Record-Breaking H1 2025 Growth Sees Abu Dhabi Tourism Soar by 47%
Abu Dhabi is fortifying its status as a leading global destination for cultural tourism. The emirate’s cultural and heritage sites welcomed over 4 million visitors in the first half of 2025, marking a significant 47% increase compared to the same period in 2024, as reported by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.
The remarkable growth was spearheaded by several flagship attractions:
- The Cultural Foundation saw a 49% increase with 620,709 visitors,
- Manarat Al Saadiyat experienced a staggering 139% jump to 207,684 visitors,
- Qasr Al Hosn attracted 467,398 visitors, up 14%,
- The Louvre Abu Dhabi maintained robust numbers with 784,606 visitors during the period.
This tourism success translated into substantial economic gains for the hospitality sector. Abu Dhabi hotels welcomed 2.9 million guests between January and June 2025, with hotel revenues surging by 20% year-over-year. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) reached AED 446 ($121), a 24% increase, while occupancy remained steady at 80%.
Key source markets exhibited particularly strong growth, with visitors from India up 29% and the UK up 17%, driven by targeted marketing campaigns. The emirate’s Tourism Strategy 2030 aims to attract 39.3 million visitors annually and contribute AED 90 billion ($24.5 billion) to Abu Dhabi’s GDP by 2030.
Source: Breaking Travel News