Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), stated that the department’s tourism sector aims to contribute AED62 billion ($16.9 billion) to the economy in 2025, with a projected increase of 13 percent compared to 2024. The sector aims to contribute AED90 billion ($24.5 billion) to the emirate’s non-oil GDP by 2030.
Growth in international hotel guests
Speaking during a roundtable marking the opening of teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, Al Mubarak revealed that in Q1 2025, international overnight hotel guests in Abu Dhabi increased by 4 percent year-to-date compared to Q1 2024, with India, China, Russia, and the U.K. 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.
Cultural museums enhancing tourism
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 serve as 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.
Future museums and cultural expansion
Moreover, Al Mubarak 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 further announced the upcoming opening of three more museums in the Saadiyat Cultural District this year.
