Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Growth in Q1 2025 on Track for Success

Post by: Layla Badr

Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) has shared that the city’s culture and tourism sectors have been growing steadily in the first three months of 2025. Abu Dhabi is on track to meet its ambitious goal of attracting more visitors this year.

This news comes ahead of DCT Abu Dhabi’s participation in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, where they will promote Abu Dhabi as a top travel destination for international visitors.

In the first quarter of 2025, Abu Dhabi welcomed 1.4 million overnight guests, which is a strong growth compared to the same time last year. The emirate attracted visitors from some of the most important markets, including India, China, Russia, the UK, and the US.

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This growth led to big improvements in the tourism industry. Hotels in Abu Dhabi earned AED 2.3 billion in revenue, which is an 18% increase compared to the same period last year. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) also went up by 25%, reaching AED 484. Hotel occupancy was high, with 79% of hotel rooms filled, even during Ramadan.

These results show that Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector is on track to meet its goal of contributing AED 62 billion to the local economy in 2025. This is a 13% increase from 2024 and will help support 255,000 jobs across the emirate.

His Excellency Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, the Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “Our plan to make Abu Dhabi a top cultural and tourism destination is working. We’ve been using data-driven marketing, offering different events and activities, focusing on culture, and improving the visitor experience. All these efforts have led to strong growth in the first quarter of 2025, following a successful 2024. As we showcase Abu Dhabi at Arabian Travel Market, we are focused on strengthening our global partnerships and reaching more people, while making sure our unique cultural identity remains at the center of what we offer.”

In 2024, Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector showed good performance. The number of hotel and accommodation guests increased by 7% compared to the previous year. The city welcomed 3.2 million international overnight visitors in 2024, a 28% increase from 2023. Hotel occupancy also reached 79%, which shows strong demand. As a result, hotel revenues grew by 18.1%, totaling over AED 7.6 billion. The revenue per available room (RevPAR) went up by 22%, which shows that hotels were making good profits.

DCT Abu Dhabi also increased its marketing efforts in 2024, expanding from 11 markets in 2023 to 25 markets in 2024. The focus was on emerging regions like CIS, Asia-Pacific, and Eastern Europe.

Abu Dhabi is now known for its world-class museums, modern art, rich history, diverse food scene, and hospitality that reflects Emirati values. The city is quickly becoming a place where culture is reimagined to offer unique and meaningful experiences. At ATM 2025, DCT Abu Dhabi will highlight these cultural and creative stories, inviting travel partners, media, and industry leaders to learn about the latest developments, partnerships, and opportunities in the emirate.

A key new addition to the city’s cultural scene is teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, which is now open to the public. This new attraction is located in the Saadiyat Cultural District, which is home to some of the world’s best cultural and educational institutions. The Saadiyat Cultural District already includes the Louvre Abu Dhabi and will soon welcome other major landmarks, including the Zayed National Museum, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The new teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi is part of the city’s effort to build a global cultural hub and offer visitors unique experiences.

At ATM 2025, Abu Dhabi will showcase key cultural attractions, such as the Saadiyat Cultural District, which is becoming a global center for cultural exchange. Visitors can also learn about the Al Ain and Al Dhafra regions, which offer wellness, nature, and adventure experiences.

DCT Abu Dhabi’s stand at ATM will feature 73 tourism partners from across the emirate, including Etihad Airways, Miral, Yas Island, and various hotels and other businesses.

Abu Dhabi’s growing tourism success is in line with the Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to attract 39.3 million visitors each year. The strategy also plans to create 178,000 new tourism jobs, expand hotel capacity to 50,000 rooms, and contribute AED 90 billion to the city’s economy by the end of the decade.

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