While the UAE relies on attracting tourists from across the globe, Germany, which is also our largest trading partner, has consistently generated an influx of inbound visitors. And numbers are rising.
Recent figures from the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) show that the number of German tourists visiting the emirate over the first eight months of the year was 17 per cent more than the same period in 2010.
Previously, the UAE's sunny climate was the major draw for European tourists, but as the emirates diversify their tourism product, more visitors are choosing to holiday here.
ADTA reports an upturn in awareness of the capital following the 2010 success of Sebastian Vettel in the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Martin Kaymer's winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship title for the third time. "Abu Dhabi was hardly out of the press when these two Germans won these titles and awareness really took off," says ADTA's Frank Mullauer. "This combined with a major expansion in the product line-up is really capturing industry attention."
The destination has been quick to capitalise on that publicity and Germany is now one of the top five international source markets for Abu Dhabi. At this year's ITB Travel Show in Berlin, Abu Dhabi announced a new initiative between the ADTA and tour operator TUI to bring in a greater number of German tourists. Participating in the initiative were 220 German travel agencies, which displayed advertising on Abu Dhabi and ran TV footage which carried 150,000 weekly broadcasts to passers-by. In addition, 500 outdoor poster slots with Abu Dhabi promotional material were displayed for one week and 12,500 travel agencies featured posters of Abu Dhabi attractions. ADTA estimates the campaign could generate up to 3,000 room nights in the last two quarters of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012.
According to the ADTA, 49,611 visitors of German nationality stayed in hotels in Abu Dhabi last year. Over the first nine months this year, the number of German visitors staying in Abu Dhabi hotels rose 18 per cent as compared to the same period in 2010.
ADTA figures show that 6 per cent more tour operators in Germany, Switzerland and Austria now feature Abu Dhabi in their offerings as compared to 2010.
Flight attractions
On the airline front, flag carrier Lufthansa has boosted capacity on its Frankfurt-Abu Dhabi route by terminating an onward connection to Muscat — the second upgrade within the last year, following the introduction of a daily service on the route last October, up from six weekly flights.
Etihad Airways is to launch a new service with four flights per week to Düsseldorf on December 6, in addition to existing routes to Frankfurt and Munich. "Düsseldorf was the logical next step in growing our European passenger operations. By growing direct point-to-point traffic between the two cities, we look forward to strengthening ties between the capital of the UAE and Germany. We will do this by offering passengers great destinations, value and onward connectivity, and by forging sustainable commercial, tourism and cultural links between the communities at both ends of the route," says James Hogan, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways.
The European giant is also one of the main source markets for Dubai. In 2010, more than 280,000 German tourists stayed in Dubai hotels including 247,562 in the emirate's luxury hotels and 33,921 in hotel apartments during 2010. Additional statistics for 2010 from Dubai International Airport, which show more than 900,000 passengers arrived from Germany to visit Dubai, prove that Dubai continues to attract German tourists.
The increase in German tourists to Dubai in recent years may in part be attributed to the sustained activity of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and its links with German travel trade partners. During the second half of 2010 the DTCM attended a series of travel industry-related events in Frankfurt, including being present at the Hilton International Business Partner event held at the Hilton Frankfurt. Other initiatives include those such as a teaming of forces with www.saisoncheck.de, a website designed for the German tourism industry, with the overall objective to provide information on Dubai to travel agents in order to optimise service in travel agencies. Dubai is now included in the website's online portal which provides details on the country's attractions, weather and other useful visitor information.
In terms of flight connections from Germany to Dubai, visitors to the emirate can now select from three airlines, including Emirates and Lufthansa, which currently offer 63 direct flights per week from Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf and Hamburg. Last November Germany's second-largest airline, Air Berlin, began operating three direct flights a week into Dubai from the German capital and it is now looking to increase that to five times a week from the start of the new winter schedule. When Air Berlin was launched last November, DTCM again took an active role in promoting Dubai through Air Berlin's in-flight magazine and also organised travel agent familiarisation trips. At the time of the launch Eyad Abdul Rahman, DTCM Executive Director of Media Division and Business Development, said: "These promotional events are being organised by DTCM with the aim of increasing the number of tourists from Germany to Dubai, as this European city is one of the main tourism markets globally for the Emirate."
Looking north
Well known for its commitment to art, culture and preserving the local heritage, Sharjah is a major player in the bid for tourism and attended the ITB for the 14th consecutive year this year. In 2010 Sharjah welcomed more than 140,000 German tourists, a 4 per cent increase compared to 2009 and an overall increase of 121 per cent over the last six years. Favouring the emirates' rich culture and heritage, German travel and tourism companies list Sharjah at the top of their tourism destination list.
Situated on the west coast of the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah is one of the most recent of the seven emirates to actively develop its tourism potential, and like its neighbours is targeting the European tourist market, in particular Germany. Set up to promote Ras Al Khaimah as a tourist destination, the Ras Al Khaimah Tourist and Development Authority (RAKTIDA) is looking to attract 1.2 million visitors by 2013 and to help them achieve this aim have recently signed an agreement with German Tour Operator, Reise Service Deutschland to introduce five weekly charter flights bringing visitors from Hamburg, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Berlin and Munich. The charter flight service began in September and will run until early June next year. The new service is expected to bring an additional 50,000 visitors to Ras Al Khaimah. Commenting on the new service, Victor Louis, Chief Operating Officer for the RAKTIDA, says: "Germany is an important market for us. Ras Al Khaimah offers an ideal getaway for visitors from Europe seeking sun, leisure and adventure."
