The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has signed a strategic partnership with Trip.com Group, a leading global travel service provider, in an online ceremony at Arabian Travel Market. The partnership’s social and economic initiatives will encourage and entice visitors worldwide to visit Abu Dhabi, promoting the UAE capital as a top-tier travel destination in 13 markets across Asia and Europe, including in India, China, South Korea, Japan, USA, UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
The partnership marks the first time DCT Abu Dhabi has engaged Trip.com Group as a whole, rather than with its various singular entities, increasing consistent visibility across its five popular business and consumer global travel platforms. Over a period of 12 months, Trip.com Group’s primary focus is to achieve 57,000 room nights in Abu Dhabi through marketing on its five portfolio channels. These B2B and B2C subsidiaries include Trip.com, a global travel service provider with an extensive hotel and flight route network; Skyscanner, the world leader in global flight meta-search; Travix, a global OTA operating in 39 countries; Ctrip and MakeMyTrip.
HE Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi said “We are very pleased to announce our global agreement with Trip.com Group, a partnership that will share Abu Dhabi’s story with international visitors – beginning with the summer season and beyond. Through strategic partnerships such as this and our ever-expanding tourism and culture offering, we are further elevating Abu Dhabi as a top-of-mind destination, providing travellers around the world with diverse, immersive and enriching experiences to discover at their own pace.”
Jane Sun, Chief Executive Officer at Trip.com Group said “We are pleased to announce, Trip.com Group and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi continue to strengthen our cooperation through a new strategic partnership. Together, we will launch a series of promotional initiatives to market and develop Abu Dhabi’s tourism industry and promote and conserve its rich heritage and culture.”
As part of this landmark partnership, DCT Abu Dhabi and Trip.com Group will also introduce industry initiatives, including a talent development programme that will see staff members seconded across worldwide offices to expand their professional and industry experience. A second initiative will centre on increasing the awareness of Abu Dhabi’s sustainable tourism activities.
Abu Dhabi is considered the World’s Leading Sports Tourism Destination 2021 by voters at the World Travel Awards, while Trip.com was nominated as Asia’s Leading Online Travel Agency 2021.
