Page 38 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2024 (Part 1)

Press Release

UAE participates in G20 tourism ministers' meeting in Brazil,

reinforces commitment to supporting global efforts to ensure the
sector’s sustainable development

H.E Bin Touq: Thanks to its wise leadership’s directives, the UAE has become a
world leading tourism destination. The meeting is an important step towards
developing new initiatives that support the sustainability of tourism regionally

and globally

Abu Dhabi, September 24, 2024:

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism
Council, represented the UAE at the G20 tourism ministers' meeting 2024, held recently in Brazil.
The meeting was aimed at promoting cooperation among member states in support of sustainable
tourism development, as well as discussing diverse opportunities in the sector.

In his speech, H.E. Bin Touq said: “Under its wise leadership’s directives, the UAE today has
become a major destination for tourists from around the world, owing to its strategic location
connecting the East and the West and its efficient aviation and tourism connectivity and
infrastructure.”

UAE tourism’s exceptional performance

H.E. Bin Touq continued: “The UAE’s tourism sector continues its exceptional growth year after
year. It grew by 26 per cent in 2023 compared to that of 2022, breaking the records achieved in
2019 by 14 per cent. Its contribution to the national GDP reached approximately AED 220 billion,
equivalent to 11.7 per cent. In addition, the country's airports received approximately 72 million
passengers in the first half of 2024, reflecting a 14 per cent growth over the same period in 2023.
Moreover, the UAE’s 1,240 hotels recorded more than 53 million guest nights, with occupancy
rate reaching 80 per cent, one of the highest globally.”

H.E. noted that these figures reflect the country’s leading position in the global tourism and travel
landscape. They underscore the sector’s importance in the growth and competitiveness of the
national economy and supporting digital transformation, as well as increasing the number of SMEs
operating in various tourism-related fields in line with ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision.

Tourism: Key driver of economic growth