Page 242 - MOET PR REPORT- SEPTEMBER 2025

9/29/25, 5:04 PM UAE solidifies its role as a key player in global tourism sector
UAE airports handled approximately 102.9 million passengers in the first eight months of 2025,
a 5.3 per cent growth compared to 97.9 million passengers during the same period in 2024.

Bin Touq also reported that tourism investments attracted by the UAE reached Dhs28.8 billion in
2023, rising to Dhs32.2 billion in 2024, with projections to hit Dhs35.2 billion in 2025.

The Minister confirmed that the UAE’s travel and tourism sector achieved robust growth in H1
2025. Hotel establishments hosted more than 16 million guests, a 5.5 percent growth compared

to the same period in 2024. As of the end of H1 2025, the country has 1,243 hotel
establishments with over 216,000 rooms. Sixteen new hotels entered the UAE market in 2024.

Hotel revenues increased to over Dhs26 billion in H1 2025, a 6.3 per cent growth compared to

the same period last year.

Bin Touq projected that the number of hotel guests in the country would reach 33 million in
2025. Hotel revenues are expected to increase by 7 percent this year compared to Dhs45 billion

in 2024, with UAE airports anticipated to handle approximately 160 million passengers due to
airport expansions and the launch of new routes.

The minister further pointed out that the “World’s Coolest Winter” campaign, over its five
editions, has yielded outstanding results in terms of hotel revenues in the country, which
amounted to approximately Dhs6.7 billion. The campaign also recorded a significant 90 percent
growth in hotel revenues, with revenues in the first edition reaching Dhs1 billion and Dhs1.9

billion in the fifth edition.

He emphasised that the campaign has succeeded over the past years in reaching more than
1.2 billion people around the world, highlighting the UAE’s landmarks and diverse destinations in
a distinctive manner and introducing viewers in the region and the world to the country’s tourism
and natural treasures.

WAM

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