Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of destinations and immersive experiences, will invest more than AED 12 billion — approximately €2.83 billion — in Yas Island over the next five years. The programme builds on investment already made at the site, which includes the Yas Waterworld water park, whose recent second-phase expansion brought its attraction count to more than 70.
A five-year programme to strengthen the destination’s appeal
This new development phase is intended to expand and modernise the theme parks and attractions already present on Yas Island, while introducing new immersive experiences. Miral’s stated aim is to meet the constantly evolving expectations of international visitors, against a backdrop of growing competition between leisure destinations in the Middle East.
The group, which also manages destination strategy for Saadiyat Island, continues to build commercial partnerships to enrich the visitor experience across its sites. This approach was recently illustrated by the strengthening of cross-promotion alliances led by Miral Experiences, the division responsible for operating the site’s attractions.
Hospitality and accommodation at the heart of the development
The hospitality component is one of the structuring pillars of this investment. Miral plans to add new rooms and upgrade its existing accommodation offering, in order to support Yas Island’s growing footfall and reinforce its positioning as an international tourist destination.
The expansion of hotel capacity is expected to allow the destination to capture a broader clientele, with Yas Island having established itself in recent years as a major leisure tourism hub in Abu Dhabi, driven in particular by its theme parks and its motor racing circuit.
A track separate from the Disney project
Miral has been keen to clarify that this AED 12 billion investment is separate from the previously announced Disney theme park project. The partnership between The Walt Disney Company and Miral to create a Disney resort on Yas Island is therefore a parallel undertaking, additional to this five-year programme rather than a substitute for it.
This distinction allows Miral to set out the full scale of its combined financial commitments on Yas Island, spanning both the development of its existing parks and attractions and the construction of the future Disney resort.
Economic diversification and the Tourism Strategy 2030
His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Miral, said that the investment reflects the group’s commitment to Abu Dhabi’s long-term vision and its ambition to continue shaping one of the world’s most dynamic tourism destinations. He noted that Yas Island had become a global success story, illustrating how large-scale international experiences contribute to the emirate’s economic growth and appeal.
Miral’s chairman said that over the next five years, the group intends to build on this momentum by introducing new experiences and expanding its accommodation and leisure offering. He also indicated that these projects form part of the emirate’s economic diversification ambitions, with expected benefits in terms of job creation and skills development within the tourism sector.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Miral commits AED 12 billion to Yas Island’s next growth phase
Five-year investment programme announced in September 2026
Equivalent to roughly €2.83 billion at current exchange rates
New attractions and upgrades across Miral’s existing theme parks
Expanded hotel capacity and enhanced accommodation offering on Yas Island
Investment kept separate from the previously announced Disney resort project
Aligned with Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030
