UAE participates in Arab Tourism Ministerial Council meeting in Qatar to enhance prospects for tourism cooperation

H.E. Bin Touq underlines the importance of focusing on sustainability in tourism sector’s development

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, represented the UAE at the 26th Ordinary Session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism, held in Doha, Qatar, with an aim to enhance prospects for tourism cooperation. The meeting discussed a set of shared tourism goals and themes that support sustainable economic development.

In his speech during the meeting, H.E. bin Touq said: "The tourism sector has played a significant and tangible role in driving the Arab region’s recovery from the pandemic’s impact. According to World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) indicators, the Middle East region has achieved a growth of up to 20 per cent in the number of tourists compared to that of 2019 levels, thanks to the growing demand for tourism in the region. This underscores the importance of this key sector in promoting the growth and sustainability of Arab economies, especially in light of the major events hosted by the Middle East, which revitalized both intra-Arab and international tourism flows. "

He added: "The Arab Tourism Ministerial Council meeting is the most prominent platform for discussing shared tourism objectives and topics that are of great significance and priority to our region. It contributes to the development of new strategies needed to maintain the growth of Arab tourism sector and make it more sustainable and prosperous. The meeting delved into a set of priority tourism topics for the Arab countries."

He continued: "The UAE is keen to support joint efforts to develop the tourism sector at the regional level, promote cooperation in this regard, and exchange experiences and best practices.”

Key axes to promote Arab tourism efforts

H.E. Bin Touq reviewed a series of themes that could contribute to accelerating joint tourism development efforts by the Arab countries. These include:

• Stimulating investment in sustainable tourism projects that balance economic growth and environmental protection.
• Capitalizing on tourism components to further develop Arab destinations in an integrated and coordinated manner to ensure a more inclusive and diverse tourism sector.
• Localization of technology in the Arab tourism sector through reliance on advanced technologies, digital applications, and AI in the development of tourism infrastructure and other diverse projects.
• Focusing on sustainability, environment conservation, and the development of competitive regulations as sustainability is crucial for the development of future sectors that support national economies.

Highlighting the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031

H.E. Bin Touq emphasized that the UAE, thanks to the guidance of its wise leadership, has a leading tourism experience, built on global best practices. The country has introduced the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, aimed at boosting the development of the national tourism sector through four key pillars: enhancing the national tourism identity, developing and diversifying specialized tourism products, building tourism capabilities, encouraging the entry of national talent into the tourism sector, and increasing investments in various tourism sectors.

Moreover, the Minister of Economy highlighted the key indicators and numbers that confirm the continuing growth of the UAE tourism sector. These include hotel establishment revenues of AED 26 billion during the first seven months of 2023, marking a 24 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. The hotel occupancy rate in the UAE has reached 75 per cent during this period, up 5 per cent from the previous year. The sector is expected to generate revenues of AED 150 billion in 2023, with 62.79 million passengers passing through the UAE's airports in the first half of the year, reflecting a 46 percent growth compared to the same period last year.

Sustainability: A key factor in promoting tourism development

H.E. Bin Touq said: “Sustainability in the tourism sector is key to enhancing its sustainable growth in the upcoming period. I emphasize the importance of cooperation, supportive initiatives and events in achieving the sector’s sustainable development goals.”

Impact of COP28 on promoting sustainability in the tourism industry regionally and globally

In addition, H.E. highlighted the UAE’s recent hosting of the global climate conference COP28 and its key role in advancing sustainability in the tourism sector, globally. The conference saw the incorporation of the Glasgow Climate Pact for the tourism industry into the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as one of the initiatives of the global climate action agenda.

H.E Bin Touq further explained that the conference played a significant role in facilitating the exchange of best practices and experiences in the tourism industry, discussing ways to reduce carbon emissions in the aviation sector, and promoting the use of sustainable fuel. He emphasized the importance of leveraging COP28’s success to enhance Arab cooperation and focus on the opportunities that support the leadership and growth of the region’s tourism sector.

The Minister of Economy emphasized that the UAE is one of the leading countries regionally and globally in the adoption of sustainability in the tourism sector and supporting the shift towards a greener and more sustainable aviation industry by using low-carbon aviation fuel. The country has set a goal to produce 700 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) annually by 2030, as part of its national roadmap to reduce carbon emissions in the aviation field.

Additionally, H.E. highlighted the significant progress made by the global tourism sector, which is on track to reach pre-pandemic levels by 2024, despite global economic challenges. According to UNWTO, global tourism has already reached 87 per cent of pre-pandemic levels from January to July 2023, compared to that of 2019, driven by the sustained growth in demand in the third quarter of 2023.