ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES / MENA Newswire / – ADNEC Group reported a record AED9.2 billion economic impact for the UAE economy in 2025, marking its highest annual contribution. The total rose 8 percent from AED8.5 billion in 2024. The group said its business and leisure tourism activities generated 2.17 million hotel room nights. The results covered six business clusters: venues, events, services, catering, tourism and media.
The group, part of Modon, said 2025 was its strongest year by economic contribution and operating reach. Its venues hosted more than 1,149 local and international events, up 15 percent from 2024. Visitor numbers reached 6.3 million, a 17 percent annual rise. ADNEC Group said its activity supported more than 70,000 jobs across the UAE economy.
ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, ADNEC Centre Al Ain, ExCeL London and the Business Design Centre formed the core venues in the annual performance. The group said 77 percent of conferences and 19 percent of exhibitions took place for the first time in the UAE and the Middle East. It also completed the third expansion of ExCeL London, lifting total space to 125,000 square metres.
Venue activity drives visitor growth
Capital Events recorded higher attendance across major shows in 2025. IDEX and NAVDEX delivered their largest editions, with 206,073 visitors, up 55 percent from the previous edition. The fourth edition of Make it in the Emirates expanded its event size by 300 percent. The event also posted a 16-fold increase in exhibitors compared with 2024.
Capital 360 Event Experiences and Capital Protocol supported growth across event services, production and protocol operations. Capital Catering delivered 51.6 million meals during the year, a 29 percent increase. Its clients covered healthcare, aviation, defence and energy. The catering arm also expanded outside the UAE through new contracts in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Tourism and services add scale
Tourism365 managed travel, accommodation and transport for more than 330,000 travellers in 2025. The unit also served 144,000 stopover passengers. ADNEC Group said these activities supported Abu Dhabi business tourism and helped connect exhibitions, conferences and leisure travel. The group also reported progress across its media and services operations, which support events and destination management.
ADNEC Group received 19 international awards during 2025, bringing its total to 202 global awards. The company cited recognitions across venues, sustainability, catering and event services. It also reported sustainability work across operations, including a UAE Year of Sustainability Seal and awards linked to environmental practices. The 2025 results place the group among Abu Dhabi’s major contributors to meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions and tourism activity.