Abu Dhabi opened the doors of ADIPEC 2025 on 3 November, welcoming more than 205,000 delegates, exhibitors and visitors from 160 countries to the four-day energy mega-event at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Oil-and-gas ministers, CEOs and investors used the first-day plenary to warn of investment shortfalls even as demand stays above 100 million bpd, with ADNOC CEO Sultan Al Jaber calling for USD 4 trillion per year in global energy spending.
From a mobility perspective, the conference is the UAE’s single largest corporate-travel generator outside the air-show cycle. Etihad has scheduled 42 extra wide-body flights and reopened two dormant remote stands, while Abu Dhabi Airports has set up a dedicated fast-track immigration lane for ADIPEC badge-holders. Hotels across the capital report 97 % occupancy, and ground-handlers have redeployed staff from Al Ain and Ras Al Khaimah to cope with arrivals peaks.
![ADIPEC 2025 kicks off in Abu Dhabi, drawing 160 + nations and triggering the region’s biggest business-travel week]()
New this year is a “smart lane” at ADNEC allowing badge-holders arriving on Etihad and EgyptAir to clear event registration at the airport, mirroring similar schemes at CES and Web Summit. For employers, this can cut on-site queueing by up to an hour and reduce driver-wait charges.
Travel-risk managers have also welcomed the UAE Cabinet’s temporary relaxation of multiple-entry visit-visa rules between 1 and 10 November, which lets ADIPEC participants leave and re-enter the country without extra fees – a boon to executives splitting time between Abu Dhabi meetings and COP30 precursor events in Dubai.
Industry analysts estimate that total visitor spending on hotels, F&B and local transport will top AED 3.4 billion, underlining how major trade shows amplify demand for short-notice visas, charter capacity and extended check-in hours at UAE immigration desks.
From a mobility perspective, the conference is the UAE’s single largest corporate-travel generator outside the air-show cycle. Etihad has scheduled 42 extra wide-body flights and reopened two dormant remote stands, while Abu Dhabi Airports has set up a dedicated fast-track immigration lane for ADIPEC badge-holders. Hotels across the capital report 97 % occupancy, and ground-handlers have redeployed staff from Al Ain and Ras Al Khaimah to cope with arrivals peaks.
New this year is a “smart lane” at ADNEC allowing badge-holders arriving on Etihad and EgyptAir to clear event registration at the airport, mirroring similar schemes at CES and Web Summit. For employers, this can cut on-site queueing by up to an hour and reduce driver-wait charges.
Travel-risk managers have also welcomed the UAE Cabinet’s temporary relaxation of multiple-entry visit-visa rules between 1 and 10 November, which lets ADIPEC participants leave and re-enter the country without extra fees – a boon to executives splitting time between Abu Dhabi meetings and COP30 precursor events in Dubai.
Industry analysts estimate that total visitor spending on hotels, F&B and local transport will top AED 3.4 billion, underlining how major trade shows amplify demand for short-notice visas, charter capacity and extended check-in hours at UAE immigration desks.
