Page 555 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025 (Part 1)

Shaikha Al Nowais: Tourism represents 10% of global economy, faces climate, technology

challenges
WAM
27th October 2025, 22:29 GMT+11

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 vital role in job creation,

supporting local businesses, increasing revenues for both the public and private sectors, and
advancing the economies of developing and developed countries alike.

In a related context, Al Nowais pointed out that the tourism industry is currently undergoing a

pivotal phase amid unprecedented global challenges, notably climate change, rapid technological

advancement, and geopolitical shifts.

https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/278658841/shaikha-al-nowais-tourism-represents-10-
of-global-economy-faces-climate-technology-challenges