Abu Dhabi: ADNEC Group has delivered the highest economic impact in its history, contributing AED8.5 billion to the UAE economy and surpassing the AED7.4 billion achieved in 2023. This milestone highlights the group’s growing role in driving economic growth and supporting the UAE’s strategic objective of building a diversified, knowledge-based economy.
Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNEC Group, emphasized the significance of their achievements, saying, “2024 has been a landmark year for ADNEC Group, marked by exceptional achievements across all sectors of our business. These milestones are a direct result of the sustained support of our wise leadership, whose guidance enables us to continue contributing to Abu Dhabi’s economic growth and global prominence.”
Al Dhaheri pointed out, “Our 2024 results also reflect ADNEC’s unwavering dedication to delivering significant value to our key shareholders and partners in both the government and private sectors, as well as the hard work and commitment of our team to innovation, sustainability and excellence. 2014 marks the continuance of this growth.”
Throughout the year, ADNEC Group successfully acquired Royal Catering and the Business Design Centre in London, UK, increasing its portfolio of venues to four and strengthening its market presence. These achievements underline ADNEC Group’s commitment to fostering talent and delivering exceptional results across its key business segments.
Sustainability remained at the forefront of ADNEC Group's agenda, with the esteemed Sheikh Hamdan Environmental Award received for their dedicated efforts. The ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi became the first MICE venue in the Middle East to be powered by clean energy from the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), setting a new standard for environmental leadership.
Innovation was on display as well, with the launch of TerraTile, a sustainable flooring product made from exhibition waste, showcasing the group’s commitment to sustainability within the events industry.
ADNEC venues welcomed over 5.4 million visitors during 2024, the highest number recorded, as they hosted more than 1,000 events. Major highlights included the completion of the ExCeL London expansion, which expanded the venue to 270,000 square meters, and the successful execution of flagship events such as the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show (ADIBS) and the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX).
The group’s Capital Events sector facilitated deals worth over AED10 billion at eight of its events, positioning ADNEC Group as a leader in event management. Meanwhile, ADNEC Hotels saw unprecedented demand, hosting 1,531,000 guests throughout the year. Capital Catering delivered over 40 million meals across 45 locations, catering for 2,200 weddings and events, including the largest corporate Iftar at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, which hosted 8,000 guests.
The year also saw significant developments for Tourism 365, which managed 350,000 travelers and produced 250,000 room nights, marking its strongest performance since inception. Twofour54, another company under the ADNEC Group, expanded its reach with two new state-of-the-art TV studios at Yas Creative Hub and supported numerous regional and international Hollywood productions through its Tawasol initiative.
ADNEC Group also exited its investment in ZenHR, achieving impressive returns with a 300 percent ROI. Overall, the achievements highlight exceptional performance across its seven core business sectors, including venues, events, hospitality, food and beverage, services, tourism, and media.
These accomplishments were driven by the group’s efforts to innovate, expand, and embrace sustainability across all its business units. Looking forward to 2025, ADNEC Group is poised to continue advancing Abu Dhabi’s vision for economic diversification and sustainable development. By seeking new business opportunities across its core sectors, the group aims to strengthen its global leadership in business tourism, events, and hospitality, all the meanwhile driving long-term value for the UAE and its people.