Diwali Promotions Spread Across Airlines, Hotels and Retailers

Diwali celebrations across the region this year are combining traditional festivities with travel promotions, cultural programming and heavy retail discounts, as airlines, city tourism bodies, hotels and e-commerce platforms roll out offerings timed to the festival that begins with Dhanteras on October 18. Events and special menus in Abu Dhabi, Diwali-themed service on Emirates flights to India from October 17 to 24, and large smartphone price cuts on Indian e-commerce sites are among the headline attractions for families and travellers.

Experience Abu Dhabi has organized a slate of family-friendly activities through October, including a Diwali Mela at Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi, themed menus at restaurants such as Zeera by BuddhaBar and a Festival of Lights program on Bab Al Nojoum Hudayriyat Island with traditional rangoli and diya decor on weekends. The city’s cultural calendar also features concerts by international and South Asian performers including Andre Rieu and Atif Aslam, major sporting events such as UFC 321 and UAE Warriors, and a new exhibition at Louvre Abu Dhabi titled Mamluks Legacy of an Empire, scheduled from September 17, 2025 to January 25, 2026.