New digital portal points visitors to Abu Dhabi’s secrets
Did you know that the saluki comes from a breed of dogs called greyhounds? Or that Delma Island helped to quench Abu Dhabi city’s thirst for water in the 20th century?
A new digital portal that answers these questions and showcases the cultural riches of the emirate has been launched. It also shines a light on some of the hidden gems and takes users off the beaten track, beyond the obvious attractions of the capital.
Encompassing a website, smartphone app and social media platforms, Abu Dhabi Culture is a one-stop guide for arts, culture and heritage.
Abu Dhabi Culture tells the history of heritage sites, showcases museums, galleries and cultural attractions, while also offering 360-degree tours.
Users can study timelines, book visits, listen to podcasts and send e-postcards. An interactive map and contact details help people to locate sites, such as a museum on Delma Island. The portal will also feature up-to-date photos, driving directions, refreshed content and education kits.
The platform is designed for Emiratis, residents and tourists, while it is also envisaged that the platform will become a
reference point for researchers and academics.
“Abu Dhabi has a deep treasure trove of culture and the richest heritage,” said Saif Ghobash, Director General of the Department of Culture and Tourism, which launched the portal yesterday.
“What makes this a landmark moment is our opportunity to bring all of this information – the richness of this immersion – together in an easy-to-use form.”
Mr Ghobash said the aim is to provide in-depth knowledge on all culture and heritage in the emirate for people inside and outside the UAE.
“It’s for faculty members, students, pupils, tourists and even tour guides who really want to have that edge in terms of content. Today, we started at a certain level – but for every element the depth will be enhanced with more quality. More entities will feed into it. It will be a centre of knowledge.”
Mr Ghobash said the portal would also increase the drawing power of Abu Dhabi, while enhancing visitors’ experience while in the country.
“It is free to access – we can play a role in enhancing content on the Lonely Planets of the world because of the information we have here.”
The launch comes as the UAE marks Innovation Month, and officials from the DCT demonstrated how the app and website worked. Present was the director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, Manuel Rabate. The museum opened to the public on November 11, and Mr Rabate said the Louvre was very happy to be part of the new portal.
“It’s the same story, the same adventure – we have loans from Al Ain [National Museum],” he told The National.
“This app is an invitation to go to the museum – but to also guide you to the other offerings of Abu Dhabi.”
A popular feature was the 360-degree journey through Abu Dhabi’s cultural sites. The emirate’s major landmarks, such as the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al Muwaiji, all feature. But users can also explore hidden gems such as the Zayed Central Library in Al Ain and music centre, Bait Al Oud. These display the breadth of cultural activity across the emirate.
“This is what you have on the app, a strategy,” Mr Rabate said. “You can have a small experience, a big experience. I lived in Paris and it’s the same thing – you have the Louvre and all these other places to enrich your life. Access is important. This app is providing access,” he said.
The Abu Dhabi Culture app is available in Arabic, English and French and can be downloaded on Apple’s iO3 and Android. It is envisaged that other languages will be added in the coming months.
Steve Copestake is acting executive director of marketing and communication at the DCT.
“We’d never drawn all these things together before,” he said. “But Visit Abu Dhabi will remain as out visitor portal.”
The launch comes as Abu Dhabi intensifies efforts to increase tourism.
Official statistics for 2017 have yet to be published, but it is believed the emirate had five million hotel visitors over the year.
The target for this year is six million, as Abu Dhabi benefits from last year’s opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi. A TV campaign promoting the emirate has also been launched.