Tourism in Abu Dhabi is hotting up, with several new developments.

First off, the eagerly anticipated Louvre Abu Dhabi will open to visitors towards the end of this year, the first branch of the Louvre to open outside France. Its permanent collection will comprise more than 600 pieces of art, displayed across 23 state-of-the-art galleries.

Elsewhere in the Emirate, World Abu Dhabi Miral – the developer behind Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi, which will open on Yas Island in 2018 – has revealed that the $1 billion dollar theme park will be made up of six immersive worlds.

The DC Comics universe will comprise two of the six worlds, with Metropolis and Gotham City, the homes of Superman and Batman respectively, designed to draw fans of the super hero franchises. The next worlds, Cartoon Junction and Dynamite Gulch, will bring together Bugs Bunny, Scooby-Doo and other famous characters from Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera, while fans of the Flintstones can have a ‘yabba dabba doo’ time in the prehistoric world of Bedrock.

The final world will be Warner Bros Plaza, a recreation of Hollywood in its Golden Age, when many of these seminal characters were first brought to life.

A new five-star property, Saadiyat Rotana Resort, is due to open soon on Saadiyat Island.

Located within 20 minutes’ drive of Abu Dhabi International Airport, it is ideal for both business and leisure travellers.

Saadiyat Rotana Resort will feature 327 upscale rooms and suites, 13 beach villas, a private stretch of beach and large conference facilities. Guests will have a choice of eight dining outlets serving a wide range of cuisine and access to the Bodylines Fitness and Wellness Centre.

Meanwhile, demand for voyages originating in Abu Dhabi from luxury lines Celebrity Cruises and MSC Cruises has led to a record-breaking season for the Abu Dhabi cruise industry and forward bookings are up.

An economic impact and forecasting report by Oxford Economics predicts that the Abu Dhabi cruise tourism business will attract 450,000 cruise passengers by 2020, rising to 808,428 in 2025.