A bird's eye view of Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. ARCHIVE

A new "record-breaking" roller coaster is coming to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, as Yas Island continues to ramp up its tourism offerings in response to surging visitor numbers. The announcement was made by Mohamed Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral, the developer and operator behind Yas Island’s entertainment and leisure attractions, during the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. “The significant and signature ride in Ferrari World will have four records worldwide, and roller coaster fans will be very excited to hear that news soon,” Al Zaabi said, without revealing specific details about the ride’s features or launch date. He also confirmed that two additional signature attractions will be added to Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, further enhancing the island’s appeal to thrill-seekers and families. Yas Island welcomed over 38 million visits in 2024, marking a 10 percent annual increase. Theme park visits jumped by 20 percent, while hotel occupancy reached approximately 82 percent, up 9 percent from the previous year. The average hotel stay is now 1.9 nights, with efforts underway to increase that figure. Al Zaabi revealed that hotel capacity on Yas Island is projected to grow by at least 30 percent in the next five years to accommodate rising tourist demand. Expansion plans include additional rooms and an upgrade to the Warner Bros.-themed hotel. Meanwhile, the second phase of Yas Waterworld’s expansion is in progress. The first phase, which includes 12 new rides and experiences, is scheduled to open this summer. The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is also nearing completion and is expected to open by the end of the year. Additionally, work is continuing on the highly anticipated Harry Potter-themed attraction at Warner Bros. World. This flurry of new developments supports the goals of Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to attract 39.3 million visitors annually, support 178,000 new tourism jobs, expand hotel capacity to 50,000 rooms, and contribute Dh90 billion to GDP by the end of the decade. Al Zaabi noted that the recently opened teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi in the Saadiyat Cultural District has already exceeded visitation expectations. The much-anticipated Zayed National Museum is also scheduled to open this year, with Guggenheim Abu Dhabi construction "on track." ICA/Expat Media
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