Yas Island sees 38 million visits, Saadiyat Island grows 10% in 2024: Miral
Images: Supplied
Miral, the developer behind Abu Dhabi's popular leisure destinations, announced record-breaking visitation numbers across Yas Island and Saadiyat Island in 2024, driven by surging demand from regional and international markets.
Unveiled during the Arabian Travel Market 2025, Yas Island welcomed over 38 million visits, marking a ten per cent year-on-year increase and its strongest performance since 2019. Saadiyat Island also recorded a 10 per cent rise in visitors, underscoring its appeal as a luxury cultural and beach destination.
'These exceptional results are a testament to our commitment to contributing to Abu Dhabi's vision of becoming a leading global destination,' said Dr Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of
Hospitality numbers up across
Yas Island's hospitality sector hit 82 per cent occupancy, peaking at 90 per cent in August, alongside a 17 per cent increase in average daily rate (ADR).
Theme parks and CLYMB Abu Dhabi saw a 20 per cent jump in attendance, with GCC visitation up 56 per cent and international visits surging 40 per cent, led by India (44 per cent), China (81 per cent), UK (40 per cent) and Russia (29 per cent).
The destination's growing status as an events powerhouse was underscored by a ten per cent rise in consumer event attendance in 2024. Major highlights included concerts by Diljit Dosanjh and the Backstreet Boys, the Wireless Festival, NBA, UFC, and Formula 1, as well as regional premieres of hit musicals like
Hamilton
and
Life of Pi
.
Business tourism also surged, with a seventeen per cent increase in conferences and a seven per cent rise in room nights. Miral revealed its latest digital initiative — a Yas Island Metaverse developed with e& enterprise — aiming to elevate corporate engagement through immersive virtual experiences.
Hotel occupancy grew on Saadiyat Island, reports Miral
On Saadiyat Island, hotel occupancy hit 74 per cent in 2024, with ADR growing 14 per cent.
The island saw significant inbound growth from China (58 per cent), India (30 per cent) and the UK (11 per cent), cementing its appeal as a nature and culture-focused destination.
Yas Waterworld expansion announced
Looking ahead, Miral is set to unveil a host of new attractions in 2025, further enhancing Abu Dhabi's position as a global leisure and cultural hub. A major expansion of Yas Waterworld is slated for summer 2025, featuring 12 new rides, including the world's first blaster ride designed for kids.
At Yas Bay, a 560-metre beachfront development will add to the lifestyle offerings along Yas Bay Waterfront, complementing the area's vibrant leisure scene. Warner Bros. World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi will also see a significant footprint expansion, with new DC attractions, the highly anticipated Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and two additional rides, building on the theme park's immersive experiences.
Meanwhile, on Saadiyat Island, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi — expected to be the largest of its kind in the region—is on track for completion by the end of 2025. The museum will offer visitors a captivating journey through the history of the natural world and the diversity of life on Earth.
Adding to the cultural landscape, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi opened its doors on April 18 at the Saadiyat Cultural District. Spanning 17,000 square metres, the multi-sensory art experience was developed in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Japanese art collective teamLab, and is operated by Miral Experiences.
These milestones reflect Abu Dhabi's broader Tourism Strategy 2030, which targets 39.3 million visitors annually, Dhs90bn in GDP contribution, and 178,000 new tourism jobs.
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