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Press Release

UAE tops MENA region and climbs seven places globally in WEF’s

Tourism & Travel Development Index 2024

H.E. Bin Touq: Thanks to the directives of the country’s wise leadership, UAE
tourism continues to excel at regional & international levels

Abu Dhabi, May 27, 2024:

The UAE has been ranked first in the region and 18th globally in the World Economic Forum’s
Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024, climbing seven places from its 25th global
ranking in 2019.

H.E. Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism
Council, emphasized that the UAE tourism, thanks to the forward-looking vision and directives of
the country’s wise leadership, continues to excel at the regional and international levels, achieving
outstanding results that reflect the country's leading position in the global tourism and travel
landscape. These accomplishments contribute significantly to achieving the targets of the UAE
Tourism Strategy 2031, which aims to further the country’s position as the best tourist destination
in the world by the next decade.

H.E. said: “We expect our national tourism sector to continue its growth in 2024 in light of the
pioneering tourism projects and initiatives that are being implemented by the country. This will be
further supported by the UAE’s sophisticated infrastructure built in accordance with global best
practices and outstanding tourism products and services that provide a unique experience for
visitors and tourists from around the world.” H.E. added that the national efforts to formulate
resilient tourism policies and enhance the sector's contribution to the national GDP are continuing
in line with ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision.

H.E. Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC),
commended the success of the UAE in strengthening its position on the global tourism map as one
of the most attractive and safe travel destinations. This is the result of the implementation of an
effective and comprehensive strategy by the UAE under the directives of its wise leadership to
enhance economic diversification, she said.

She added: “The latest results of the Index underscore the UAE’s success in maintaining
competitiveness in the national tourism sector, given its status as a key pillar of the future economy.

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