Etihad Airways' Abu Dhabi Stopover Programme Achieves Significant Growth With 242% Increase In Visitors

Etihad Airways and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) are celebrating the impressive expansion of their Abu Dhabi Stopover programme. This initiative, unique to Etihad Airways, has significantly boosted tourism in Abu Dhabi since its relaunch. The programme welcomed 24,000 international visitors in the first half of 2024, a substantial increase from 7,000 in late 2023, marking a 242 percent rise.

Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, remarked on this success: "The growth of our Abu Dhabi Stopover programme has far exceeded our projections. We've seen international visitors more than triple in just six months. This success not only showcases Abu Dhabi's appeal as a destination but also demonstrates the programme's effectiveness in encouraging travellers to experience the emirate's wonders."

Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director-General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships: "The Abu Dhabi Stopover programme exemplifies the power of strategic partnerships in driving tourism growth. This innovative initiative is clearly resonating with international travellers, offering them a compelling reason to explore our emirate. The programme's success reinforces Abu Dhabi's position as a must-visit destination and encourages travellers to plan longer stays in the future."

Travellers participating in the programme typically stay for two nights. The initiative has gained traction among tourists from England, USA, Australia, EU countries, and India. These key markets have shown a strong interest in exploring what Abu Dhabi has to offer.

The popularity of the stopover programme has been further enhanced by improvements to its booking process. A new user-friendly landing page on etihad.com has led to a 43 percent increase in web traffic from potential visitors seeking information about Abu Dhabi.

With growing demand and increased bookings anticipated for the second half of 2024, the programme is on track to reach its ambitious goal of attracting 75,000 international stopover visitors by year-end. This achievement underscores both the appeal of Abu Dhabi as a destination and the effectiveness of the stopover initiative.

The remarkable growth of this programme highlights how strategic initiatives can significantly impact tourism sectors. By offering travellers an enticing opportunity to explore Abu Dhabi during their layovers, Etihad Airways and DCT Abu Dhabi have successfully positioned the emirate as an attractive destination for international visitors.

With inputs from WAM