UN Tourism has recognized the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi (DCT-Abu Dhabi) for its excellence in destination management.

Abu Dhabi becomes the sixth Destination Management Organization (DMO) in the world and the first in the Middle East region to receive the UN Tourism QUEST certification, testament to its ongoing dedication to excellence in governance and commitment to sustainability.

DCT-Abu Dhabi scored exceptionally high in the three areas of assessment of the certification after receiving 120 hours of capacity building sessions delivered by UN Tourism Academy, which included courses on: Sustainable Tourism; Governance for Sustainable Tourism; Quality and Competitiveness; and Sustainable Tourism Practices for Destination Management. These courses were complemented with eight one-to-one training sessions for DCT–Abu Dhabi officials to advance their understanding of UN Tourism QUEST assessment criteria and indicators.

The QUEST certification is an example of UN Tourism's leading work in the field of tourism standards to improve destination management and governance and highlights the importance and success of public-private-community partnerships, as well as horizontal and vertical cooperation in institutional governance. The Certification is valid for four years with the possibility of renewal.