Abu Dhabi has rapidly emerged as a global cultural destination, combining world-class institutions such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi with ambitious investment in heritage, creativity and innovation. BOP’s work supported the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) in refining this positioning.

Using our proprietary data, we assessed Abu Dhabi’s cultural and tourism performance against 50 international cities. The analysis provided a detailed picture of the emirate’s competitive standing across cultural infrastructure, international and domestic cultural tourism and sustainability.

BOP then identified the strategic levers that could elevate Abu Dhabi’s international profile. These insights informed targeted recommendations designed to drive growth in both cultural reputation and tourism numbers.

The resulting strategy equips DCT with a clear evidence base to position Abu Dhabi as a world-class cultural capital — balancing cultural credibility with economic impact and reinforcing its ambition to be a global centre for creativity and innovation.