Abu Dhabi: Sublime Beauty of the Gulf

Home to a lot of superlatives in the world – one of the richest cities, world's largest hand-loomed carpet, most expensive mosque, the fastest rollercoaster – the capital city of UAE, Abu Dhabi, is about everything extravagant and extraordinary. From the rich Emirati culture to the swanky and opulent cluster of buildings, this exciting city ushers a glimpse of both the Eastern & the Western world. With magnificent museums, world-class events & pristine beaches, Abu Dhabi attracts thousands of leisure and business travelers from around the world.

Rich Emirati Heritage

If you’re looking to take a deep dive into Gulf culture, Abu Dhabi is one city that will take you on an amazing cultural ride. The city offers several museums, exhibitions, and tours which help visitors to engage with the Gulf culture. However, Abu Dhabi’s cultural charms are best experienced while walking leisurely across the Dhow Harbor, grabbing best bargains in the markets, and taking a plunge at shisha cafes in the city.

Haven for Adventurers

Abu Dhabi offers myriad opportunities for all adventure enthusiasts. From a wildlife game drive and desert safari in a 4x4 vehicle to riding the world’s fastest rollercoaster at a speed of 240km/h to driving some of the best cars in the world on a Formula 1 track, Abu Dhabi is the place to be for adrenaline junkies. You can also get a chance to ride a camel in one of the world’s great desert seas, or even try sandboarding.

A Popular MICE Destination

Abu Dhabi is also an ideal MICE destination offering world-class meetings and events facilities. In fact, the city has been a regular host of several international events, including the International Real Estate & Investment Show (IREIS) – the 10^th edition of which is coming up in November 2018. The city has the largest exhibition venue in the entire Middle East - Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (ADNEC). This award-winning facility offers 835,970 square feet of meeting space, with seating for up to 6,000 delegates. The Abu Dhabi government is investing heavily in the city’s infrastructure for expanding the tourism sector. As announced at the IMEX Frankfurt 2017 by the Director General of The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, the city is targeting three million business visitors by 2021*. With this projected growth, the MICE sector of the city can be expected to contribute 4 percent of GDP by 2021. The city’s popularity and growth in the MICE industry has won it the fourth place in Cvent’s inaugural list of Top 10 Meeting Destinations in Middle East and Africa this year. This list features the top 10 Middle Eastern and African cities, identified by analysing their meeting and event booking activity through Cvent Supplier Network (CSN) from January 2017 through December 2017. As a major player in the global MICE industry, Abu Dhabi has been the emirate of choice for thousands of MICE planners. Stay tuned for our next blog in this series and discover the top reasons to choose Abu Dhabi for your next MICE event!   *Source: https://www.tmf-dialogue.net/abu-dhabi-is-a-major-player-in-the-global-mice-industry.html