UAE Solidifies Its Role As A Key Player In Global Tourism Sector Growth

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has solidified its status as a key player in global tourism, becoming a top destination for international travel and investment. As the UAE marks World Tourism Day on 27th September, it continues to achieve remarkable results in the sector. This success is attributed to the high standards of the UAE's tourism model, which has garnered international acclaim.

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, highlighted significant achievements in an interview with the Emirates News Agency (WAM). These include the launch of the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031 and Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais's election as Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organisation for 2026-2029.

The UAE ranks among the top seven global destinations for international tourist spending. It also excels in various travel and aviation indicators, particularly in air transport infrastructure quality. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum approved designs for a new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport. The facility will be the world's largest, accommodating 260 million passengers at a cost of AED128 billion.

In 2024, tourism contributed AED257.3 billion to the UAE’s GDP, accounting for 13 percent of the national economy. This represents a 3.2 percent increase from 2023 and a 26 percent rise from pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The country welcomed visitors mainly from India (14 percent), the UK (8 percent), Russia (8 percent), China (5 percent), and Saudi Arabia (5 percent).

Total international visitor spending reached AED217.3 billion in 2024, marking a 5.8 percent growth over 2023 and a 30.4 percent increase from 2019. Domestic tourism spending was AED57.6 billion last year, showing a 2.4 percent rise from 2023 and a substantial 41 percent jump from 2019.

Hotel revenue climbed to nearly AED45 billion in 2024, with occupancy rates reaching an impressive 78 percent globally. Approximately 30.75 million hotel guests were recorded in 2024, reflecting a significant increase from previous years.

Airport Traffic and Future Projections

The UAE's airports have seen over one billion passengers between 2015 and 2024, with aircraft movements surpassing 6.4 million during this period. International visitor numbers rose from about 15 million in 2014 to over 29 million in 2024.

In the first eight months of 2025 alone, UAE airports handled around 102.9 million passengers—a growth of over five percent compared to the same period in the previous year.

Investment and Future Prospects

The UAE attracted AED28.8 billion in tourism investments in 2023, increasing to AED32.2 billion in 2024 with projections reaching AED35.2 billion by next year. The Minister confirmed robust growth for H1 of this year with hotel establishments hosting over sixteen million guests—a rise of more than five percent compared to last year.

As of mid-2025, there are over twelve hundred hotel establishments offering more than two hundred thousand rooms across the country; sixteen new hotels opened last year alone.

Campaign Successes and Upcoming Events

The "World's Coolest Winter" campaign has significantly boosted hotel revenues across its five editions—reaching approximately AED6.7 billion overall—with an impressive ninety-percent growth rate since its inception.

This initiative successfully showcased UAE landmarks worldwide while introducing audiences globally to its diverse attractions through engaging content that reached over one point two billion people worldwide.

The UAE is set to host another major event—the UAE Africa Tourism Investment Summit—on October twenty-seventh next year as part of Dubai’s Future Hospitality Summit series featuring ministers from fifty-three African nations highlighting their trusted partnership role within this industry sector further cementing their position internationally within tourism investment circles alike!

With inputs from WAM