Abu Dhabi Volvo Ocean Destination Village Opens

Abu Dhabi has officially opened the doors to its purpose-built Volvo Ocean Race‘Destination Village’ on its Corniche breakwater as seven-time Grammy Award winning rock band, Coldplay, ushered in the New Year as part of celebrations for the emirate’s historic, fortnight-long hosting of the gruelling 39,000 mile round the world ‘Everest of Sailing’.

The Destination Village -- the size of eight football pitches -- was opened by His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, ADTA,which was instrumental in bringing the global yacht race to the UAE capital; Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed bin Saqr Al Nahyan, Chairman, UAE Sailing & Rowing Federation; His Excellency Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA; General Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, Director General, Central Operations, Abu Dhabi Police; SalemRashed Amer Al Romaithi, Vice President, UAE Sailing & Rowing Federation, Knut Frostad, CEO, Volvo Ocean Race and Peter Baumgartner, Commercial Director of Etihad Airways.

Open daily from11am-11pm, with extended weekend hours, the free-to-the-public DestinationVillage is the focal point for a wealth of on and off water activities,entertainment, concerts, rides, sailing schools, games and competitions, aswell as all the Volvo Ocean Race action.