Abu Dhabi’s hospitality sector continues to show robust growth, with hotel establishments across the emirate generating revenues of AED611 million ($166.37 million) in March 2025, according to preliminary data released by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in coordination with the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD).
The total revenue breakdown includes AED345 million from room bookings, AED228 million from food and beverage services, and AED38 million from other sources.
417,000 hotel guests recorded
In March, Abu Dhabi welcomed around 417,000 hotel guests, highlighting the city’s growing appeal as a global tourist destination. The surge is attributed to the emirate’s diverse accommodation offerings and high-quality hospitality services.
A total of 171 hotel establishments, comprising 34,341 rooms, operated across Abu Dhabi in March. These properties recorded over 1.2 million guest nights, achieving an average occupancy rate of 69 percent. The average revenue per available room (RevPAR) stood at AED486.
Non-Arab Asian nationals topped the list of international visitors, accounting for 152,000 hotel guests. European travellers followed with 123,000 guests, while UAE nationals accounted for 58,000 stays. These figures underline Abu Dhabi’s sustained tourism growth and its strengthening position as a preferred destination for a wide range of global markets.
Abu Dhabi targets 39.3 million visitors annually
Five-star hotels hosted the highest number of guests, totalling 205,000 in March. European visitors made up the largest segment within this category, with 78,000 guests. Meanwhile, four-star hotels received 119,000 guests, followed by three-star and below hotels with 54,000 guests. Additionally, serviced apartments accommodated 38,000 visitors.
The strong performance aligns with Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to attract 39.3 million visitors annually, generate 178,000 new jobs in the tourism sector, expand hotel capacity to 50,000 rooms, and increase the sector’s contribution to the emirate’s GDP to AED90 billion by the end of the decade.
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City welcomes 1.4 million overnight guests in Q1
In the first quarter of 2025, the city welcomed 1.4 million overnight guests, reflecting sustained growth compared to the same period last year. Abu Dhabi drew visitors from top-tier target markets and beyond, with the best-performing markets including India, China, Russia, the UK and the U.S.
This resulted in significant gains for the industry, with hotels generating AED2.3 billion in revenue, an 18 percent increase compared to the same period last year, and revenue per available room (RevPAR) reaching AED484, a 25 percent year-on-year increase. Hotel occupancy maintained high levels of 79 percent across the emirate during the period, including in Ramadan.
These early indicators reflect that Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector is on track to reach its target of contributing AED62 billion to the economy in 2025, a 13 percent increase from 2024, supporting 255,000 jobs across the emirate during the year. This success reflects Abu Dhabi’s evolving and increasingly distinctive value proposition and range of offerings, driven by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Strategy 2030.
