Abu Dhabi, March 19 (IANS/WAM): The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) National Council for Tourism and Antiquities has launched a road show in India to promote tourism from India and to provide them with special offers tailored to meet the Indian market needs.

The road comprises tourism representatives from national airline companies, travel and tourism groups and hotels.

Mohammed Khamis bin Hareb Al Muhairi, director-general of the National Council for Tourism and Antiquities, said that the Indian market is one of the major markets contributing to the tourism industry in the world, and the UAE in particular, due to the geographical proximity and the ancient cultural ties between India and the Gulf.

He added that the convoy will be visiting three of India’s largest cities -- New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. It will also meet with a large number of specialists, decision makers, and other significant figures representing various sectors in the Indian tourism industry.

The meetings intend to introduce them to UAE’s tourism landmarks and to finalise deals between companies in the two countries regarding touristic packages for the future.

He said that the road show, organised under the hashtag "VisitUAE", was launched by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, minister of culture, youth community development, and chairman of the National Council for Tourism and Antiquities, to promote UAE tourism through information and pictures.

Al Muhairi said that the road show is the second tourism promotion show to India. The first in 2012 achieved very good results, and prompted many companies and organisations to advocate for a repeat which has been organised in cooperation with strategic partners from local tourism associations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah.

He added that the National Council for Tourism and Antiquities invited more than 200 companies in each of the Indian cities the road show plans to visit to attend meetings.