Abu Dhabi’s hospitality sector saw a surge in activity during the first half of 2024, welcoming a remarkable number of visitors and generating substantial revenue. According to the Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi, a total of 2.411 million guests checked into hotels in the emirate between January and May.
Visitor numbers and revenue surge in first five months
The data, compiled by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, reveals a steady flow of visitors throughout the period, with January recording 498.7 thousand guests, followed by 507.4 thousand in February, 433.7 thousand in March, 500.08 thousand in April, and 471.8 thousand in May. WAM reported that this influx of tourists translated into a significant boost in hotel revenue, reaching AED3.18 billion ($865.79 million) during the first five months of the year. January contributed AED629.7 million, February AED717.1 million, March AED608 million, April AED660.3 million, and May AED566.5 million.
Abu Dhabi leads in guest arrivals
Abu Dhabi city emerged as the most popular destination, attracting 2.179 million guests. Al Ain welcomed around 169,000 visitors, while the Al Dhafra region received approximately 64,000 guests.
By the end of May, Abu Dhabi boasted 169 hotel establishments, offering a total of 34,079 rooms. This included 126 hotels with 28,600 rooms and 43 hotel apartments with 5,476 rooms.
Abu Dhabi launches tourism strategy 2030
In April 2024, Abu Dhabi unveiled its ambitious Tourism Strategy 2030, spearheaded by the Department of Culture and Tourism. This comprehensive plan, approved under the leadership of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, further outlines a roadmap for the emirate’s travel and tourism sector’s expansion and strategic development.
Read more: Abu Dhabi named smartest city in MENA region
A vision for growth and economic impact
The strategy aims to significantly increase visitor numbers, targeting a growth from nearly 24 million in 2023 to 39.3 million by 2030, with a projected 7 percent year-on-year increase. Furthermore, it seeks to elevate the tourism and travel sector’s contribution to the UAE’s gross domestic product (GDP), aiming to raise it from approximately AED49 billion in 2023 to AED90 billion annually by 2030.
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