ABU DHABI - The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s ‘creator of destinations’, have announced a partnership to further enrich Yas Island’s events portfolio, with the aim of generating AED 86 million in economic impact over the next two years and attracting 17,000 additional hotel guest night bookings to Abu Dhabi.

This partnership is driven by the principles of Abu Dhabi’s Development Accelerator Programme 'Ghadan 21', which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, in 2018. The programme injects AED 50 billion into several key sectors of the Emirate, to improve the overall quality of life in Abu Dhabi.

Significant funds from - Ghadan 21 - were allocated to the tourism sector, with DCT Abu Dhabi subsequently launching an AED 600 million ‘mega events fund’ with the specific aim of developing major entertainment and business activities and festivals in the emirate. In alignment with Ghadan 21, DCT Abu Dhabi and Miral will now collaborate to deliver an annual calendar of events to take place on Yas Island, with the aim of further advancing the tourism industry – one of the Emirate’s most important growth sectors.

"Through this new partnership with Miral, the leisure and entertainment proposition on Yas Island will be enhanced yet further, bringing even more high profile, world-class events to the destination which will translate into greater numbers of overseas visitors to the emirate," said Saif Saeed Ghobash, Under-Secretary of DCT Abu Dhabi. "This will not only expand the cultural offerings of the emirate, but will also catalyse economic benefits for Abu Dhabi, including for the hospitality sector, all of which will ultimately reinforce Yas Island’s position as a regional hub for world-class events and activations." Miral’s collaboration with DCT Abu Dhabi complements Yas Island’s diverse portfolio and supports its ambition to become one of the top destinations for leisure and entertainment globally, through immersive and unique experiences.

"By aligning our partnership with the principles of the Ghadan 21 accelerator programme, it also shows our recognition of the crucial role that a diverse calendar of events with global appeal will play in the future economic success of the UAE, as we refine our strategies to continue the remarkable growth in visitor numbers to both Yas Island and Abu Dhabi," Ghobash added.

The UAE capital’s packed events calendar has already helped achieve a new record for 2019 in terms of the number of hotel guests coming to the emirate for a 2nd Quarter, with 1.2 million guests arriving for the April to June period, a 6.8% increase from the same period in 2018. Year-to-Date results for 2019 also show impressive metrics, with hotel guest numbers reaching 2.5 million, a rise of 3.5% from 2018, and hotel revenues of AED 2.9 billion, a remarkable 10.6% rise.

"As contributors to the experience economy, we aim to draw strength from our strategic partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi to continue providing new and compelling experiences to guests from around the globe," said Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral. "Driven by Ghadan 21, we are focused on harnessing the power of innovation to shape unique visitor experiences and further enhance Abu Dhabi’s growing leisure and entertainment space." Miral will collaborate with DCT Abu Dhabi to bring some of the most exciting global acts and performances to Yas Island. Upcoming events include the UFC mixed martial arts event, Eminem in concert, comedian Trevor Noah’s show and the Taste of Abu Dhabi event.

Further announcements about other major events will be made later in the year.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2019.