Abu Dhabi Strengthens Tourism Focus on India as Visitor Arrivals Surge 22%

Abu Dhabi is intensifying its efforts to attract Indian tourists, recognizing India as one of its fastest-growing source markets. The emirate’s tourism authorities, airport operators, and airlines are expanding connectivity and investing in new attractions to meet the increasing demand from Indian travelers.

Officials from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Airports, and Air India Express recently shared their growth strategies during a media event hosted by Air India Express and DCT Abu Dhabi.

India An Important Market, Says Khamis

Haitham Ali Khamis, Director of Tourism Product Development at DCT Abu Dhabi, emphasized the significance of India as a priority market for the emirate. He noted that the relationship with India extends beyond tourism, highlighting strong business ties, cultural connections, and the substantial Indian diaspora in the UAE.

Khamis reported that Abu Dhabi welcomed over 436,000 Indian visitors in the past year, marking a 22% increase compared to the previous year. Indian travelers are among the highest contributors to leisure travel and visits to friends and relatives (VFR), often staying longer than other visitor segments.

Indian Travellers Attracted To Abu Dhabi

The unique blend of heritage, luxury hospitality, family experiences, and cultural offerings in Abu Dhabi is increasingly appealing to Indian travelers. Khamis stated that partnerships with airlines and industry stakeholders aim to facilitate easier access for Indian visitors to experience what the emirate has to offer.

Air Connectivity Expansion Boosting Tourism

The surge in tourism is being bolstered by rapidly expanding air connectivity. Carsten Norland, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Abu Dhabi Airports, indicated that India has emerged as the largest market for the airport, accounting for nearly 7 million passengers annually, which represents around 24% of total passenger traffic. Approximately 5 million passengers travel directly between India and Abu Dhabi, while an additional 2 million use the emirate as a transit hub.

Indian Travellers To Abu Dhabi Increasing

Demand for air travel from India continues to grow at over 20% annually, with new routes experiencing strong interest shortly after their launch. By August, Abu Dhabi is set to establish direct connectivity to 22 Indian cities, further enhancing the ties between the two nations.

Air India Express, one of the fastest-growing airlines on the India-UAE routes, has identified the Gulf region as central to its international expansion strategy. Nipun Aggarwal, Chairman of Air India Express, noted that the airline was originally established to serve the Middle East market from India. He highlighted that the airline has quadrupled its capacity in the last four years, expanding from 25 to 100 aircraft.

Aggarwal described the Middle East as the airline’s core market, expressing a commitment to maintaining a strong presence and building customer loyalty. He mentioned that the airline is now broadening its reach beyond its traditional South India network to connect more Indian cities with Abu Dhabi and the wider Gulf region.

The airline’s recent announcements include new flights that will connect various parts of India, such as Lucknow, Indore, Guwahati, and Navi Mumbai, to Abu Dhabi. Aggarwal stated that the goal is to ensure comprehensive connectivity across India.

The expansion of Air India Express coincides with a significant fleet induction program. Aggarwal explained that the airline has an extensive order book, with less than 10% of the aircraft delivered thus far. Deliveries are expected to commence later this year, with plans to receive 40 to 50 aircraft annually over the next seven to eight years.

The airline is also enhancing its operational capabilities in preparation for this growth. Aggarwal emphasized the importance of building systems and processes to accommodate the increased capacity, which is essential for modernizing the airline and improving customer experience and profitability.

Air India Express recently launched three new flights from Abu Dhabi in mid-July, including routes to Navi Mumbai and Indore on July 15, and Lucknow on July 16. Additionally, the airline has announced the commencement of flights to Guwahati from Abu Dhabi starting in August. Currently, Air India Express operates over 500 daily flights with a fleet of more than 100 aircraft, serving 43 domestic and 16 international destinations.

As reported by www.timesnownews.com.

Explore the latest digital editions of FAME Delivered in the Magazine section: https://famedelivered.com/magazine/

Published on 2026-07-22 14:10:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk