Abu Dhabi, Apr. 25th, 2006 (WAM) -- Abu Dhabi is being earmarked to take off as a new hotspot holiday destination this year, according to a leading UK travel agent.

Online travel agent Expedia.co.uk has unveiled its new 'Hottest Destinations' for 2006 based on a customer poll and bookings.

Places such as the UAE capital and Montreal in Canada are being tipped as popular new holiday locations in the coming months, as tourists seek new places to experience, according to a report published by the Dubai based Khaleej Times on Tuesday.

Estonia is likely to be replaced by Abu Dhabi as a hotspot, the survey said, adding that Shanghai, the Portuguese North Atlantic island of Madeira and the Spanish city of Valencia are also set for a big influx of visitors.

Last year's top new destination, according to Expedia, was Marrakech.

"More and more people are exploring 'niche' destinations and becoming more adventurous with their holiday choices," Elyas Chowdhury of Expedia said in a statement.

"We hope this list gives travellers holiday inspiration to let themselves go and experience new places and culture in 2006," he said.

"Everything in Abu Dhabi is modern, sleek and shiny," Expedia says of the emirate on its web site. "The UAE's capital is often accused of being a rather soulless place, but that's going a bit too far: it's not exactly buzzing and it may have more sheen than atmosphere, but it does have its attractions." Abu Dhabi's Tourism Authority (ADTA) is introducing new internationally recognized ratings for its hotels this year, as it looks to sell the emirate as a tourist destination around the world.

Britain and Germany are viewed as two key countries from which to attract tourists. The ADTA recently opened representative offices in London and Frankfurt to strengthen ties between local tour operators and travel agencies.

A recent survey by the UK's national statistics office showed that British visitors to the UAE in the first nine months of last year totalled over a third more than for the whole of 2002.