Page 45 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT- NOVEMBER 2024

Press Release

Ministry of Economy participates in 122nd session of UNWTO

Executive Council in Colombia

H.E. Badreya Al Maidoor: The UAE continues its efforts to enhance the
sustainability of tourism sector growth

Abu Dhabi, November 17, 2024 - The Ministry of Economy (MoEc) participated in the 122nd
session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Executive Council in
Colombia, led by H.E. Badreya Al Maidoor, Assistant Undersecretary for Support Services at
the Ministry of Economy. The meeting was aimed at fostering cooperation among member states
to bolster the sustainability of the tourism sector at regional and global levels. It highlighted the
importance of implementing initiatives that offer unique and diverse tourism experiences across
various destinations.

H.E. Badreya Al Maidoor underlined the UAE's continued support for global endeavours aimed at
achieving sustainable tourism development and facilitating the exchange of best practices and
policies, particularly in light of the global climate and environmental changes. H.E. emphasised
the importance of embracing sustainable solutions, innovation, and technology in the tourism
sector, recognising their crucial role in preserving heritage and historical sites, as well as unique
tourism destinations. This approach is key to supporting the sector’s continuous development in
line with international best practices.

In her speech at the meeting, H.E. said: “The UAE continues to work, in cooperation with the
UNWTO, on the ‘Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism’ in line with
its vision to enhance the national tourism sector’s sustainability. The objective is to create an
attractive national tourism environment, offer top-notch tourism services, and develop state-of-
the-art infrastructure. This framework particularly seeks to enhance the aggregation of more
efficient and accurate tourism data through cutting-edge technology.”

“Global tourism is experiencing a robust revival since the start of this year, with the Middle East
region constantly achieving favourable growth results in various tourism domains. This provides
us with an ideal opportunity to adopt innovative approaches that drive the sector’s growth to new
heights of regional and global advancement and success,” H.E. added.

H.E. Al Maidoor emphasized the adaptability of the UAE tourism sector and its increasing role in
the country’s GDP growth. Also highlighted was the UAE’s commitment to sustainable practices
and promoting digital transformation in the tourism sector, along with ensuring the delivery of
superior services and offerings in the field.