Yas Island, renowned for its world-class leisure and entertainment offerings, reached a historic milestone in 2024, by clinching more than 175 accolades that highlight its global appeal and innovation. Meanwhile, Saadiyat Island cemented its position as the Middle East’s leading beach destination, amassing an impressive array of prestigious awards in recognition of its luxurious resorts, cultural landmarks and exceptional dining experiences. These achievements reflect Miral’s unwavering commitment to setting new benchmarks in creating unforgettable experiences and solidifying Abu Dhabi as a top global destination for leisure and entertainment.
Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral, said: “Through sustained innovation and excellence, we are proud to contribute to the dynamic evolution of Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector. With each new achievement across Yas Island and Saadiyat Island, we are not only setting new benchmarks but also supporting further positioning the emirate as a globally renowned tourism destination. We are proud of these continued successes, that play a pivotal role in driving Abu Dhabi’s economic growth.”
Yas Island and its world-class theme parks and attractions continue to shine on the global stage Among its notable achievements, Yas Island was recognized for the second year in a row as the ‘World’s Leading Theme Park Destination’ by the World Travel Awards and the ‘Best Integrated Leisure Destination’ at the 2024 MENALAC Awards. Additionally, the destination was honored with ‘Best Entertainment Destination’ at the country level by the International Travel Awards.
The island’s theme parks also earned widespread recognition. Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi celebrated its fifth consecutive win as the ‘World’s Leading Theme Park’ at the World Travel Awards and claimed the ‘Best Indoor Theme Park’ title at the International Travel Awards. It also received the ‘Achievement in Product Innovation’ award at the MENA Stevie Awards for its groundbreaking Mission Ferrari ride, demonstrating the park’s dedication to innovation.
Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi was crowned the ‘Middle East’s Leading Water Park’ at the World Travel Awards. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi was named the ‘Middle East’s Leading Tourist Attraction’ at the World Travel Awards and ‘Favorite Attraction’ at the 2024 What’s On Awards.
CLYMB Yas Island, Abu Dhabi also garnered acclaim, earning the titles of ‘Middle East’s Leading Adventure Tourist Attraction 2024’ and ‘Leading Adventure Tourist Attraction’ at the Global Brand Awards 2024.
SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi: A wave of success in its debut year
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, the newest addition to Yas Island’s entertainment offerings, has made an extraordinary impression in its first year, accumulating over 20 regional and international accolades demonstrating its immediate and far-reaching impact. A major milestone was achieved when SeaWorld Abu Dhabi took the Guinness World Record title as the ‘Largest Marine-Life Theme Park in the World’.
The park’s exceptional performance also extends to crisis management, with a successful launch campaign that garnered the ‘Best PR Campaign Crisis Communication’ award at the 2024 PRCA Awards—an achievement that stands in contrast to the challenges faced by its Orlando counterpart. Additionally, the marine-life theme park has earned widespread acclaim, including the prestigious ‘Most New Unique Concept Attraction 2024’ and ‘Best Edutainment Centre 2024’ titles at the MENALAC Awards.
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi’s innovative approach shone brightly at the International Business Awards, where it secured dual Gold wins for the grand opening campaign in the categories of ‘Communication PR Campaign of the Year – Art and Entertainment and Brand Experience’. It also claimed the title of ‘Best Marine-Life Theme Park at the Global Brand Awards’. This rapid success underscores the Marine Life Theme Park’s role as a standout attraction on Yas Island and a leader in marine-life-themed entertainment.
Yas Island’s campaigns shine brighter in 2024
Reinforcing its position as a premier destination for leisure and entertainment, Yas Island achieved remarkable success in 2024 with a series of award-winning campaigns that captivated audiences and set industry benchmarks. Among its accolades, Yas Island earned the prestigious ‘Best Regional PR Campaign of the Year’ at the 2024 PRCA Awards and ‘Best Arabic Language Campaign’ at the 2024 MEPRA Awards for its GCC campaign in collaboration with Kuwait duo Miami Band.
The accolades continued with an impressive performance at the EFFIE Awards MENA, where Yas Island won five awards across various categories. Highlights included a Gold award in Influencer Marketing for the “Roll Like Ryan” CIO campaign and a Silver in Branded Content & Entertainment for the engaging “I’m Bored” campaign featuring a catchy song performed by a young girl, expressing how she never gets bored while exploring Yas Island. Additionally, Yas Island secured a total of fifteen recognitions across the Smarties Awards at a MEA, MENA and Global level.
Yas Island and its renowned theme parks further celebrated 12 wins at the 2024 MENA Stevie Awards.
The GCC campaign secured a Gold Win for ‘Award for Innovation in Lifestyle Videos’ and the Chief Island Officer campaign featuring Ryan Reynolds earned Gold Stevie Awards ‘Innovation in Branded Entertainment’, respectively.
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi also marked a standout year with four wins, including Bronze Stevie ‘Awards for Innovation in the Use of Events’, honoring its grand opening as the world’s largest marine-life theme park, and for ‘Achievement in Product Innovation’ for its mesmerizing rides, Manta Coaster and Hypersphere 360◦.
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