TCA lauches Al Gharbia Visitor Map

Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), in consultation with its stakeholders and the Western Region Development Council, has produced a map of Al Gharbia (Western Region), which enables visitors to Abu Dhabi Emirate to easily explore some of the UAE's most dramatic desert and coastal scenery. Spanning an incredible two-thirds of the emirate, Al Gharbia's expansive desert, oasis towns, secluded beaches, island experiences, impressive coastline and plethora of diverse experiences have been collated into a compact, visitor-friendly, fold-out map. "Al Gharbia is becoming increasingly popular with visitors, and our new map features all the region's key places of interest and highlights the region's fascinating festivals and cultural events," said Saeed Al Dhaheri, Customer Service Section Manager, TCA Abu Dhabi. Al Gharbia highlights include traditional festivals and cultural events such as the annual Liwa Date Festival and December's Al Dhafra Camel Festival, which is one of the world's largest desert heritage events and includes the world's only camel beauty contest. "The map will help spread the message that there's much more to see and do in Al Gharbia. In fact visitors may be surprised by the area's sheer diversity. We want to help attract more visitors to the region's festivals and attractions, and increase average-length-of-stay at its hotels," added Al Dhaheri. West of the UAE capital, Al Gharbia's history of ancient settlements of fishermen, herders and farmers can be traced back 6000-8000 years and it is now home to some of Abu Dhabi's most fascinating tourism experiences. The new map features 3D representations of attractions, including detailed plotting of the eight early-19th century forts and towers across the oasis town of Liwa, as well as a visual representation of the five-star Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara deep in the heart of the vast Rub al Khali (Empty Quarter) - the world's largest uninterrupted sand desert. Additionally, the map includes details of the archaeological and conservation destination of Sir Bani Yas Island, home to one of Arabia's largest wildlife reserves with more than 10,000 free roaming animals and accommodation choices which capitalise on the island's unique savannah and beach experiences. In the first six months of this year, some 53,002 guests stayed in Al Gharbia hotels, up 17% on the same period last year and delivering 137,938 guest nights, which was up 10% year-on-year. – Emirates News Agency, WAM