Next month, a delegation headed by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority will head towards China where it will participate in a destination workshop in Shanghai before participating in Beijing's China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (CIBTM).

The latest development has appeared after the declaration that China's National Tourism Administration will now be allowed to send delegates to Abu Dhabi.

ADTA director general, HE Mubarak Al Muhairi explained, "This is one of today's most important markets and it is crucial that Abu Dhabi is well represented if we are to build destination awareness and increase our share of an outbound business meetings and incentive markets which is growing by more than 15% annually and is valued by the industry at around US $14.6 billion a year, according to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade."

Al Muhairi further explained, "China Meetings Industry Research suggests that, over the next 12 months, Chinese meetings professionals expect a significant increase in the number of events to be staged outside the republic."

The workshop will also be attended by Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, IIR Middle East, Abu Dhabi Travel Bureau, Le Meriden, the Western Region Development Council and Al Masaood Travel.

Al Muhairi added: "In times of widespread economic global uncertainty there still remains opportunity and much of this lies in the emerging BRIC nations."

He further stated: "China now has the second highest GDP in Asia, coming in shortly behind Japan. In April this year, Chinese outbound travel grew 3.9% over the same month in 2008. We cannot let this market go unnoticed. We have the right infrastructure, destination safety and service quality China requires but we have to go out and meet it."