Abu Dhabi: Salem Mohammad Al Ameri, the new chairman of the board of directors of Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH), announced that the company will continue to work on current projects and will be considering the expansion of some existing projects to cope with the growth of tourism in the Abu Dhabi market.
"Abu Dhabi National Hotels will be involved with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority in their Gulf tour, which will take place in the United States and South Korea, to promote ADNH products regarding hotels and tourism at the regional and international levels," he told Gulf News in an exclusive interview.
"ADNH's participation in regional and international exhibitions under the Abu Dhabi exhibition, which is supervised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, will have positive results in the next season," he added.
Al Ameri stressed the necessity of being present at such exhibitions and conferences, which specialise in the global tourism industry because they will enable promoting Abu Dhabi in the international arena.
Regarding new projects, Al Ameri said that Abu Dhabi National Hotels is considering expanding the Hilton Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
Supply chain
He explained that the company intends to develop a unit of food and drink supply chains and attract global restaurants to work within hotels.
He said: "ADNH's new hotels attract the newest and best-known restaurants worldwide in the hospitality industry within the plan to raise the level of tourism services."
In response to a question about the hotels and resorts scheduled to open this year, he said that Abu Dhabi National Hotels will receive Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal, and the Park Hyatt hotel on Saadiyat Island, which is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2011. The news chairman of ADNH described the two hotels as the most luxurious hotels in the Middle East and the world."
He also mentioned that Abu Dhabi National Hotels, through its close cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and Etihad Airways, will be able to raise occupancy rates in hotels in Abu Dhabi and the UAE by promoting tourism products offered by hotels, tour operators and hospitality services. He also noted that Abu Dhabi National Hotels Company will participate in promotions for the summer across GCC countries in an effort to attract more visitors to hotels in the emirate of Abu Dhabi and to the hotels that are owned or run by the Abu Dhabi National Hotels.
He expected the next season to be full of work for the company because he said Abu Dhabi is a favourite tourist destination for Europeans and the world.
He praised the role of Etihad Airways in promoting tourism to Abu Dhabi, saying that the airline has achieved a lot for tourism in Abu Dhabi since it is linked to all the continents and flies to more than 50 destinations.
"Etihad Airways is the main partner of the Abu Dhabi National Hotels in the promotion of tourism, which is an incentive always to the tourism activity and complement our promotions," he said.
Words of thanks
He stressed the importance of supporting the Government of Abu Dhabi's tourism sector and said: "Thanks to the government of Abu Dhabi as they support us by providing the best facilities in the world and Abu Dhabi has become one of the best tourist destination globally."
Al Ameri went on to say that ADNH is working in accordance with the Abu Dhabi 2030 plan, which is the main reference for the development and modernisation of the emirate.
ADNH will apply maximum efforts in the Abu Dhabi National Hotels to keep up with this plan to contribute to the advancement of the tourism sector, which has become an important source of the national income.
