ABU DHABI – Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), the apex body which manages the tourism industry in Abu Dhabi, the largest of the seven emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates, has appointed industry veteran Lawrence Franklin as its director of strategy and policy.
The 45-year-old Australian, with over 22 years experience in tourism, now has overall responsibility for leading the ADTAโs domestic and international market research function and overseeing the development of the authorityโs corporate strategy and operational plans.
โThis appointment reflects the ADTAโs need to expand its cadre of expertise as it moves toward a new era of managed growth,โ said His Excellency Mubarak Al Muhairi, director general, ADTA. โThe next five years will see considerable advancement in Abu Dhabiโs tourism infrastructure, and it is crucial that we ensure our product offering is differentiated on an increasingly-competitive, global landscape.
โWith this appointment, Lawrence and his department will contribute to a global research program, which will inform the development of the ADTAโs corporate strategy and programs. They will assist, through research, the identification of new market opportunities and opportunities for the development and marketing of new product for packaging and wholesaling to the domestic and international tourism markets.โ
Franklin has joined the ADTA from Tourism Australia, the statutory body responsible for the promotion of Australia as a tourism destination, where he spent three years, first as manager of strategic insights and, more recently, as director of strategy and research.
Prior to Tourism Australia, Franklin worked for 13 years at Tourism New South Wales where he held a number of posts including that of manager of information and research.
The holder of a Town Planning degree from the University of New South Wales and a Graduate Diploma in Tourism Management from Sydneyโs University of Technology, Franklin has, throughout his career, been heavily involved in the development and implementation of knowledge-based strategies.
Franklinโs appointment follows a number of other managerial appointments across the ADTAโs business intelligence, marketing, and human resources functions.