Lights, Camera, Action

Major attractions and new venues are driving Abu Dhabi’s thriving events scene

- Marisa Cannon

In 2016, the UAE capital welcomed 4.4 million visitors, up 8 percent over the previous year. Events such as the Abu Dhabi Summer Season, Abu Dhabi Food Festival and Qasr Al Hosn Festival, which celebrates the emirate’s history and heritage, have helped to tempt tourists. Last year, Abu Dhabi was ranked one of the world’s fastest-growing destinations by Mastercard. It is gearing up for an eventful few years, with the long-awaited opening of the Louvre in November and other impressive new attractions under development.

Visitor numbers are likely to grow still further when Abu Dhabi airport opens its new Midfield Terminal. The project’s completion date, originally set for the end of this year, has recently been pushed back to 2019. When it opens, the terminal is expected to increase annual capacity to 30 million passengers, offering over 300,000 square feet of retail and dining space, eight airline lounges and a 163-room transit hotel.

Still, the emirate is not only looking to pull in tourists – it also wants to attract meeting and event planners. The convention bureau has developed the Advantage Abu Dhabi program to attract business gatherings aligned with the “Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030,” the city’s long-term growth strategy. Its central aim is to diversify the UAE’s economy beyond oil and gas by investing in sectors such as aviation, tourism and financial services.

The program offers financial incentives and marketing support to events that show their value within these industries. It seems to be working – a record 14 conferences were secured last year, and are expected to draw more than 35,000 attendees to the region.

The French Connection