Our work developing Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development Strategy illustrates how comprehensive impact measurement can inform more sustainable tourism development.

The Challenge

Abu Dhabi sought to develop a distinctive tourism identity separate from neighboring Dubai, focusing on its rich culture and heritage. Traditional metrics would have focused narrowly on increasing visitor numbers, potentially undermining the authentic cultural experiences that differentiated Abu Dhabi.

The Approach

Working with Abu Dhabi stakeholders, we developed a comprehensive measurement framework that included:

1. Cultural Heritage Indicators: Metrics for measuring how tourism affected cultural preservation and celebration
2. Resident Benefit Metrics: Indicators tracking how tourism development benefited local residents
3. Environmental Performance Measures: Metrics for resource efficiency and environmental impact
4. Experience Quality Indicators: Measures of visitor engagement with Abu Dhabi’s distinctive cultural offerings
5. Economic Integration Metrics: Indicators of linkages between tourism and other economic sectors

Implementation

The measurement framework informed all aspects of strategy implementation, from investment decisions to marketing approaches. Regular monitoring against these metrics allowed for course corrections when development patterns diverged from strategic objectives.

Results

This comprehensive approach to impact measurement contributed to Abu Dhabi’s 26% surge in tourism growth while ensuring that development remained aligned with the emirate’s cultural values and environmental priorities. Beyond the numbers, the measurement framework helped Abu Dhabi develop a truly distinctive tourism identity that complemented rather than copied neighboring destinations.