Emirates Tourism Council reviews progress made in the achievement of UAE Tourism Strategy 2031

Third Council meeting takes place on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market 2024 in Dubai

 The Emirates Tourism Council held its third meeting for the year 2024, chaired by H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Head of the Council, and attended by chairpersons and directors of all local tourism entities in the country. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market 2024 held in Dubai from 6 to 9 May. It discussed an array of topics, including latest updates on the implementation of the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031 and the recommendations put forth during the Council’s previous meeting.

Addressing the meeting, H.E. Bin Touq said that the UAEs tourism sector is witnessing a new phase of growth and prosperity as reflected by various performance indicators and record-breaking results that have solidified the country's position in the global tourism landscape. The sector witnessed a significant 26 per cent growth in 2023 compared to that of 2022, surpassing the levels achieved in 2019 by 14 per cent. As a result, it contributed approximately AED 220 billion to the national gross domestic product (GDP), accounting for 11.7 per cent of it. Citing the recent report from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), H.E. said that the sector's contribution to the national economy is expected to go up further in 2024 to reach AED 236 billion, contributing 12 per cent to the GDP.

 The Minister of Economy added: "Under the wise leadership’s directives, the UAE's tourism industry is experiencing significant growth and diversification. The sector’s AED 220 billion contribution to the national economy takes us halfway towards the achievement of the goal set by the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031. Our ultimate goal is to increase the sector's contribution to the country's GDP to AED 450 billion by 2031."

H.E. explained that the total number of guests in hotel establishments across the seven emirates reached 28 million in 2023, up 11 per cent from 2022. It also signifies the steady progress towards achieving the strategic goal of attracting 40 million guests to the country's hotels by the next decade.

The tourism sector played a significant role in generating 809,000 job opportunities across various tourism activities and fields in the country in 2023. This accounted for approximately 12.3 per cent of the total labour market, with a 5 per cent year-over-year growth and more than 11.4 per cent growth compared to that of 2019. Projections indicate that the number of job opportunities will increase to 833,000 in 2024. Currently, there are 1,235 hotels in the country providing a total of 210,000 rooms for guests and visitors.

The WTTC report revealed that the UAE’s tourism industry achieved remarkable results in 2023, confirming a full recovery from the pandemic’s impact. Local visitor spending in 2023 reached over AED 55.5 billion, marking an impressive growth of nearly 40 per cent compared to 2019. Meanwhile, international visitor spending surged by nearly 40 per cent last year, surpassing 2019 levels by 12 per cent to exceed AED 175 billion.

H.E. continued: "Our efforts to promote the sustainable development of the national tourism sector and enhance its contribution to the growth and diversification of the national economy are continuing. These efforts aim to create job opportunities and enhance overall development. Through the Emirates Tourism Council and its Hospitality Advisory Committee, initiatives and programs will be launched to effectively highlight the diversity of UAE's tourism offerings and strengthen global confidence in it. The goal is to establish the UAE as a premier global tourism destination and solidify the national tourism identity, ultimately creating a sustainable tourism sector in line with the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision.

The latest Council meeting reviewed the recommendations put forth during the first meeting of the Hospitality Advisory Committee, which took place in April last year. These recommendations highlight the significance of capitalizing on the opportunities within the UAE's hospitality sector to support the sustainable development of the tourism sector. Additionally, they emphasize the need for collaborative efforts to bolster the country's attraction for foreign investments in this vital field.