Page 540 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025 (Part 1)

10/28/25, 10:33 AM Home | Emirates News Agency

Shaikha Al Nowais: Tourism represents 10% of global

economy, faces climate, technology challenges

Monday, October 27, 2025 3:29 PM2 minutes Reading

DUBAI, 27th October, 2025 (WAM) -- Shaikha Nasser Al

Nowais, Secretary-General Elect of the United Nations

World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) for the 2026–2029

term, revealed that the global tourism and travel sector

contributed US$10.9 trillion to the world’s GDP in 2024,

accounting for 10% of the global economy.

In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the

sidelines of the UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit

2025, which began today in Dubai, Al Nowais said that

this contribution is expected to continue rising to US$11.7

trillion in 2025, marking an increase of 6.7% over 2024

and 13% higher than 2019 levels.

Citing a report from the World Travel & Tourism Council

(WTTC), she noted that the sector grew by 8.5% in 2024

compared with 2023, and by 6% compared with 2019.

Al Nowais stressed that these figures reaffirm tourism’s

role as a key driver of sustainable economic growth,

highlighting it as one of the most dynamic sectors in

attracting both domestic and foreign investment.

She underlined that the strength of the sector lies in its

ability to deliver direct economic and social benefits to

destinations and host communities, while also playing a

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