The UAE’s tourism sector is expected to reach 12 percent of GDP this year, the country’s economy minister said.
His comments came during a speech at the Arabian Travel Market, Dubai’s largest tourism and hospitality exhibition which kicked off on Monday and is expected to run until May 12.
UAE Minister of Economy, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, said that tourism contributed an impressive 11.7 percent to GDP last year, amounting to AED220 billion ($59.89 billion). “For 2024, the forecast is set even higher, with an anticipated contribution of 12 percent to the [UAE’s] GDP, equating to AED236 billion ($64.25 billion),” he told attendees.
The tourism sector is projected to support over 833,000 jobs in the UAE by the end of 2024. Last year, it accounted for 809,000 jobs – equivalent to 12.3 percent of national employment.
Al Marri’s speech was followed by a panel discussion with several key figures including tourism ministers and CEOs from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain where they discussed ways to build on the success of regional tourism initiatives.
The panelists highlighted the importance of the upcoming GCC Unified Tourist Visa in facilitating travel across Gulf nations.
The unified visa will allow Gulf countries to market the region as a single destination, boosting accessibility for visitors and driving longer stays and higher spending, according to the panelists. They also stressed the key role of infrastructure investments like airports, cruise terminals, and the GCC Railway in improving connectivity.
The ministers committed to ensuring tourism positively impacts local communities while pursuing sustainable growth. Collaboration and cooperation between GCC destinations were cited as vital for leveraging their combined strengths and elevating the industry to new heights.
“While it’s clear that healthy competition will continue to play an important role in strengthening the GCC’s world-class tourism offering, it was also encouraging to hear how collaboration is enabling the region to become more than the sum of its parts in terms of attracting global travellers,” said ATM Exhibition Director ME, Danielle Curtis.
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