New entity set up to promote tourism in Abu Dhabi
President issues a law setting up Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture
Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday issued a law setting up the Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture.
The Authority's objective is to preserve, protect and manage the cultural heritage of the emirate, and promote tourism development in the emirate.
The new authority will replace the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. It will also assume the commitments, assets and mandates of these two authorities. Employees from the two authorities will be transferred to the newly established body and will retain their salaries.
The establishment of the Authority is part of the plan for tourism development in Abu Dhabi, where the local heritage is considered to be central to tourism development in the emirate.
Policy task
The Authority will regulate the tourism sector and supervise its activities by implementing policies, standards and plans related to hotels, exhibitions, and other tourism establishments. It will also issue tourism guidelines with the aim of attracting tourism investments to Abu Dhabi. The authority will work towards these objectives by organising conferences, festivals, exhibitions, and issuing licences, and setting up the Abu Dhabi Tourism Information Centre.
It will also be responsible for drawing up policies, plans, culture and heritage programmes, and will work towards their implementation with the objective of preserving archaeological sites, carrying out excavations for archaeological projects, establishing and developing museums, and sponsoring intellectual and art activities.
Heritage preservation
It will also organise cultural activities, and provide support and assistance to agencies working to preserve and manage cultural heritage sites.
The authority's board will consist of a minimum of five members. They will be appointed through a resolution issued by the Executive Council.
As per the law, General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, issued a resolution setting up the authority's board.
The resolution appointed Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan as Chairman of the board. The other appointed members are Dr Zaki Anwar Nasiba, Mohammad Khalaf Al Mazroui, Jasem Mohammad Al Darmaki, and Brigadier Omair Mohammad Al Muhairi.
