Post by : Badri Ariffin

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has reported a remarkable achievement as the emirate welcomed 26.6 million visitors in 2025. This milestone emphasizes Abu Dhabi's ambition to establish itself as a premier global cultural and tourism destination while focusing on sustainable economic development.

Impressive Growth in Tourism and Culture

DCT Abu Dhabi celebrated its strongest performance to date in 2025, witnessing a 19.5% increase in hotel revenues year-over-year, totaling AED 9.1 billion. The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector achieved a significant milestone, with delegate numbers climbing by 40% to 2.2 million.

The emirate also saw cultural and leisure events attract over 4.2 million attendees, representing a 20% increase from 2024. More than 8.6 million individuals visited various cultural venues and libraries, reflecting Abu Dhabi's strong cultural significance. Notably, Qasr Al Hosn experienced a 22% increase in visitors.

Culture at the Heart of Tourism Strategy

Officials stressed that culture lies at the core of Abu Dhabi's tourism approach. The ongoing development of the Saadiyat Cultural District and landmark sites has elevated the emirate's international profile, fostering sustained growth and greater visitor engagement.

Major Events Propel Visitor Attendance

In 2025, the emirate successfully hosted 252 cultural and leisure events, drawing millions of visitors. Key highlights included:

• MOTN Festival with more than 252,000 attendees

• Coldplay concerts at Zayed Sports City, attracting 193,000 attendees

• Abu Dhabi T10 drawing around 100,000 spectators

• Liwa International Festival welcoming over 159,000 visitors

Heritage festivals, such as the Al Hosn and Maritime Heritage Festivals, attracted over 608,000 attendees combined.

MICE Sector Experiences Rapid Growth

The MICE sector recorded a staggering 6,600 events in 2025, which represents a 37% increase, captivating 2.2 million delegates. Major events included:

• IDEX/NAVDEX

• Make it in the Emirates

• Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week

These events significantly uplifted business tourism and economic activities within the region.

Cultural Landmarks Flourish

Louvre Abu Dhabi continued its reign as a key attraction with 1.4 million visitors, while Qasr Al Hosn saw over 843,000 visitors. The emirate expanded its cultural offerings with new and reopened sites, including:

• Zayed National Museum

• Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi

• Al Ain Museum

Hotel and Tourism Achievements

Abu Dhabi welcomed 5.9 million hotel guests in 2025, along with 338,000 visitors to holiday homes and glamping sites. Hotel occupancy surged to 81%, driven by strong demand.

International tourist numbers increased by 10%, with India showing a remarkable 22% growth. Other significant markets included Russia, the United Kingdom, China, and Saudi Arabia.

Key performance metrics for hotels showcased significant improvement:

• Average Daily Rate (ADR) rose by 19%

• Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) increased by 23%

• Average Length of Stay reached 2.9 nights

Regional Growth in Al Ain and Al Dhafra

The Al Ain and Al Dhafra regions demonstrated remarkable growth as well, with Al Ain attracting over 473,000 visitors and Al Dhafra nearly 148,000 guests, primarily driven by leisure tourism.

These accomplishments reflect Abu Dhabi’s steady advancement towards its Tourism Strategy 2030 objectives, positioning the emirate for ongoing growth as a leading global hub for culture, leisure, and business tourism.

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