Yas Island focuses on travel trade

Over the past few months, Yas Island has been busy with various new initiatives to ensure customer confidence to its wide array of experiences for family tourism from touchless journeys to an unforgettable experience. Marijana Mihajlovic, Director of Business Development, Experience Hub shares with TRAVTALK plans for the year.

Shehara Rizly

Q What are your new key source markets for 2021?

Throughout the pandemic period, Experience Hub has been virtually engaging with travel trade in key source markets including UK, Germany, Russia, China, India and GCC, training them online to ensure continuous product knowledge in preparation for gradual market re-openings. This year, we will be focusing our efforts on the Qatar and Kazakhstan markets as our new key source markets.

Q Tell us more about the Yas Experts program?

‘Yas Expert’ is a destination training and certification program for travel professionals and agents, and Experience Hub has enrolled more than 7,000 travel agents into its distinguished program – of which 500 agents from the GCC enrolled in the program. More than 5,000 travel agents have already received certification, joining an elite team of specialists with enhanced knowledge of the destination. We are looking to launch various activations and competitions in 2021, to further promote the program.

Q How is the destination prepared to welcome guests?

Since the start of the pandemic, Yas Island has welcomed back the domestic market and successfully reassured UAE residents of their safety and well-being during their time on the island. The destination has introduced numerous initiatives such as the widely-commended ‘Yas Wellness Program’, granting guests direct access to a dedicated team of Yas Wellness Ambassadors who are able to answer queries on the health and safety measures in place. This has been coupled with the ‘#TogetherAtYas’ digital platform – a one-stop shop for all the responsible and fun experiences that can be had.

Earlier in 2021, all Yas Theme Parks – Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, and CLYMB Abu Dhabi – were the first theme parks in the region to adopt cutting-edge contactless technology, being able to enter all theme parks using facial recognition.

Q What are the summer promotions provided to travel agents? Are there any incentives/benefits?

Yas Island unveiled its Kids Go Free product offering for travel trade at this year’s Arabian Travel Market. Until September 30, 2021, children below the age of 12 will be able to stay and play for free –  one child for every one paying adult, which includes complimentary admission to the island’s world-class theme parks, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, as well as opportunities to stay and eat for free at the island’s diverse portfolio of hotels. We’ve provided special B2B rates for our trade partners – a one-night stay at any Yas Island Hotel with access to all three Yas Island theme parks over two consecutive days starts at a B2B rate of AED 427.50 per adult. A two-night stay starts at AED 560.00 per adult, and a three-night stay starts at AED 692.50
per adult, with access to all three parks over three and four consecutive days respectively.