Abu Dhabi, UAE: The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi welcomed a delegation of Indian journalists and Air India Express representatives following the launch of Air India Express’ inaugural service between Navi Mumbai International Airport and Abu Dhabi, the airport’s first international route.
The visit marks an important milestone in the long-standing relationship between the UAE and India, following Air India Express becoming the first airline to operate an international service from Navi Mumbai International Airport.
The new service further strengthens air connectivity between India and Abu Dhabi at a time when the emirate continues to expand its tourism offering. Following a record year in 2025, Abu Dhabi continues to welcome visitors with new cultural institutions, major entertainment projects, enhanced visitor experiences and a year-round calendar of events that continue to attract travellers from around the world.
To mark the occasion, DCT Abu Dhabi hosted a welcome dinner at Zayed National Museum for the visiting media delegation, alongside representatives from Air India Express, Abu Dhabi Airports and key tourism stakeholders. The event celebrated the launch of the new services and recognised the long-standing partnership between Abu Dhabi’s tourism and aviation sectors and the Indian travel industry.
The event was attended by His Excellency Dr Deepak Mittal, Ambassador of India to the UAE, alongside Nipun Aggarwal, Chairman, Air India Express, Carsten Nørland, Chief Commercial Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, and Haitham Al Khamis, Acting Director of Tourism Products Development at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi..
During their visit, the delegation will experience some of Abu Dhabi’s leading cultural, heritage and family attractions, including Saadiyat Cultural District Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, Al Ain Region, Qasr Al Watan and Yas Island’s world-class attractions. The programme has been designed to give the visiting journalists first-hand insight into the breadth of experiences available across the emirate.
Haitham Al Khamis, Acting-Director of Tourism Products Development at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said, “The launch of Air India Express’s new Navi Mumbai service reflects the strength of the relationship between the UAE and India and the continued confidence of our aviation partners in Abu Dhabi and in the destination’s long-term tourism growth. We are proud to welcome our guests to the emirate, and look forward to them experiencing our destination which continues to evolve through new museums, major attractions, world-class events and sustained investment across culture, entertainment and hospitality.”
His Excellency Dr Deepak Mittal, Ambassador of India to the UAE, said, “The continued expansion of air connectivity between India and Abu Dhabi reflects the strength of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the enduring bonds between our people. These new services will further facilitate tourism, business, investment and cultural exchanges while making travel more convenient for millions of passengers. I congratulate Air India Express, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Airports on this significant initiative that further strengthens the India-UAE partnership.”
Nipun Aggarwal, Chairman, Air India Express, said, “We are delighted to celebrate this expansion with our valued partners in Abu Dhabi. The launch of new routes to Abu Dhabi from Navi Mumbai, Indore and Lucknow reflects our commitment to strengthening connectivity between India and one of our most important international markets. Together with the upcoming Abu Dhabi–Guwahati route, this expansion creates more opportunities for travellers while supporting tourism, trade and deeper economic and cultural engagement between India and the UAE. As we continue to expand our network, we remain committed to connecting more Indian cities directly with destinations that matter most to our guests.”
Carsten Nørland, Chief Commercial Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “As India continues to grow as one of our most important markets, our focus at Zayed International Airport (AUH) is on supporting that growth with the capacity, efficiency and connectivity that airlines and passengers need. The increasing demand for both direct and transfer travel reinforces AUH’s role as a strategic gateway between India, the UAE and onward markets. The launch of the Navi Mumbai service, is a strong reflection of this momentum and of our valued partnership with Air India Express as we continue to expand choice, convenience and connectivity for passengers travelling through Abu Dhabi.”
Air India Express currently operates two weekly services between Navi Mumbai and Abu Dhabi, increasing to three weekly flights from 29 July, alongside four weekly services from Indore and three weekly services from Lucknow, further expanding travel options between India and Abu Dhabi. With the launch of the new routes, the airline now connects Abu Dhabi with 14 cities across India, operating 75 weekly non-stop flights, reinforcing the UAE capital as one of Air India Express’ largest and fastest-growing international markets.
The new connectivity comes as Abu Dhabi continues to strengthen its position as one of the region’s leading tourism destinations through sustained investment in culture, entertainment, hospitality and aviation infrastructure.
The emirate welcomed a record 26.6 million visitors in 2025, while hotel revenues increased by 19.5 per cent year on year. Abu Dhabi’s cultural institutions also recorded 8.6 million visits, reflecting growing interest in the emirate’s expanding cultural offering.
Abu Dhabi continues to expand its tourism offering with recent openings, including Zayed National Museum and Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, while Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is due to open later this year. Recent announcements including Sphere Abu Dhabi, Disney Resort Abu Dhabi and the expansion of Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi with a dedicated Harry Potter-themed experience reflect Abu Dhabi’s continued long-term investment in culture, entertainment and tourism.
