Campaign to boost tourism in Al Ain

According to ADTA officials, from next year the authority will launch a training programme for the tourism industry in the emirate’s second city. The programme will mostly target hotels’ management and staff, but it will also include other institutions connected with travel and tourism.

Filal Al Falahi, director of Al Ain Palace Museum, told Khaleej Times that the city already received large numbers of tourists.

“Most people who come here are from the Gulf area, although an increasing number of overseas travellers are also seen in Al Ain,” said Al Falahi.

He added that most tourists came in the summertime, because of the school holidays, and many of them were UAE residents who would spend just a day or a weekend in Al Ain.

Both Al Ain Palace Museum and the Al Ain National Museum are among the most visited sights in the city. Tareq Juma Ali, representative of both museums, revealed that there were major plans for improvement of the National Museum next year. “These will include an updated collection and more space,” Ali said.

All three European offices of ADTA, in London, Paris and Germany, are promoting Al Ain as a tourist destination, specially for its historical sites and geographical attractions, such as the Jebel Hafeet and the natural hot springs.

According to ADTA, the main focus is on Abu Dhabi city, specially as a business and cultural destination, but international tourist packages also include Al Ain, Liwa and the Western Region of the emirate.