Al Maryah Island reinforces reputation as Abu Dhabi’s premier lifestyle & business destination with formidable successes over the past year

Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi’s premier lifestyle and business destination is celebrating a decade of extraordinary growth by highlighting a series of record achievements, industry accolades and key milestones across its retail, lifestyle and commercial tower assets over the past year. 

Having built a steadfast reputation as the emirate’s most dynamic hub, these successes further elevate the Island’s status as an unrivalled business and finance destination, presenting an unmatched offer for every investor, partner and stakeholder.  

Showcasing its post-pandemic business resilience, Al Maryah Island continued to prosper in 2021 by achieving high occupancy rates across the four commercial towers in ADGM Square through leasing spaces to a diverse portfolio of established and emerging companies.  The positive momentum has continued into 2022, with further spaces already leased and more under offer. In addition, the Island’s business-friendly proposition continues to attract investment from companies both locally and globally, most recently selling two plots of land to Sama Emirates Holding Company.

2021 was also a year of impressive industry accolades, reaffirming Al Maryah Island’s world-class lifestyle offering. The Four Seasons Abu Dhabi earned its 5-star distinction for the third consecutive year for outstanding excellence in service and comfort, while The Galleria Al Maryah Island was awarded the prestigious ‘Best Retail Development Arabia’ by the International Property Awards for stellar design and build. The Island’s unique waterside dining offer was recognized on an international level as Butcher & Still at the Four Seasons Abu Dhabi and Coya at The Galleria each took a coveted spot on the list of the inaugural MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022. 

The Island also witnessed remarkable footfall hitting several milestones across its assets. Its new recreational sports facility ACTIVE welcomed 145,000 visitors last year, and also played host to a team for the FIFA Club World Cup. 

The Galleria cemented its status as Abu Dhabi’s preferred lifestyle and shopping destination, having witnessed record footfall in 2021, welcoming over 31 million guests, and closing the year with a monthly footfall record of 3.4 million in December alone. In parallel, The Galleria continued to be the platform of choice for new brands. More than 85 stores opened their doors last year, from international and regional debuts such as TVM, an Irish concept and alcohol-free bar; National Geographic Ultimate Explorer, an immersive play-based edutainment centre; to a range of Abu Dhabi firsts such as luxury brands Chopard, Messika and Hublot, and dining outlets such as Grand Beirut and Secret Garden. 

As the capital’s undisputed luxury hub, admirable brands such as Dior, Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Fendi and Saint Laurent reinvested significantly in their boutiques at The Galleria, reopening as flagship locations or debuting exclusive designs. The recent milestone opening of Apple Al Maryah Island was a culmination of years of planning and works to date, revealing a first-of-its kind design for the brand and cementing the Island as a must-visit destination for Abu Dhabi. 

Looking ahead, The Galleria will further diversify its offering with Abu Dhabi’s first Din Tai Fung, Barry’s Bootcamp, Train Gym, the regional debut of Mission Play! by Mattel entertainment centre, and a host of new luxury brands including Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe – further enhancing the Island as an all-in-one 

destination, bringing together an award-winning international financial center with the best of retail, hospitality and wellbeing, as the region’s most sought-after hub to work, live, shop and play.

Commenting on the achievements and continued growth, Khalifa Al Romaithi, Executive Director of UAE Real Estate at UAE Investments, Mubadala Investment Company said: “Witnessing our remarkable successes throughout 2021 across retail, hospitality, office spaces and more, has further cemented our position as a premier business destination. As we expand across priority sectors and lead new developments across the Island, we are ensuring Al Maryah Island is building a community for business to thrive. We strive to contribute to the diversification of Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s economy through inviting companies and seek international opportunities to establish offices on the island, and we look forward to bringing more businesses to the UAE Capital in 2022.”

Ali Fikree, Chairman of Al Maryah Retail Company, said: “Our achievements reflect Al Maryah Island’s exponential growth as we continue to pave the way for a globally-recognized offer, helping businesses, people and the local community thrive. With each new opportunity, we are reinforcing our position as a people-centric hub and the best place in Abu Dhabi for our guests to shop, dine and play. We look forward to building on this momentum as we bring more exceptional options to Abu Dhabi.”