c
 


 

   


By Paul Reehorst, on October 22nd, 2008
‘

‘ ‘
‘‘
 ‘
‘
‘
  ‘
‘
‘
‘
‘



Seventeen companies are competing to win contracts to operate new bus

services in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The tender process is part of reform
to improve the standards, safety and efficiency of Abu Dhabi Emirateƞs
public transport sector and provide a better quality of life to residents and
visitors. The Program Management Office of AbuDhabi Government
Restructuring Committee are delivering on their plan to improve public
transport across the Emirate. A new fleet of busses can be expected in the
short term.




 
 by Michael Verikios (May 15, 2007)

   Ñ Ô

 
 


Ô
  

Khaled Al Rashedi, Project Manager, mandated by the Program

Management Office of AbuDhabi Government Restructuring Committee,
says: ƠWe are delivering on our plan to improve public transport across the
Emirate and this tender process is the first step towards better buses. We
look forward to seeing the first fleets on the roads by the end of this year.
We are working hard to realise our goal to provide a modern integrated
public transport network that improves quality of life and economic
opportunities for everyone across the emirate.ơ

This improved transportation networks benefits travellers within the

destination, both locals or visitors. The modernisation of the destination
throughout the last decade urged for an improved transportation network
as well. Al Rashedi is in my view right when he says that this network can
improve quality of life and economic opportunities for everyone across the
emirate.

A good transportation network is also very important to attract tourists.

Tourists want to be able to travel within a destination, as well as to travel
in a direct surrounding of the destination. For example in a case on Papua
New Guinea, (Asia Pasific Journal of Tourism Research Volume 6 Issue 2)
Ramudu Bhanugopan discovered that many international visitors were
unhappy about the travel infrastructure within the destination and the
costs of travelling. There is a link between those two issues. A poor
transportation network or travel infrastructure makes it more difficult to
travel from A to B. The traveller has to find a different way to get to point
B, which is in most cases more expensive. Also the time it takes to travel is
longer when there is an absence of a good network. In Papua New Guinea
this problem together with one or two other problems in safety led to the
destination having an overall poor image as a tourism destination.

It shows that a good transportation network is not only beneficial for local
inhabitants but has also an influence in tourism. It can even contribute to
a better tourism destinationƞs image. When looked at this way I can
conclude that tourism destinations opting for a better image need to start
to improve the destination first, before promoting it. The infrastructure and
the transportation network being an important part of the destination.

There is another way in which this transportation network can be positive

for local people inAbuDhabi. A full scale transportation network of a good
quality can be of influence to attract international companies. For instance
companies for which transportation is an important criteria. The local
economy can then again benefit from these type of companies. An
increase in the number of jobs can be expected next.

In the case of AbuDhabi I feel that this improvement in the transportation

network can both benefit the local people and the visitors. It can be seen
as a foundation on which the destination can further be built and
enhanced in terms of the tourism industry, the service industry or any
other industry.

!

Ramudu Bhanugopan (2001) Tourism development in Papua New Guinea:

Strategies for success. Published in Asia Pasific Journal of Tourism
Research Volume 6 Issue 2.

Verikios, M. (May 17, 2007) AbuDhabi enhances bus services for locals and
visitors. Published on
TravelDailyNews.com.Ñ  !"
" 

# 
$%&
 !
*‘ Ô'   Ô  
  c
(
*‘   
      )
 
 * + 
*‘ 3

 ! , 
 
 

 




*‘  

  3

   3    '

    


*‘ 


 ,c3) ) ,-3Ô, c, 3 ,c


c,,,. , 
)3Ô ))
‘