Three drivers and a phone number: What Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island understands about soft power
I stepped out of the car into the plaza outside the Louvre Abu Dhabi and immediately reconsidered my plans. The heat was serious. The kind that makes distances renegotiate themselves. I stood there measuring the walk from the car park to the entrance when a golf cart pulled up quietly beside me. “Welcome to the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Please, come.” A driver in a neat uniform. A smile that belonged to…
Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island demonstrates an understanding of soft power through its hospitality culture. Three drivers encountered by the author on a single afternoon exemplify this approach. The golf cart driver stops in the heat to offer a free tour, the limousine driver redesigns the author's day with suggestions for restaurants and attractions, and the final driver gives his mobile number to ensure the author returns.
This hospitality is not a service level, but a character trait deeply ingrained in the island's culture. The island, which was decided upon as a cultural district in a single generation, aims to create coherence among its institutions, integrating modern and contemporary art with ancient civilisations. The Louvre Abu Dhabi, teamLab Phenomena, and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi have already made their case before opening, setting Saadiyat Island apart from other cultural districts.
A distinguishing factor is whether the experience, including the pre-visit interactions, makes people feel that something cannot be replicated elsewhere. The strategic question remains whether Saadiyat Island will continue to generate reasons for visitors to return and share its unique charm with others by 2031.
Written by urgent.news from The National Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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