Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), together with the five-star Shangri-la Hotel, Qary’at Al Beri and Etihad Airways, are hosting Russia’s leading MICE producers on their first, fact-finding trip to the emirate.

The MICE operators will visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, carry out site inspections of some of the emirate’s newest hotels, tour Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest indoor theme park, and get a briefing on the new Yas Waterworld, which is due to open later this year, embark on a city tour, visit exhibitions at Manarat al Saadiyat and experience the desert with a trip to the soon-to-open Arabian Nights Heritage Village.

"There is huge MICE potential coming out of Russia at present and an increasing number of MICE and business travel companies are including more UAE possibilities in their brochures and packages - our aim is to ensure Abu Dhabi features among it," said Maxim Shandarova of TCA Abu Dhabi’s Moscow office.

Russians’ air access to Abu Dhabi has eased during the last six months with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE flying daily from Moscow and the country’s first private carrier, TransAero initiating twice-weekly, non-stop flights for tour operator bookings to Abu Dhabi.

The visit is among a number of initiatives TCA Abu Dhabi is undertaking in the coming months to stimulate increased response from the Russian and CIS markets. Others include participation in September’s Leisure Moscow trade show followed by a road show taking in Kiev in the Ukraine and Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The number of hotel guests Abu Dhabi is receiving from Russia is on the increase. In the first four months of this year some 6,092 Russians stayed in the emirate’s hotels and hotel apartments - a 12% increase on the same period in 2011 - they accounted for 36,094 guest nights, which was a rise of 23% on the same comparative period.

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