Arabian adventure: participants of ABT-ACTE Russia seminar got acquainted with Abu-Dhabi MICE facilities

Travel managers and purchase experts from Saint Petersburg got a unique opportunity to feel the atmosphere of hospitality that fills every detail of daily life in the Middle East — from a traditional way of serving coffee to the highest standards of modern service. On December 4 W St. Petersburg, a new luxury hotel, hosted ABT-ACTE educational session of the «MICE Geography» series devoted to Abu-Dhabi, the first one in the northern capital. Partners of the event were Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and Etihad, UAE`s national air carrier.

In 2014 the emirate was deservedly granted the most prestigious World Travel Award as the leading Middle East MICE destination. Abu Dhabi’s history is astonishing: it took only several decades to turn a narrow strip of land along the Persian Gulf coast into «Middle East Manhattan», event and business travel facilities of which are increasing every year. Hotels are built, communication is established with organizers of world famous sport competitions, congress facilities are growing — nowadays there are more than 600 halls and venues for exhibitions, fairs and meetings in Yas Island only. Everything is done to arouse the interest of the business community to Abu Dhabi.

According to the representative of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority Maxim Shandarov, it is Russians who are leading with their longest stay in the emirate — average hotel booking of our citizens is about 6 nights. And it is not surprising, because apart from a busy business program corporate buyers are offered a variety of options to hold teambuilding and incentive tours.

Ms Shandarov paid special attention of the guests to MICE facilities of Yas Island. Entertainment centre of Abu Dhabi and the Middle East in general in 2009 was acknowledged «the leading tourism project» according to World Travel Award. The main attraction of this man-made island is Yas Marina track, where the Formula 1 Grand Prix Abu Dhabi has been held for several years already. Moreover, corporate event organizers and participants can see the historic competition as well as try driving a race car themselves. Up to ten types of race cars are available for rent, you can feel their speed yourself or with the help of a professional pilot. Also Yas Marina offers an opportunity to arrange catering, excursions and even an awarding ceremony right on Formula 1 podium.

There will be no problems accommodating teambuilding or incentive tour participants, as one of the most luxurious hotels of Yas Island is right near the track — Yas Viceroy, the roof of which is made of glass and steel and sparkles with five thousand LED lights at night. The hotel offers 499 rooms and suites of 54 sq. metres and more in area, nine restaurants and bars, conference halls and a lounge zone on the roof with a view of the track. The hotel has a direct exit to the mooring berth.

Those who are fond of extreme adventure will likely want to spend a day in the large thematic park Ferrari World: the largest in the Middle East complex with a breathtaking rollercoaster and head-spinning rides is situated in a huge building that has the form of a giant bright red octopus.

In Mr Shandarov`s opinion, Ferrari World is an ideal place for MICE and events of any scale, including large-scale events for several thousand participants. Organizers can rent any of the five restaurants of this complex, a concert hall for 600 persons or halls of various capacities with the view of the central Ferrari World square. A carting track will be open on the park territory in the near future.

The expert drew the guests` attention to the fact that after 8 o’clock in the evening you can rent the whole Ferrari World complex, including all available rides. Such an event may include up to 5000 participants.

Other places of interest of Yas Island include the largest Middle East water park Yas Waterworld, Yas beach, Yas Links golf club, concert venue Du Forum that can hold up to 6000 participants and Yas Mall, the second largest mall in Abu Dhabi. At present there are seven 3-5* hotels in the island with the total capacity of 2000 rooms (many of them are twin rooms) and 116 conference halls, the number of events held there is growing every year: thus, in 2014 this figure has grown by 30%. Free Yas Express shuttles between hotels and all the places of interest of Yas Island.

One of the brightest moments of a trip to Abu Dhabi is an excursion to Sir Bani Yas Island, almost half of the territory of which is a conservation area of Arabian Wildlife Park, a preserve of local flora and fauna. This remarkable piece of wild savanna was founded in 1971 in a former lifeless salt desert. Nowadays you can take part in a safari and see wild animals in their natural habitat: antelopes, deer, giraffes and even leopards, as well as have a horse ride around the island or a tramp with a guide, shoot the bow or participate in many other activities.

Anantara Desert Island Resort 5* is located in the island, it offers 90 rooms, its own conference centre of 525 sq. metres and a natural beach.

Those, for whom the emirate is not only the example of an ultramodern metropolis, but also a preserve of local colour, eastern culture and traditions, are recommended to take part in the excursion devoted to the history of pearl diving. For hundreds of years waters of the Gulf have been the source of world class pearls («lulu» in Arabian). You can see small boats of adventurers bobbing about in the sea near Abu Dhabi coast nowadays as well — but it is mainly tourists, and not professional divers. You can keep the shell after the excursion and eat the mollusk right in the open sea!

In Mr Shandarov`s opinion, the top point of any trip to Abu Dhabi is a visit to Qasr Al Sarab — a real oasis in the middle of mysterious Liwa desert. The hotel is only 200 kilometres away from the hotel, but because of its huge territory all covered in trees there is an impression that the complex is totally isolated from the rest of the world. The luxurious Arab style hotel in the very heart of the desert offers you an opportunity to take part in hawking, ride a camel or a quad bike or meet the sunrise on the terrace with a cup of real Arab coffee and admire the beauty of the constantly changing landscape. «You open the door — and there is a hundred metres of beauty in front of you!» the speaker spoke very enthusiastically about the charm of sand dunes.

All in all, Abu Dhabi has 86 hotels of various categories, a new business hotel in the business part of the city Dusit Thani Abu-Dhabi is getting one of the most popular of them. Frequent guests of this hotel are Honeywell employees. Assistant general director and president of the company Anastasiya Shibanova told the participants of ABT-ACTE Russia seminar that one of Honeywell offices is located in the capital of the emirate in CERT technological park, this is why it is one of the most popular destinations of business trips and events of the holding.

Speaking about special features of corporate events in Abu Dhabi, Ms Shibanova dwelled on visa issues. In her expert opinion, it was quicker and easier to get ordinary travel visas for the employees, and it took only one working day to get them. You only need a copy of your passport, a photo and an electronic form with your credit card information. Visas for Honeywell employees were prepared by a local travel agency in the UAE.

Ms Shibanova also recommended taking into account that the working week in Abu Dhabi is from Sunday to Thursday, so it is better not to plan any great events for Friday — you are unlikely to be able to quickly contact local service providers.

The speaker said that incentive tours were impractical in Honeywell, so she could not share her experience in business travel in this region. Moreover, because of limited event budgets, events are arranged exclusively by the staff of the company without resort to special agencies. Corporations that use similar business models are likely to find advice of executive director of ABT-ACTE Russia Ekaterina Aleksandrova very useful; she told seminar participants about the main components of a successful event.

«The cornerstone of any event is the administrator, who sets the goals and targets, is responsible for the working group, the schedule of the project, procedures and communication, and, consequently, for the result of the event», the speaker noted.

Ms Aleksandrova also recommended choosing the form of the meeting and its place carefully, analyze feedback and make sure the providers are reliable before you start your cooperation.

You can prove the reliability of the provider by checking all the necessary licenses and permissions, reliable information on its turnover, request its long-tern rental agreement or office property documents. An additional argument to sign an agreement with the provider is publicity of its activities, membership in industry associations and the average employment term of its employees that should be not less than five years. An important criterion at the stage of the tender is good feedback from employees and customers.

Ms Aleksandrova noted that very frequently the impression of any great event could be spoiled by some minor things like the absence of a glass of water for the speaker at the tribune, or chairs set around the tables in such a way that someone of the audience is inevitably sitting with his back to the speaker. So the expert recommended MICE organizers to prepare a step-by-step rider for event coordinators that will help plan every stage of a conference or a gala dinner.

The speaker stressed that it was important for corporate buyers to change MICE destinations from time to time and not to be fixated on the same region, even if it meets business tasks ideally. «Criteria may include visa-free travel, an extended hotel base, simple logistics and, of course, an interesting program», Ms Aleksandrova summarized.

Sales Executive of Etihad Andrey Kolody dwelled on logistics issues that are always important for MICE experts. UAE`s national carrier and the winner of many prestigious awards — from Skytrax Awards to World Travel Award — makes three regular flights from Moscow to Abu Dhabi per day. You can get from Saint Petersburg, where ABT-ACTE Russia seminar was held, to the emirate via Minsk, and what is more important, with a single ticket.

Etihad motto says «Be our guest on board». That is why passengers will feel utmost comfort even in economy class. All the chairs, the distance between which is 79-84 cm, have a USB-port and electric sockets, adjustable neck cushions and foot rest; Wi-Fi and a personal entertainment system with a 10,4 inch screen are available during the flight, passengers are offered headphones with an active noise control system.

Meals on board Etihad flights are especially dainty: even economy class menu includes the choice of three dishes and a wide choice of alcohol and non-alcohol drinks, several types of tea and hot chocolate. And for the dessert ice-cream is served!

As for business class, passengers are accompanied by a catering and drinks manager, who will offer professional advice on any dish on board, as well as recommend restaurants in the destination you are going to. Mr Kolody stressed that only employees with high experience in restaurants and hotels could occupy this position.

But the greatest gastronomic pleasure awaits first class passengers, of course — their menu includes dishes cooked by the chef right on board the plane! Mr Kolody also told corporate buyers who took part in ABT-ACTE Russia seminar about Etihad loyalty program — Business Connect that is focused at small and medium businesses. The program will be useful for companies where 2-50 employees travel regularly, but the travel purchase volume is not enough to conclude a direct agreement with the air carrier. You can become member of Business Connect free of charge, and the bonus of miles or their percentage rate can be used by the passenger himself or the company, which can accumulate bonuses on its corporate account. You can use miles you have accumulated to change your service class, book a ticket or make purchases in the online shop of the airline.

In the opinion of the participants of the session, a long flight from Moscow or Saint Petersburg to Abu Dhabi (average flight time is 5-7 hours) will not keep them from recommending the emirate as a MICE destination.

«Logistics is far not the main criterion when you choose a MICE region» head receptionist of Complete Victoria Nazarova admitted. «Even if the budget is not the decisive factor, the main is to arrange an interesting program and to have only a favourable impression. All this is available in Abu Dhabi! We would like to thank ABT-ACTE Russia for such an informative event and an informal atmosphere. It is important for the speakers not only to provide theoretical knowledge, but also to bring examples from their own experience, even funny ones. This has created my great mood of today’s morning».

«I have been very interested in this destination from the point of view of its business opportunities», General Director of the representative office of Vision International People Group in Saint Petersburg Konstantin Grechko. «We have already held events in the UAE, in Dubai, and took a group of 600 persons there. Now Abu Dhabi is within our sight, because the emirate meets the main requirement of our company — luxury service. I am persuaded that it will provide a great incentive for MICE participants and inspire them to go on working for the company’s good».

The special offer of the emirate’s Congress Bureau that was presented by Maxim Shandarov, will be another impetus to hold a corporate event in Abu Dhabi. Thus, if you book accommodation of at least 50 nights (in case this is a new booking and the request has been submitted to the congress bureau not less than 30 days before the event) the inviting company is ready to offer the organizer one of the following options:

— welcome dinner in the hotel;

— excursion around Abu Dhabi;

— excursion to Ferrari World thematic park;

— desert safari and a dinner in dunes;

— full service package for a business meeting;

— golf party «in the footsteps of champions»;

— excursion to the Hawk hospital and lunch;

— excursion to Al Ain oasis;

— vip ticket to Formula-1 race track;

— visit to Yas Waterworld water park.

In case the organizer books more than 500 nights, he can use two of these offers, and payment for 1000 nights and more guarantees an opportunity to choose three options, and booking of 1500 nights assumes an individual bonus program form the congress bureau.

ABT-ACTE seminar ended with a lottery where the participants were offered to guess what the quantity of figures in plate numbers in Abu Dhabi depends on, shares of which company were bought out by Etihad in 2014 and many other questions. Organizers of the meeting informed guests and partners from Saint Petersburg that they planned to return to the Neva city in 2015 and to hold there a lot of informative events for business travel experts.

Svetlana Denikina