Abu Dhabi has won the ‘Destination of the Year’ award for the ‘City’ category in the UK’s Travel Agents Choice Awards. “These awards carry special significance in the British travel industry because they are the only travel honours entirely nominated and voted for by travel retailers,” said Nabeel Zarouni, Country Manager UK, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi). “This accolade comes as Abu Dhabi recorded, in the first nine months of this year, a 25 per cent increase on hotel guests from the UK, compared to the same period last year. The UK is currently our second largest overseas producer of hotel guests and we envisage building on this further when Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, begins daily services from Edinburgh to Abu Dhabi International. “We are grateful for this vote of confidence by the UK travel trade. Those privileged be involved are witnessing very exciting times in Abu Dhabi as the emirate embraces new hotels and resorts, malls and restaurant openings, upgrades to existing product, new events, additional airlift with Etihad Airways, more cruise arrivals and a vast array of art, sports, food and water borne activities.”