Expedia’s top 10 places to visit in 2008
ABU DHABI – Abu Dhabi (pictured below) and China have been selected among the top ten destinations in the world by expedia.co.uk, UK’s largest online travel agent.
Other destinations to figure in the top ten places to visit in 2008 are New Zealand, Argentina, Cape Verde, Alaska, Reykjavik, Berlin, Boston and Liverpool, the 2008 European Capital of Culture.
Explaining the choice of Abu Dhabi as a leading global destination, expedia.com wrote, ‘Few places can have undergone such fundamental change over the past 50 years as the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
“Today visitors can enjoy the beach, desert safaris, variety enough to quench even the strongest thirst for retail therapy.”
Abu Dhabi, which is diversifying its oil-dependent economy, has attracted huge private investment in new tourism projects, which include a luxury 5 star Arabian retreat – Qasr Al Sarab – in the emirate’s Liwa desert at the Empty Quarter (Rub Al-Khali).
Qasr Al Sarab will be built seven kilometres from the main Hamim Highway crossing the Rub Al-Khali, made famous in the West through the work of desert adventurer Wilfred Thesiger, who crossed the desert expanse in the 1940s.
“The open-door policy adopted (by the government) has reflected positively on the private sector’s contribution to the tourist development projects, including the Al Saadiyat Island project, reckoned one of the largest tourist development projects regionwide,” Mubarak Hamad Al Muhairi, ADTA director-general, said.
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements