Dubai & Abu Dhabi wrap up first Canadian roadshow

A first-ever Canadian roadshow by Dubai Tourism and the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism has garnered plenty of interest from Canadian travel professionals, eager to sell their clients on the two cities as leisure escapes.

The show wrapped up in Toronto last night, following stops in Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa, featuring updates from both destinations along with partners Etihad Airways, Jumeirah Hotels and Arabian Adventures.

“We found that there’s a lot of potential in Canada and we want to invest in this market, especially after the growth of the relationship between the UAE and Canada,” Salma Al Ilahri, Americas Region – Unit Head, Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, told PAX. “We look forward to increasing the number of Canadians to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

“There’s a lot of interest and questions from the travel industry - many of them want to receive information and marketing materials to help sell these destinations to their clients.”

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Tres Lobos, sales representative, Cox & Kings and Sepideh Mohseni, trip designer - tour department, Tour East Holidays.

Interest grows ahead of Expo 2020

Attending the Toronto event was UAE Consul General Sultan Ali Al Harbi, who told PAX that with Dubai welcoming the world in two years with Expo 2020, interest in travel to the region has been steadily growing.

“It’s been growing year by year, especially with Expo 2020 coming to Dubai,” he said, adding that in 2017, the UAE received 20 million international visitors – a figure that is expected to climb to 25 million heading into Expo 2020.

“The Canadian travel industry is eager to learn more about the UAE. They come to the Consulate in Toronto from time to time for information and by them being here, they can deliver on what has been done in terms of tourist attractions and museums and infrastructure.”

Destination & partner updates

Abu Dhabi

As is much of the UAE, Abu Dhabi is a blend of the modern and traditional, said Al Ilahri. Along with cultural draws such as the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and a branch of the Louvre museum, the city also boasts modern leisure travel draws such as Yas Island (featuring a waterpark and hosting events such as the Etihad Formula 1 Grand Prix) and the just-opened Warner Bros. World theme park.

Dubai

Dubai will welcome the world with Expo 2020 and in keeping with the event’s theme of innovation and forward-thinking, a Hyperloop transit system linking Dubai and Abu Dhabi in under 12 minutes will soon be unveiled, said Thuriya Alolama, head of North America, Dubai Tourism. In addition to mainstays such as the Dubai Mall, new attractions include a Bollywood theme park and a Legoland theme park and waterpark. A Six Flags park is scheduled to open in the coming years as well.

Etihad Airways

UAE flag carrier Etihad offers travellers a number of benefits, said airline representative Tanya Concessao. In addition to a premium onboard experience (which includes The Residence, a three-room private suite), guests can enjoy complimentary transfers between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and take advantage of an Abu Dhabi stopover program.

Jumeirah Hotels

According to Seta Hana, director of global sales Americas for Dubai-based Jumeirah Group, the company will expand its portfolio in Abu Dhabi this fall with the opening of Jumeirah at Saadayit Island. The 293-room beachfront resort is set to open Nov. 11.

Arabian Adventures

Part of The Emirates Group, Arabian Adventures connects travellers with local experiences through its contracts with more than 450 properties in the UAE, explained Yannick Jullienne, associate director of sales for Arabian Adventures. In addition to airport meet-and-greets, the company offers unique experiences such as polo, sandsurfing and desert camping.