The Presidential Palace's opening to the public completes a fascinating cultural quartet of attractions in Abu Dhabi

Now visitors can walk the same corridors as dignitaries such as Pope Francis and Xi Jinping

The Presidential Palace seen from the Arabian Gulf in Abu Dhabi. Alamy

Inside the Presidential palace during a reception held by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohamed bin ayed in December 2018. Ministry of Presidential Affairs

The Presidential Palace during the visit of Mahamadou Issoufou, President of Niger. Ministry of Presidential Affairs ---

The national flags of Vatican (L) and the UAE during a reception for Pope Francis. AFP

The Presidential Palace honour guard during the visit of Pope Francis. Ministry of Presidential Affairs

The road leading to the Presidential Palace. Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid receiving the credentials of several foreign ambassadors on March 3, 2019. WAM

This newspaper recently gave readers a taste of what Abu Dhabi was like for visitors who arrived here in the late 1970s. It's fair to say those were different times: there was one five-star hotel, there were no shopping malls and few genuine tourist attractions, save for the growing sense of a city that was clearly beginning to race towards its future.

This was Abu Dhabi’s sapling moment, a prelude to the delivery of the great trees that have risen today.

It might also be called a false start for tourism in the city, in the sense that back then commerce brought people to Abu Dhabi, rather than star attractions.

That changed with the arrival of Etihad Airways in November 2003.

The 15-years since have been marked by both subtle and sweeping transformation of the city.

In 2003, Abu Dhabi offered international guests the chance to enjoy unspoilt beaches (as it does today), new shopping malls (although not as many as now) and, if it was your thing, some decent golf courses (there are now several more).

Within five years, the visitor experience had been thoroughly enhanced.

Emirates Palace hotel opened in 2005, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in 2007 and the development of Yas and Saadiyat islands was taking shape. Today, the former boasts three family oriented theme parks – Yas Waterworld, Ferrari World and Warner Bros World – and on Saadiyat, Louvre Abu Dhabi opened in 2017. The attraction became the lodestar in the city’s tourism constellation as soon as it was unveiled.

Now, something equally important but more subtle is happening, with a set of intriguing new visitor attractions opening in the city over the past three years. Not only does each one add colour to the picture, they add context too. For sure, Louvre Abu Dhabi brings legions of visitors to the city, but this other section of attractions will hopefully see many of those same tourists leaving with a greater understanding of the country and its story.

On Monday, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, announced that the Presidential Palace, which houses the offices of the President, Vice President and Crown Prince, will be open to the public from next week.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan (left), stand for the national anthem during a reception at the Presidential Palace in April 2018. Rashed Al Mansoori / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Left to right: Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Pope Francis and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed at the Presidential Palace on February 4, 2019. Getty Images

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed arrive at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi in July 2018. AFP

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed receives a gift from Boyko Borisov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria (centre), during a reception held at the Presidential Palace on October 21, 2018. Rashed Al Mansoori / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Wang Qishan, Vice President of China (right) greets Lt General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior during a reception at the Presidential Palace on October 28, 2018. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed meets with Dr Barham Salih, President of Iraq, at the Presidential Palace on November 12, 2019. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Italy, signs a guest book during a reception at the Presidential Palace on November 15, 2018. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Giuseppe Conte stand for the national anthem, during a reception held at the Presidential Palace on November 15, 2018. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed meets Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan, at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi in November 2018. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Dr Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia (left) and Isaias Afwerki, President of Eritrea (right), stand for the UAE national anthem during a reception at the Presidential Palace in July 2018. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed meets with Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa (left), at the Presidential Palace in July 2018. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bids farewell to Dr Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia (centre) and Isaias Afwerki, President of Eritrea (left), at the Presidential Palace in July 2018. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sebastian Kurz, Chancellor of Austria, greets Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, during a reception held at the Presidential Palace in April 2018. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, left, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, at a reception at the Presidential Palace. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Undersecretary of the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi (left) greets Mahamadou Issoufou, President of Niger, during a reception at the Presidential Palace in December 2018. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Pope Francis signs a guest book during an official reception at the Presidential Palace on February 4, 2019. He is with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid (left), and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed (second left). Ryan Carter / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

The Pope and dignitaries stand for the national anthem during a reception at the Presidential Palace on February 4, 2019. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

The Al Forsan Aerobatics team display the colours of the Vatican flag during the official ceremony to welcome Pope Francis at the Presidential Palace.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid (third right) greets a member of the Vatican delegation, during a reception for Pope Francis at the Presidential Palace. Seen with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed (right). Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

A part of the palace compound known as Qasr Al Watan, or Palace of the Nation, will be the centrepiece of the tour, which will also offer visitors a peek at reception halls that have been graced by heads of state and global leaders, including China’s President Xi Jinping and Pope Francis.

While it is too soon to say for sure, this could be called the "Louvre effect" In time, we may yet say that the impact of the "cultural quartet" has helped further boost tourist numbers.

This week, Abu Dhabi Airports chief executive Bryan Thompson said that the airport operator had seen a shift in passenger traffic, stating that there had been an increase in the number of people starting to spend more time in the city, rather than just transiting through.The Presidential Palace announcement is the fourth such significant opening in under three years. In November 2016, Wahat Al Karama, or Oasis of Dignity, opened as a permanent memorial to those who have lost their lives in service of the country. In February last year, The Founder's Memorial was unveiled to celebrate the life and legacy of Sheikh Zayed, the country's Founding Father, and late in 2018, Qasr Al Hosn, the most significant building in the entire city, was reopened to the general public.

While it is too soon to say for sure, this could be called the “Louvre effect”. In time, we may yet say that the impact of the “cultural quartet” has helped further boost tourist numbers.

I hope we do. Each of these attractions offers details on the country’s story and development. Each one informs the visitor about history and the fusion of dignity and diplomacy that the UAE has worked tirelessly to establish over the years. And, taken together, they tell a compelling story of what the country represents and has historically stood for.

A suggestion to turn that quartet into a famous five would be the Federal National Council building near the Corniche. You can already view the parliamentary chamber in session and witness the important debates that unfold there. An addition to that might follow formal tours of the chamber and a bigger permanent exhibition explaining its work.