Hotels in the capital are teaming up with Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority to attract more visitors during the traditional low summer season.
About 30 properties are offering a special package as part of SummerFest, a 52-day festival which starts today and runs until August 17. It includes a series of shows, comedy nights and concerts at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and du Forum on Yas Island.
Participating hotels are offering a three-night stay with free entry to SummerFest, Yas Waterworld and Ferrari World, plus free Wi-Fi and a free meal for children in a hotel of their choice. Each hotel will offer its own rate as part of the promotion, but all will offer free entry to the attractions.
The deal is primarily aimed at GCC travellers, although organisers hope it will also help hoteliers attract UAE residents, said Sultan Matar Al Muhairi, the senior event management executive for product development with TCA Abu Dhabi.
"We want Abu Dhabi to be the summer destination for [GCC travellers]. Everything is here. Attractions, infrastructure for the tourists, so Abu Dhabi is growing, in tourism especially," said Mr Al Muhairi.
"The entry to Yas [Waterworld] is worth almost a night in Abu Dhabi, so that's a good deal. I'm sure this will be a good deal for them and attract tourism to Abu Dhabi."
Adrian Deegan, the area director of sales in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain at Rotana, which is including 12 of its properties in the promotion, said the group was excited to be part of the summer campaign.
"Since inception, [TCA Abu Dhabi] has supported us to capitalise on GCC arrivals, which last year brought just over 1 million Gulf nationals as guests to the hotels in the capital," he said.
"At Rotana, we are committed to support [TCA Abu Dhabi] to achieve their target of accruing two million hotel guest nights this year and every initiative we do in our year-round calendar meets the objective of raising the profile of the destination, which continues to mature and offers more and at better value," he added.
Last year, Abu Dhabi recorded a 20 per cent rise in the number of hotel guests from the Gulf at 159,306 people, compared with 133,277 in 2011.
