Abu Dhabi’s Thriving Tourism Sector Adds 37,000 Powerful Jobs In 2024, Driven By Global Investments

Published on December 25, 2024

Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector has seen a remarkable growth in employment, with 37,000 new jobs added in 2024 as the emirate attracts a growing number of visitors to its hotels, restaurants, and attractions. This surge in job creation is largely attributed to increased global investment in promotional campaigns.

With the tourism industry projected to reach 225,000 jobs this year, up from 188,000 in 2023, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is optimistic about the sector’s growth. Saood Al Hosani, undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, shared this positive outlook with The National.

Additionally, the department is focused on boosting the Emiratisation rate, aiming for a 10 per cent target by 2025, up from approximately 3 per cent currently. This initiative is part of efforts to encourage more UAE nationals to pursue careers in the tourism industry.

Abu Dhabi is working to diversify its economy and reduce dependence on oil by focusing on key sectors such as tourism, aviation, and hospitality. As part of this broader initiative, the city unveiled plans in April to invest over $10 billion in infrastructure projects to boost international tourism and cultural events.

The Abu Dhabi Tourism Strategy 2030 is set to create 178,000 new jobs, increasing employment in the tourism and hospitality sectors to approximately 366,000 by the decade’s end. The capital of the UAE also aims to draw 39.3 million visitors annually, a significant rise from the 24 million recorded last year, with a particular emphasis on attracting high-spending tourists.

The new Terminal A at Zayed International Airport has officially opened, and next year, Abu Dhabi will unveil the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi.

In the first two weeks of December, hotel occupancy rates across the emirate hit 83%, with hotels in Abu Dhabi city reporting an 85% occupancy rate. The average length of stay for guests was 2.7 nights, as confirmed by a DCT official.

Abu Dhabi’s international tourism is strongly supported by top markets such as China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, France, and the UK. The growth in airline seat capacity between Abu Dhabi and China has been significant, bolstered by an initial agreement aimed at enhancing air connectivity between the UAE and China.

In addition, the emirate is actively seeking to tap into new source markets to broaden its visitor base and mitigate potential risks.

In May, DCT Abu Dhabi partnered with Etihad Airways to unveil the Abu Dhabi Stopover initiative, targeting over 100,000 visitors to the UAE capital within the next year. Etihad Airways is also focused on increasing point-to-point traffic to drive greater demand for tourism.