Miral announced a commitment of more than AED 12 billion over the next five years to expand Yas Island as a global entertainment and leisure hub. The money will fund new attractions, extensions to existing theme parks and a sizable increase in hotel capacity. By spreading the investment across several projects, the company aims to create a more diversified visitor experience and to position the island as a year-round destination for both domestic and international guests.
The location reported a 92 percent hotel occupancy rate in August, one of its busiest months. That level of use marked a record for the period and highlighted the strong demand for accommodation on the island. At the same time, annual pass sales rose 20 percent year over year despite deliberate caps that were put in place to manage crowding.
India emerged as a key market, delivering 1 million visitors in 2025, reflecting an annual growth of approximately 20 to 25 percent, attributed to a multi-layered strategy involving local partnerships and targeted marketing campaigns.
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The five-year plan outlines new immersive rides, upgrades to existing attractions and a projected 30 to 35 percent rise in total hotel rooms, separate from the earlier Disney initiative.
These forthcoming projects are expected to contribute positively to employment generation and skills development within Abu Dhabi’s growing tourism sector, reinforcing the emirate’s economic diversification goals.
With four theme parks and five museums clustered within a 15-minute radius of the airport, the area offers a unique mix of leisure and culture. The upcoming projects are expected to further boost employment and skill development in the emirate’s tourism sector, providing new training opportunities for local residents and attracting specialised talent from abroad.
