Abu Dhabi's Yas Island aims to raise tourism profile and double visits

Abu Dhabi developer Miral has launched new branding for the Emirate's Yas Island while announcing a goal to become one of the world’s top family destinations.

Launching the new brand, Miral said it aims to attract 48 million visits annually by 2022 and to host 100,000 corporate travellers, with a total of 4,000 hotel rooms.

Miral, which is responsible for promoting the destination worldwide, said it expects visitor numbers to rise by 15% this year.

Miral Chairman Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak explains “tourism is a significant pillar of the emirate’s growth and development plans.”

The United Arab Emirates is investing billions of dollars in massive theme park projects as the country seeks to reduce its reliance on oil revenues and attract more tourists.

Dubai last month opened IMG Worlds of Adventure, billed as the world’s largest indoor theme park, while Dubai Parks and Resorts will open another collection of theme parks on the outskirts of the city as of next month.

Yas Island, already home to Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld, will get another major tourism attraction when Miral opens a Warner Bros. theme park in 2018.

By that time, Miral Asset Management Chief Executive Mohammed Abudullah Al Zaabi predicts that 30 million visitors a year will be visiting Yas Island.

Al Zaabi stated “with the success of the island, you need to evolve and take it to the next level and so we are launching the new logo and the new vision.”

The top source markets for Yas Island include China, India, Saudi Arabia, Germany and the UK, as well as the UAE.

Yas Island also expects to attract conference-goers, looking to host 100,000 corporate travellers by 2022 backed by an increase in hotel capacity to 4,000 rooms, across all categories, up from the current 2,500 rooms at seven hotels.

Yas Island’s new logo features the tagline ‘live the dream’, backed by a new website in Arabic and English as part of its ‘Yas Dream’ campaign.

Miral said in a statement that the new brand identity is a "vibrant representation of an Emirati-bred, world-class destination that is home to a multitude of leisure, cultural, social, and business attractions suited for all audiences".

More than 600,000 people visited Yas Waterworld and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi this summer, according to Yas Island.

Images (from top): Ferrari World, Yas Island's new logo and cycling on the Yas Marina Circuit, home of the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix.

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