Minister of Economy and Bahraini Minister of Tourism discuss strengthening of tourism cooperation

H.E. Bin Touq highlights UAE tourism sector’s outstanding achievements during the meeting

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, held a meeting with H.E. Fatima bint Jafar Al Sairafi, Bahraini Minister of Tourism, during which, the two ministers explored means to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of tourism. The meeting, which took place at the Ministry of Economy headquarters in Abu Dhabi, also discussed the need to facilitate constant dialogue and coordination in order to promote both UAE and Bahrain as a unified travel destination at local, regional and global levels, with equal focus on business and leisure tourism.

The meeting saw H.E. Bin Touq highlight the UAE’s vision and strategies for the development of the tourism sector, most notably the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031. The strategy aims to position the UAE as the best tourism destination in the world by driving the sector’s diversification and by capitalizing on the unique features of each of the seven emirates. Moreover, it seeks to increase tourism sector’s contribution to the national GDP to AED 450 billion; attract tourism investments worth AED 100 billion; and attract 40 million hotel guests by 2031. The strategy complements the country’s efforts to offer a safe and attractive tourism environment; outstanding and comprehensive tourism services; diverse and unique destinations; and advanced tourism infrastructure capabilities.

H.E. emphasized that the UAE-Bahrain relations are strong and are established on solid foundations of solidarity and shared visions. The Minister of Economy added that following its wise leadership’s directives, the UAE is keen to enhance bilateral cooperation with Bahrain in various fields, especially economy and tourism. He further noted the meeting’s importance as a valuable opportunity to advance joint efforts by the two countries in the field of tourism. It enhances the prospects for tourism promotion and the diversification of tourism programs, which in turn will boost tourism exchanges between the two countries, thus supporting the sector’s growth and sustainability in both countries.

Meanwhile, H.E. Fatima emphasized the Bahraini Ministry of Tourism’s commitment to strengthening cooperation and integration with the UAE through partnerships and meetings as the two countries continue to deepen cooperation in all fields.

H.E. Fatima stated that the UAE-Bahrain relations are known for being highly integrated on various levels, in line with the strategies and visions of both leaderships. H.E. also highlighted Bahrain’s desire to foster cooperation with the UAE in order to elevate tourism partnerships to new levels in the next stage.

During the meeting, H.E Bin Touq elaborated on the UAE’s tourism achievements, most notable of which is the country’s success in maintaining its position among the top 12 destinations in the world, and attracting over 10 million visitors yearly. In addition, the tourism sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP exceeded AED 177 billion, with the occupancy rate of its hospitality establishments among the highest globally at 72.8 per cent. The number of hotel guests in the first half of 2022 reached 12 million with a 42 per cent growth. Besides, the UAE was ranked first in the Middle East by the Global Tourism Competitiveness Index in 2021. In 2022, the country launched the third edition of the World’s Coolest Winter campaign, the largest of its kind that highlights diverse domestic tourism options across the UAE.

In 2021, the UAE welcomed over 75,000 Bahraini tourists to its hotel facilities, where they spent around 245,000 nights, while Bahrain hosted over 55,000 UAE tourists. There are currently 60 flights connecting the two countries per week, operated by national airlines.