Abu Dhabi, Aug 25 - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is seeking to attract more French tourists and plans to send a delegation to France for the purpose, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.

The delegation of Abu Dhabi tourism industry, led by the emirates' tourism authority, will visit Paris September to raise awareness about the UAE in France.

'We would like to build on this opportunity to increase awareness of our accommodation and attractions among the French travel trade and its travelling public as an increase in visiting friends and family traffic from the republic can be realistically expected,' said Mubarak Al Nuaimi, international promotions manager, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.

France accounted for almost 21,000 hotel guests in Abu Dhabi during the first half of 2009.