Abu Dhabi Achieves 26.6 Million Visitors in 2025: A New Era for Tourism

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has disclosed that the emirate welcomed an impressive 26.6 million visitors in 2025, underscoring its ambition to be a globally recognized cultural and tourism center. This milestone reflects the emirate's increasing international attractiveness and commitment to sustainable economic growth.

Tourism and Cultural Growth on a High

DCT Abu Dhabi experienced its best performance yet in 2025, with hotel revenues climbing 19.5% from the previous year to AED 9.1 billion. The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector saw remarkable advancement as well, with a 40% rise in delegate participation to reach 2.2 million.

Cultural and recreational events drew over 4.2 million attendees, marking a 20% increase from 2024. Visitor numbers at cultural sites and libraries surged to over 8.6 million, showcasing Abu Dhabi's rich cultural diversity. Notably, Qasr Al Hosn marked a remarkable 22% jump in footfall.

Culture as a Catalyst for Tourism Success

Officials pointed out that at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s tourism approach lies a strong cultural emphasis. The ongoing development of the Saadiyat Cultural District and notable attractions is reinforcing the emirate’s global stature while fostering ongoing growth and deeper visitor interactions.

Highlight Events Drive Visitor Surge

In 2025, Abu Dhabi hosted 252 cultural and leisure events, attracting millions. Key highlights consisted of:

• MOTN Festival pulling in over 252,000 visitors

• Coldplay concerts at Zayed Sports City with 193,000 fans attending

• Abu Dhabi T10 attracting around 100,000 spectators

• Liwa International Festival engaging over 159,000 visitors

Heritage events, including Al Hosn Festival and Maritime Heritage Festival, collectively entertained more than 608,000 people.

Impressive Growth in the MICE Sector

The MICE sector recorded a total of 6,600 events in 2025, marking a 37% rise, and welcoming 2.2 million delegates. Significant events featured:

• IDEX/NAVDEX

• Make it in the Emirates

• Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week

These events played a crucial role in bolstering business tourism and stimulating economic activities.

Cultural Attractions Flourishing

Louvre Abu Dhabi remained a key draw with 1.4 million visitors, while Qasr Al Hosn hosted over 843,000. The emirate also broadened its cultural offerings with the launch and reopening of various sites, such as:

• Zayed National Museum

• Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi

• Al Ain Museum

Tourism and Hotel Insights

Abu Dhabi attracted 5.9 million hotel guests in 2025, along with 338,000 visitors to holiday homes and glamping options. Hotel occupancy surged to 81%, indicating high demand.

International arrivals saw a 10% increase, led by a 22% rise in visitors from India, with other notable markets being Russia, the UK, China, and Saudi Arabia.

Key hotel performance metrics also showed significant improvement:

• Average Daily Rate (ADR) rose by 19%

• Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) increased by 23%

• Average Length of Stay reached 2.9 nights

Regional Developments in Al Ain and Al Dhafra

The Al Ain Region and Al Dhafra Region experienced significant growths. Al Ain welcomed over 473,000 visitors, while Al Dhafra saw nearly 148,000 guests, mainly driven by leisure tourism.

These accomplishments represent the emirate's steady advancement towards its Tourism Strategy 2030 goals, positioning Abu Dhabi for ongoing growth as a leading global destination for culture, leisure, and business tourism.

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