Abu Dhabi Tourism expands 3 trade alliances to reach new markets

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has expanded three travel trade partnerships to further enhance UAE capital’s global profile across both trade and consumer markets. 

Unveiled at WTM London, the renewed collaborations with Expedia Group, Amadeus and WebBeds support the emirate’s goal of attracting 25 million visitors by 2026 and 39.3 million annually by 2030. 

Under the expanded agreements, a new multi-year partnership with global online agency Expedia Group will deliver targeted consumer campaigns across 15 key source markets, leveraging the full suite of Expedia brands, including Expedia, Vrbo and Hotels.com.

Planned initiatives will target visitors for the upcoming winter sun holiday period and beyond, and will showcase Abu Dhabi’s diverse appeal while offering seamless booking options for flights, hotels and experiences. 

Building on the success of the Sunshine Pass campaign introduced earlier this year, the partnership will “significantly strengthen Abu Dhabi’s global promotion, highlighting our unique cultural and tourism attractions", according to HE Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General of Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi.

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Complementing this, DCT Abu Dhabi has expanded its collaboration with travel tech company Amadeus Digital Media, leveraging AI-driven campaign technology to fuel more than 60% growth through Amadeus’ platforms compared to last year.

The initiative will use advanced programmatic advertising to reach travellers actively seeking new destinations, “strategically building destination awareness in new and emerging markets”. 

In parallel, the renewed agreement with B2B accommodation provider WebBeds for a fourth consecutive year will enhance destination awareness across its network of travel professionals while distributing targeted Abu Dhabi content across trade platforms. 

The extended partnership also includes storytelling initiatives highlighting the emirate’s heritage-rich regions of Al Ain and Al Dhafra, complemented by joint marketing campaigns across 20 international source markets aimed at driving increased arrivals.

Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector continues to report strong results, with Abu Dhabi Airports welcoming more than 15.8 million passengers in the first half of 2025, marking a 13.1% year-on-year increase. 

For more information, visit dct.gov.ae