Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism is aiming for the tourism sector to contribute $24.5bn to the emirate’s non-oil GDP by 2030. The sector is already making strong moves in that direction and is projected to generate $16.9bn in 2025, a 13% increase on 2024.
So far this year international overnight hotel guests in Abu Dhabi have increased by 4% compared to Q1 2024, with the majority of guests coming from India, China, Russia, and the UK. Hotel occupancy in Q1 2025 was 79% across the emirate and up to 82% in Abu Dhabi city.
Abu Dhabi’s long-term strategy is to position itself as a leading cultural and tourism destination in the region and beyond. Cultural institutions including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and teamLab Phenomena elevate the emirate’s global tourism appeal and highlight the UAE’s values of coexistence and cultural diversity.
Gulf Economist Staff Writer