It's true that the first half of the year has given the emirate's tourism managers some grounds for optimism. With 11% more visitors, 26% more overnight stays and 6 % more revenue than in the first half of 2010, Abu Dhabi's hotel industry is changing dimension. And the cup is far from full, as by the end of the year, the emirate expects to open ten new five-star resorts, including the Hyatt Capital Gate, Rocco Forte Hotel Abu Dhabi, St Regis Saadiyat Resort and Ritz Carlton Grand Canal Abu Dhabi. All of which will strengthen the offering of a destination that is enjoying undoubted success on the French market, with a +29 % increase in the number of visitors recorded in the first half of 2011.
But hotel openings are not the only arguments put forward by the destination to raise the profile of what it has to offer. From the organisation of a Formula 1 race to the hosting of the Volvo Ocean Race, Abu Dhabi's calendar is regularly filled with prestigious events that ensure a constant buzz. Not to mention the 2013 openings of the Guggenheim and the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which should further enhance the leisure appeal of what is more of a business and incentive destination. In this context, the inclusion of Al Ain, the emirate's second city, on the World Heritage List has given Abu Dhabi a further boost.
