Following great success in Delhi and Mumbai in 2017, the second edition of ‘Abu Dhabi Week’ is all set to be hosted in India. The event has been curated by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the body that promotes tourism and cultural heritage of the Emirate.
Taking place in Kochi and Kolkata for the first time, the dual-city exhibition will start on 16th February 2018, with a grand, three-day affair at Kochi. The Kolkata edition will commence on 23rd February 2018. Positioning Abu Dhabi as the destination for vacations, leisure travel, and weddings, Abu Dhabi Week will offer an experiential mix of culture, art, entertainment, and sports to the attendees. It will showcase the wonders of Abu Dhabi and take them on a virtual tour of the city.
While 3D maps of Abu Dhabi will paint a picture of the city’s urban landscape, attendees will also have a chance to win trip packages to Abu Dhabi. From adventure sports and culinary delicacies of the region, and the art and literary marvels of the Island city, you can experience it all at Abu Dhabi Week 2018.
In order to outshine last year’s debut show, this edition will offer a wide variety of interactive experiences including life-like encounters of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Desert Safari, and a glimpse of the majestic Louvre Abu Dhabi. For the first time visitors will be able to get their hands on a Ferrari and adding to that, Abu Dhabi Week will also present a live recreation of the Al Ain Palace and the Al Dhafra Region, replete with sand, Bedouin tents, safari jeeps and traditional Arabic seating and lighting. The three-day event will be graced by the presence of official dignitaries, who will brief the visitors on some of the recent developments at the emirate.
The event will also feature contests and competitions to engage the visitors. They will have a chance to win a range of prizes such as staycation packages in Abu Dhabi, rides in Ferraris, and more. Food stalls offering authentic Abu Dhabi cuisine, musical performances by various artistes, a kids’ area highlighting a host of activities, live paintings, and a selfie booth with the UAE skyline, are only some of the highlights of the event.
Speaking about the Abu Dhabi Week, Mubarak Al Nuaimi, director, Promotions and Overseas Offices, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said, “Owing to the growing levels of disposable income in the hands of Indian travellers, we believe that India is a crucial market with a potential to expand the tourism inflow in Abu Dhabi. It therefore becomes imperative to educate people about everything that Abu Dhabi has to offer, and re-shape notions regarding its cost heaviness. The Abu Dhabi Week strives to amplify not only the splendour of Abu Dhabi but also highlight its pocket-friendliness in terms of family vacations, solo travels, film shoots, trade and business, and destination weddings, among others.”
In 2008-13, India emerged as one of the biggest trade partners of the UAE with bilateral trade between the two countries exceeding US $75 billion. In this regard, tourism has been a silent force fostering the relations between the two regions and has stimulated both economies. Abu Dhabi welcomed 320,000 Indian hotel guests last year with a year on year increase of 11 per cent. Etihad Airways and Jet Airways operate 282 flights a week, from 13 Indian destinations, witnessing an average length of stay of 2.7 nights.