Abu Dhabi launches inaugural Travel & Tourism Week

Stakeholders unite to propel the city’s growth as a global tourism, business events, gastronomy, and aviation hub.

Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Travel & Tourism Week aligns with its vision of receiving 24 million tourists this year.
Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Travel & Tourism Week aligns with its vision of receiving 24 million tourists this year. Photo Credit: DCT Abu Dhabi

The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has launched the inaugural Abu Dhabi Travel & Tourism Week (25-30 September), a platform which unites the emirate’s travel and tourism industry to propel growth in Abu Dhabi's status as a global tourism hub.

HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “The Abu Dhabi Travel & Tourism Week is set to unlock new opportunities that reaffirm our commitment to positioning Abu Dhabi as a dynamic and sustainable hub for tourism. We look forward to fostering growth in the sector by accelerating high-potential industries such as gastronomy, aviation, and business events and welcome all of our partners and future collaborators to join us in our journey.”

The platform is part of DCT Abu Dhabi’s acceleration programmes that are strategically designed to increase growth, improve experiences, and strengthen the emirate’s status as a global culture and tourism hub – these include MICE industry incentive schemes such as Advantage Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Culinary Programme.

Abu Dhabi Travel & Tourism Week is set to become an annual fixture on the calendar, and each year will feature a mix of flagship and exclusive, one-off events.

In 2023, the following four events during Abu Dhabi Travel & Tourism Week are expected to leverage the collective power of many tourism stakeholders to boost the city’s economy:

City Tourism Briefing – 25 September

Executives from across the tourism ecosystem, including aviation, travel, hospitality and retail sectors, and government entities, will take part in the City Tourism Briefing, which provides a platform for Abu Dhabi's tourism sector to engage with industry stakeholders. The invitation-only forum will host discussions on how to harness the latest innovations and trends to create a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future. The event will also allow DCT Abu Dhabi leadership to provide attendees with briefs on key initiatives, destination updates and upcoming plans.

Abu Dhabi Business Events Forum (ADBEF) – 26-27 September

Returning for its third edition, ADBEF aims to be the leading platform for the MICE industry in Abu Dhabi and the MENA region. The forum will facilitate the sharing of best practices, feature workshops delivered by professional MICE associations and keynote speakers, create social and networking opportunities, and foster the exploration of partnerships.

Abu Dhabi Wedding Show (ADWS) – 27-30 September

This inaugural event is set to be the premier platform for the destination wedding industry in Abu Dhabi and the MENA region. The day will be dedicated to sharing best practices, learning from workshops led by professionals and members of Wedding Planner Associations, hearing from keynote speakers, and providing networking opportunities within the community.

Future Hospitality Summit (FHS)– 25-27 September

FHS is an international platform where influential hospitality investment decision-makers gather to exchange knowledge, explore new partnerships, and shape the future of the hospitality sector. This event represents an evolution from the Arabian Hospitality Investment Conference (AHIC) and has been hosted in various emirates. This edition marks the first time it takes place in Abu Dhabi.


More to Read