The newly-launched mobile apps for VisitAbuDhabi – Abu Dhabi’s online destination resource - have been listed among the world’s top travel and tourism brands by the 18th Annual Webby Awards, the yearly honours of The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences which recognise excellence on the Internet. The apps were selected an awards’ Official Honouree for the  mobile applications’ Travel category alongside internationally-renowned brands like Expedia, National Geographic, and Star Alliance.

“This is the second Webby recognition for VisitAbuDhabi digital products,” said Mouza Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of Marketing & Communications, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), which owns and operates VisitAbuDhabi. “This achievement will spur us on to further enhance our digital strategy and footprint.”

In 2013, the re-launched VisitAbuDhabi.ae site became Arabia’s first official destination portal to receive a Webby ‘Official Honouree’ in the ‘Government’ category.

TCA Abu Dhabi recently rolled out its full mobile strategy with 'native' mobile applications of its destination portal for iPhone, Android & Windows Phone, alongside a major upgrade of its VisitAbuDhabi.ae website to 'responsive' technology enabling its content to fit all mobile screens regardless of brand, technology or screen size.

“Over the past couple of years we have devoted considerable effort and resources to upgrading our destination’s digital presence, and the mobile apps are just the latest step in our digital journey, with more product development in the pipeline,” said Al Shamsi.

Built as a visual trip planner, the VisitAbuDhabi apps are a comprehensive, easy-to-navigate online and offline mobile guide on all there is to see and do in Abu Dhabi. With a location-based functionality, the apps give instant and structured information on all the emirate’s attractions and experiences, highlight its culture and heritage, provide full hotel listings and answers to most frequently-asked questions. 

Supported by an easy-to-navigate Abu Dhabi Systems & Information Centre (ADSIC) map and covering everything from the latest destination news and events to restaurants, malls and spas, the apps are designed to address the emerging mobile market, with travellers increasingly checking information on their mobile devices, rather than on a computer or in a printed guide.

Reaching over three million visits a year, with a daily average of over 10,000 clicks, visitabudhabi.ae is a one-stop-shop for people wanting to explore the emirate, giving them easy access to interact, in any of nine languages - Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese.  Conceived with travellers’ needs in mind, VisitAbuDhabi’s multilingual hotel, flight and car search aggregates live deals and availability from booking engines, and is complimented by a trip planner facility, allowing travellers to build and share their virtual trips to Abu Dhabi. Topping a quarter of a million Facebook fans, and 70,000 Twitter followers, the destination’s social media channels invite travellers to become active contributors to the destination, to post, comment, get inspired and share their experiences. 

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