Abu Dhabi: The Yas Hotel, which is expected to welcome its first guests for the Formula One (F1) race, received the second five-star classification signature from the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) chairman on Monday.
The two iconic properties, the Yas Hotel and the Emirates Palace, have so far received a five-star classfication by the ADTA Chairman, Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, who also visited the Emirates Palace last month, where the five-star signature was bestowed for the first time in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
According to reports issued by the ADTA, the tourism industry, which represents 1.2 per cent of Abu Dhabi's GDP and 4.3 per cent of employment, is gaining increasing importance in Abu Dhabi's development game plan as a business tourism destination.
As part of that plan, the new hotel guidelines book and random inspection visits among hotels are two measures that the ADTA is taking seriously to ensure that the 110 hotels in the emirate will receive the star classification that they deserve.
The ADTA has said it intends to classify 63 hotels and 47 hotel apartment facilities before the end of the year.
ADTA's Tourism Standards director, Nasser Al Reyami, told Gulf News: "From next week ADTA's classification department will begin mystery guest exercises at random intervals to ensure accommodation providers live up to the ranking."
The Yas Hotel, which is due to open on November 3, the day after the final Formula One race of the season, will be regarded as an international global hospitality landmark, commented Shaikh Sultan.
"Being the first hotel in the world to span a race track, this magnificent property has already entered the global hospitality record books. It is a huge asset to an emirate which values the delivery of extraordinary levels of hospitality."
