Abu Dhabi to welcome back cruise liners in September

Abu Dhabi - DCT Abu Dhabi will be announcing a series of initiatives throughout the year, including upcoming projects and events.

Abu Dhabi will start welcoming back cruise liners on September 1, after months of closure because of Covid-19 precautionary measures, the emirate’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) announced on Tuesday.

Maritime tourism in the UAE Capital witnessed impressive growth in 2019, resulting in a record-breaking year for the sector. Around 500,000 cruise visitors arrived in the emirate’s ports throughout the year, which marked a 46 per cent increase compared to 2018 figures. Similarly, the number of cruise calls witnessed a rise of 43 per cent in 2019 to reach a total of 192.

“We are delighted to welcome all cruise liners back to Abu Dhabi after a challenging year. This step comes part of the leading efforts to enliven the emirate’s tourism sector after the impressive results we’ve achieved in combatting the spread of the pandemic, and yet another step towards strengthening the UAE Capital’s position as a world-class hub for maritime tourism,” said Ali Al Shaiba, executive director of tourism and marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi.

The Abu Dhabi Ports is well prepared to welcome vaccinated visitors to the Capital, said Noura Rashed Al Dhaheri, the authority’s managing director for cruise business.

“We are excited to see the resumption of cruise activities at both Zayed Port and Sir Bani Yas Island. As the well-being of all travellers visiting our esteemed emirate remains our highest priority, we have implemented a cruise management plan to ensure an efficient, smooth, and safe return to regular cruise operations,” said Al Dhaheri.

Several health and safety measures will be implemented to protect passengers and crew, she added. These include daily sterilisation activities across the terminal, the requirement of PCR testing before embarkation, as well as the implementation of a comprehensive emergency response plan for handling positive cases within the terminal.

“Cruise passengers visiting Abu Dhabi can be assured that every measure to safeguard their health and safety during their stay is being undertaken,” Al Dhaheri said.

The DCT Abu Dhabi will be announcing a series of initiatives throughout the year. These include upcoming projects and events, as well as participation in international events as part of its continuous efforts to promote the destination to global audiences. Abu Dhabi is also seeing the development of several landmark projects, such as Al Qana, the 2.4km canal project; the world’s first Warner Bros Hotel; Waterfront of Al Qana, near the Grand Canal; the largest aquarium in the Middle East; and Snow Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest indoor snow park spanning 11,660sqm — all set to open later this year.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi