Tourism National
Sports tourism in Abu Dhabi: A global model for growth and sustainability
- Over the past years, Abu Dhabi has established itself as a global destination for sports and sports tourism, under an integrated strategy that has strengthened the role of sports as a driver of economic growth and sustainability, supported by advanced infrastructure, world-class facilities and organizational expertise that has contributed to hosting major tournaments and sporting events throughout the year.
- The growth of sports activity has contributed to boosting tourism and the economy in the emirate, attracting athletes, fans and visitors from around the world, supporting the tourism, hospitality, transport, services and retail sectors, and enhancing Abu Dhabi’s position on the global sports tourism map.
- Abu Dhabi highlights its global presence by hosting a series of major sporting events, most notably the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, whose 2025 week saw a record attendance of 339,000 visitors on Yas Island, reflecting the growing economic and tourism impact of this event.
- The capital also continued to strengthen its leadership in Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts, as it prepares to host the 18th edition of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship next November, after the 17th edition achieved a record participation of 10,000 male and female players from more than 130 countries, representing 730 clubs and academies, while the percentage of female participation reached 32%, and players coming from outside the country constituted 60% of the total participants.
- Abu Dhabi also hosted the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship last August, in addition to the “UAE Warriors” championships, which are held over ten rounds annually in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain with the participation of elite international fighters.
- Statistics from the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation showed the growing economic impact of these championships, as the fifteenth edition of the Abu Dhabi World Championship in 2023 achieved a direct economic impact of 150 million dirhams, with the participation of 8,000 male and female players from 104 countries, and attracted 11,444 visitors, while 83% of international visitors confirmed that the championship was the main motivation for visiting Abu Dhabi, with high rates of desire to return to the emirate and recommend it as a tourist destination.
- In 2024, the sixteenth edition recorded a total impact of AED 108.2 million, and a total economic impact of AED 102.2 million, of which AED 67.3 million was a direct impact, in addition to recording 51,131 hotel nights, with the participation of 8,477 players, and the attendance of 12,828 spectators, which confirms the ability of the tournament to stimulate economic activity in multiple sectors.
- In mixed martial arts, the UFC Fight Night has become a major event on the International Federation’s agenda. The emirate also hosted the Muay Thai World Championship and the Airsoft World Games in 2026 with the participation of 20 teams representing 60 countries, in addition to its long-term partnership with the American National Basketball Association “NBA” to host preliminary league games.
- Abu Dhabi also continues to host world championships in various sports, including the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Women’s Tennis Championship 500 points, the Abu Dhabi HBC Golf Championship, the World Tour 3×3 Basketball Championship, the UAE Tour for men and women, in addition to the Abu Dhabi Marathon, which attracted more than 37,000 participants in its seventh edition in 2025.
- The emirate is preparing to host a number of major international tournaments in the coming years, including the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Judo Championships next October, the 2028 UCI Road World Championships, the 2029 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, and the 2028 Chess Olympiad, reflecting continued international confidence in its organizational capabilities.
- His Excellency Mohammed bin Thaloob Al Derei, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the UAE Judo Federation, affirmed that Abu Dhabi has become a global model in employing sports as an economic and tourism force, thanks to a leadership vision that has made it an attractive platform for international championships. He pointed out that hosting the “Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Judo Championship” and other events reflects international confidence in the advanced infrastructure, and contributes to enhancing the UAE’s global presence, supporting national talents, and achieving a growing economic and tourism impact.
- Abdullah Al Wahibi, President of the UAE Water Sports Federation, affirmed that the diversity of championships hosted by the capital reflects a clear vision for building a sustainable sports sector that supports the national economy and enhances the quality of life, pointing to the growth witnessed by water sports thanks to hosting world and Gulf championships.
- Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, Secretary General of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said that the Federation, thanks to the support of the wise leadership and the integration of work with partners, has succeeded in building a system of world championships whose impact has gone beyond the limits of sports competition to supporting tourism, the economy, hospitality and services.
- He added that the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship confirms the sport’s ability to attract visitors, stimulate hotel activity, and enhance Abu Dhabi’s position on the international events map. He stressed that the economic impact indicators achieved by the championship in recent years reflect that investing in quality championships yields a sustainable return that extends to supporting the local economy, enhancing the emirate’s reputation, and expanding the base of visitors coming from various global markets.
