Dubai Holding Entertainment plans new park, attractions as CEO reveals expansion plans

Dubai: Dubai Holding Entertainment is preparing to expand its portfolio with a new park and additional attractions, as the company looks to introduce more entertainment experiences across its destinations.

In an interview with Gulf News during the seasonal reopening of Dubai Parks and Resorts, Fernando Eiroa, CEO of Dubai Holding Entertainment, revealed that new developments are in the pipeline, including a roller coaster at Global Village and further additions to Dubai Parks and Resorts.

"We will be adding new experiences and a new park in the near future, but I cannot disclose them until we are ready to talk to the public," Eiroa said. While he declined to reveal more details of the proposed park, he indicated that further announcements will be made by Dubai Holding Entertainment. 

"What we will be adding in the next months is very complementary and in high demand," he said. The plans come as entertainment destinations across the UAE and wider Gulf region continue to expand, with operators introducing new attractions to draw visitors.

Among the upcoming additions is a new roller coaster at Global Village, which is preparing to welcome visitors for another season.

"We will be adding a new roller coaster and multiple new attractions at Global Village this year as well," Eiroa revealed.

However, he acknowledged that some plans had been delayed, without providing a confirmed opening date for the new ride. Visitors can also expect new live entertainment, restaurants and international experiences.

Eiroa said the destination would introduce new shows and concerts, with further announcements expected soon. "Every season at Global Village, we change the shows," he said, adding that the destination would also introduce new restaurants, food and beverage outlets and country pavilions showcasing different cultures.

Meanwhile, Dubai Parks and Resorts is introducing new experiences for the season, including attractions at Riverland and entertainment at Motiongate Dubai.

"We are planning to offer a lot of new attractions and experiences in the different assets. We're going to start with Dubai Parks and Resorts, where we have new shows at Motiongate and 14 new attractions at Riverland," Eiroa said.

Among the additions are Lamborghini driving simulators, a space-themed bowling alley with arcade games, an expanded go-kart track and new restaurants.

"We are about to inaugurate Lamborghini driving simulators. We have a space bowling alley with arcade games, we have expanded the go-kart track, and we have new restaurants here," he said.

Eiroa also highlighted the existing roller coasters at Dubai Parks and Resorts as a major strength of the destination.

“We have an amazing park, and the number and quality of roller coasters we offer are second to none, not just in this country but around the world. We have some of the best roller coasters in the world,” he said.

With major entertainment developments emerging across Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, Eiroa said understanding visitor preferences and responding quickly to demand would remain central to the company's strategy.

“We listen closely to our customers and engage with them regularly, which allows us to respond quickly. We continue to introduce new concepts and experiences, offer season passes and bundle our attractions to give visitors something new every year. That is how we stand out. We listen to both praise and criticism, understand what our customers want and continue to build on their feedback.”

Eiroa highlighted the destination's glamping experience - T-REX Glamping, which was launched last year, as an example of how the company is diversifying its visitor experiences. He pointed to hospitality as an increasingly important part of the company's future plans.

"We are in glamping, for instance. Last year, we opened it for a very short period of time, so this year it is new. Hospitality is going to be a very important part of our future," he said.

Despite recent travel and flight disruptions affecting international arrivals, Dubai Holding Entertainment remains optimistic about visitor demand for the upcoming season.

With several international airlines announcing the resumption of services to Dubai, the city's tourism and entertainment sector is looking ahead to a recovery in international travel. However, Eiroa suggested that local visitors could account for a larger share of attendance this season.

"We think that this season is going to be a very good season because there is demand in the market. I think that maybe the demand is going to be different than other years, and we'll have maybe more local visitors. But we believe and we think that Dubai as a destination will rebound very, very fast, and we will benefit from that," he said.

Asked whether the company had a specific visitor target for 2027, Eiroa declined to disclose figures but pointed to Global Village's performance following its previous reopening.

"We typically don't give numbers, but what I can guarantee you is that based on the experience of other years, and what happened during this year when we closed Global Village and when we reopened, the reopening of Global Village was very, very successful. We did extremely well," he said.

"So I'm sure we will do very, very well."