Ministry of Economy signs agreement with UN Tourism to develop digital platform aimed at supporting the organization’s digital transformation and enhancing communication among member states

Bin Touq participates in 121st Executive Meeting of UN Tourism, reviews UAE’s efforts in developing tourism sector

>> Bin Touq: The UAE continues to excel in tourism, achieving a hotel occupancy rate of 81 per cent, one of the highest globally. The agreement is a crucial step in promoting the localization of advanced technology and digital transformation in the tourism sector.

• The country hosted over 7.7 million hotel guests across its 213,000 hotel rooms during the first quarter of 2024, witnessing a 5 per cent increase from the same period last year.
• The platform will provide innovative services, including electronic voting and digital registration for UN Tourism events.
• We expect that the tourism sector in the region will maintain its exceptional performance in terms of indicators and outcomes, particularly with the introduction of innovative tourism projects and initiatives, such as the 'Unified Gulf Visa' program.

His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Head of the Emirates Tourism Council, today participated in the 121st meeting of the Executive Council of the UN Tourism, hosted by Barcelona. The meeting focused on understanding the latest global trends in international tourism and exploring opportunities for cooperation across various sectors and tourism activities among member states.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Ministry of Economy signed a cooperation agreement with UN Tourism to develop a digital platform aimed at supporting the digital transformation of the tourism sector and enhancing communication between member states during the organization’s meetings. Additionally, it will offer advanced services such as electronic voting and digital registration at the organization’s events.

HE Bin Touq emphasized that the UAE, under the guidance of its wise leadership, is committed to strengthening cooperation and building productive partnerships with international tourism organizations and institutions. The UAE aims to share best practices across various sectors and tourism activities, enhance its position as a leading global tourism destination, and support sustainable tourism development both regionally and internationally. His Excellency noted that agreement with the UN Tourism represents a crucial step in promoting the localization of advanced technologies and digital transformation within the tourism sector and fostering innovative ideas that support digital communication among member states, leveraging the UAE’s expertise in digital platform development according to best practices.

During the meeting, Bin Touq reiterated the UAE’s commitment to advancing and expanding the tourism sector in line with the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031. This strategy’s primary goal is to boost the tourism sector’s contribution to the national GDP to AED 450 billion. Additionally, it aims to attract AED 100 billion in new investments into the UAE’s tourism sector and to welcome 40 million hotel guests over the next decade.

H.E. further highlighted that the UAE’s tourism sector experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2024. During this period, the country hosted over 7.7 million hotel guests across its 213,000 hotel rooms, witnessing a 5 per cent increase from the same period in 2023. Additionally, the hotel occupancy rate reached an impressive 81 per cent, one of the highest among top tourist destinations globally.

During his speech, H.E. Bin Touq discussed the remarkable accomplishments of the UAE's tourism sector in recent years, transforming it into a vital contributor to the growth and sustainability of the national economy. One remarkable achievement is the sector's significant contribution to the GDP, which reached 11.7 per cent in 2023, totaling AED 220 billion. This represents a remarkable growth of 26 per cent compared to 2022 and a 14 per cent increase from levels in 2019. Moreover, the UAE has been ranked first in the region and 18th globally in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024, climbing seven places from its 25th global ranking in 2019.

H.E. Bin Touq said: “We expect remarkable growth in the UAE’s tourism sector in 2024. This surge is driven by the country's ongoing efforts to develop the sector, enhance its enablers and competitiveness, and provide state-of-the-art infrastructure that adheres to international standards, thereby ensuring the highest quality of tourism products and services. With a rich diversity of cultures and a wide range of tourist destinations, the UAE offers a unique experience to visitors and tourists from around the globe.”

His Excellency predicted that the tourism sector in the region will maintain its exceptional performance in terms of indicators and outcomes in the next stage. This is particularly attributed to the introduction of innovative tourism projects, strategies, and initiatives, including the implementation of the unified Gulf visa, which will be implemented next year. This initiative aims to establish a unified tourism route connecting the GCC countries, providing travelers multiple options to plan their trips within the region.