As the international tourism trend in India is expanding adequately, the results are reaped by several other tourism hotspots. Abu Dhabi is the recent inclusion in the list. For 2013, India remains the top overseas source market with 157,594 Indians checking into Abu Dhabi’s accommodation – a 26 per cent increase on 2012. They delivered 620,641 room nights, with an average length of stay of 3.94 nights, said Bejan Dinshaw, Country Manager – India, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).
“We are benefitting from increased destination awareness in India following the opening of a dedicated promotion office and increased air access from the country following Etihad Airways’ equity stake in Jet Airways and the move by the Indian carrier to make its hub in Abu Dhabi,” opined Dinshaw.
The Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) also revealed that Abu Dhabi International Airport recorded the highest traffic from India for the first six months of 2013, with traffic growing by 18 per cent over the same period last year.
2013 was an eventful year for the destination. Apart from their annual roadshow and setting up a dedicated promotional office, TCA Abu Dhabi also organised its ‘Abu Dhabi Month’, campaign, which ran throughout August 2013. This year, the Authority plans to follow a two-pronged marketing strategy for the Indian market. “Abu Dhabi is a very well-known tourist destination among Indians. Last year, we were testing waters and did not have a dedicated plan in place. This year, after a lot of market research, we are more focussed on our target segments – families, couples, groups etc. We have a separate marketing plan set up for the trade and the consumer. We want to target both as they are equally important for increasing footfall into the destination,” Dinshaw said, adding that TCA Abu Dhabi will also up their marketing activities in tier II and III cities in India.
Elaborating further, he said that TCA Abu Dhabi is going to continue educating and connecting with the trade through annual roadshows. “We will be hosting our 2014 roadshow in August. We are also looking at experimenting with the digital platform. We plan to start online trainings for the trade,” he added.
According to Dinshaw, the response at SATTE 2014 was excellent. “We couldn’t have thought of a better platform to start the year off with. Last year, we saw immense potential and opportunity at SATTE, but this year we have done phenomenal business,” he opined.
