Abdulla Yousuf Mohammad Director of International Operations Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

Manal Saleh

As the Director of International Operations for the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), Abdulla Yousuf Mohammad leads strategic efforts to enhance the emirate’s tourism appeal and increase visitor numbers from key international markets. His work centres around developing Abu Dhabi’s position as a premier global destination, renowned for its authentic Arabian hospitality and rich cultural heritage.

Abdulla plays a pivotal role in forging partnerships with global travel trade partners, cruise lines, aviation companies, and destination management firms. Through these partnerships, he contributes to advancing DCT Abu Dhabi’s mission to promote the emirate’s diverse offerings and create new pathways for international access to the destination. Abdulla’s work also includes overseeing initiatives that support Abu Dhabi’s ambitious Tourism Strategy 2030, which seeks to welcome nearly 40 million annual visitors by 2030.

With a focus on targeted promotional campaigns, Abdulla has effectively expanded Abu Dhabi’s presence in key markets, creating impactful connections with travel trade professionals around the world. He spearheads DCT Abu Dhabi’s international operations efforts, which includes orchestrating familiarisation trips, roadshows, e-learning programmes, and training sessions that provide invaluable insights into Abu Dhabi’s unique attractions and experiences.

Prior to joining DCT Abu Dhabi, Abdulla served as Director of Proximity Markets for Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and has over a decade of experience in business development at Dubai Business Events. He holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the American University in Dubai.