Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which manages the tourism industry within the Arabian Gulf emirate, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU) to collaborate on the rolling-out of educational strategies aimed at honing Abu Dhabi’s ability to engage the rapidly emerging Asian and Chinese outbound markets.

Under the MOU, the two will co-operate on the staging of workshops and seminars for Abu Dhabi industry stakeholders and will share best-practice procedures and research capabilities.

“The Asian and Chinese markets are increasing important to us particularly as the UAE now has the key Approved Destination Status from the Chinese authorities which allows its main operators to proceed with group bookings to this country. Over the past year we have laid the promotional infrastructure to penetrate China’s outbound sector with the opening of three ADTA offices within the People’s Republic and successful showings at its leading travel and business tourism shows.

“The needs of the Asian traveller are specific and must be addressed if we are to reach our potential in attracting this segment and we want to ensure that all within the destination are better equipped to fulfil these exacting requirements,” said His Excellency Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA.

“HKPU is one of Asia’s leading hospitality education institutes and in it we have a partner with the relevant experience and pedigree to assist us in meeting our goals throughout the region. This MOU marks another major step forward in ADTA’s advancing professional development programme which is aimed at delivering an industry of distinction serving a destination of distinction.”

The educational strategies, which also include custom-made executive development programmes for the ADTA’s own management and employees, will be formulated with HKPU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management which provides education up to doctorate level.

“This MOU demonstrates Abu Dhabi’s confidence in our ability to deliver to exacting standards and we intend to respond by living up to the authority’s highest expectations,” said Professor Kaye Chon, Chair Professor and Director, HKPU.

“Abu Dhabi has all the right qualifications for resonating well with the Asian traveller – the natural assets, cultural attractions, quality accommodation and, above all, reputation for safety – it is now a question of knowing how to fine tune the product offering to this target segment and ensuring message dissemination reaches the influential decision-makers.”

ADTA’s China campaign began just over a year ago and was rewarded recently by the authority being voted in the influential Travel Weekly China magazine as having produced ‘Best Destination Marketing’ for 2009.

 

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