Abu Dhabi targets 10 pct tourism growth by year-end

Abu Dhabi is aiming for a 10 per cent increase in tourist numbers by the end of the year and is also studying the prospect of a cruise terminal, the head of the emirate's tourism board said.

"By the end of the year we are targeting 10 per cent growth in tourist numbers," Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon al-Nahyan, chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) said on Sunday.

"We are targeting tourism contribution to GDP of 8-10 per cent by 2030."

He also said that Tourism Development Investment Company (TDIC), the company overseeing many of the emirate's tourism developments, had sufficient liquidity to finance its future projects and was not considering any bonds issuances.

"The sukuk market has become unattractive because the interest rate is high. We have enough liquidity to finance our future projects," the chairman said.

Sheikh Sultan said discussions were ongoing with consultants for a cruise terminal in Abu Dhabi, but declined to give a value for the project.

"This is another area we are looking at seriously...we are still discussing it and will announce it in due course," he said.