Abu Dhabi Bets on Concerts, Sports, and a Sphere to Draw Global Tourists
Abu Dhabi already boasts cultural landmarks like the Louvre Museum and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Now, the UAE capital is setting its sights on becoming a leader in entertainment.
Abu Dhabi is banking on sell-out concerts, mega sporting events, and a "twin" of the Las Vegas Sphere to compete with the rapidly developing tourism destinations surrounding it.
Abu Dhabi has set a target of 7.2 million international visitors by 2030, up from 3.8 million in 2023, and expects to spend $10 billion on its Tourism Strategy 2030. On Wednesday, Disneyland Abu Dhabi was announced - a massive tourism project for the whole country.
Events, particularly sporting events, are at the core of this strategy, said Abdulla Yousuf, Director of Travel Trade and Markets Development at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.
"We keep adding more events," Yousuf told Skift during the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai last week. "These types of events are not just events; they are milestones toward where we want the destination to be."
Abu Dhabi has spent years positioning itself as a major hub for sports.
The Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, held annually at Yas Marina Circuit, is the final race of the F1 calendar. The city is also a key location for UFC, with title fights and events regularly staged at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. The NBA Abu Dhabi Games bring top teams to the region each October for preseason matchups.
For now, Abu Dhabi is still a regional hub for sports. Yousuf wants to make it global. This means building more hotel rooms. Not everyone can stay in Abu Dhabi during big matches, leading to spillover into nearby emirates.
"Both, I would say. I have to admit that it is both," Yousuf said when talking about domestic vs. international business. "We try to cater as much as we can. But as a destination, we are working on different initiatives to increase the hotel supply in Abu Dhabi. Today, we have 35,000 hotel rooms. The ambition is by 2030 to reach 56,000."
A New Sphere is Landing
Sphere Entertainment confirmed last October that its next location outside of Las Vegas would be in Abu Dhabi.
Yousuf said the Abu Dhabi version would "literally be a twin" of the U.S. venue.
"Everyone was celebrating the fact that Sphere Vegas is going to have a twin. And literally, it's going to be a twin," he said. "So, when people ask us the question, 'Is it going to be the same one?' It's going to be the exact same Sphere with the same size in Abu Dhabi. So, you know, the Sphere Vegas now has a sibling that we need to take care of."
Asked whether Abu Dhabi could one day compete with Vegas, Yousuf said: "Travelers will keep going to Vegas, and they will keep going to other parts of the world. It's about finding out where you can be relevant."
Concerts and Music
Concerts are another growth area for Abu Dhabi, and one that has proven its ability to attract global audiences.
"If I take the example of Coldplay, which took place in Abu Dhabi in January, 80% of the attendees were international," said Yousuf.
"The remaining 20% came from the rest of the Emirates. So, if we take Coldplay as an example, it shows that when you bring the right event and you have the right infrastructure to host this event, people will then decide to come and enjoy this event in the region."
Coldplay's Abu Dhabi leg of its world tour was a runaway success. The band announced the show in early September for a January 11 date, and quickly added two more performances due to demand. Hotel rates surged across the city, and travelers who couldn't find tickets in other tour locations opted for Abu Dhabi instead.
"You know, everyone knows about the story of Coldplay, how people from India couldn't find tickets in Mumbai and they came to Abu Dhabi. So for us, that's a testament to the strategy," said Yousuf.
Musicians expected to perform in Abu Dhabi this year include Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Jennifer Lopez, and Katy Perry.
Regionally, tourism leaders in the Gulf have called for more collaboration so that global acts include the region on their world tours.
Collaboration Over Competition
Ultimately, these strategies reflect a wider goal.
"What we wanted to do is distinguish ourselves from the very competitive scene in the region. I need to admit that, right? What's happening in the region in terms of, you know, Dubai is Dubai. They've been doing great work. They've been leading on the development of tourism in the region."
"And then Saudi Arabia, with the ambitious vision that they have, has changed perceptions about what this region can offer. The leadership in Qatar, with all the focus they are putting on developing the country, Oman is also waking up. So, all of this is great for the region. It's making it very competitive, but the benefit, by the end of the day, is going to be for the traveler who will have multiple choices in the destination."
"Competition is healthy, but collaboration is even more beneficial to everyone."
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