ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi residents have welcomed the findings of an international survey which has ranked the UAE capital as the second best city in the world to live, work and do business.
“I am not surprised. It was a forgone conclusion,” said Anosh Kamal Pasha from Pakistan, a third generation expat. “I love every aspect of this city and can never ever stop admiring it,” he said.
Unparalleled
Indian expat Andaleeb Mannan, who has been living in Abu Dhabi for 25 years, praised the country’s visionary leaders for making the city a haven for expats. “The quality of life here is simply unparalleled,” she said.
Another Indian expat Shahina Yousuff said the city couldn’t have gained the distinction without the foresightedness of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan who built the foundations of the city.
Jordanian Amro Abu Kuhail who was born and raised here described Abu Dhabi as a place beyond comparison while Romanian Mihaela Paunescu Floarea termed it a dream destination. “I am proud of the cultural diversity of Abu Dhabi and its balanced approach to growth,” said Foloarea who has been living here for 13 years.
Last week, Abu Dhabi was named the second-best city in the world to live, work and do business, overtaking London and Paris and moving up two places since the last Ipsos City Index brought out by the international market research firm Ipsos. More than 18,000 people ages 16 to 64 in 26 countries were interviewed for the index, with New York maintaining the overall world number one spot.
The leading destinations were chosen from a list of 60 cities, including major hubs like Sydney, Hong Kong, Cape Town, Moscow and Toronto.
The results highlight the significant increase in the global perception of Abu Dhabi as a commercial destination, with 21 per cent of survey participants listing Abu Dhabi as a top city to do business in, just 2 per cent below the leader, New York. Abu Dhabi ranked highest among participants from the three younger generations – Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z, which were all consistent in placing New York and Abu Dhabi as their top two cities.
Global appeal
Saif Saeed Ghobash, director general, TCA Abu Dhabi, said: “The rise of Abu Dhabi in this global ranking is testament to the ongoing efforts to establish the Emirate as not only a tourist destination of distinction, but a location that international communities want to work, live and do business in. It’s distinct popularity among the younger generations highlights the need for global cities to diversify and innovate to sustain their position and strength as business and tourism hubs.”
Ghobash said: “With the ongoing rise of tourism in Abu Dhabi we are confident that Abu Dhabi’s international reputation will grow from strength to strength as more international visitors experience what the Emirate has to offer. As we leverage the wealth of Abu Dhabi’s cultural heritage sites, such as the Unesco World Heritage Sites in Al Ain, and the forthcoming opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, we are confident that our position on the map of leading cities will continue to be cemented.”
During the period January to May 2017, Abu Dhabi recorded nearly two million hotel guest arrivals (1,965,436), a 4 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2016.
Of this figure, domestic visitors account for more than 600,000 hotel guests across the emirate’s 167 hotels and hotel apartments in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain Region and Al Dhafra Region.
Adding to Abu Dhabi’s growing international appeal is the recent accolade for the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which was ranked by travellers as the world’s No. 2 favourite landmark for the second year in a row by travel planning and booking website TripAdvisor.
