UAE solidifies its role as a key player in global tourism sector

The United Arab Emirates has strengthened its role as a central player in the global tourism sector, cementing its position as a leading destination for international travel, events, and investment.

The UAE is set to observe World Tourism Day (today, 27th September), continuing its exceptional performance with record-breaking results across the sector. This success, which has earned praise from international bodies and visitors worldwide, reflects the superior quality of the UAE’s tourism model.

In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, said that the sector had achieved major milestones, including the launch of the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031 and the election of Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, as the first Emirati to hold the position of Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organisation for the 2026-2029 term.

The Minister noted that the UAE ranked among the top seven global destinations for international tourist spending. It also secured top worldwide positions in several travel and aviation competitive indicators, notably the Quality of Air Transport Infrastructure index.

He further pointed to the approval by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, of the designs for the new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport. The facility, set to be the world’s largest with a final capacity of 260 million passengers, carries a total cost of Dhs128 billion.

Bin Touq stated that the tourism sector’s contribution to the UAE’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose to Dhs257.3 billion in 2024, representing 13 per cent of the national economy. This marks a 3.2 percent increase from 2023 and a 26 per cent increase from the pre-pandemic levels of 2019.

The country welcomed international visitors primarily from key markets, including India (14 per cent), the United Kingdom (8 per cent), Russia (8 per cent), China (5 percent), and Saudi Arabia (5 per cent), with 60 per cent arriving from other global regions.

Total international visitor spending in the UAE reached Dhs217.3 billion in 2024, showing a 5.8 per cent growth over 2023 and a 30.4 per cent increase from 2019. Domestic tourism spending totalled Dhs57.6 billion last year, a 2.4 per cent increase from 2023 and a 41 per cent jump from 2019. Revenue from hotel establishments grew to nearly Dhs45 billion in 2024. The hotel occupancy rate climbed to 78 per cent, one of the highest regionally and globally. The number of hotel guests reached approximately 30.75 million in 2024, a 9.5 percent increase from 28.08 million in 2023, meeting about 77 per cent of the national target of 40 million guests annually.

Total passenger traffic through the UAE’s airports exceeded one billion between 2015 and 2024. The total number of aircraft movements (arrivals and departures) increased to over 6.4 million, while the number of international visitors rose from about 15 million in 2014 to over 29 million in 2024.

UAE airports handled approximately 102.9 million passengers in the first eight months of 2025, a 5.3 per cent growth compared to 97.9 million passengers during the same period in 2024.

Bin Touq also reported that tourism investments attracted by the UAE reached Dhs28.8 billion in 2023, rising to Dhs32.2 billion in 2024, with projections to hit Dhs35.2 billion in 2025.

The Minister confirmed that the UAE’s travel and tourism sector achieved robust growth in H1 2025. Hotel establishments hosted more than 16 million guests, a 5.5 percent growth compared to the same period in 2024. As of the end of H1 2025, the country has 1,243 hotel establishments with over 216,000 rooms. Sixteen new hotels entered the UAE market in 2024.

Hotel revenues increased to over Dhs26 billion in H1 2025, a 6.3 per cent growth compared to the same period last year.

Bin Touq projected that the number of hotel guests in the country would reach 33 million in 2025. Hotel revenues are expected to increase by 7 percent this year compared to Dhs45 billion in 2024, with UAE airports anticipated to handle approximately 160 million passengers due to airport expansions and the launch of new routes.

The minister further pointed out that the “World’s Coolest Winter” campaign, over its five editions, has yielded outstanding results in terms of hotel revenues in the country, which amounted to approximately Dhs6.7 billion. The campaign also recorded a significant 90 percent growth in hotel revenues, with revenues in the first edition reaching Dhs1 billion and Dhs1.9 billion in the fifth edition.

He emphasised that the campaign has succeeded over the past years in reaching more than 1.2 billion people around the world, highlighting the UAE’s landmarks and diverse destinations in a distinctive manner and introducing viewers in the region and the world to the country’s tourism and natural treasures.

WAM