Abu Dhabi will have over 26,000 hotel rooms by 2012 compared to the current 12,000, said the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA).

'Abu Dhabi's hotel room inventory will be in excess of 26,000 in 2012 and the destination is also rapidly developing international convention expertise to ensure its success as a major global meetings destination,' Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan was quoted as saying in the Gulf News.

'The business tourism sector has higher economic returns, delivering between seven-to-nine times more income to a destination than leisure tourism,' said Shaikh Sultan.

ADTA has drawn up a five-year strategic plan under which it hopes to host 2.7 million hotel guests a year by 2012.

The authority is aiming to bring in 1.68 million hotel guests this year, 16 per cent more, when compared to 1.45 million in 2007.

The emirate is pumping in Dh25 billion in modernising its airport that will be able to handle 50 million passengers annually by 2012 as part of its tourism boost plan.