CNN’s Becky Anderson interviews Abu Dhabi tourism chief Mohamed Al Mubarak about Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. Mohamed Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority: “When we flew over the island, we flew over an idea, just like his Highness the Crown Prince flew over the island 12 years ago with an idea to create a destination that will have theme parks, shopping centres, golf courses, hotels. 12 years later that vision has become reality, that dream is real, and Warner Brothers World Abu Dhabi is going to make many people’s dream a reality.”
Kevin Tsujihara, Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO: “We went to the Emirates Palace and we saw the models of Ferrari world of The Louvre. The execution has been incredible. The folks from Warner Brothers and the folks from Miral have worked side by side, day by day and you can see it, the level of detail. While we have a lot of conversations in a lot of different places with a lot of different people we choose our partners very carefully we thought this was the right group of people and that we felt like we can work with and its really proving to be true.”
On the experience at the theme park Mohamed Al Mubarak said “DC has been a huge part of my life. And anybody’s lives where DC has touched, it’s made us better people. Kids will come and they’ll try these fantastic rides but at the end of the day they will get a message. A message of hope, a message of belonging, a message of coming together, and I think if you can have fun and have a strong message at the end of the day that’s perfect.”
Kevin Tsujihara added “When you go on the Great Lantern ride and you feel the wind in your hair, this experience is very immersive – the characters are out, you’re touching them, you’re feeling them quite frankly you can’t replicate through technology.”
On the importance of the tourism strategy for the future success of Abu Dhabi and how the theme park adds to that: Mohamed Al Mubarak: “Warner Brothers Abu Dhabi is just another major attraction that is engulfed in the Abu Dhabi tourism aspect. So, you have museums, you have theme parks, you have shopping malls, the list goes on. We’re adding a major attraction every year for the next five years, whether it’s a theme park, or a museum, or a shopping or entertainment destination.”
When asked about Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and if that worries him:
Mohamed Al Mubarak: “Not at all, I truly see it to be a complementary attraction. I think the more people we can get to the region and the more attractions that we can have, I mean, between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi that’s a one hour flight, that’s nothing, and most people even right now drive from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh and so I think it will definitely complement the overall experience here in the UAE but at the same time I think what we have accomplished here in the UAE is quite immense.”
This story is courtesy CNN