Nine agreements, signed at Arabian Travel Market, reinforce connections to top source market
Abu Dhabi, UAE – September 2026: Widening connections with Abu Dhabi’s number one source market, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has signed nine new joint marketing partnerships with Indian travel companies to bring 75,500 additional visitors to the emirate.
The largest of the agreements will see MakeMyTrip bring 37,500 visitors over 18 months to the emirate. Thrillophilia (11,000) and Akbar Holidays (10,000) will deliver an additional 21,000 visitors over the same period. DCT Abu Dhabi also signed one-year agreements with RezLive (3,500 visitors a year), Utazzo Holidays (3,500), Holiday Tribe (3,000), TravClan (2,500), Pickyourtrail (2,500) and GNRconnect.com (2,000).
The agreements were signed at the Arabian Travel Market, where DCT Abu Dhabi is showcasing the emirate as a vibrant and dynamic destination offering world-class experiences across arts, culture, cuisine, entertainment, and shopping.
Collectively, visitors from India constituted Abu Dhabi’s number one overseas source market in 2025 and continues to be a primary source market in 2026. In 2025, India accounted for 13% of Abu Dhabi’s hotel guests, with the figure rising 22% year-on-year to 436,124.
Growth factors include increasing airline connections, proximity to global events including concerts and annual events like the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as well as focused marketing campaigns including those centered on Diwali and Eid as well as an ambassador campaign featuring the celebrity couple of Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone.
About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi:
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi DCT Abu Dhabi drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions. By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture, creative and tourism industries.
DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the emirate’s people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought.
