In a release issued on 20 October 2025, Miral—the operator of major leisure destinations including Yas Island and Saadiyat Island including the upcoming Disneyland Abu Dhabi—reported a record‑breaking summer across its portfolio of attractions, hotels and cultural sites as it prepared to unveil its upcoming Harry Potter attractions.
Visitor growth and key markets
Miral stated that Yas Island recorded a 15 % increase in total visitation during the summer compared to the same period last year, while Saadiyat Island saw a 14 % increase in visits across its cultural landmarks and hotel stays.
Concept art for the new Disney theme park in Abu Dhabi – Disney
On Yas Island specifically, its theme‑parks achieved a 9 % year‑on‑year increase in visits. The month of August alone saw a 16 % uplift in visitation compared with August of the previous year.
International visitation to the theme parks on Yas Island jumped by roughly 50 % year‑on‑year, driven by strong growth in key markets: the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region at +31 %, China at +31 %, Russia at +86 %, and the UK at +47 %.
On Saadiyat Island, the release noted that the recent opening of the interactive multi‑sensory attraction teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi in April 2025 helped boost visitation to its cultural landmarks.
Hotels and accommodation performance
Miral reported that hotel occupancy on Yas Island averaged around 85 % over the summer season, with peaks exceeding 90 %, and average daily rates (ADR) reaching as high as AED 1,470 at The WB Abu Dhabi hotel in August. On Saadiyat Island, hotel occupancy was reported at about 66 % for the summer, with ADR averaging around AED 1,000.
The drone show announcing the Disney Abu Dhabi theme park – Photo Credit: Miral
These figures are part of a broader upward trend: for example, Miral had previously reported that Yas Island recorded over 38 million visits in 2024, a 10 % increase compared to 2023, with hotel occupancy at 82 % and ADR up 17 %.
Context: Upcoming Developments and Strategic Intent
The announcement comes at a time when Yas Island is preparing for further expansion. Earlier, Miral indicated that its flagship indoor theme park, Warner Bros. World Yas Island, is set to expand to include a themed area based on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Meanwhile, on May 7, 2025, The Walt Disney Company announced it will partner with Miral to develop a new Disney‑branded theme park resort on Yas Island — the company’s first in the Middle East.
Diagon Alley in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando – Photo Credit: M. Montanaro
Miral’s leadership described the strong summer results as support for Abu Dhabi’s broader tourism strategy, which aims to increase visitor numbers and raise the economic contribution of the tourism sector.
Significance and Implications
The report illustrates the growing appeal of Yas Island and Saadiyat Island as leisure, cultural and entertainment destinations. The substantial rise in international visitation signals that the emirate is increasingly drawing travelers from markets beyond the Gulf region.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Epic Universe – Photo Credit: Marvin Montanaro
The robust hotel occupancy and ADR growth suggest that the infrastructure investment and destination development efforts are achieving tangible returns.
Furthermore, the timing of the announcement — ahead of the opening of further attractions and the forthcoming Disney resort — indicates that Miral and local authorities view the summer performance as foundational to future developments.
Limitations and Considerations
Miral’s release did not provide exact visitor numbers (beyond percentage increases) for the summer period under discussion. It also did not break down the revenue contribution of individual parks or hotels.
Concept art for the Harry Potter Ministry of Magic at Universal’s Epic Universe -YouTube, Universal Orlando Resort
The figures relate to a defined “summer” season, which may correspond to the region’s higher travel period, and comparable benchmarks for other regional destinations were not provided.
While the growth rates are notable, they come from a base of existing infrastructure; hence the sustainability of high growth may depend on how well capacity expansion and new attractions are delivered. Additionally, the report does not detail how much of the increased visitation was domestic versus international beyond the broad percentage jumps for key markets.
Outlook
With new attractions slated to open and large scale developments underway, including the Disney resort and the Harry Potter themed land, the region is positioning itself for further growth in inbound tourism.
The strong summer performance gives Miral and Abu Dhabi’s tourism authorities a current performance benchmark as they proceed into what are likely more expansive years of investment and launch.
In summary, Miral’s announcement of a record‑breaking summer on Yas Island and Saadiyat Island presents measurable gains in visitation and accommodation performance, and it sets the scene for the next phase of destination development in Abu Dhabi.
What do you think of the success in Abu Dhabi ahead of Harry Potter? Are you and your family planning to see Miral’s theme parks? Let us know in the comments!
