Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism and developer Miral have unveiled a collaboration to boost tourist numbers and broaden Yas Island’s events portfolio.

Yas

The partnership said it aims to generate an extra AED86m in economic impact in the multi-purpose leisure, shopping and entertainment centre in the UAE, according to Arabian Business. It wants to attract 17,000 additional hotel guest  bookings to Abu Dhabi over the next two years.

The partnership comes on the back of Abu Dhabi’s Development Accelerator Programme Ghadan 21, which was launched by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi in 2018, which has pledged AED50 billion into several key sectors of the emirate, to improve the overall quality of life there.

The DCT created a AED600m “mega events fund” with the aim of developing major entertainment and business activities and festivals in the emirate. Along with partner Miral, an annual line-up of events will take place on Yas Island, contributing to the required growth.

“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, undersecretary 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,” he added.