Abu Dhabi to stagger Louvre, Guggenheim opening dates

Abu Dhabi's Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) has released the expected opening dates for the much-anticipated museums in the emirate's Saadiyat Cultural District: Louvre Abu Dhabi will open in 2015, Zayed National Museum in 2016 and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi in 2017.

TDIC said by staggering the opening dates each museum would have sufficient time to establish its own identity on the local and international cultural stage.

Substantial work has already been completed on the museums. Detailed architectural designs have now been finalised, as well as all foundation and piling work.

Teams with regional expertise that will operate each institution are undergoing training, and the acquisition of the vast art and artifact collections for each museum is underway.

Abu Dhabi has also announced that it will spend an estimated US$6.8bn on a new terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport, which will accommodate 27 million passengers a year when it opens in 2016.

The terminal is seen as integral to the growth of Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi's tourism.

The new development proposals come at a time when Abu Dhabi has recorded its most successful year for hotel guest arrivals with some 2.11m people staying in the emirate's hotels and hotel apartments.