Partnership with global tour operator set to bolster visitors to Abu Dhabi from Europe.
ABU DHABI, UAE – Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADDH) and one of Europe’s leading tour operators, FTI Group, formalised their intent to partner and boost visitor numbers to the Emirate and cement Abu Dhabi’s position as a global tourism destination.
Under the terms of the intent agreement, collaboration will focus on increasing the number of visitors to Abu Dhabi from key European markets, including the UK, France and Germany. ADDH is set to inject 100 million euros in FTI Group which will also help expand the firm’s worldwide business outreach and enhance its vertical integration strategy across key tourism segments including: tour operation, destinations management, own content and distribution. FTI Group is currently the third largest tour operator in Europe with multiple owned and operated assets, including 70 hotels. In 2010, the firm established its flagship destination management company Meeting Point Tourism LLC in the UAE.
Mohamed Al Suwaidi, CEO of ADDH, commented: “Our strategic partnership with FTI Group reflects our wider commitment, in alignment with the Abu Dhabi Government, to support the Emirate’s ambition in the tourism sector. The collaboration will not only create many opportunities to enhance Abu Dhabi’s sustainable tourism sector, but it aligns with our mandate to further develop sectors of Abu Dhabi’s non-oil economy.”
“FTI Group is already recognised as a key player in Europe’s tourism industry and with access to a passenger base of more than seven million people, I am confident that our agreement will significantly boost the number of tourists arriving from key European source markets to Abu Dhabi,” Al Suwaidi concluded.
Dietmar Gunz, CEO of FTI Group, said: “As a tour operator with a global footprint and an operational presence in the UAE for almost a decade, we are proud to sign an agreement with ADDH, one of the Emirate’s largest holding companies, to further showcase the best of Abu Dhabi’s expansive tourism offerings to our customers.”
“ADDH is an exciting partner for FTI group given its portfolio of hotels and presence in the exhibition, aviation, culture and media sectors, which will enable us to design a new class of exclusive holiday packages for the ultimate customer experience”, Gunz added.
“Abu Dhabi is an increasingly growing tourism market and has been part of our company’s long-term expansion and consolidation strategy in the region. In the coming months, we will open our first fully serviced offices in Abu Dhabi – a clear indication of our commitment to the UAE capital,” Roula Jouny, CEO of Meeting International Group, concluded.
According to recent data from the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi welcomed close to 3.8 million hotel guests In the first nine months of the year, a 2.9 per cent increase on the same period last year. Reinforcing this upward trajectory, hotel occupancy in Abu Dhabi rose 4% to 69% this year and average length of stay grew by 5.6%, equating to 2.5 nights.
Earlier this year, Abu Dhabi was singled out as one of the most cultural cities in the world in an online list compiled by Skyscanner, the popular travel fare website.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
