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sector. The Middle East region is the only one that has seen growth in tourist numbers, reaching
122% in 2023 compared to 2019.

Abdullah Al Saleh, Deputy Minister of Economy, highlighted the importance of exploring the best
local and global practices in tourism development through the topics on its agenda, considering
them crucial pillars in the tourism sector. Al Saleh addressed key points that should be focused on,
including developing a distinguished digital infrastructure, creating opportunities for the private
sector for investment and expansion, and continuously updating governmental policies and
strategies.

He described the tourism sector as one of the most important developmental drivers for the
national economy, citing notable achievements of the UAE where it ranked first regionally in the
Tourism and Travel Competitiveness Index and sixth globally as the largest market in tourism
revenue, reaching AED191 billion in 2023. He also mentioned the increase in hotel guests in the
country, reaching 15.3 million during the first six months of the current year.

Abdullah Al Saleh revealed that the UAE is currently collaborating with the United Nations World
Tourism Organisation to implement a pilot project to measure sustainable tourism in the UAE,
aiming to measure the economic impact of the tourism sector and assess its environmental,
cultural, and social impacts. This underscores the country's efforts to support sustainable tourism,
along with education and human resource development in the tourism sector by applying the best
international practices to integrate tourism into educational curricula.
Basmah Al Mayman, Regional Director of the Middle East at UN Tourism, presented a visual
presentation during the forum focusing on the organissation's role in innovation, digital capabilities,
and their reflection in the tourism sector, as well as the role of artificial intelligence in shaping the
future of smart tourism worldwide and in the Middle East region.

During her presentation, Al Mayman shared some global tourism data from the past two years
according to the UNWTO tourism scale. This included an influx of 1.3 billion international tourists, a
9.1% contribution of the tourism sector to the global GDP, and tourism exports reaching $1.7
trillion. These figures reflect the recovery of the tourism sector post-COVID-19 pandemic. In terms
of job opportunities, statistics indicated the creation of 27 million new jobs in the tourism sector in
2023.

During the forum's opening session, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi witnessed a session titled
"Tourism in the Digital Transformation Era," where both Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, the CEO of the
Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), and Basma Al Maiman, the Regional
Director for the Middle East at the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, spoke about the role
of digital technologies in reshaping the tourism sector.

After the session's conclusion, Sheikh Sultan then toured the exhibition halls accompanying the
forum, where various government and private entities specialized in the tourism and travel sector
were participating. During his tour, he familiarised himself with their prominent contributions and
the services they offer that enhance the tourism and travel sectors in the UAE and Sharjah
specifically.

https://www.wam.ae/article/b6dgsx0-sultan-bin-ahmed-witnesses-launch-11th-sittf