Disney, Guggenheim, Sphere: Abu Dhabi Projects On Track Despite Regional Tensions

[Editor's Note: Follow the Khaleej Times live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.]

Abu Dhabi's tourism sector is not only continuing to operate through the current regional u ncertainty but is also pressing ahead with major long-term projects, including Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Sphere Abu Dhabi and a Disney theme park resort on Yas Island, a senior official has said.

Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, told Khaleej Times the emirate's tourism pipeline reflects the confidence major global brands continue to place in the capital.

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is preparing to open its doors later this year, while Sphere Abu Dhabi is set to break ground“soon”, he said. Looking further ahead, a Disney theme park resort will join the Yas Island waterfront, in what Al Hosani described as a“generational investment”.

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Sphere Abu Dhabi is planned as a large-scale immersive entertainment venue that will echo the 20,000-capacity Sphere in Las Vegas, adding a new live entertainment anchor to the capital.

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, designed by Frank Gehry, is being developed in Saadiyat Cultural District as a museum of modern and contemporary art, with a focus on major artistic achievements of the 20th and 21st centuries.

The Disney resort on Yas Island, announced by The Walt Disney Company and Miral, will be Disney's first theme park resort in the Middle East, bringing themed attractions, accommodation, dining and retail experiences to the waterfront.

“When organisations of this stature are committing to Abu Dhabi at this scale, it signals clearly where the emirate is heading and why this is the moment to experience it,” Al Hosani said.

Impact on events

The impact of regional tensions on Abu Dhabi's programmes has been“minimal; cancellations have been few, and the overall trajectory remains firmly positive." Al Hosani said.

“Our events programme is progressing with real momentum across culture, leisure and business,” he said.

Where some events have required rescheduling, DCT Abu Dhabi has been working with partners to ensure they are delivered later this year, or in some cases in 2027 and 2028, he added.

“These are long-term partnerships, and the commitment on both sides remains firm.”

Asked whether the department had observed any shifts in visitor behaviour, bookings or travel patterns in recent weeks, Al Hosani said it was too early to draw firm conclusions.

“For me, what stands out is the way residents have continued to engage with cultural and community life across the emirate. Families are out at the museums, malls, and cultural spaces in the kind of numbers we would see in any normal week,” he said.

Hotels, attractions remain open

Al Hosani said Abu Dhabi's tourism, culture and hospitality sectors are operating with“full continuity”.

Hotels, attractions and museums remain fully open, with visitors continuing to experience the emirate's cultural and tourism offering, including Saadiyat Cultural District, which he described as one of the world's most significant concentrations of cultural institutions.

When regional airspace disruptions left some guests unable to depart on their scheduled dates, DCT Abu Dhabi issued a circular instructing hotels to extend their stays, with the department covering all additional accommodation costs.

Visitor safety, confidence

Al Hosani said the wellbeing of citizens, residents and visitors remains the top priority of Abu Dhabi authorities, with DCT Abu Dhabi working closely with federal and local partners to ensure the sector continues to operate safely.

He said the department has well-established crisis-preparedness protocols and direct communication channels with every hotel, attraction and cultural institution in the emirate, allowing guidance to reach operators in real time.

“That coordination is what allows the hospitality sector to continue operating with confidence, and guests to continue receiving the world-class visitor experience Abu Dhabi is known for,” he said.

Abu Dhabi welcomed a record 26.6 million visitors in 2025, while its cultural institutions received more than 8.6 million guests, Al Hosani said.

International hotel guests grew by 10 per cent across key markets, led by a 22 per cent increase from India, with Al Ain and Al Dhafra also showing“meaningful momentum”.

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