Page 766 - MOE ENGLISH PR - MAY 2024

“For 2024, the forecast is set even higher, with an anticipated contribution of 12% to the
[UAE’s] GDP, equating to Dh236 billion,” he said.

The planned GCC Unified Tourist visa is expected to boost tourist numbers in the UAE
and other Gulf countries, industry leaders at the travel event said during discussions.

This visa will drive tourist numbers across the region as infrastructure is being ramped
up by countries.

Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development
Authority, Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Azzan Al Busaidi,
Undersecretary of Tourism at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in Oman, and Sarah
Buhijji, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority said inter-regional
initiatives will power the GCC tourism industry and take it to the next level.

It is important to strike the right balance between collaboration and competition between
destinations and nations, they said.

The speakers added that the travel industry should positively impact local businesses,
communities and ecosystems, contributing to the long-term sustainability of tourism
across the region.

The GCC, meanwhile, is investing in upgrading airports and cruise terminals, and the
new unified visa could be a game changer for the tourism ambitions of the region.

https://en.aletihad.ae/news/business/4484279/tourism-boom-continues--sector-to-contribute-
12--to-the-econ