Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, the Director General for Tourism at the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, has been ranked fourth in Forbes Middle East's Top 100 Travel and Tourism Leaders 2026 list. It's recognition for the man steering one of the fastest-moving tourism stories in the Gulf — and for a destination that has quietly become a serious rival to its flashier neighbours.

The latest figures are striking. Abu Dhabi welcomed 26.6 million visitors across its culture and tourism sectors in the past year, hotel revenue jumped 19.5 per cent to AED9.1 billion, and MICE delegate numbers rose 40 per cent to 2.2 million. In 2025 alone the emirate hosted 5,925 business events, including 23 mega-events, while 5.9 million hotel guests checked in at an average daily rate up 19 per cent to AED591.

Al Geziry's route to the top job is unusual in that it spans the whole tourism value chain. He started at Dubai Tourism in 2002, running overseas promotions and building markets like India and China through more than 100 exhibitions and roadshows. In 2014 he crossed to developer Meraas, helping shape City Walk, La Mer, Al Seef, Bluewaters and Kite Beach. A stint running Ajman's tourism authority followed, where he built the small emirate's identity around its coastline, pearling heritage and the inland enclave of Masfout rather than copying Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

Since taking the Abu Dhabi role in April 2022, he has pushed a strategy that treats tourism as an interconnected system rather than a marketing exercise. The Tourism Strategy 2030 targets 39.3 million annual visitors, a AED90 billion economic contribution, 178,000 new jobs and hotel capacity growing from 34,000 to 52,000 rooms.

For travellers, the practical upshot is a city with more reasons to visit every year. Saadiyat Island's cultural district — Louvre Abu Dhabi, the new Zayed National Museum, teamLab Phenomena and a forthcoming Natural History Museum — drew record crowds in 2024, with Louvre Abu Dhabi alone passing 1.4 million visitors. Yas Island handles the theme-park side, while the Grand Prix, UFC and NBA fixtures anchor a packed events calendar. Food has become a strategic priority too: the Michelin Guide has arrived, backed by a AED100 million culinary investment fund and the region's first École Ducasse studio. Beyond the capital, Al Ain and Al Dhafra are being developed for heritage and outdoor travel.

There's a tech and connectivity angle as well. DCT Abu Dhabi ran more than 23 AI initiatives in 2025, including a digital concierge serving guests at over 80 hotels, and partnerships with Expedia, WebBeds, Amadeus and Trip.com aim to convert Etihad's stopover traffic into actual holidays in the emirate.

If you haven't considered Abu Dhabi beyond a stopover, this is the moment to look again — the mix of culture, theme parks, sport and food now rivals anywhere in the region.

Via Breaking Travel News