The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) will probably achieve its 2009 tourism goals despite the economic downturn, according to tourism chiefs. The ADTA is aiming for about 1.5 million hotel guests this year. ADTA director of strategy and policy said “The targets we have in place are based on a solid understanding of demand and supply fundamentals.”
Laurence Franklin said the launch of Air Asia flights between Kuala Lumpur and Abu Dhabi in November will give the tourism sector a boost. The new Air Asia flight will open up new markets to Abu Dhabi. He said many arrivals from inbound markets like Europe have slowed. ADTA said the performance of the hotel industry in Abu Dhabi last year was strong compared to other cities around the world. UK was the main source market, accounting for 112,000 guests, followed by India, then Germany
