Latest news with #MohamedAbdallaAlZaabi
Tourism Breaking News
08-05-2025
- Business
- Tourism Breaking News
Yas Island recorded over 38 million visits in 2024
Miral announced remarkable achievements in visitation numbers in 2024 across Yas Island and Saadiyat Island, experiencing significant growth while setting new records. Yas Island recorded over 38 million visits in 2024, a notable 10% increase compared to 2023. Achieving their highest performance since 2019, Yas Island hotels' occupancy reached 82% peaking up to 90% in August 2024; an annual 9% growth in hotel occupancy alongside a 17% increase in the average daily rate (ADR) compared to 2023. Similarly, Saadiyat Island saw a 10% visitation growth across its hotels and museums compared to 2023. Dr. Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral, said, 'These exceptional results are testament to our commitment to contributing to the achievement of Abu Dhabi's vision of becoming a leading global destination, in alignment with the Emirate's Tourism Strategy and broader ambitions for sustainable growth and economic diversification.' He added, 'through the development of world-class destinations and immersive experiences, we are not only attracting visitors from around the world but also creating joyful moments that leave a lasting impact. The continued success of Yas Island and Saadiyat Island stands as a powerful testament to the strength of our strategic partnerships and our shared dedication to elevating Abu Dhabi's global appeal.' Yas Island's theme parks and CLYMB saw an impressive 20% rise in visitation alongside an astonishing 56% increase in visitation from the GCC compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, international visits to the theme parks also saw significant growth, with a 40%, rise, led by a substantial increase from key markets, including India (+44%), China (+81%), the UK (+40%), and Russia (+29%). The destination also experienced a 10% attendance increase for its consumer events in 2024, bolstering its position as a leading destination for world-class events. This impressive growth was led by a year-round calendar of world-class concerts, performances, and family and sports events, including Diljit Dosanjh's Dil-Luminati Tour, Wireless Festival Middle East, UFC, NBA, Formula 1® Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Disney on Ice, Abu Dhabi Comedy Week, the Backstreet Boys, among many others. The year also saw the regional debuts of hit musicals, Hamilton, Life of Pi, Matilda and Chicago, contributing to Yas Island's event attendance growth. Moreover, Yas Island is rapidly growing into a key destination for corporate events and conferences, offering a unique blend of business capabilities and leisure offerings. The destination recorded a 17% increase in business events and conferences in 2024 with a 7% increase in room nights compared to 2023. As part of its efforts to further bolster this segment's growth, Miral announced the development of the Yas Island Metaverse in partnership with e& enterprise, the digital transformation arm of e&. The project leverages cutting-edge metaverse technologies to exhibit business event venues along with attractions and experiences on Yas Island in a comprehensive virtual experience. Saadiyat Island continues to attract visitors seeking an elevated blend of cultural immersion and leisure. In addition to an increase in visitation compared to the previous year, the destination achieved a remarkable 74% hotel occupancy in 2024, alongside a 14% increase in the average daily rate (ADR) compared to 2023. The destination also experienced prominent visitation growth from key markets, including a 11% growth from UK, 30% growth from India and 58% growth from China, further solidifying its position as a leading beach, nature and cultural destination.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Disney set to open its first theme park in the Middle East
Disney set to open its first theme park in the Middle East The Walt Disney Company has announced that it will open a theme park in Abu Dhabi, its first in the Middle East. The waterfront resort will be built on Yas Island in collaboration with Miral, a local leisure and entertainment company. Miral already operates SeaWorld and Warner Bros World, where a Harry Potter-themed park is in development. The new theme park will add to Disney's six fantasy resorts dotted across the globe, with locations in North America, Europe and Asia. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement In recent years, Disney has increased its influence in the United Arab Emirates, with new retail stores and shows including The Lion King and Disney on Ice. The United Arab Emirates is located within a four-hour flight of one-third of the world's population, according to Disney, 'making it a significant gateway for tourism.' Pictured: Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral, His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Miral, His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, Josh D'Amaro, Chairman, Disney Experiences (Disney) 'This groundbreaking resort destination represents a new frontier in theme park development,' said Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney experiences. 'Our resort in Abu Dhabi will be the most advanced and interactive destination in our portfolio. 'The location of our park is incredibly unique – anchored by a beautiful waterfront – which will allow us to tell our stories in completely new ways. This project will reach guests in a whole new part of the world, welcoming more families to experience Disney than ever before.' ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Disney chief executive Robert Iger said that the plans for the new park were "thrilling.' He added that the theme park will be 'authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati,' describing the new site as 'an oasis of extraordinary Disney entertainment at this crossroads of the world.' Disney's first theme park, Disneyland, opened in California in 1955. Its next resort opened in 1971 in Florida. The first overseas Disneyland opened up in 1983 in Tokyo, followed by Paris in 1992, Hong Kong in 2005 and Shanghai in 2016. The exact opening date of the new theme park has not been confirmed. 'We're not pinning down a date yet,' Iger said in an interview with CNBC. 'It typically takes us between 18 months and two years to design and fully develop and approximately five years to build but we're not making any commitments right now.'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Disney to open theme park in the Middle East
Walt Disney has announced plans to open its first theme park in the Middle East. The resort, which will be in the United Arab Emirates on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, is a collaboration between Walt Disney and local leisure and entertainment company Miral. Disney already has six theme parks spanning North America, Europe and Asia. Its most recent opening was in 2016 in Shanghai. Miral is responsible for the development of Yas Island as a tourist destination and already operates SeaWorld and Warner Bros World where it is developing a Harry Potter-themed park. In a statement announcing the new facility, Disney said the UAE was located within a four-hour flight of one-third of the world's population, making it a "significant gateway for tourism". It added that 120 million passengers travel through Abu Dhabi and Dubai every year, making the Emirates the biggest global airline hub in the world. Disney chief executive Robert Iger described the plans for the new park as a "thrilling" moment for the company and said Disneyland Abu Dhabi would be "authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati". The 25 sq km Yas Island is 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 50 minutes from Dubai. Miral's boss Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi said bringing a Disney theme park resort to the area marked a "milestone in our journey to further advance the island's position as a global destination for exceptional entertainment and leisure". He said the development would "support sustained economic growth in Abu Dhabi and beyond".
Gulf Business
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Business
Disney to open theme park resort on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island
Disney is bringing its first theme park resort to the UAE, with plans officially confirmed for a major new development on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The project was announced in an internal note from Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral, the developer behind Yas Island's growing portfolio of attractions. The note, sent to stakeholders ahead of the public release, described the project as a 'transformative new chapter for tourism and entertainment across the region.' 'This is not just a project; it's a testament to what visionary leadership, bold ambition, enduring partnerships, and unwavering commitment can accomplish,' Al Zaabi said. While details of the scale, timeline and concept of the Disney park set to be shared in due course, the move will further cement Yas Island's reputation as one of the world's top integrated leisure destinations. The island is already home to Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld and several other major attractions.
Gulf Business
30-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
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. Read:
