The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority has approved investment packages to build 4,000 hotel rooms in three years as part of its plan to add 17,000 rooms by 2015, the chief of the authority said yesterday.
"Tourism and recreation will play a big role in Abu Dhabi's economic growth and our aim is to increase visitors from less than 1 million in 2004 to more than 3 million by 2015," Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of the authority, told a MEED conference in the capital.
| Ravindranath/Gulf News Shaikh Sultan is briefed by Hanan Sayed Worrell, projects manager, about the expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport on the final day a MEED conference yesterday. |
"To accommodate this growth, we need far more hotels, at least 17,000 additional rooms by 2015. Hotel construction is a critical component for growth."
Abu Dhabi has 8,000 hotel rooms.
He said the authority recently approved investment packages for 4,000 new hotel rooms to be delivered in three years.
"About 2,000 hotel rooms have entered the first stage in the licensing process and the momentum will soon pick up," he said.
About six to seven four- and five-star hotels will be built to add the 4,000 new rooms, an official of the authority told Gulf News.
A major Abu Dhabi group is constructing a hotel and furnished apartments along with Shangri La Hotels.
"We will mobilise private sector investments into the tourism sector," said Shaikh Sultan.
He said the authority would also develop Saadiyat island and other zones with residential, leisure and tourism complexes. Details will be made public shortly, he said.
The growth in tourism sector will also stimulate the retail sector, he added.
"Abu Dhabi will host major international events in the coming years," he said.
