Yas Island has closed off 2019 with resounding success, sweeping up 32 awards and accolades for its world-class attractions, infrastructure projects and developments.

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of project leaders Miral, said: “As we come to the end of another successful year, we are both proud and humbled to be recognised for excellence around the world.

“A decade on, Yas Island has once again cemented its position as a top global destination for entertainment and leisure, with its attractions and developments constantly receiving recognition from global leading industry entities. 

“This is yet another testament to the evolution of Yas Island as a destination of choice locally, regionally and internationally.”

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak has led the development of Yas Island

Home to the world’s best theme parks, top-notch motorsports and golf venues, a versatile hospitality offering, as well as an impressive portfolio of projects in the pipeline, Yas Island was recognised as the World’s Leading Tourism Development Project and Middle East’s Leading Tourism Development Project by voters at the 2019 World Travel Awards.

Home to the world’s fastest rollercoaster, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi received not one, but two accolades from the World Travel Awards – first being named Middle East’s Leading Theme Park and, most recently, crowned as the World’s Leading Theme Park.

The park also took home trophies for ‘Best strategic employee engagement initiative’ and ‘Most creative property-wide event’ from the IAAPA Brass Ring Awards and won the Park World Excellence Award – ‘Seasonal event of the year’ for its beloved annual festive celebration Winterfest.

What’s more, Ferrari World received a TripAdvisor ‘Certificate of Excellence’ for the third consecutive year in 2019, while the park also took home the ‘Most Innovative New Product/Indoor’ award at the Middle East & North Africa Leisure and (MENALAC) Awards.

Finally, the park was named ‘Theme Park of the Year’ by the Theme Parks & Entertainment Development Awards.

Yas Waterworld, Yas Island’s popular Emirati-themed waterpark, took home the World’s Leading Waterpark trophy for the second year running, in addition to being recognised as the Middle East’s Leading Waterpark by the prestigious World Travel Awards. 

Yas Waterworld was also recognised as ‘Best Water Park’ by Menalac Awards, in addition to taking home a Guinness World Record for ‘The Most Nationalities in a Swimming Pool’ in April in celebration of Year of Tolerance.

Garnering two awards by the World Waterpark Association, the waterpark won the ‘Leading Social Media Campaign/Activation for the Neon Nights Closing Party Campaign’ and the ‘Leading Promotional Campaign’ for their ‘Water You Waiting For’ annual pass campaign.

Yas Waterworld proved to be a popular choice among voters, winning ‘Favourite Attraction’ at the ‘what’s On Awards’, ‘Best Water Fun’ at the Kidazapp Awards and being named a ‘Gold Winner for Water Park of the Year’ at the Mother, Baby and Child Awards.

In 2019, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi received a whopping four Menalac Awards for ‘Best marketing campaign’, ‘Best New Leisure Concept’, ‘Best Day Out’ and ‘Best Theme Park’, in addition to being named Theme Park Insider’s ‘Best Theme Park’ for 2019.

The park also received prestigious industry accolades, including being named the Middle East’s Leading Tourist Attraction by the World Travel Awards.

There were also two awards for its thrilling attraction Batman: Knight Flight; ‘Themed Attraction of The Year’ and ‘Media-based Attraction of the Year’ by the ParkWorld Excellence Awards.

To add to an impressive line-up of awards, the world’s first-ever Warner Bros. branded theme park succeeded in claiming two Guinness World Records titles; ‘The Largest Gathering of People Wearing Capes’ and the world’s ‘Largest Indoor Theme Park’. 

Wrapping the year, Warner Bros. World was also honoured with a prestigious ‘THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement’ courtesy of the Themed Entertainment Association.

Yas Links Abu Dhabi was awarded the ‘Golf Experience of the Year’ Award for Gulf States at the 2019 International Association of Golf Tour Operators Golf Tourism Awards while also impressively ranking third in Golf Digest’s ‘Top 10 Middle East Golf Courses’.

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Attracting tourists from across the globe, Yas Island’s immersive hospitality and leisure attractions help reinforce its position as a world-class tourism destination, offering memorable experiences unlike anywhere else in the region. 

The attraction is located in Abu Dhabi, itself winner of the World’s Leading Sports Tourism Destination title at the World Travel Awards.