DCT Abu Dhabi posts record performance across culture, tourism in 2025

ABU DHABI, 7 April (BelTA - Emirates News Agency) - Abu Dhabi welcomed a record 26.6 million visitors in 2025, reinforcing its position as an emerging global cultural capital and a tourism destination of choice, according to the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). The milestone reflects the emirate's growing international appeal and its commitment to long-term, sustainable economic impact.

DCT Abu Dhabi delivered its strongest culture and tourism performance on record in 2025, with hotel revenues growing 19.5% year-on-year to AED 9.1 billion, MICE delegates increasing 40% to 2.2 million, and culture and leisure event attendance up 20% to 4.2 million. Double-digit growth was underpinned by cultural appeal that drew more than 8.6 million visitors to the emirate's cultural sites and libraries throughout the year with Qasr Al Hosn recording 22% year-on-year increase in visitor numbers.

2025 was a landmark year for DCT Abu Dhabi's culture, leisure and MICE events, with double-digit gains in attendance. In total, the Department delivered a record 252 culture and leisure events, collectively attracting more than 4.2 million attendees, a 20% increase from 2024. Among the most attended was the MOTN Festival, held across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain Region, and Al Dhafra Region, attracting 252,988 visitors.

Other mega events included Coldplay's four sold-out concerts at Zayed Sports City (193,470 attendees), Abu Dhabi T10 cricket (approximately 100,000 attendees), and Liwa Village (more than 159,000 attendees), the centrepiece of Liwa International Festival.

Popular culture and heritage festivals, including Al Hosn Festival, Traditional Handicrafts Festival and Maritime Heritage Festival, collectively welcomed more than 608,000 visitors.

Culture-led growth deepens engagement

DCT Abu Dhabi continued to advance its role in preserving cultural heritage, fostering creativity and shaping cultural connections that reflect the emirate's identity and aspirations.

Louvre Abu Dhabi remains one of the most visited DCT Abu Dhabi cultural sites, recording 1.4 million visitors. Qasr Al Hosn recorded a strong performance, welcoming more than 843,000 visitors, up 22% year-on-year.

Across Abu Dhabi’s three regions, more than 20 cultural sites and libraries were activated, growing a diverse network of museums, historic and archaeological sites, art centres, and cultural destinations. Strategic milestones included the successful re-openings of Al Maqta'a Museum, detailing the protection and development of Abu Dhabi Island, and Al Ain Museum, telling the story of the UAE's past; as well as the openings of Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, bringing to life 13.8 billion years of natural history, and Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the UAE, narrating the story of the land and its people.

Abu Dhabi welcomed 5.9 million hotel guests (a 2.2% year-on-year increase) plus 338,000 guests across holiday homes and glamping sites in 2025.

These achievements underscore Abu Dhabi's strong trajectory towards the goals of Tourism Strategy 2030, an ambitious blueprint that has signalled a new era of expansion and strategic development in the emirate's travel and tourism sector.