Abu Dhabi Leads Smart Tourism with its New AI Visitor Personalization and Meta Smart Glasses, Boosting Sustainability and Cultural Engagement

Published on October 31, 2025

Abu Dhabi is shaping the future of travel with AI and wearable technology, marking a new chapter in smart tourism innovation. At the Skift Global Forum, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi announced it is testing an AI-powered visitor system and Meta smart glasses to deliver deeply personalized, immersive, and sustainable tourism experiences for travelers.

AI Personalization Set to Boost Visitor Engagement and Tourism Revenue

The introduction of AI-powered personalization represents a game-changer for Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector. The system uses advanced data analytics to customize every stage of a visitor’s journey—from arrival at the airport to exploring attractions across the city. By analysing travel behavior and preferences in real time, DCT Abu Dhabi can recommend specific cultural landmarks, culinary experiences, and entertainment options that resonate with individual travelers.

From a tourism perspective, this level of personalization enhances visitor satisfaction, encourages longer stays, and increases spending at local attractions, hotels, and restaurants. The AI’s real-time feedback system also allows DCT Abu Dhabi to refine marketing campaigns dynamically, ensuring the emirate’s global tourism strategy remains adaptive and data-driven.

Smart Glasses Bring Authentic Abu Dhabi Experiences to Global Audiences

DCT Abu Dhabi’s use of Meta smart glasses adds a storytelling dimension to its tourism marketing strategy. These wearables allow content creators and influencers to capture the city through first-person perspective videos, offering global audiences a realistic and emotional connection to the destination. From walking along the Corniche to visiting Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, viewers experience Abu Dhabi “through the eyes” of travelers themselves.

This approach doesn’t just promote destinations—it builds trust and authenticity in global audiences. By showcasing real-time experiences, Abu Dhabi strengthens its image as a welcoming, dynamic, and culturally rich destination—a factor crucial in influencing travel decisions.

Driving Economic Growth Through Digital Tourism Transformation

The economic implications of Abu Dhabi’s AI and smart glasses initiatives are profound. Tourism is a key pillar of the UAE’s economic diversification strategy, and technology-driven innovation is expected to attract new demographics of travelers—particularly tech-savvy millennials and Gen Z tourists who seek unique, immersive experiences.

As the emirate transitions toward a smart tourism model, the integration of AI insights and digital content will enhance operational efficiency and visitor management, reducing congestion at key attractions and improving overall travel experiences. This, in turn, could help increase visitor retention and repeat tourism, further boosting revenue and job creation across the hospitality sector.

Sustainability and Smart Tourism Synergy

Beyond visitor engagement, Abu Dhabi’s new initiatives support sustainable tourism goals. Through AI data analysis, the city can monitor visitor flow and optimize attraction capacity, ensuring resources are used efficiently while minimizing the environmental footprint.

This approach complements Abu Dhabi’s broader efforts under its Tourism Strategy 2030, which prioritizes sustainability, community inclusivity, and cultural preservation. By leveraging AI to guide visitor behavior and promote lesser-known destinations, DCT Abu Dhabi can distribute tourism benefits more evenly across the emirate—reducing strain on popular sites and uplifting local communities.

Collaborations Strengthening the Tourism Ecosystem

These initiatives align closely with DCT Abu Dhabi’s partnerships with Etihad Airways and the Experience Abu Dhabi platform, forming a unified digital ecosystem that enhances the city’s tourism competitiveness. Through shared data and integrated technologies, Abu Dhabi aims to deliver seamless, end-to-end visitor experiences, connecting travel planning, transport, accommodation, and cultural engagement in one cohesive journey.

This collaborative model not only promotes economic resilience but also reinforces Abu Dhabi’s commitment to becoming a global smart tourism hub—a destination where technology and culture coexist harmoniously.

Shaping the Future of Travel in the Middle East

Abu Dhabi’s adoption of AI personalization and immersive media tools signals a broader transformation within the Middle East’s tourism industry. As global destinations compete to attract high-value travelers, Abu Dhabi’s leadership in digital tourism innovation positions it ahead of the curve.

The emirate’s approach combines cutting-edge technology with its rich cultural heritage, offering an unmatched visitor experience that appeals to both leisure and business travelers. In doing so, it sets a benchmark for other destinations aiming to balance modernization with cultural authenticity.

The Road Ahead: Data-Driven Tourism Excellence

As the pilot projects continue to evolve, their learnings will shape the future of tourism policies in DCT Abu Dhabi and further visitor experience frameworks. By integrating data science, wearable technology, and creative storytelling, Abu Dhabi is developing a tourism ecosystem that caters to the evolving needs of travelers while supporting the emirate’s long-term economic and cultural sustainability. This melding of innovation and heritage encapsulates Abu Dhabi’s vision: to not only attract visitors but to transform how the world experiences travel.