Abu Dhabi: The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is seeking a host of stimulus measures for the emirate’s tourism sector, which would include working capital, utilities and rent covers among them.
The packages, which are waiting for government approval, were discussed in virtual meetings between DCT Abu Dhabi and over 100 representatives from hotels and destination management companies (DMCs) last week, as the emirate looks to formulate a response to the challenges being faced by the tourism sector as a result of COVID-19.
“Right now, it is extremely important that all organisations come together to bring solutions forward that will uplift our sector as a whole,” said Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, executive director for Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi. “As leaders of the tourism sector in Abu Dhabi, our priority lies in ensuring all our partners and stakeholders receive the utmost support, in order to help revitalise the entire sector by the end of the year,” he added.
“The DMC meeting also gave us the opportunity to directly address the requests and concerns of our DMC partners, and to find new ways in which we can support the industry. We have presented several measures of support, which DCT Abu Dhabi has requested government approval on, including staff, utilities, and rent covers, working capital, and other non-financial issues as well,” he explained, highlighting the support measures currently being discussed.
“These are currently subject to approval and practical assessment by the Abu Dhabi government, as we continue to explore all possibilities to ensure that our stakeholders receive the necessary guidance and assistance during this period,” he said.
The meetings also shed light on current action plans by the DCT Abu Dhabi, including its control tower setup, which monitors and analyses the impact of the ongoing health crisis both locally and in source markets, in order to help inform future measures and other initiatives to support industry stakeholders.
