Page 577 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - MAY 2025 ( Part 2)

5/19/25, 1:47 PM Bin Touq meets with tourism ministers of Spain, Croatia to enhance prospects for cooperation in sector - www.lokmattimes.com
sustainability and competitiveness of the country's tourism sector over the next decade.

The strategy has established a set of national objectives, which include elevating the

UAE's status to become a leading global destination, increasing the sector's contribution

to the national GDP to AED 450 billion, attracting tourism investments worth AED 100

billion to the country's markets, and welcoming 40 million guests by the year 2031.

The Minister of Economy reviewed key performance indicators of the UAE tourism

sector, which include a total of AED 45 billion in hotel revenues in 2024 with a three per

cent year-over-year growth. The hotel occupancy rate in the country reached 78%,

which is among the highest regionally and globally. Additionally, 16 new hotels were

launched across the UAE in 2024, taking the total number of hotels to 1,251 by the end
of last year.

During his meeting with Rosario Sanchez Grau, Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism,
Bin Touq reviewed latest developments in the global tourism sector, the mechanisms to

enable sustainable growth, as well as enhancing cooperation in various tourism fields.

The two sides explored the potential for establishing new partnerships to increase

mutual tourism flows.

The number of Spanish tourists to the UAE reached 150,231 in 2024, representing an

increase of more than 14% compared to that of 2023. The number of flights between the

UAE and Spain amount to approximately 48 weekly services, operated by airlines of
both countries.

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