‘The machine doesn’t stop’: Abu Dhabi’s wartime plan for keeping its cultural ambition alive

Abu Dhabi's Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, has a war plan in place to keep the city's cultural ambitions alive despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Al Mubarak, known for his diverse interests, has spent over a decade focusing on Abu Dhabi's strategy to diversify its economy through museums, UFC fights, and theme parks.

The city has seen record-breaking tourism, with 26.6 million visitors in the last year alone. However, the war has led to cancellations of flights and events, as well as a significant drop in visitors from Western countries, causing hotels to empty. Despite this, Al Mubarak remains committed to his city's long-term goals and expects to see a 10-15% drop in visitors from the US and Europe, while growth from other regions makes up the difference.

This has prompted a shift in Abu Dhabi's marketing efforts to attract more visitors from its own region, Eastern Europe, India, Southeast Asia, and Africa. The city has already seen growth in visitors from these areas, with some days feeling like being in Saudi, Qatar, or Moscow. Al Mubarak acknowledges that the current crisis has made Abu Dhabi a magnet for wealthy Westerners, but he will continue to market to them while also broadening its appeal to other parts of the world.

During the conflict, Abu Dhabi kept its cultural institutions open to provide residents with places to connect and a sense of comfort. The city has also set up daily management group meetings, video conferences, emails, and helplines to reassure its own teams. Looking ahead, Al Mubarak is preparing to open a Guggenheim Museum branch in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 11, showcasing the city's vision for the future.