5 November 2009,
The “Best in Travel 2010”, which was released on Tuesday, is the travel company’s fifth in its annual list of the best places to go and best things to do in the year ahead.
Apart from Abu Dhabi, the other cities worth visiting that have been featured in the guide are Charleston in the United States; Cork in Ireland; Cuenca in Ecuador; Istanbul in Turkey; Kyoto in Japan; Lecce in Italy; Sarajevo in Bosnia; Singapore; and Vancouver, Canada.
The guide also lists the top 10 countries to visit and the top 10 regions.
The top 10 countries include El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Portugal, Suriname and the US while the top 10 regions are Alsace, France; Bali, Indonesia; Fernando de Noronha, Brazil; Goa, India; Koh Kong Conservation Corridor, Cambodia; Lake Baikal, Russia; Oaxaca, Mexico; southern Africa; The Lake District, England; and southwest Western Australia.
“This is a collection of destinations and experiences that we rate as the stuff people really should consider for next year. Whatever your own style dictates, you should be able to find inspiration in these destinations,” said Adam Bennett, Lonely Planet’s Asia-Pacific Communications Manager.
For its part, Abu Dhabi is working hard to put itself on the global tourism map and become a world-class destination.
With the creation of the Cultural District on Saadiyat Island, the emirate is on its way to becoming a global cultural centre. The Saadiyat Island will be home to the largest single concentration of premier cultural institutions designed by award-winning international architectural luminaries including the Shaikh Zayed National Museum, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, a performing arts centre and a maritime museum.
“The next few years provide us with the opportunity to solidify the foundations we need in the lead-up to the opening of Saadiyat Island’s Cultural District and other landmark attractions,” said Lawrence Franklin, director of Strategy and Policy at the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA).
“One of these critical foundations is an integrated and maturing tourism sector working together on a common cause, creating a world-class destination of distinction,” he added.
Tourism confidence in Abu Dhabi has increased as the UAE has been hosting a number of high-profile events to attract visitors from across the globe including the country’s first and biggest sporting event — the recently concluded 2009 Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit and the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009.
The second comparative confidence survey conducted by ADTA showed a significant boost in confidence from industry stakeholders with a rating of 96.39 points higher than the global average in January and April this year, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.