Etihad Airways launches new Abu Dhabi–Tunis/Hanoi/Chiang Mai/Hong Kong routes, boosting UAE tourism and hospitality sector

Etihad Airways launches new Abu Dhabi–Tunis/Hanoi/Chiang Mai/Hong Kong routes, boosting UAE tourism and hospitality sector — the Abu Dhabi-based carrier has rolled out four fresh international services in early November 2025, linking the UAE capital with Tunisia, Vietnam, Thailand and Hong Kong. These additions not only reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a strategic global aviation hub, but also open doors for increased inbound visitation and wider hospitality-industry growth across luxury resorts, guest houses and high-end hotel brands in the Emirate.
Etihad Airways Expanding Its Network And Strengthening Abu Dhabi’s Global Hub
Etihad Airways, the full operations national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is stepping into one of the most active network periods in the airline’s history, having opened its new routed airline operations from Abu Dhabi to Tunis, Hanoi, Chiang Mai, and Hong Kong, embarked in the first week of November 2025 completing further expansion of networks carried over within the preceding 2025 fiscal year of active operational commercial flights periods, and the unique leaps towards further expanding the airline network connectivity over the Middle East intracontinual connectivity range towards cardinal rout across the globe over Asia and into the receptive network range across Africa Middlenea captured over its operational development of the forefront of the airline network operational range.
The new travels also correspond closer to the new UAE 2030 home tourism strategy developments geared towards 2030 vision tourism. In the Global tourism strategy, many international mates partner and come to stores helping boost the 2030 vision tourism growth fix rate region to center the Middle EA29 a direct and newly developing Asia Africa passage reciprocal international tourism.
New Routes Launched by Etihad Airways: Abu Dhabi–Tunis/Hanoi/Chiang Mai/Hong Kong
New routes started with Etihad Airways between November 1st and November 3rd, 2025. Each location was chosen based on tourism, trade opportunities, and cultural diversity. Connectivity within the world and between continents is made possible by the new, modern, and fuel-efficient aircraft, especially the Boeing 787 Dreamliners and the Airbus A321LRs. Each passenger appreciates the comfort and sustainability that these aircraft offer.
Abu Dhabi–Tunis:
Commencing on November 1st, 2025. This route is the first bridge between the Gulf and North Africa. The three times a week route will facilitate business and leisure transit between the UAE and Tunis. Tunis is a Mediterranean cultural gem with its historic medinas and world heritage sites of Tunis and Carthage.
Abu Dhabi–Hanoi:
Etihad now flies to Vietnam six times a week and this route started on November 2nd, 2025. Etihad previously did not have a direct flight to Northern Vietnam, and this will enhance trade, tourism, and cultural connections. For tourists, this route provides quick access to the Northern part of the country filled with traditional Vietnamese culture, delicious street food, and historical sites like the Temple of Literature and Hoàn Kiếm Lake.
Abu Dhabi–Chiang Mai:
Starting on 3 November 2025, there will be 3 weekly flights to Chiang Mai, Thailand. The flights will offer Abu Dhabi travelers access to the beautiful and peaceful landscapes and temples found in the north of Thailand. The flights will also provide a response to the growing leisure demand in the Middle East, while also looking to assist with the tourism recovery in Thailand. Visitors to Chiang Mai will be able to access Thailand’s beautiful creative markets, as well as its adventorous eco-friendly sactuaries, which makes the rout appealing to to both adventurers and travelers seeking wellness.
Abu Dhabi–Hong Kong:
Also starting on 3 November 2025, Etihad will provide 5 weekly flights on the Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong routes. This route Hong Kong will assist Abu Dhabi travelers who are seeking to access the busniess and tourism markets in Asia. This route will also help the airline’s renewed codeshare with Hong Kong Airlines. This will help provide connections to the Asia Pacific region.
Encouraging RTourism and the Hospitality Sector in the UAE
Launching these new routes helps the UAE with their new tourism strategies. The culture and tourism department in Abu Dhabi, “DCT Abu Dhabi”, mentioned the Emirate got an increase of 13%, which makes the total over 1.4 million overnight guests in the first quarter of 2025.
For the new guests, the hotels “over 2.3 billion dirhams” in revenue with an occupancy rate of 79%, and the revenue per available room increased 24% year on year. This increase in the hospitality sector shows that there is a strong relationg to the fiest increase and the new flights to the UAE on offer.
More and more international hotel chains are opening up in the United Arab Emirates. Knight Frank’s latest information indicates all of the UAE’s hotels are growing in value and revenue per square foot while luxury hotels in Abu Dhabi are growing even more in revenue. The amount of Etihad flights increasing and tourist visiting the UAE increasing are helpful to hotel investors.
Hotels opening in the UAE along Etihad flights are more likely to bring in premium travelers and investors. Service, ease, and luxury all contribute to the value of hotels in the UAE.
New and designed services help cater to a wide variety of travelers, from people traveling for work to people traveling for fun. New flights and services help create more global destinations by reducing travel times.
For travelers, going to and from Abu Dhabi International Airport will be faster and more relaxing thanks to the new terminal, which opened in March 2023. The new terminals offers nicer lounges, faster immigration, and better boarding facilities.
The latest cabin designs on Etihad’s Dreamliners and A321LRs include spacious Business Studios, inflight Wi-Fi, economy smart seats, and inflight dining that redefined the inflight experience through culinary delights from the UAE and the world. The loyalty program Etihad Guest is even more rewarding for frequent flyers as it recently partnered with global hospitality chains and members can earn and redeem hotel stays and miles at hotels all over the world.
Tourism Hub: New Chapter for Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi has the UAE and world expected record breaking tourism recovery. In 2025, the UAE travel and tourism sector is expected to be worth AED 228 billion which is 37 percent more than the economic worth before the pandemic.
As the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Louvre Abu Dhabi exhibitions, and the Saadiyat Cultural District opening in 2026 take place, the capital’s already big air network and calendar of cultural and sporting events rely on it.
The government’s Tourism 2025 Vision mandates “high-value, low-impact” tourism to encourage sustainable tourism and premium tourism experiences. Hospitality chains and the city’s hospitality sector as a whole which include Marriott, Accor, Rotana, and Hilton is expanding with newer and better facilities to cater to tourists coming in from Africa and Asia.
Connected Destinations and Impact in Tourism and Hospitality
Etihad’s new routes are not just a gain for Abu Dhabi, they are also a gain for the countries the routes travel to.
Tunisia:
Tunis has greater access to Middle Eastern markets, boosting cultural tourism and trade. The route makes it easier for North African tourists and business people to travel to the Gulf. Since regional connectivity and air access improvements, Tunisia’s hotel occupancy increased by almost 8 percent in 2025.
Vietnam:
Abu Dhabi’s direct connectivity to Hanoi opens borders to Middle Eastern holiday-makers seeking to travel to Southeast Asia. In the first eight months of 2025, Vietnam received almost 14 million foreign tourists, a 22 percent increase annually. Vietnam’s dedicated flight will help boost travel from China and South Korea, and help Vietnam compete in the higher spending wellness and luxury travel markets.
Thailand:
One of the newest leisure destinations in Thailand, Chiang Mai, connects directly to the Middle East. By the end of 2025, Thailand will have recorded 25.1 million international arrivals, and will have earned over 1.15 trillion baht in tourism revenue. With the traffic from the Middle East, Thailand will see new guests from Europe. They will use Etihad’s connections to get to the northern Thailand, where the hospitality scene is made up of boutique resorts and eco lodges.
Hong Kong:
After a few years when the world was not able to travel, the city has reported a 24.5 million visitor count in the first nine months of 2025. The growth in the tourism sector is dvanced with the re-establishment of Etihad’s air bridge. The new flights for Etihad now operate 5 times weekly. This re-establishment not only aid the tourism sector but also the hospitality sector with the Mandarin Oriental and Shangri-La hotel chains having their occupancy rates increase.
Flight Details and Travel Information
- Abu Dhabi to Tunis (EY 537) Three times a week. Total of 6 hours and 15 minutes. Airbus A321LR with 12 Business and 156 Economy Smart Seats.
- Abu Dhabi to Hanoi (EY 617) Operates 6 times a week. Total of 7 hours and 45 minutes. Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner has 28 Business Studios and 262 Economy Seats.
- Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai (EY 409) Operates 6 times a week. Total of 6 hours and 15 minutes. Airbus A321LR with Etihad’s next generation interior.
- Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong (EY 834) 5 times weekly. 8 hours and 30 minutes. Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with Wi-Fi and new Dining Concept.
All flights connect seamlessly through Abu Dhabi’s Terminal A, enabling onward connections to for Europe, Africa, and North America.
Hospitality Growth in the UAE
As Etihad’s network grows, so does the UAE’s hospitality sector. Hotels in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have experienced considerable growth in occupancy and revenue, and several luxury hotels will be opening in 2025, including the expanded Anantara Zaya Nurai Island Resort and the Waldorf Astoria Abu Dhabi Residences.
The hospitality sector is set to develop more than 50 new projects and more than 15,000 rooms in the UAE. This will help support the new airline routes and the new travelers these routes will bring.
For travelers, this means more options, including beachfront resorts on Saadiyat Island and urban getaways near Yas Mall and Corniche. UAE luxury is focused on sustainability so travelers can have 5-star eco vacations and experience solar-powered hotels and water-conservation efforts.
Travel Tips for Visitors
1. Plan Ahead:
The best time for visiting the UAE is from November to March, so travel and accommodation should be booked well in advance for this peak season, to get the best deals.
2. Transit Stop-Over:
Etihad’s stop-over program in Abu Dhabi is designed for travelers who fly with Etihad and want to take a “free stop” to spend a couple of nights in the country. You can take the opportunity to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi, or take advantage of the entertainment of Yas Island.
3. Social Etiquette:
The UAE is modern and multicultural. Nevertheless, etiquette suggests modest dress code in public places, and respectful behavior during prayer times is appreciated.
4. Transportation:
New Terminal A has fast transfers, ride-sharing, and premium car services. Construction of the Metro extension to be completed in 2026 will also ease air-city transfer.
5. For Dining and For Shopping:
Check out the capital’s broad range of foods like traditional Emirati cuisine served at Al Fanar Restaurant and the fine dining at Hakkasan Abu Dhabi which has a Michelin star. Be sure to visit shopping centers like The Galleria Al Maryah Island.
6. For Business Travelers:
Integrated meeting and incentive packages have attracted conferences East Europe and Asia, and are found at the newly built luxury hotels and convention centers in Abu Dhabi. These have been constructed to encourage and increase the Abu Dhabi business tourism.
Connecting Cultures and Opportunities
With the expansion of their flights and networks, Etihad stays true to their business of connecting cultures for the Abu Dhabi routes. Connecting North Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia, the routes also serve business tourists, entrepreneurs, students, and diaspora communities.
Abu Dhabi is also a green initiatives leader, which includes the newly opened Zayed Sustainability District, making Etihad sustainability focus a perfect match for Abu Dhabi. Eco-conscious travelers appreciate the responsible aviation and hospitality
Etihad Airways launches new Abu Dhabi–Tunis/Hanoi/Chiang Mai/Hong Kong routes, boosting UAE tourism and hospitality sector. The airline’s latest expansion strengthens Abu Dhabi’s role as a global travel hub, creating fresh opportunities for tourism growth and high-value hospitality across the Emirates and Asia.
Future Travel in the UAE
With the completion of Etihad’s network expansion at the end of 2025, the next chapter in the UAE’s tourism history begins. Abu Dhabi’s top-notch infrastructure, air connectivity, and growing hospitality portfolio allow the Emirate to position Abu Dhabi primarily for tourism, leisure, and business as the hotels and hospitality industry continue to grow in Abu Dhabi.
With Etihad seamlessly integrating their world-class innovation and hospitality to allow visitors to explore luxury Abu Dhabi, 2025 will allow visitors to explore 4 new innovative world corners, each of which is rich in history, culture, and adventure.
With the worldwide growth in travelling and the demand for comfort and ease of connection, 2025 will be the year when Etihad Airways serves travelling hospitality on a world scale.
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