim Ahli, Director of the Tourism Promotion Department of the AAEDTPA, and discussed the methods and bases developed by the authority to categorise the tourism organisations and services in the region. This is in addition to the training programmes set up by the authority to raise the skills of those who are working in the tourism and hotel industry, Al Mihairi said.