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New tourism and culture authority for Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI — The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in his capacity as the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, has issued a law establishing the Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture.

The establishment of the authority is aimed at preserving, protecting and managing the cultural heritage of the emirate, and promoting the development of tourism in the emirate.

The authority is part of a plan to develop tourism in Abu Dhabi, where the local heritage is considered to be the pivot of tourism development.

The authority will regulate the tourism sector and monitor its activities through development of a set of policies, standards and plans related to hotels, exhibitions and other tourist facilities and tour guides in order to attract tourism investment in Abu Dhabi.

The authority will achieve this by convening and organising conferences, exhibitions and festivals, and will issue licences for such activities. It will also set up and manage a centre for information on tourism in the emirate.

The authority shall frame policies, plans and programmes 
related to preservation of heritage and culture, and work to implement them with the aim of protecting archaeological sites. It will also plan and implement programmes for explorations in the field of archaeology and the establishment and development of museums.

The authority will render support to intellectual and artistic activities and cultural events and will assist the parties involved in the protection, management and promotion of cultural heritage.

The authority will be managed by a board of directors comprising at least five members including its chairman and will be appointed by a decision from the chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The law stipulates that the authority shall replace the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and that all the assets and staff of these two entities will be transferred to the new authority.

Based on this law, General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, issued a decision setting up the board of directors of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture.

According to the decision, the board of directors of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture will be chaired by Shaikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, and will have Dr Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Mohamed Khalaf Al Mazroui, Jassim Mohammed Al Darmaki and Brigadier General Omeir Muhammad Muhairi as its members.