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9/29/25, 5:05 PM UAE Solidifies Role As Key Player In Global Tourism – UAE Today Blog
He further pointed to the approval by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler
of Dubai, of the designs for the new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum
International Airport. The facility, set to be the world’s largest with a final
capacity of 260 million passengers, carries a total cost of AED128
billion.

Bin Touq stated that the tourism sector’s contribution to the UAE’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) rose to AED257.3 billion in 2024, representing
13 percent of the national economy. This marks a 3.2 percent increase
from 2023 and a 26 percent increase from the pre-pandemic levels of
2019.

The country welcomed international visitors primarily from key markets,
including India (14 percent), the United Kingdom (8 percent), Russia (8
percent), China (5 percent), and Saudi Arabia (5 percent), with 60
percent arriving from other global regions.

Total international visitor spending in the UAE reached AED217.3 billion
in 2024, showing a 5.8 percent growth over 2023 and a 30.4 percent
increase from 2019. Domestic tourism spending totalled AED57.6 billion
last year, a 2.4 percent increase from 2023 and a 41 percent jump from
2019.

Revenue from hotel establishments grew to nearly AED45 billion in
2024. The hotel occupancy rate climbed to 78 percent, one of the
highest regionally and globally. The number of hotel guests reached
approximately 30.75 million in 2024, a 9.5 percent increase from 28.08
million in 2023, meeting about 77 percent of the national target of 40
million guests annually.

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