Abu Dhabi, largest of seven Emirates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has projected 30 per cent increase in Indian tourists arrival this year and is looking at promoting the region as an attractive business and leisure destination. Abu Dhabi has also set up a representative office in India and will organise road shows in various parts of the country.

“We expect not less then 30 per cent increase in Indian arrivals in 2013. In 2012, over 125 thousand visitors from India visited Abu Dhabi,” said tourism and culture authority (TCA) Abu Dhabi international promotions manager Mubarak Rashed Al Nauimi. Abu Dhabi will focus on leisure and meetings, interactions, conferences, and exhibitions segments, he added.

“India is now our second largest overseas market for hotel guests after Britain should growth trends for the UK and India continue as they have been for the past twelve months, there is every likelihood that India will be Abu Dhabi’s largest overseas source market for hotel guests in 2014,” said Nauimi.

The road show starting on Monday in New Delhi and will be followed in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, said Bejan Dinshaw, country manager-India, TCA Abu Dhabi. Apart from the road shows, TCA Abu Dhabi also plans to launch marketing and advertisement campaigns in India to promote Abu Dhabi as a preferred tourist destination.

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