Abu Dhabi welcomed 1.4 million hotel guests between January and March 2025, with hotel revenues soaring to Dh2.3 billion during the first quarter of this year, indicating that Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector is on track to reach its target of contributing Dh62 billion to the economy in 2025, a 13 per cent increase from 2024, and supporting 255,000 jobs across the emirate in 2025.
This sustained success reflects Abu Dhabi’s evolving and increasingly distinctive value proposition and offerings, driven by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Strategy 2030.
We spoke to Abdulla Yousuf, Director of Travel Trade and Markets Development, DCT Abu Dhabi, at the recently concluded Arabian Travel Market in Dubai for more insight into these milestones.
“For me, the biggest achievement is seeing the true implementation of our strategy and initiatives. What you then see, in terms of the partnerships and the products we are announcing, is just a translation of how a vision, which is very clear today, a strategy that's well-defined, and initiatives that have been detailed, have been taken up by our stakeholders through that implementation journey. And then eventually, you see the result on the destination, in terms of occupancy, visitation, RevPAR, and so on.
Our mission extends beyond the preservation of local Emirati culture - we aim to be relevant in global dialogues, both now and in the future. We want Abu Dhabi to be a public art and culture hub for enthusiasts
– Abdulla Yousuf
“For me, that's the true achievement, more than anything else; the rest are just the tools to get to that,” Yousuf tells
TTN.
In 2024, Abu Dhabi's tourism sector witnessed positive performance across multiple metrics. Last year, the emirate welcomed a 7 per cent year-on-year increase in overall hotel and alternative accommodation guests combined, with international overnight visitors reaching 3.2 million, a 28 per cent year-on-year surge. Hotel occupancy rates reached 79 per cent across the emirate. This strong demand translated into substantial gains, as total hotel revenue grew by 18.1 per cent year-on-year, generating over Dh7.6 billion. RevPAR also climbed by 22 per cent, reflecting the industry's robust profitability.
DIVERSIFYING MARKETS
Supporting this growth, DCT Abu Dhabi significantly expanded its global marketing efforts, increasing operations from 11 markets in 2023 to 25 markets in 2024, with a focus on emerging regions such as the CIS, APAC, and Eastern Europe.
The emirate drew visitors from top tier targets markets and beyond, with best performing markets including India, China, Russia, the UK, and the USA.
Later this year, DCT Abu Dhabi plans to organise a targeted B2B marketplace focusing on the European market. “Platforms like these are crucial for accelerating growth from our tier-two markets. Following our APAC Summit, we opened a new office in Japan with a dedicated team to engage travel trade partners there. We anticipate similar progress in other regions when we host the European summit later this year, expecting partners from the Czech Republic, Poland, Netherlands, and Belgium – key tier-two markets for us.
“What we realise is that for us to reach more ambitious numbers, we need to have a sustainable plan in place, and that sustainability comes from diversification of source,” says Yousuf.
CULTURE HUB
Home to world-class museums, contemporary art, rich heritage, a diverse culinary landscape, and hospitality rooted in Emirati values, Abu Dhabi has established itself as a destination where culture is reimagined to deliver meaningful impact and experiences.
Now open to the public, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi is a key addition to Saadiyat Cultural District, which will be one of the greatest concentrations of world-leading cultural and educational institutions. Already home to Louvre Abu Dhabi, the District is growing as an unparalleled community of museums and cultural landmarks, and in 2025 will welcome Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the UAE, and Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, narrating the story of life on earth and the origins of our universe. Also on track for completion is Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, featuring a global collection of modern and contemporary art that reflects the diversity of cultures and trends from around the world.
The addition of teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi reinforces the emirate’s position as a global cultural epicentre, offering visitors a unique and transformative experience while showcasing its commitment to creativity, innovation and cultural collaboration on a global scale.
“Our mission extends beyond the preservation of local Emirati culture – we aim to be relevant in global dialogues, both now and in the future. We want Abu Dhabi to be a public art and culture hub for enthusiasts,” says Yousuf.
“With over 30 per cent of international visitors coming for cultural experiences, culture is central to our strategy, followed by family entertainment and leisure. But when we look at culture being the significant driver for people to come, this focus aligns Abu Dhabi's strategy with the UAE's broader vision, ensuring we complement national efforts and offer added value for visitors to both Abu Dhabi and the wider region.”
Abu Dhabi’s upward trajectory is aligned with the Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to attract 39.3 million visitors annually, support the creation of 178,000 new tourism jobs, expand hotel capacity to 50,000 rooms, and contribute Dh90 billion to the emirate’s GDP by the end of the decade.
VX ACADEMY
In order to drive service excellence across the visitor journey at scale, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has partnered with Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy – Les Roches to establish a brand-new Visitor Experience (VX) Academy.
VX Academy will deliver tailor-made professional development trainings to frontline workers across various industries, including hospitality, transport, retail, immigration and more. It aims to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness, ensure consistent delivery of exceptional service aligned with Emirati core values and further elevating the visitor experience standards across the emirate.
FACE RECOGNITION SYSTEM
Aiming to further solidify its reputation as a global leader in safety and security, Abu Dhabi is deploying a cutting-edge Face Recognition System across the emirate’s hotels. The initiative is designed to streamline guest verification processes, enhance the overall visitor experience and bolster safety for both guests and hotel employees.
The move follows Abu Dhabi’s consistent top ranking in Numbeo’s Safety Index, holding the title of the world’s safest city for nine consecutive years. The Face Recognition System, launched after a cooperation agreement between DCT Abu Dhabi and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), seeks to simplify check-in procedures and significantly reduce waiting times for guests.
The project is currently in a pilot phase at select hotels across Abu Dhabi, including the city, Al Ain Region and Al Dhafra Region. The initial full rollout will target five-star hotels, with a subsequent phase extending the system to four-star establishments and eventually all remaining hotel categories.
RESELLER PORTAL LAUNCHED
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has unveiled a new online reseller portal for the Abu Dhabi Pass, a move designed to empower travel agents and Destination Management Companies (DMCs) by providing access to wholesale rates (with no bulk commitments).
The initiative aims to facilitate broader distribution of Abu Dhabi’s attractions and experiences, fostering mutual growth for the tourism authority and its industry partners.
The new platform offers a self-service interface equipped with tools for managing transactions and monitoring sales performance through a real-time dashboard. This system allows travel agents and DMCs to access wholesale pricing without the need for substantial volume commitments.
The Abu Dhabi Pass is a digital solution that offers access to more than 70 attractions and experiences across the emirate, including cultural sites, leisure destinations and local experiences. The pass is designed to provide savings and added value for visitors through a single, easy-to-use platform.
The Abu Dhabi Pass includes a range of features, such as discounts at cultural venues including Qasr Al Watan, reduced rates at attractions on Yas Island such as Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and offers across dining establishments and tour experiences. Additional benefits include a complimentary tourist SIM card with 10GB of data and access to hop-on hop-off bus services covering key locations.
DCT Abu Dhabi stated that the development of this reseller portal reflects its ongoing commitment to supporting the travel trade sector and enhancing the accessibility of Abu Dhabi’s diverse tourism offerings to a wider global audience. The platform is intended to streamline the process for agents and DMCs to incorporate the Abu Dhabi Pass into their product portfolios, ultimately benefiting both the trade and visitors to the emirate.
Access to the reseller portal is available via a monthly subscription of Dh99 or an annual subscription priced at Dh499. As a launch incentive, new subscribers opting for the annual plan will receive a cashback equivalent to the subscription fee in wallet credits.
Visit https://theabudhabipass.com/partners to register.
