F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024 Drives 34% Net Increase in International Visitor Spend, Visa Data Shows

  • Notable growth in international visitors to Abu Dhabi during F1 from the USA, UK, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kazakhstan

United Arab Emirates, 11 February, 2025: Abu Dhabi’s growing status as a premier sporting destination was further reinforced by the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which attracted 133,000 Visa cardholders from around the world, driving a 29% net rise¹ in transactions in the UAE.  In light of this, Visa has revealed insights from its latest Travel Pulse study, powered by VisaNet data. This special edition, titled "Eventful Travels," highlights the F1 event’s impact on UAE tourism and economy, showing a 34% net increase in international visitor spending in Abu Dhabi compared to the same week in 2023.

“The Formula 1 Grand Prix is a cornerstone of Abu Dhabi’s tourism strategy, attracting global visitors and stimulating spending across multiple sectors,” said Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, SVP and Group Country Manager for GCC at Visa. “Its impact extends far beyond the capital, creating a ripple effect throughout the nation’s economy. Our insights reflect how major sporting events are driving both tourism and commerce. As part of the broader vision to welcome 39.3 million visitors by 2030 in Abu Dhabi, Visa continues to support economic diversification by leveraging data and digital payments, helping the emirate and the UAE lead in global tourism, commerce, and innovation.”

Key Findings from VisaNet Data:

  • Growing Visitor Footfall: During F1 weekend, 133,000 Visa cardholders made in-person transactions in Abu Dhabi, a 9% net increase in visitors and 29% net rise in transactions. The impact extended beyond the capital, with 62% of these visitors also spending in other emirates, particularly Dubai and Sharjah. Additionally, 4% of non-GCC visitors continued their journeys to other GCC countries during or after the event, highlighting the boost to regional tourism.
  • Global Visitor Insights: Visitors from 178 countries made transactions during F1 weekend, with the highest growth in visitors coming from South Africa, Kazakhstan, and the UK.
  • Top-Spending Nationalities: Visitors from the USA led with having the largest share of spend – 14%.  The average spend per card for USA cardholders was $285, 29% higher than the overall average for F1. Other top spenders included Kazakhstan ($298), the UK ($220), Saudi Arabia ($162), and Oman ($105). F1 also had a notable spillover effect across the UAE’s other emirates, with event visitors spending an additional $563 per card on average. The largest share of this spend came from KSA (15%) and USA (11%), who had the spend of $712 and $616 per card.
  • Spending patterns: While regular UAE visitors mostly spent on retail and fashion, F1 visitors to Abu Dhabi fueled spend in travel services and dining.
    • Key Spending Categories in Abu Dhabi: Travel Services experienced the largest growth in Abu Dhabi, rising by 68%, representing 18% of the total spend during F1 weekend. Dining expenditure also saw a notable increase, up 53%, accounting for 19% of the total spend in the emirate. Retail spending grew by 17%, contributing 14% to Abu Dhabi's overall spend.
    • Key Spending Categories Across the UAE: Across the UAE, travel services saw an 18% increase, making up 9% of the total spend. Dining spend rose 27%, contributing 8% to the total spend across the nation. Retail spending witnessed an impressive 83% surge, accounting for 27% of the total spend across the UAE during the F1 weekend.

Visa is committed to supporting tourism authorities in UAE and wider GCC with data-driven insights and innovative payment solutions that enhance their offerings for visitors. Visa’s high-frequency data analytics also help financial institutions and businesses in the country understand shifting consumer trends to tailored engagement strategies that foster brand loyalty and enable seamless and secure transactions for UAE cardholders when traveling worldwide. With a suite of travel benefits and secure payment options, Visa cardholders in UAE can explore with confidence, making every journey more convenient and rewarding.

Travel Pulse has been prepared using transaction data from Visa cards issued globally. This report leverages VisaNet data and analytics to analyze inbound travel trends in UAE and impact on the local economy.

¹The F1 2024 period has been compared with similar calendar days of 2023, when there was no F1 event, to accurately assess the incremental impact of the event on the organic YoY growth. This incremental impact is referred to as the Net Growth (or Net Increase, Net Rise).