Ajman broadens India tourism ties after roadshow

Ajman has completed a three-city tourism roadshow across Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad, using the campaign to deepen commercial ties with travel companies and promote the emirate more prominently in UAE holiday itineraries sold in India.

The Ajman Department of Tourism, Culture and Media said the programme, held from August 30 to September 4, brought together travel agents, tour operators and other tourism partners for business-to-business meetings, destination presentations and workshops. The department used the events to present Ajman’s cultural, heritage, leisure, family and hospitality offerings while discussing new packages aimed at travellers from India.

A central element of the roadshow was the launch of the Ajman Partner Tourism Growth Incentive Programme, which will run from September 15 to December 1. Eligible travel agents will receive performance-based incentives for confirmed passenger bookings to Ajman, a measure intended to encourage destination promotion and increase the emirate’s inclusion in wider UAE itineraries.

Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi, Director-General of the Ajman Department of Tourism, Culture and Media, said India was a key market in the emirate’s strategy to diversify its international visitor base. He said the roadshow was designed to translate growing interest in Ajman into higher visitation while building practical cooperation with travel and tourism partners.

Alhashmi also emphasised the role of public-private partnerships in the emirate’s tourism plans, saying closer work with travel companies could help develop products and experiences aligned with traveller preferences while strengthening Ajman’s competitiveness as a destination.

The department began the roadshow in Mumbai before moving to Chennai and Hyderabad, targeting major centres of outbound travel demand and established networks of tour operators. The programme sought direct engagement with travel industry decision-makers rather than relying solely on consumer-facing promotion, reflecting Ajman’s focus on distribution partnerships that can convert destination awareness into bookings.

Officials highlighted Ajman’s positioning as a compact destination that can be incorporated into broader UAE journeys, while also offering stand-alone cultural, beach, family and leisure experiences. The department said it wanted travel partners to build integrated tourism products tailored to the interests of travellers from India and to give Ajman greater visibility within packages already covering the UAE.

The campaign follows a longer effort by Ajman to diversify source markets through targeted international promotions. The department has also been participating in roadshows in other regions, including Central and Eastern Europe, as part of an approach centred on trade engagement, destination presentations and partnerships with travel companies.

India has remained an important source market for Ajman. At the Hyderabad leg of the roadshow, tourism officials said about 75,000 visitors from India stayed in Ajman hotels last year and that visitor numbers from the market had grown by about 12 per cent between 2023 and 2025. Officials also indicated that the total number of visitors could be higher because some travellers stay with relatives or elsewhere in the UAE.

The Hyderabad event also drew attention to the incentive structure being offered to travel partners. Officials said the programme would provide a payment linked to passenger bookings, complementing the department’s broader effort to stimulate demand during the campaign period and encourage travel companies to place Ajman more consistently in their sales programmes.

The Mumbai engagement included a media and travel-trade interaction led by Alhashmi, where the department presented Ajman’s tourism proposition and its plans for closer cooperation with the market. Industry participants were briefed on the emirate’s heritage and cultural attractions, accommodation choices and family-oriented experiences, alongside opportunities to combine Ajman with visits elsewhere in the UAE.

The roadshow also gave the department a platform to assess how travel companies package the emirate and what products could appeal more directly to different traveller segments. Officials said such direct discussions were intended to support stronger commercial relationships and create a clearer route from destination promotion to confirmed travel.