Abu Dhabi aims for 7.2M tourists by 2030 with mega events and new attractions

Post by : Elena Malik

Abu Dhabi is working hard to bring more visitors from around the world. The city is focusing on big entertainment shows, major sports events, and new attractions to attract tourists. The capital of the UAE wants to increase the number of international visitors to 7.2 million by 2030. This is almost double the 3.8 million visitors it had in 2023. To reach this goal, Abu Dhabi plans to spend $10 billion as part of its Tourism Strategy 2030.

One of the most exciting projects in this plan is Disneyland Abu Dhabi. This new theme park will make the city even more popular with tourists.

Abdulla Yousuf, who is the Director of International Operations at Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, said that events, especially sports events, play a big role in this plan.

Abu Dhabi wants to use its ability to host sold-out concerts and famous sports competitions to stand out in the region. The city is also working on building a place similar to the famous Las Vegas Sphere, which will add to its entertainment options.

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The city is growing its attractions quickly. Recently, TeamLab Phenomena opened on Saadiyat Island. More cultural places will open by 2025, including the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Sheikh Zayed National Museum. In the future, Abu Dhabi will also have the Sphere entertainment venue and a Harry Potter attraction at Warner Bros. World. Additionally, the tourism department and the developer Miral recently signed a deal with Disney to build a theme park on Yas Island.

In an interview with Gulf News, Abdulla Yousuf shared more about Abu Dhabi’s tourism goals:

How is Abu Dhabi trying to attract more visitors?

“We want to increase the number of hotel rooms from 34,000 today to 56,000 by 2030. We are also working on reaching new markets. In 2019, we focused on 14 countries, but now we are active in over 44 countries. We studied our strengths and found new opportunities. Today, Abu Dhabi is known for culture and live entertainment. We had Ed Sheeran perform last weekend, Coldplay in January, and many more concerts are planned. For sports, we have hosted NBA basketball, UFC fights, and EuroLeague basketball. These big events are a big reason why people come here.”

He also mentioned that even though hotel prices have gone up by 25%, more people are still booking rooms. “This shows that visitors feel they get good value for their money. Yes, hotel rates are higher, but visitors enjoy unique experiences like NBA games, UFC, Formula 1, concerts, comedy shows, and cultural festivals. These are things only found in Abu Dhabi.”

Which new countries is Abu Dhabi focusing on?

“We are paying attention to the CIS countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. These places connect well with what we offer. We also started working with Central and Eastern Europe early this year, including countries like the Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania. We are opening offices there to build strong connections. Spain has also shown a lot of interest recently. We are growing in Central and East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Last year, we started with Korea and this year Japan is on our list.”

How is Abu Dhabi handling tourism during the summer?

“Abu Dhabi is becoming a year-round travel spot. Last July and August, our hotels had 79% occupancy. We invested in theme parks and infrastructure to attract families during summer. We know summer is hot, but we created special offers that give visitors great experiences and value for money. This approach helps us work closely with partners worldwide to separate summer visitors from winter visitors.”

What about new hotels?

“We want to build more hotels. We show investors why Abu Dhabi is the best place to open new hotels. We have a strong record of success because of our marketing and tourism plans. Abu Dhabi offers events and attractions that can only be found here. This gives investors confidence that the future of tourism is bright in Abu Dhabi.”