Visit Abu Dhabi

The objective

Driving awareness around the different attractions in Abu Dhabi, across the GCC

Experience Abu Dhabi (the destination brand of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi) is pioneering the use of TikTok to engage with audiences across the globe and showcase what Abu Dhabi has to offer as a unique travel destination. The "Visit Abu Dhabi" account (@inabudhabi) is unique in its ability to blend heritage with modernity, presenting Abu Dhabi as a destination that is both authentic and forward-looking. With a mission to inspire travelers, Experience Abu Dhabi has built one of the strongest organic presences among tourism entities on TikTok, sharing engaging cultural, leisure, and entertainment content that has made it one of the most followed tourism boards in the region.

The goal of this campaign was to drive awareness among GCC audiences of Abu Dhabi's diverse attractions while moving beyond brand-led storytelling. The Visit Abu Dhabi account has leveraged TikTok's Content Suite to amplify authentic user-generated content (UGC) already resonating with audiences. This strategy upheld authenticity and credibility by complementing existing brand assets with voices that audiences could genuinely connect with.

The solution

Leveraging TikTok’s Content Suite to amplify authentic UGC for greater awareness and engagement

Experience Abu Dhabi's overall strategy for this campaign was to drive awareness among GCC audiences of Abu Dhabi's cultural landmarks, leisure attractions, and unique experiences through authentic UGC that travelers were already creating and sharing on TikTok. By leveraging TikTok's Content Suite, the brand identified existing UGC with positive sentiment and high engagement potential, then repurposed it into paid ads to maximize reach. This approach allowed Experience Abu Dhabi to connect with audiences in a way that felt genuine, while still maintaining brand consistency and reinforcing its broader tourism strategy.

This emphasis on authenticity directly aligned with TikTok’s unique value as the home of relatable, creative, and community-driven storytelling. From a media perspective, the campaign used TikTok’s video views objective to scale awareness and ensure content reached wide audiences across the GCC. The brand deployed In-Feed Ads to integrate seamlessly into the experience, delivering UGC-style videos designed for TikTok.

By leveraging Content Suite, Experience Abu Dhabi had access to a streamlined system for sourcing, licensing, and optimizing this content for advertising, ensuring it performed well in the paid environment. The campaign leveraged authentic organic posts and transformed them into powerful ad assets, maximizing video views while sharing Abu Dhabi’s diverse offerings as a destination.

The results

Authentic reach, higher engagement, lower costs

According to internal performance data, the campaign was highly successful, with creator-led content reaching over 5.3 million people across the GCC, generating more than 8.3 million two-second video views and driving 43,000 link clicks. These results exceeded Experience Abu Dhabi's expectations, proving that authentic UGC, amplified through TikTok's Content Suite, could deliver scale and efficiency while resonating strongly with audiences.

The most successful aspect of the campaign was its authenticity: content created by real travelers felt more relatable than polished brand assets, encouraging higher engagement and organic sharing. Beyond the numbers, the campaign reinforced the value of UGC as a creative strategy, showing that authenticity builds trust and strengthens brand affinity in ways traditional advertising cannot. Experience Abu Dhabi’s strategy of incorporating community-driven content into its always-on approach not only drives return on ad spend (ROAS) but also deepens audience connection.

Building on these insights, the brand plans to continue leveraging TikTok to amplify authentic storytelling in future campaigns.