Global Village tops list of UAE's most popular attractions

The family-friendly destination also tops list of places residents would most like to revisit

Global Village has been voted the UAE's top attraction in a survey of residents by research company YouGov. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

The family-friendly destination usually shuts for the summer, and is set to return on October 18

Drum group Aainjaa perform at the season 27 opening on October 25, 2022

Season 27 ran from October 25, 2022 to April 30

Global Village welcomed nine million visitors during its last stint

Confetti rains on visitors at the opening of season 27

The attraction is hugely popular with residents and tourists — especially families with young children

The attraction comes alive at night

Entry to the new Road to Asia

Afghan music is played in the country's pavilion

Joan Capers sells her Vietnamese gifts along the Road to Asia

Mohammed Ayan sells jackets at his stall in the Afghanistan pavilion

There are plenty of sights and sounds to take in

The amusement park at Global Village is popular with people of all ages

Dancers at the China pavilion

Preparing halwa, a traditional dessert, at the Oman pavilion

The fair features performances by singers, dancers, acrobats and many others

The House of Fear is a fixture for thrill-seekers

Many pavilions are given makeovers each season

Preparing traditional Emirati food

Global Village has been named the most popular attraction in the UAE.

In a new survey that looks at leisure and entertainment trends in the Gulf, the open-air family attraction was voted number one by 39 per cent of those polled.

Entertainment centre Magic Planet, which has several locations across the UAE, is the second-most popular attraction, at 18 per cent, while Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo in the Dubai Mall rounds off the top three, at 17 per cent.

Global Village, which shuts down for summer each year, recently announced it would return a week earlier "due to overwhelming public demand". Representatives said the attraction welcomed nine million visitors during its most recent stint, from October 25, 2022 to April 30.

Season 28 is scheduled to run from October 18 to April 28.

Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi is listed in the top five attractions in the UAE, according to a recent resident survey. Pawan Singh / The National

Top 5 attractions in the UAE

1. Global Village, Dubai

2. Magic Planet, Dubai

3. Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo

4. Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi

5. Dubai Parks & Resorts

- Source: YouGov

Global Village also tops a list of attractions residents intend to visit or revisit in the next 12 months – with 31 per cent of respondents saying they would return.

Museum of the Future in Dubai comes a close second, at 25 per cent.

Meanwhile, four attractions share third place, at 17 per cent: Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld in Abu Dhabi, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo and Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark in Dubai.

The study, by British market research company YouGov, was conducted last month among 1,003 online respondents, who are residents of the UAE.

The survey also asked whether or not residents intended to stay in the UAE during the summer months, from June to September, and an overwhelming majority, at 70 per cent, said they would.

Of those planning to stay, 42 per cent of respondents plan to spend their free time in parks and gardens, 39 per cent say they'd go to shopping malls and 38 per cent said they'd visit restaurants and cafes.