From real estate to tourism, brands in UAE often cash in on the appeal of Indian celebrities to lure consumers. And when the stars come as a couple, the impact doubles. While a superstar like Shah Rukh Khan has been the face of a Dubai tourism campaign in the past, the latest trend seem to be in favour of A-lister couples for their combined star power.

Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone are the newest Bollywood couple to have been roped in as tourism brand ambassadors in the UAE. While Ranveer has been the face of Abu Dhabi tourism for almost three years now, the latest Experience Abu Dhabi campaign showed Deepika joining her husband as they highlighted the emirate's appeal as a place for tranquility and self-reflection.

As brand ambassador, Deepika will front upcoming campaigns spotlighting the emirate's vast experiences and seasonal offerings, including festivals like Diwali, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said in a statement.

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That is not all. A day after Ranveer and Deepika's Experience Abu Dhabi video showed them exploring the Louvre and the Grand Mosque, another actor couple - Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal - posted images from their adventures driving supercars on the F1 track to riding jetcars in the water. They had also visited Ferrari World in Yas Island.

"From supercars on the F1 track to supercars on the water! One city, many thrills. Abu Dhabi has it all," said Sonakshi as she shared glimpses of all the fun they had in the emirate.

Virat-Anushka for Dubai tourism

While Ranveer-Deepika have become the first Bollywood power couple to represent Abu Dhabi, cricketer Virat Kohli and actress Anushka Sharma have thrown their celebrity weight behind Dubai tourism. In July, they unveiled an endearing video of their romantic moments spent in Dubai - by a pool on the world's longest cantilever in One Za'abeel, parasailing on the beach and enjoying a cozy bonfire in the desert night.

By roping in familiar faces, the attempt is to lure Indian audiences to explore the UAE, as seen through the eyes of their favourite star couples.

The audience have loved watching Ranveer and Deepika together on screen in films like 'Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela' and 'Bajirao Mastani', and that transfers onto any project they take up as a couple in real life, too.

On the other hand, Virat's status as a cricket icon and Anushka's appeal as one of the top actresses in Hindi cinema aids in drawing attention to anything they endorse. Interestingly, their love story began on the sets of a shampoo ad, and continues to fascinate their fans as they navigate their careers and family life.

Three is better than two, surely. In April, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol triggered speculation about a 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' sequel with their posts on social media. Turned out, they were only promoting Yas Island through an episodic ad campaign.

The campaign played on the trio's immensely loved camaraderie that was seen in the 2011 box office hit, instantly grabbing eyeballs and sparking conversations with the fun videos that made fans nostalgic.

The ads felt like the closest thing to a sequel of 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara', capturing the spirit of adventure, friendship, and living life to the fullest, all while promoting Yas Island as a premier leisure and entertainment destination.

While individually these are among the most popular stars in India, with net worth running into millions, their combined charisma elevated the reach and appeal of the brand campaigns.

Not just Indian film stars, Hollywood couples like Chris Hemsworth-Elsa Pataky and Millie Bobby Brown with her husband Jake Bongiovi have starred in Abu Dhabi and Dubai's tourism campaign films in the past.

With the tourist season just beginning in UAE, it won't be surprising if more celebrities are roped in to showcase the various experiences travellers can enjoy in the emirates.

Dubai welcomed 11.17 million overnight visitors in January to July 2025, with an increase of 5 per cent compared to the same period last year. Abu Dhabi welcomed 1.4 million overnight guests in the first quarter of the year, with hotels seeing a significant increase in revenue. With the weather cooling down gradually, one can only expect a bump in number of visitors to the emirates soon.

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