Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has unveiled tailored holiday packages for the emirate’s New Year hosting of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011/12 fleet – the awesome six-strong armada of state-of-the-art Volvo 70 ocean yachts which will contest the gruelling 39,000 nautical mile round-the-world event.

ADTA – which is behind the emirate’s fleet hosting at a specially-designed Corniche Destination Village – has developed the packages to cater to international travellers looking to take advantage of the UAE capital event, which is being activated with a packed entertainment programme.

The packages, being run by ‘Volvo Ocean Race Abu Dhabi Travel Services’ and developed in conjunction with the stopover’s travel partner, Hala Abu Dhabi, are centred on event highlights from the Destination Village opening this New Year’s Eve. These include;
• New Year’s Eve Party @ Volvo Ocean Race Abu Dhabi Stopover: December 31, 2011
• Arrival ceremony of Volvo Ocean Race yachts: January 1-2, 2012 (approx)
• Pro-Am Race: January 12, 2012
• In-Port Race: January 13, 2012
• Departure ceremony of Volvo Ocean Race yachts: January 14, 2012

A ‘New Year’s Eve Spectacular’ package includes four-nights accommodation with breakfast, airport meet & greet and premium limousine transport as well as transfers to the Volvo Ocean Race Destination Village for the New Year’s Eve headline concert, with pre and post concert VIP hospitality, as well as a stunning sunset dhow cruise.

The ‘Volvo Ocean Race Experience’ package focusses on the race re-start for the 4,600 nautical mile third leg to Sanya, China, providing a remarkable up-close spectacle for sailing aficionados.

In addition to four-nights accommodation with breakfast, airport meet & greet and premium limousine transport, as well as daily transport to and from the Destination Village, visitors can also get into the thick of the action in style - on and off the water - with hospitality access for the pro-am, in-port race and race restart, on the 12th, 13th and 14th January 2012 respectively. The first 100 to book will also receive priority VIP access to the ‘Azzam Lounge’ – the dedicated Abu Dhabi hospitality pavilion.

Both packages also offer guests the ‘Volvo Ocean Race – Active Abu Dhabi’ card, which gives holders exclusive city attraction offers across the city, as well as a commemorative gift from the Abu Dhabi stopover.

“We are pleased to be able to work with our preferred travel agency - Hala Abu Dhabi - to create customised travel packages in conjunction with this special event, whilst also allowing visitors to sample all the emirate has to offer during one of the world’s most exciting sporting events,” said Mubarak Al Nuaimi, International Promotions Manager, ADTA.

The package prices, excluding flights and based on twin room sharing, start from US$1,715 (AED6,255) for the New Year’s Eve Spectacular, and US$2,140 (AED7,815) for the Volvo Ocean Race Experience. Additional room nights can be arranged. All can be booked via the official website, www.volvooceanraceabudhabi.com

Abu Dhabi’s ‘Destination Village,’ which will be adjacent to the Heritage Village and overlooking Abu Dhabi’s impressive city skyline, will open free-of-charge to the public daily from 31st December this year to 14th January, next year. ADTA anticipates welcoming more than 100,000 visitors through its gates.

The highly interactive village, which will leverage the maritime theme, will be packed with activities and entertainment including exhibitions, shows, simulators, hospitality, game zones, food & beverage outlets and merchandise shops.

The village will have dedicated team Wet and Dry areas enhanced by a specialised pontoon design, which will allow fans to get up-close to the magnificent Volvo Open 70 racing yachts and their crews following their testing 5,430 nautical mile journey from Cape Town.

A special area dedicated to ADTA’s Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR), the 11-strong race team which has made history as the first Arab entry in the race, will also be developed. In a Volvo Ocean Race first, ADTA is erecting the team’s shore base in the heart of the village. The base will have see-through walls and the sail loft will be open facing to the public. An interactive experience centre is being developed so that the public can fully engage with the team and the Volvo Ocean Race.

ADOR’s record-breaking training yacht will be displayed next to the sail loft – another stopover ‘first.’ It will be flanked by a scaffolding cradle so spectators can take a behind-the-scenes guided tour with an ADOR shore team member and see the inner-workings and the testing conditions of life onboard.

ADTA is also planning a stunning entertainment programme for the two-week stop-over including concerts, a welcoming ceremony for the arriving yachts, in-port races, pro-am races, city receptions and top-class evening events taking place throughout the city. Details of the programme will be released over the coming weeks.

ADTA is working closely with a number of governmental and commercial bodies to successfully stage the Middle East’s first hosting of the Volvo Ocean Race, including Abu Dhabi Sailing & Yacht Club, the Official Host Yacht Club and key partner in the roll-out of the stopover and the junior sailing initiatives; and the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, the Technical Headquarters, which will be home to the team areas, media centre, photographer centre and the international television broadcast compound.

The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort – the iconic luxurious brand’s first Middle East property on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi opening on November 1st, 2011 – is the Volvo Ocean Race Official Hotel in the emirate.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is presenting sponsor of the fortnight-long race stopover in Abu Dhabi, as well as title sponsor of the In-Port Race on January 13, 2012. The airline is also Official Team Partner for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, the emirate’s Volvo Ocean Race-contesting outfit.

The airline’s destination management company, Hala Abu Dhabi, is the preferred travel partner for the Abu Dhabi stopover.

The Volvo Ocean Race 2011/12 begins in Alicante, Spain, in October 2011 and ends in Galway, Ireland in summer next year. It is a race in which professional athletes, on-board the Volvo Open 70 racing yacht, sail around the world with the prevailing winds.

For more information on Abu Dhabi – Volvo Ocean Race packages, please contact –
Volvo Ocean Race Abu Dhabi Travel Services
travel@volvooceanraceabudhabi.ae
+971 (0) 50 5726641

Or visit: www.volvooceanraceabudhabi.com

Also, stay up-to-date with all Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing news, exclusive competitions and content via
• Facebook (www.facebook.com/abudhabioceanracing);
• YouTube (www.youtube.com/abudhabioceanracing) and
• Twitter (www.twitter.com/adorlog)
 

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