Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Travel and Tourism Week set to drive economic impact for the emirate

DCT Abu Dhabi’s new platform fosters growth and reinforces Abu Dhabi’s status as a global tourism hub

The serenity of Jubail Island’s sprawling mangroves. Photo: Department of Culture and Tourism

The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Week from September 25 to 30, a platform that brings together the emirate’s travel and tourism industry to foster growth and reinforce Abu Dhabi's status as a global tourism hub.

The initiative aligns with the emirate’s broader vision to welcome more than 24 million visitors this year and further enhance the business and leisure tourism industries, driving economic impact to the UAE capital and beyond.

The week starts with the first City Tourism Briefing event and supports the roll-out of Abu Dhabi Business Events Forum, Abu Dhabi Wedding Show and the Future Hospitality Summit, leveraging the collective power of many tourism stakeholders from diverse industries all contributing their expertise and insights to drive progress.

HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “The Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 drives our ambitions to build a strong foundation of strategic partnerships that facilitate the establishment of the emirate as a thriving global hub for business, investment, and leisure travel.

"The Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Week is set to unlock new opportunities that reaffirm our commitment to positioning Abu Dhabi as a dynamic and sustainable hub for tourism. We look forward to fostering growth in the sector by accelerating high-potential industries such as gastronomy, aviation, and business events and welcome all of our partners and future collaborators to join us in our journey.”

Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Week to advance the emirate's tourism industry

Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Week will advance the emirate's tourism industry across a range of sectors, such as meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) events, hospitality, destination marketing, weddings, tourism strategy and more.

The platform joins a slate of DCT Abu Dhabi acceleration programmes that are strategically designed to boost growth, elevate experiences, and reinforce the emirate’s status as a global culture and tourism hub – these include MICE industry incentive schemes such as Advantage Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Culinary Programme.

Set to become an annual fixture on the calendar, each year Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Week will feature a mix of flagship and exclusive one-off events. Visit the website for more information - www.travelandtourism.ae

The scheduled events for the 2023 edition include:

City Tourism Briefing – September 25

Executives from across the tourism ecosystem, including aviation, travel, hospitality and retail sectors, in addition to government entities, will take part in the City Tourism Briefing, which provides a platform for Abu Dhabi's tourism sector to engage with industry stakeholders. The invitation-only forum will host discussions on how to harness the latest innovations and trends to create a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future. The event will also allow DCT Abu Dhabi leadership to provide attendees with briefs on key initiatives, destination updates and upcoming plans.

Abu Dhabi Business Events Forum – September 26 and 27

Returning for its third edition, ADBEF aims to be the foremost platform for the MICE industry in Abu Dhabi and the Mena region. The forum will facilitate the sharing of best practices, feature workshops delivered by professional MICE associations and keynote speakers, create social and networking opportunities, and foster the exploration of partnerships. For more details and event registration visit www.businesseventsweek.ae

Abu Dhabi Wedding Show – September 27-30

This inaugural event is set to be the premier platform for the destination wedding industry in Abu Dhabi and the MENA region, capitalising on the emirate’s spectacular venues and infrastructure, natural beauty, and prestige as a must-visit location. The day will be dedicated to sharing best practices, learning from workshops led by professionals and members of Wedding Planner Associations, hearing from keynote speakers, and providing networking opportunities within the community.

Future Hospitality Summit – September 25-27

FHS is an international platform where influential hospitality investment decision-makers gather to exchange knowledge, explore new partnerships, and shape the future of the hospitality sector. This event represents an evolution from the Arabian Hospitality Investment Conference (AHIC) and has been hosted in various emirates. This edition marks the first time it takes place in Abu Dhabi. More event details on the panels, speakers and registrations can be found at www.futurehospitalitysummit.com/ae