Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Council, announced that hotel establishment revenues in the country surpassed Dhs26 billion in the first half of this year, marking a 6.3 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

He added that hotel occupancy rate hit 80.5 per cent during the first six months, reflecting sustained growth in this vital sector, the concerted efforts of the public and private sectors, and supporting the objectives of the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, which aims to raise the sector’s contribution to the national economy to Dhs450 billion by the next decade.

He made this announcement while chairing the Emirates Tourism Council’s third meeting of 2025. The meeting was attended by the chairpersons and directors general of the local tourism authorities across the UAE.

During the meeting, Bin Touq affirmed that the UAE’s tourism sector continues to perform exceptionally under the guidance of the wise leadership, which prioritises its development as a strategic driver of non-oil GDP growth and a key pillar in the transition to a new economic model.

He added, “Through the Emirates Tourism Council, we continue our efforts to promote sustainable tourism development in the country by fostering effective partnerships between the public and private sectors and launching innovative initiatives and projects. These efforts not only drive tourism growth but also create exceptional travel experiences, offer unique opportunities to Emirati talents, and strengthen our national tourism identity on the global stage.” The meeting reviewed a range of tourism initiatives and projects in the pipeline aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the UAE’s tourism sector in the coming period. It also discussed mechanisms for implementing these initiatives and the importance of coordination between the country’s tourism authorities and the private sector to ensure the achievement of all related objectives. The meeting also followed up the recommendations issued during the previous meeting, assessing the progress made so far.

Furthermore, the meeting reviewed the UAE’s preparations to host the ‘UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit’ on October 27, as part of the ‘Future Hospitality Summit’ (FHS World) with the participation of tourism ministers and senior officials from 53 African countries.

The summit will serve as a key platform to strengthen strategic partnerships and explore joint investment opportunities in tourism infrastructure, sustainable hospitality, and the development of specialised tourism products. It will also highlight the UAE’s position as a trusted partner in tourism investment, reinforcing its role in connecting African and global markets.

The Council was briefed on tourism plans and programmes presented by local authorities across the UAE, which highlighted achievements from the first nine months of the year. It also reviewed development plans for 2026, including initiatives designed to further reinforce the UAE’s status as a leading regional and global tourism destination.

In April, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri highlighted the continued growth and robust performance of the UAE’s tourism sector. He attributed this growth to the wise leadership’s directives and forward-looking vision, which led to the development of sustainable policies, strategies, and initiatives that drive the sector’s progress.

Tourism remains a key pillar in strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of the national economy, supporting the country’s transition toward an economy driven by knowledge and innovation, he noted.

Minister Al Marri said that hotel revenues in the UAE reached approximately Dhs45 billion in 2024, reflecting a 3 percent year-over-year growth. Hotel occupancy rates also climbed to 78 per cent last year, ranking among the highest both regionally and globally.

This growth was supported by the opening of 16 new hotels across the seven emirates in 2024, taking the total number of hotels in the country to 1,251 by the end of the year. In addition, the number of hotel rooms also grew, reaching 216,966 by the end of 2024, up 3 percent.

Bin Touq added, “The UAE continues to advance its national efforts to develop innovative tourism initiatives and projects, while strengthening collaboration with all relevant local and international tourism bodies. These efforts aim to elevate the UAE’s status as the best tourism identity globally by the next decade, offering world-class experiences that further enhance the country’s appeal to visitors from around the world. We are also focused on diversifying special interest tourism offerings, building the sector’s capacities, fostering the participation of Emirati talent, and driving greater investment across all areas of the tourism ecosystem.”

He noted that the number of hotel guests across the UAE reached approximately 30.8 million in 2024, reflecting a 9.5 percent growth. This milestone represents 77 percent of the hotel guest target set by the ‘National Tourism Strategy 2031’ - achieved seven years ahead of schedule.

“With the current growth trajectory, we are well on track to achieving the strategy’s ambitious goal of attracting 40 million hotel guests,” Bin Touq said.

Content Sourced from gulftoday.ae/business