Travel, Tourism & Hospitality
DCT Abu Dhabi's tourism sector targets $16bn to economy
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), said that department's tourism sector aims to contribute AED62 billion ($16 billion) to economy in 2025.
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), said that the department's tourism sector aims to contribute AED62 billion ($16 billion) to the economy in 2025, with a projected increase of 13 per cent compared to 2024.
The goal is for the sector to contribute AED90 billion to the emirate's non-oil GDP by 2030, reported WAM.
Speaking during a roundtable marking the opening of teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, Al Mubarak said that in Q1 2025, international overnight hotel guests in Abu Dhabi grew by 4 perc ent year-to-date compared to Q1 2024, with India, China, Russia, and the UK remaining the top source markets.
He added that hotel occupancy in Q1 2025 reached 79 percent across the emirate and 82 percent in Abu Dhabi city.
Al Mubarak highlighted the role of Abu Dhabi’s cultural museums, including the newly opened teamLab Phenomena, alongside the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, in strengthening the emirate’s tourism offering.
Located in the Saadiyat Cultural District, these museums are cultural and knowledge beacons reflecting the UAE’s values of coexistence and its diverse cultural identity.
He noted that continued investment in the cultural sector is guided by the vision of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, underscoring the UAE’s emergence as a global cultural centre.
He underscored Saadiyat Cultural District's significance as a cultural and historical treasure, with museums serving as vital centres for future generations. Al Mubarak pointed out that teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi embodies the UAE's cultural diversity, fostering Abu Dhabi's position as a leading global arts and culture destination.
He announced the upcoming opening of three more museums in the Saadiyat Cultural District this year.