Inside Abu Dhabi's biggest pop-culture moment: Top leader on 'Stranger Things', Yas Island’s tourism strategy, and why India is a power market

Abu Dhabi: When Stranger Things: The Experience opens to the public on Yas Island tomorrow, Abu Dhabi isn’t just unveiling another attraction — it’s stepping squarely into a global spotlight. Only two such experiences exist worldwide, one in the US and now one in the UAE, placing Abu Dhabi on a rare international stage.

For Miral Destinations CEO Liam Findlay, this marks more than a high-profile launch. It signals a cultural moment, a tourism catalyst, and a clear indicator of where Yas Island is headed next.

“We’re an island full of IPs,” he declares, setting the tone instantly. “Ferrari World, Warner Bros, SeaWorld — and in a couple of weeks, we have the Grand Prix. Nothing better than having the number one TV show, not only this year, but for the last five years. This is pop culture.”

Landing Stranger Things is, in Findlay’s view, the perfect expression of Yas Island’s evolution: a globally recognised entertainment destination where timing, fandom, and strategy align seamlessly.

“We’re very privileged to have the experience in Abu Dhabi at the same time as the new season releases,” he says. With Season 5’s global premiere just days away, Yas Island is catching a cultural wave at precisely the right moment — a move that’s becoming Miral’s unmistakable signature.

Launching the experience now — and not six months earlier — is the outcome of deliberate planning.

“If you did it six or nine months ago, it wouldn’t be relevant. We’re dropping the experience at the same time as the fifth and final season.”

Relevance is Miral’s playbook. Their partnerships are engineered around cultural peaks: Kevin Hart during COVID (“everyone was watching his stand-up at home”), Jason Momoa just before the release of Aquaman 2, and Ryan Reynolds ahead of Deadpool. Each move is a calculation in anticipation of global conversation.

“This Stranger Things conversation started 12 months ago,” Findlay reveals. “And 12 months ago, I could have told you this would be the biggest show of the year. This is a slice of time you’re going to remember.”

In many ways, Miral’s strength lies in sensing — and syncing with — the world’s shifting cultural temperature.

For all the strategy behind it, Stranger Things also hits a personal note for Findlay.

“I’ve got two teenage kids,” he says. “We’ve been growing up with Stranger Things over the last four years. The excitement in the house is fever pitch.”

As he reminisces about the show’s nostalgic touches — “those bicycles with the big seats at the back” — the emotional connectivity becomes clear. The series carries generational resonance.

“It relates to me, and I can relate to my kids. The show is about friendship. And friendship should still be the number one priority for all of us.”

That sentiment — relatable, cross-generational, rooted in shared experience — echoes Yas Island’s core audience, from regional families to expat communities to international travellers.

If pop culture drives the interest, guest experience drives loyalty.

“I have guiding principles,” Findlay says. “Number one is guest experience. Everything we do is about the guest. If you put guests first, it makes everything else easier — marketing, sales, word of mouth.”

Inside the Stranger Things: The Experience tent, he watched guests transform into Hawkins “heroes,” fully immersed in the narrative. “Everyone was so engaged — everyone trying to use their powers to turn those switches on,” he says with a laugh. “You know something’s right when you see that.”

The installation itself — built within just three weeks — is the product of intense effort.

“There’s only two of these in the world,” he says. “There was a lot of competition to bring it here.”

Yas Island’s ambitions extend far beyond seasonal peaks. Its transformation into a year-round entertainment powerhouse is already reflected in the numbers.

“Our summer results were record-breaking,” Findlay notes. “We saw nearly 15% growth year-on-year. Our busiest time of the year is actually summer.”

With indoor theme parks, major events, and a constant cycle of programming — from the Grand Prix to Taste of Abu Dhabi — Yas Island is positioning itself as the region’s entertainment hub.

“We pride ourselves on being a 365-day operation,” he says. “Yas Island is becoming the centre of entertainment for this region.”

And the momentum continues.

“We’ve just broken ground with Harry Potter. We’ve doubled the size of the waterpark. With Warner Bros, SeaWorld, Ferrari World — Yas Island is the most amazing destination, and it’s only going to get bigger and better.”

Amid the pop culture, engineering, and expansion, Findlay highlights a market that stands at the heart of Yas Island’s future growth: India.

“India is probably our number one market,” he says simply.

The numbers back it up.

“Our campaign in India this year for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara stars had a budget for about 300 million views. It ended up getting 1.5 billion views — It went viral.”

And India is part of a widening global footprint.

“Most of our work is international,” Findlay says. “Our long-term success is international. India, GCC, China, Europe, Russia — these are crucial for us.”

The direction is clear: Yas Island is no longer positioning itself only within the UAE. It’s positioning itself within the world.

As the roundtable winds down, Findlay glances around.

“Do we have anyone here who hasn’t signed an NDA?” he asks.

Silence fills the room.

Then the tease — just enough to spark curiosity, just little enough to protect the secret.

“We’ve had some great brand ambassadors. And what I’m about to tell you… it’s huge for us. We think it’s big.”

The PR team steps in. The recording stops.

And Yas Island’s next chapter remains — for now — something only a select few in that room have heard.