Emirates Tourism Council launches Tourism Charter to unify national efforts to boost the sector’s sustainable growth

H.E. Bin Touq: The Charter marks a crucial milestone in boosting the leadership and competitiveness of UAE tourism at regional and global levels

The Emirates Tourism Council launched the ‘National Tourism Charter,’ a key component of the National Tourism Strategy 2031. The initiative aims to coordinate national efforts to boost the UAE tourism industry’s sustainable growth and enhance its competitiveness at global and regional levels. It will help establish the country as a prominent player in the global travel and tourism landscape and foster collaboration among the seven emirates to enhance tourism destinations and products.

The launch took place during an event held alongside the second meeting of the Emirates Tourism Council for 2024, chaired by H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Council, with the participation of directors and general managers of local tourism authorities in the country.

H.E. Bin Touq emphasized that the UAE, under the guidance of its wise leadership, places significant emphasis on enhancing and nurturing the tourism sector in line with highest international standards, which has solidified the country’s status as a thriving global tourism hub.

H.E. said: “The launch of the National Tourism Charter marks a significant new milestone in boosting the regional and global leadership and competitiveness of UAE tourism. It will enhance collaboration and synergy among the seven emirates in further developing tourism destinations and products, facilitating collective endeavors to generate fresh opportunities and potentials that drive the sector’s growth and prosperity. Additionally, it seeks to encourage investments in diverse tourism activities in line with the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision.

Boosting sustainability of the tourism Sector

H.E. Bin Touq added: “The National Tourism Charter is built upon six core principles: economic development, Emirati values, environmental sustainability, cooperation, innovation, and interdependence. These principles collectively aim to create an appealing and secure national tourism environment, offer top-notch integrated services, and enhance the diversity of the national economy.”

The Minister of Economy added that the Emirates Tourism Council will swiftly work towards realizing the charter's goals and principles in collaboration with all relevant tourism bodies and private sector entities in the country.

Increasing Emiratization rates in the tourism sector

H.E. Bin Touq said: “The National Tourism Charter reinforces the UAE’s commitment to increasing Emiratization in tourism industry in collaboration with relevant bodies by creating job opportunities for UAE citizens across diverse tourism activities and sectors. It also aims to foster unity and synergy among the seven emirates in developing tourism destinations and products and generating opportunities and resources that fuel sustainable growth in the UAE's tourism sector.”

Supporting the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031

H.E. explained that the National Tourism Charter is geared towards achieving the goals set by the UAE’s National Tourism Strategy 2031. The goals are: boosting the UAE's reputation as a premier global tourism hub, cementing its position as a top tourism destination, increasing the sector's contribution to the national GDP to AED 450 billion, attracting fresh investments totaling AED 100 billion to the national tourism industry, and drawing in 40 million hotel guests by the next decade.

Strategic partners of the National Tourism Charter

The strategic partners of the initiative include Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia, Anantara Resorts, Umm Al Quwain Beach Hotel, HYM Investments, Al Hamra Group, Rotana Hotels Group, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority ‘Shurooq’, Emaar Hospitality Group, Jumeirah Group, and InterContinental Hotels and Resorts Group in the Middle East, Africa, and India region.

Groundbreaking Achievements in the UAE’s Tourism Sector

During the meeting, H.E. Bin Touq highlighted a series of remarkable accomplishments made by the UAE tourism industry. These include a surge in hotel revenues across the country to AED 43.5 billion in 2023, marking a 15 per cent growth from 2022. Additionally, the number of guests in the UAE hotels reached 28 million in 2023, up 11 percent from 2022, with a total of 97.3 million hotel nights. The hotel occupancy rate also peaked at 75.4 per cent in 2023, surpassing the 71.2 per cent recorded in 2022, making it one of the highest globally.

Promoting national tourism identity at international exhibitions

The latest Emirates Tourism Council meeting also discussed the promotion of the national tourism identity at international exhibitions and conferences. These include participation in key events such as ITB Berlin and the Arabian Travel Market, in collaboration with local tourism authorities. The meeting also discussed the progress in implementing the recommendations from the previous council meeting.

Formation of a national team for enhancing tourism data

During the meeting, the Council approved the formation of a national team dedicated to enhancing tourism data and statistics within the country. This initiative involves crafting diverse programs and plans, identifying and utilizing tourism data sources, overseeing the implementation of the Tourism Satellite Account project, and collaboration between federal and local entities to establish a unified digital national database specifically for tourism data.

Review of ‘World's Coolest Winter’ Campaign results

The Emirates Tourism Council assessed the results and achievements of the 4^th edition of the ‘World's Coolest Winter’ campaign, which commenced on January 9, 2024, under the theme ‘Unforgettable Stories’. The primary goal was to boost domestic tourism nationwide and allure tourists from around the globe to experience winter in the UAE. The country's allure lies in a blend of its exceptional climate, key entertainment, cultural, and natural attractions, and diverse environmental, sports, and recreational activities.