Culture remains at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s tourism growth, according to a government report.
Last year, the UAE capital welcomed 18 million visitors, with three million taking in the emirate's cultural sites, data from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi reveals.
Overnight visitors reached 4.1 million, a 24 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
And travellers are staying in the capital for an average of three nights, with hotel occupancy rates averaging 70 per cent, higher than the average across the Middle East. According to data analytics company STR, the region averaged 63.6 per cent occupancy last year.
From Louvre Abu Dhabi, which celebrated its fifth anniversary last year, to the recently opened Abrahamic Family House, visitors reported a 99 per cent satisfaction rate at cultural sites.
The three most visited cultural sites in the capital were Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Cultural Foundation and Qasr Al Hosn.
Abu Dhabi also celebrated having two "intangible cultural elements" inscribed on Unesco’s lists – camel hidda, the oral tradition of calling a flock of camels, and the date palm.
“Culture is at the heart of everything we do. From our welcoming Emirati hospitality to the evolving Saadiyat Cultural District, we ensure that what we offer to our visitors and our communities is consistently relevant, credible and differentiated,” said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi.
Several cultural events took place in the city last year, including the largest Abu Dhabi Art to date, with 80 galleries from 28 countries. The past season also saw the completion of the Abu Dhabi Historic Environment Record System with 500 new sites added to the database of known immovable cultural heritage sites.
And the Abrahamic Family House opened its doors in Saadiyat Cultural District, boosting offerings at one of the world's major cultural projects soon to be home to the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum.
The city has also increased its presence on a global stage through the launch of Experience Abu Dhabi, the emirate’s destination brand.
A strong calendar of events, including the return of the Mother of the Nation Festival and Abu Dhabi Culinary Season, boosted visitor numbers.
Concerts and events including Disney on Ice, which welcomed 29,000 visitors, and The Lion King, with nearly 50,000, also increased the emirate’s appeal.
And hotels in Abu Dhabi have also improved with the number of under-performing properties dropping from 105 in 2021 to 23.
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
