UAE brand ambassadors in Hollywood and Bollywood over the years

David Hasselhoff, best known for his role as lifeguard Mitch Buchannon on a 1990s TV show Baywatchis the face of Aquaventure's latest campaign.

The actor will appear in videos in the coming months at Atlantis' water park, The Palm.

He'll be seen pulling together some of the most famous water park rides, performing relatively unorthodox lifeguard drills along Atlantis Beach, and getting caught in the queue at the canteen or dry cleaners.

As we have grown and evolved over the years, we knew it was time to shake things up with an epic campaign that screams fun, said Karim Bidri, Marketing Director at Atlantis, The Palm.

We wanted this campaign to transcend generations, so we reinforced the nostalgia by bringing in The Hoff himself. Because, let's face it, who doesn't love an icon from the 1990s?

Hasselhoff is not the only international celebrity to become a UAE ambassador or feature in a tourism campaign. Here's a look at the other famous faces who've done it too.

Ryan Reynolds

In April, the dead Pool The star was announced as the new head of Yas Island Abu Dhabi, taking over the role from Jason Momoa, who took over last year from comedian Kevin Hart.

Responsible for promoting the destination to an international audience, Reynolds was revealed as the mysterious skydiving celebrity who appeared in a new teaser campaign for the destination.

In the clip, Reynolds appears to skydive onto Abu Dhabi Island.

“Welcome Ryan,” read the lights at the W Abu Dhabi Hotel, the star’s intended landing spot. But in what appears to be a classic Reynolds comedy, the actor misses the mark and lands on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix circuit.

I've been an actor, a producer, a Welsh football club owner and I could go on. So I will,” Reynolds says.

The rest of his speech is drowned out by the roar of F1 cars as they race around Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit, including a part where he says it is his “mission to create the first ever Yas Island … [inaudible]”, which will inevitably leave viewers wondering what awaits them at their destination.

Shaquille O'Neal

The former NBA star had recently appeared in a summer campaign video for Experience Abu Dhabi to help promote Yas Island during the summer. In it, Shaq sings the Miami Band's hit song in Arabic. AACHAWbefore inviting people to visit the Yas Island website.

Man, this song really sticks. You know what else stays forever? Vacation on Yas Island, he says in the short clip before speaking in Arabic.

Oprah Winfrey

The American host and talk show personality has joined the latest campaign for DCT Abu Dhabi. Called Be moved in a thousand waysthe video is presented and narrated by Winfrey, and shares the message of the transformative power of culture to unite, inspire and open minds.

Other contributors to the campaign video include artists Mohammed Ibrahim, Najat Makki and Afra Al Dhaheri, actor Idris Elba, musician William and pianist Lang Lang.

Penelope Cruz

The Oscar-winning actress and philanthropist was an ambassador for Emirates Airline last year.

In campaigns aired in English and Cruz's native Spanish, he was shown luxury products exclusive to Emirates' first and business class passengers, such as the A380 onboard lounge and shower in flight.

From one hotel room to another, says the Vicky Cristina Barcelona star as she settles into one of Emirates' groundbreaking first-class suites.

The campaign also showed Cruz settling in for a nap on a lying bed, wearing the Emirates' Hydra-Active Moisturizing Pajamas offered to high-end travelers.

“I’m thrilled to partner with Emirates after years of traveling with them on some of the most special trips of my life,” Cruz said.

Cruz succeeds Gerry the Goose, new Emirates ambassador, who also chose to fly better by abandoning his migratory flock and traveling with the Dubai airline in 2022. The feathered star was played by the actor British Michael Cronin doing his best, Sir David Attenborough. imitation.

Jessica Alba and Zac Efron

Alba and Efron starred in several Dubai Tourism cinema campaign videos set in the city. THE Dubai presents the series includes A whole new youin which a future version of Efron travels back in time to the present in an attempt to improve himself, and An unforgettable romancewhich riffs on a romantic-meets-cute comedy.

The videos show Hollywood stars venturing into the desert, visiting Deira's souks, skydiving, enjoying abra trips and dining at the Jumeirah Al Qasr Hotel. The pieces are all directed by CruelIt's Craig Gillespie.

Shah Rukh Khan

Bollywood hero Khan's campaign for Dubai tourism was launched in 2016. My name is Khan The star showcased the best of Dubai through the six-video series #BeMyGuest.

In the final video, the star receives a mysterious box. He follows a set of clues around the emirate to solve a puzzle. He eventually does and, in the last scene, walks on a beach before spotting Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow.

He places the box in front of her while she asks: What is this? He simply responds: Be my guest. Then he walks away.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Goop founder Paltrow succeeds Khan in the A story takes flight film and campaign, which also stars Kate Hudson and Zoe Saldana.

The actresses embark on three exploratory journeys across the emirate filled with inspiration, discovery and human connection, according to Dubai Tourism.

In the film, directed by Emmy winner Reed Morano, Paltrow explores souks, tries water sports and dances at a nightclub. Hudson, meanwhile, is in old Dubai, by the creek at sunset and doing karaoke; while Saldana is in the desert with her children, exploring City Walk, visiting the Dubai Frame and riding a motorbike towards the Burj Khalifa.

Nicole Kidman

In 2015, Australian actress Kidman was introduced as the new face of Etihad Airways.

She starred in a five-minute film for the brand, titled Reimaginewhich gave viewers a glimpse of the airline's Airbus A380 as it tours the aircraft during a flight between New York and Abu Dhabi.

Speaking about the campaign, Kidman said: “The film is the culmination of Etihad's vision to tell the airline's story in a hugely innovative way and a commitment to engaging with audiences as a airline has never tried before. It was a great challenge but one that definitely paid off and it was great to be part of such an exciting project.

Jennifer Aniston

Friends Star Aniston starred in an Emirates campaign in 2015. In the ad, Aniston finds a child in her first class cabin, then walks through the rest of the plane to find the boy's parents in economy class.

In a second campaign, she plays a bewildered American airline passenger, wearing a bathrobe and clutching a loofah and a bag of toiletries, who asks flight attendants where she can find the shower.

The attendants tell him there is no shower or bar and offer him hot towels and nuts. It's not an Emirates plane, ma'am, they say.

In the next scene, Aniston wakes up in her private suite in an Emirates first class cabin and realizes the whole episode was a nightmare. The slogan of the advert is: Wake up to flying the way it should be.

John Cena

The popular former wrestler and actor starred in a Visit Abu Dhabi advert in October 2021, in which he takes a last-minute detour to the UAE capital after reading about the city in a magazine , while sitting on a private jet.

Let's go to Abu Dhabi instead, Cena tells the pilot in the video. Drop me off!

Sir, I've been there before, I should change my flight path, replies the stressed captain.

Cena takes matters into his own hands and, wearing a parachute and goggles, he opens the jet door and jumps out, shouting, “It's time, Mike.”

Kevin Hart

Hart has been appointed Yas Island's first chief officer in 2022, with the American comedian promising to improve the destination's many attractions.

Here's Yas Island's first chief officer in a white Ferrari thinking he's big trouble, the Voice of the Stars has said, as footage shows him speeding through the streets of Yas in the supercar. Guess what, it's a big deal.

The World's Most Fun Island hired me, Kevin Hart, to make everything homogenous here. We're going big on K-everything, because going big is my middle name. Actually, it's Darnell, but that doesn't matter.

The video also shows Hart enjoying several of the destination's attractions, including Warner Bros World, Yas Waterpark, Ferrari World, Clymb Abu Dhabi and Yas Links Golf Course.

Jason Momoa

Momoa succeeded Hart as leader of Yas Island in 2023.

THE Aquaman The star kicked off his time in Abu Dhabi by paddleboarding towards Yas Island, with the five-star W Abu Dhabi Yas Island Hotel and a setting sun behind him.

Since then, he has enjoyed some of the island's attractions including Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi, Ferrari World and Yas Marina Circuit.

There comes a time when you discover your calling, when you realize your destiny, and when you know that your whole life has led to this ridiculously awesome job, Momoa says in the campaign video. They made me island leader of Yas Island Abu Dhabi, so now I'm making sure everyone experiences it the way I do, Jason Momoa.

Updated: June 15, 2024, 12:29 p.m.