Photo Credit: Government of Abu Dhabi
Dubai, UAE — November 2025 — The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has announced robust tourism growth for the first half of 2025, a performance it attributes to the successful execution of its ambitious Tourism Strategy 2030.
A central pillar of this strategy is a commitment to diversifying offerings to reshape the visitor landscape, preserving rich cultural heritage while embracing a forward-looking vision to establish the emirate as a global hub for culture and creativity.
This vision is being realized through significant visitor numbers at cultural sites, which welcomed over 4 million visitors between January and June 2025, a 47 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Flagship institutions thrived, with Louvre Abu Dhabi maintaining strong attendance at 784,606 visitors. The Cultural Foundation saw a substantial 49 percent increase to 620,709 visitors, while Qasr Al Hosn attracted 467,398 visitors, a 14 percent rise.
Manarat Al Saadiyat experienced a 139 percent jump, reaching 207,684 visitors, and the House of Artisans recorded 234,142 visitors, reflecting steady growth in interest for Emirati crafts and heritage.
Newly opened sites in 2025 further bolstered this cultural appeal, including the highly anticipated teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, which attracted 145,912 visitors, and Al Maqtaa Museum, which welcomed 30,974 guests.
According to the Emirates News Agency, Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Our exceptional first-half performance is a powerful testament to DCT Abu Dhabi’s strategic vision and the effective execution of Tourism Strategy 2030.”
He added that these results are a direct reflection of the deliberate investments in cultural infrastructure, the diversification of world-class offerings, and efforts to attract visitors from global markets.
“This momentum strategically positions us to accelerate toward our ambitious 2030 targets, solidifying Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a must-visit destination where culture and Emirati hospitality are at its core—offering authenticity, innovation, and immersive experiences,” he added.
The strategic expansion contributed to significant growth across the hospitality sector, with Abu Dhabi’s hotels welcoming 2.9 million guests in the first half of 2025, a 2 percent increase year-on-year. This momentum translated into substantial economic gains, as hotel revenues surged by 20 percent.
Key performance indicators showed revenue per available room reaching AED 446 ($121.4), a 24 percent year-on-year increase, while hotel occupancy remained strong at 80 percent.
The average length of stay for international guests also increased to 3.2 nights, indicating that Abu Dhabi’s attractions are compelling visitors to extend their trips.
The success of the emirate’s promotion and marketing initiatives was evident in robust growth from key international markets, including India and the United Kingdom.
Special occasions amplified this success; during Eid al-Adha 2025, hotels maintained 80 percent occupancy, a 6 percent increase year-on-year, with RevPAR up 21 percent.
Asia remained the top regional source market during the holiday, contributing over one-third of all international arrivals, followed by the Gulf Cooperation Council.
This emirate-wide strategy is also yielding impressive results beyond the main city. The Al Ain Region saw a 12 percent increase in hotel guests and a 7 percent rise in RevPAR. Its cultural sites flourished, with Al Ain Oasis welcoming 401,718 visitors, Qasr Al Muwaiji attracting 168,042 visitors, and Al Qattara Arts Centre hosting 163,542 visitors.
Meanwhile, the Al Dhafra Region experienced a notable 21 percent increase in RevPAR and a 28 percent rise in the average length of stay.
These strong half-year indicators underscore the profound impact of Abu Dhabi’s strategic initiatives and represent a critical stride toward achieving its Tourism Strategy 2030 goals, bringing the emirate closer to attracting 39.3 million visitors annually, supporting the creation of 178,000 new tourism jobs, expanding hotel capacity to 50,000 rooms, and contributing AED 90 billion to Abu Dhabi’s gross domestic product by the end of the decade.
