Emirates Tourism Council reviews initiatives aimed at developing the sector and enhancing awareness of hospitality & hotel management concepts among young people

Developments regarding the ‘UAE Grand Tours’ project and the ‘Summer Hospitality Camp’ initiative discussed

The Emirates Tourism Council held its second meeting of 2025, chaired by H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Council, and attended by directors general of local tourism authorities in the country. The meeting discussed several strategic topics related to enhancing the competitiveness of the tourism sector in the country, as well as increasing its contribution to the national GDP, in line with the objectives of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision.

During the meeting, H.E. Bin Touq stated that the UAE’s tourism sector continues to perform exceptionally, thanks to the wise leadership’s vision that has prioritized this sector in sustainable development plans. The adoption of forward-looking policies and strategies has established tourism as a key driver of national economic growth and a fundamental pillar in the transition to an innovative, flexible, knowledge-based economy.

The Minister of Economy reviewed the latest performance indicators of the sector for 2024, which include a 3 per cent year-over-year growth in hotel revenues, a rise in hotel occupancy rates to 78 per cent – one of the highest regionally and globally - as well as a 9.5 per cent growth in the number of hotel guests, alongside the addition of 16 new hotels to the sector.

H.E. explained that these growth figures reflect the success of the tourism strategies adopted by the country, and confirm the UAE's leadership in the sector at both regional and global levels. He added that the sector’s continued growth enhances the opportunities to achieve the goals of the National Tourism Strategy to attract 40 million hotel guests by 2031.

H.E. Abdullah bin Touq added: “The Emirates Tourism Council works in collaboration with our government and private sector partners, and we are keen to develop the national tourism ecosystem through more strategic initiatives and innovative projects, ensuring the sustainability of the sector, enhancing its competitiveness, improving the quality of tourism services, providing job opportunities for citizens, and promoting the national tourism identity.”

Several new tourism initiatives discussed

The meeting reviewed the latest developments regarding the ‘UAE Grand Tours’ project and the proposal to establish a specialized digital platform for tourism packages under this project. The initiative involves designing and developing UAE tours that extend up to 14 days, encompassing all emirates of the country, with year-round promotion, particularly in international tourism markets. This will be done in coordination with local tourism authorities and tour organizing companies. The project aims to highlight the UAE’s diverse tourism offerings and increase the length of visitor stays in the country, enabling them to explore all the destinations and attractions it has to offer. The tours will be designed to include family-friendly, cultural, and environmental tourism, in addition to adventure tourism.

In addition, the ‘Summer Hospitality Camp’ initiative aimed at school students was also reviewed, with the participation of approximately 40 entities from the private sector. This initiative aims to provide hands-on experience in the field of hospitality, develop professional skills among young people, and equip them with practical experience within various hotel departments. The objective is to increase awareness of the tourism sector and its importance to the UAE's GDP, develop a skilled Emirati workforce in the hospitality industry, enhance localization, and engage more young people in tourism professions.