The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) will present the emirate’s growing global appeal at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, opening in Dubai on Monday.
Tourism and hospitality figures showed consistent growth during Q1 2025, keeping Abu Dhabi on course to meet its ambitious visitor goals, according to DCT Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi welcomed 1.4 million overnight visitors in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting a strong start to the year. DCT Abu Dhabi’s presence at ATM will highlight the emirate’s rising popularity among international travellers, with numbers increasing compared to Q1 2024. Key source markets included India, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
This momentum resulted in hotels generating AED2.3 billion (USD626 million) in revenue, an 18% rise year-on-year, with revenue per available room (RevPAR) reaching AED484, up by 25%. Hotel occupancy remained robust at 79% across the emirate, even during Ramadan.
Early results suggest Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector is on track to achieve an AED62 billion contribution to the economy in 2025, a 13% rise from 2024, while supporting 255,000 jobs. This progress is underpinned by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Strategy 2030, enhancing the emirate’s evolving value proposition.
Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Our data-driven destination marketing, cultural focus, and continuous visitor experience improvements have strengthened growth in Q1 2025. At ATM, we aim to deepen partnerships, broaden our global footprint, and keep Abu Dhabi’s cultural identity central to our offering.”
Abu Dhabi built on its strong 2024 performance, welcoming a 7% rise in overall guests and a 28% increase in international overnight visitors. Expanded global marketing from 11 to 25 markets boosted this momentum, alongside the emirate’s rich cultural landscape, now further enhanced with teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi at Saadiyat Cultural District.
