UAE expands tourism sector with landmark leisure projects

Abu Dhabi [UAE], September 27 (ANI/WAM): The UAE is stepping up efforts to attract global visitors with a wave of new luxury tourism and entertainment projects designed to boost competitiveness and economic contribution.

The most high-profile announcement in 2025 came with plans to build the Disney Theme Park Resort project on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, marking the first new Disney destination in nearly a decade and the seventh worldwide, due to open in 2025.

Alongside the Disney project, the emirate is rapidly advancing the Saadiyat Cultural District, with key projects nearing completion, including the Zayed National Museum, the Natural History Museum, the "teamLab Phenomena" digital art museum, and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

The capital will also open the Butterfly Gardens, the capital's first immersive butterfly sanctuary, featuring more than 10,000 butterflies in climate-controlled domes.

Dubai has launched "Therme Dubai," a wellness resort and interactive park in Zabeel Park set to be the Middle East's first and the world's largest of its kind, set to open in 2028.

With an estimated cost of AED2 billion, the 500,000 sq. ft. development will feature a Michelin-star restaurant, three 18-meter waterfalls, and expansive 4,500-square-meter indoor and terrace pools, designed to host up to 1.7 million visitors annually.

The emirate is also advancing projects such as the 'Mushrif Hub' in the Mushrif National Park, the longest mountain bike track in the emirate.

In Sharjah, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is developing the Kalba Rock Art Centre, the largest and richest rock-art location in the UAE. The emirate is also developing the Kalba Beach project and "Nomad," which features new hiking trails.

Umm Al Quwain is moving ahead with "Downtown Umm Al Quwain," a 25 million sq. ft. waterfront development with 11 km of coastline, in addition to the eco-friendly "Luxeglamp" in the emirate's Mangrove Reserve and the second phase of its Creek Waterfront project.

Ras Al Khaimah continues to expand its hospitality sector with new luxury hotels on Al Marjan Island, including NH Collection, Fairmont, Taj Wellington Mews, and a Four Seasons resort. The Wynn Al Marjan Island resort remains a centerpiece, offering 1,500 rooms, extensive pools and lagoons, and tropical landscapes over 3.6 hectares.

In the emirate of Fujairah, Minor Hotels hospitality group signed the Avani Fujairah Resort, a 232-room beachfront property with 16 villas overlooking the Gulf of Oman. The project is set to open in 2028. (ANI/WAM)

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