UAE Attractions Industry Reaches USD 5.4 Billion in Revenue and 64 Million Visits in 2024: Family Entertainment Centres Up From 76 to 311, 69,100 Jobs, Harry Potter Land, Disney and Sphere Abu Dhabi Next on Yas Island

2026-09-06

The UAE’s attractions industry generated a record USD 5.4 billion (about AED 19.8 billion) in revenue in 2024, up 17.2% on the year, and recorded 64 million visits, 21.7% more than in 2022, according to an Oxford Economics study commissioned by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) and reported by The National on Sunday 6 September 2026. The number of family entertainment centres in the country more than quadrupled from 76 in 2022 to 311 in 2024, the industry supported 69,100 jobs, 12.9% more than two years earlier, and paid USD 733 million in wages. The growth is concentrated in indoor venues that trade through the summer: Yas Island in Abu Dhabi already has three indoor theme parks, and its pipeline includes the Middle East’s first Harry Potter land at Warner Bros. World, to be revealed on Monday 7 September 2026, the first Disney resort in the region, the USD 1.7 billion Sphere Abu Dhabi due by the end of 2029 and a Topgolf venue scheduled for 2026. This article sets out the figures, the projects, the comparison with Saudi Arabia and what the numbers mean for companies that operate, supply or invest in leisure businesses in the UAE.

The study: USD 5.4 billion in revenue, 64 million visits, 311 entertainment centres

The figures come from IAAPA’s Middle East and Africa Economic Impact Study, prepared by Oxford Economics and released on 7 April 2026 on the basis of full-year 2024 data. Across the 17 countries it covers, IAAPA reports 738 million visits, USD 19.2 billion in direct revenue, more than 520,000 direct jobs and a total economic impact of USD 40 billion once indirect and induced effects are included. The country-level figures for the UAE, as reported by The National, are summarised below; AED equivalents are calculated at the fixed rate of AED 3.6725 per US dollar.

“The quality and diversity of attractions across the UAE continues to position the region as a leading family destination,” Mike Rigby, IAAPA’s vice president for the Middle East and North Africa, told The National. “There is now such a variety of fantastic projects that the market caters to the full family demographic, across multiple generations.” He attributes part of the demand to migration: “Year on year you see more people migrating to the UAE from elsewhere and this increases the domestic demand and domestic market.” In his words, the attractions market “not only directly generates significant employment and revenue, it is also a key differentiator driving overall tourism and indirect revenue across the UAE”.

Yas Island: three indoor theme parks and the region’s busiest gates

Yas Island is the centre of the UAE’s attractions business. It has three indoor theme parks, Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World and SeaWorld, together with Yas Waterworld, Etihad Arena, Yas Marina Circuit and the CLYMB indoor skydiving and climbing centre. According to the latest Themed Entertainment Association figures cited by The National, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi was the most visited theme park in the Middle East in 2024 with 1.8 million visitors, followed by Warner Bros. World with 1.6 million, up 12.5% on the previous year. Over the Eid weekend in May 2026, attendance at the island’s parks and CLYMB was 32% higher than a year earlier, and the hotels on the island reached 92% occupancy at an average daily rate of AED 1,278 (USD 348).

The indoor format explains much of the growth. A climate-controlled park operates through the summer months, when outdoor attractions close or shorten their hours, and an enclosed building lets the operator build elaborate themed environments that do not have to withstand heat, sand and humidity. The same logic applies to the entertainment centres inside shopping malls, which is why most of the capacity added since 2022 is indoors. Yas Island is also where the BRIDGE Summit will run from 2027, in partnership with the island’s developer Miral, as described in our article on the BRIDGE Summit 2027 on Yas Island.

The pipeline: Harry Potter, Disney, Sphere Abu Dhabi and Topgolf

Four projects announced between May 2025 and May 2026 will add to Yas Island’s capacity. Their status as of 6 September 2026, based on the announcements by Miral, the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the operators, is set out below.

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi released a teaser this month that mentions “three themed worlds” to be unveiled on Monday. The National reported on 1 September 2026 that the land will have roughly three original rides and that the whole area, like the rest of the park, will be indoors. The Harry Potter land expands an existing park rather than adding a new one; the next stand-alone park on the island will be the Disney resort, and Sphere Abu Dhabi adds a 20,000-capacity venue for concerts and events.

Family entertainment centres: from 76 to 311 in two years

The fastest-growing segment is the family entertainment centre: bowling, trampoline parks, arcades, escape rooms, esports arenas and go-kart tracks, mostly inside shopping malls. The study counted 76 such venues in the UAE in 2022 and 311 in 2024. Openings named by The National for that period include Snow Abu Dhabi at Reem Mall, Mission: Play! by Mattel, the first venue of its kind in the world, which opened in 2024 at The Galleria on Al Maryah Island alongside Sparky’s, and a branch of the Canadian chain Activate at City Centre Mirdif in Dubai. The expansion continued after the study period: House of Hype opened in Dubai Mall in 2025, and in August 2026 Ibn Battuta Mall added Zamania, a venue for teenagers with ziplines, racing simulators and a Ninja Warrior course.

For a mall owner the entertainment centre has become a standard anchor next to the cinema and the food hall; for an operator it is a business that can open in leased premises within months, against the years a theme park needs. On the demand side, the study cites population growth of 9.8% to 11.3 million residents between 2022 and 2024, and the emirates keep adding tourist flows: Abu Dhabi is paying the AED 285 entry visa for up to 20,000 Indian tourists who book three or more hotel nights between 1 August and 31 October 2026, as described in our article on free UAE visas for Indian tourists, a programme aimed at the family segment that fills the parks.

UAE and Saudi Arabia: the two largest markets in the Gulf

Saudi Arabia has the larger industry by revenue and visits, and its pipeline is moving quickly. The comparison for 2024 from the same study is set out below.

Six Flags Qiddiya City opened at the end of 2025, the Aquarabia water park followed in 2026, and SEVEN Abha opened in the first days of September 2026 as the first of 14 indoor entertainment complexes planned in the kingdom by 2028. The UAE’s advantages are the number of theme parks, 15 against eight, the concentration of destination parks on one island a short drive from Zayed International Airport, and a hotel market that fills on event dates: as we reported in our article on Dubai hotel rates during the September 2026 exhibitions, room rates near Dubai World Trade Centre rise by up to 175% on event dates, and Yas Island hotels reached 92% occupancy over Eid.

What the figures mean for businesses in the UAE

The study measures a supply chain, not only ticket sales. USD 5.4 billion in revenue and 69,100 jobs cover park operators and the entertainment centres in malls, but also the companies that supply them: ride and equipment manufacturers and installers, fit-out contractors, food and beverage concessions, ticketing and payment providers, staffing agencies and marketing firms. For a company considering the sector, the practical points are these.

• Licensing. An entertainment venue needs a commercial licence with the relevant activity, issued by the economic department of the emirate for a mainland company or by a free zone, and the premises need approvals from the municipality and civil defence before opening. The activity lists and approvals differ between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, so the jurisdiction should be chosen before the lease is signed.
• Premises. Most new capacity is in malls, where the landlord’s fit-out rules and opening deadlines are part of the lease. A mall unit opens faster than a stand-alone site but ties the business to the mall’s footfall.
• Staff. Attractions are labour-intensive: the study puts wages at USD 733 million for 69,100 jobs. Every employee needs a work permit and a residence visa sponsored by the company.
• Payments. The Emirates Tourism Council decided in August 2026 to extend acceptance of the national Jaywan card to hotels and tourist attractions in all seven emirates, as described in our article on Jaywan card acceptance at hotels and attractions; a new venue should plan for it alongside the international card schemes.
• Tax. VAT registration becomes mandatory once taxable supplies exceed AED 375,000 in 12 months, and admission tickets, food and merchandise are standard-rated at 5%. Corporate tax of 9% applies to taxable profit above AED 375,000.
• Seasonality. Indoor venues trade all year, but the peaks follow school holidays, Eid and the winter tourist season; the 32% Eid increase on Yas Island is the pattern to plan cash flow and staffing around.

How Atlant Capital can help

Atlant Capital registers companies on the mainland and in the UAE free zones for leisure, entertainment and hospitality businesses and their suppliers, including the choice of jurisdiction and business activities that match the planned venue; see company setup in the UAE. We open corporate bank accounts for new and existing companies (bank account opening) and handle work visas and residency for owners, managers and staff (work visa and residency). Accounting, VAT registration and corporate tax filing are provided by licensed accounting firms from our partner network.

Conclusion

The Oxford Economics study for IAAPA puts the UAE attractions industry at USD 5.4 billion in revenue in 2024, up 17.2%, with 64 million visits, 311 family entertainment centres against 76 two years earlier, 15 theme parks and 69,100 jobs. Saudi Arabia is larger by revenue and visits, at USD 6.2 billion and 126 million, but the UAE has almost twice as many theme parks and is adding the region’s first Harry Potter land, its first Disney resort, the USD 1.7 billion Sphere Abu Dhabi and Topgolf on a single island. For businesses the message is that the growth is indoor, mall-based and labour-intensive, and that the licence, the premises approvals and the staffing plan decide how quickly a venue can open.

FAQ

How big is the attractions industry in the UAE?

According to an Oxford Economics study commissioned by IAAPA and released in April 2026, the UAE’s attractions industry generated a record USD 5.4 billion (about AED 19.8 billion) in revenue in 2024, up 17.2% on the previous year. Visits rose 21.7% to 64 million between 2022 and 2024, the industry supported 69,100 jobs and paid USD 733 million in wages, and the country had 15 theme parks and 311 family entertainment centres.

Which is the most visited theme park in the Middle East?

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi on Yas Island, with 1.8 million visitors in 2024 according to the Themed Entertainment Association data cited by The National. Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi followed with 1.6 million visitors, up 12.5% on 2023. Both are fully indoor parks, as is Ferrari World on the same island.

What new attractions are planned on Yas Island?

The Harry Potter land at Warner Bros. World, an indoor expansion with Hogwarts Castle, Diagon Alley, the Forbidden Forest and three rides, is to be revealed in full on 7 September 2026; Miral has not confirmed an opening year. A Disney theme park and resort was announced by Disney and Miral on 7 May 2025 with no opening date. Sphere Abu Dhabi, a USD 1.7 billion venue with a capacity of up to 20,000, is due to be completed by the end of 2029, and Topgolf Yas Island, with 82 hitting bays, is targeted for 2026.

Do I need a licence to open a family entertainment centre in the UAE?

Yes. A family entertainment centre operates under a commercial licence with the relevant activity, issued by the economic department of the emirate for a mainland company or by a free zone, and the premises need municipal and civil defence approvals before opening. The company must register for VAT once its taxable supplies exceed AED 375,000 in 12 months, and it sponsors the work permits and residence visas of its staff. Atlant Capital handles the company registration, the bank account and the visas.