In 2023, Abu Dhabi’s airports welcomed approximately 22.4 million passengers, marking a 40% increase from the previous year. The surge in travellers was largely attributed to passengers from the Indian subcontinent, as per official data.
According to a report by the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi, annual arrivals at the emirate’s airports surpassed 11.1 million, while departures totalled 11.3 million in the same year. These increased figures align with the air transport agreements negotiated by the country’s General Civil Aviation Authority and the enhancements made throughout 2023. This information was reported by the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
The aviation sector’s achievement in managing air traffic and ensuring the smooth and safe arrival and departure of all COP28 guests is notable.
Regarding aircraft traffic, Abu Dhabi’s airports experienced significant increases in 2023. Zayed International Airport handled 141,225 flights, marking a 27.8% rise from 2022’s 110,536 flights.
Meanwhile, Al-Ain International Airport recorded 8,409 flights last year, up from 7,598 flights in 2022.
The report revealed that the Indian subcontinent had the highest number of arrivals at Abu Dhabi’s airports, with approximately 3.2 million travellers by the end of 2023. This was followed by Western Europe with 1.9 million arrivals, Asia with 1.7 million, Gulf Cooperation Council countries with around 1.6 million, and East Asia with 822,777 arrivals.
Additionally, the Indian subcontinent also had the highest number of departures from the emirate’s airports last year, with approximately 3.5 million travellers, followed by South America with 1.9 million, Asia with 1.7 million, and GCC countries with 1.6 million.
Meanwhile, the UAE capital has become the newest destination for billionaires seeking to protect their assets, as thousands of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) have established special-purpose vehicles (SPVs) in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) in recent years, according to Bloomberg.
According to data gathered by wealth advice firm M/HQ and reported by the news agency, Abu Dhabi’s financial hub now has over 5,000 SPVs, up from just 46 in 2016.