Abu Dhabi is a Platinum Award Partner of Bravo Awards in Moscow

To promote Abu Dhabi as a tourism destination for Russian travellers, a key source market for the emirate, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT ABU Dhabi) sponsored a classical and pop music award show in Moscow, the Bravo Awards, which were held on the 10^th and 11th March at the State Kremlin Palace hall and the Bolshoi theatre in the Russian capital.

 The sold-out ceremony focused on pop music at the Kremlin State Theatre on Saturday night, and on classical music at the Bolshoi theatre the following night. Emirati singer Hussain Al Jassmi received the ‘Most Popular Artist of the Middle East and North Africa, MENA’ award. In his speech during the ceremony, Al Jassmi, who is also a UN Ambassador of Extraordinary Goodwill, expressed his pride and honour in receiving the award and in representing all Emirati and Arab artists.

 Russia is an increasingly important market to Abu Dhabi, as travellers from the country are among the top three longest-staying visitors to the emirate, with an average stay of five nights. Since visa restrictions for Russians were lifted at the start of 2017, with visas now granted on arrival, Abu Dhabi has witnessed a dramatic upsurge of visitors into the emirate – increasing at a double-digit growth rate. The Department’s objective with sponsoring this event is to further increase this number of inbound visitors from Russia to Abu Dhabi in 2018.