Page 169 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - JUNE 2025

7/1/25, 3:21 PM Mohammed bin Rashid: UAE among top 7 global destinations for international tourist spending – The Gulf Time Newspaper
global travel and tourism.

Al Marri also noted, “Just days ago, the UAE achieved a historic milestone in the tourism sector with the

election of Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation

(UNWTO). Today’s WTTC results reaffirm the wisdom of our leadership’s vision in enhancing the

competitiveness of our tourism sector, creating employment opportunities for Emiratis, and further

cementing our position as a global tourism powerhouse.”

“These achievements underscore that the UAE tourism sector is confidently progressing toward the goals
set out in the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031. The strategy aims to increase the sector’s contribution to the

national GDP to AED450 billion and raise the number of hotel guests to 40 million annually by the next

decade.”

He noted that national efforts are ongoing to develop a fully integrated tourism ecosystem, guided by

international best practices. These efforts include strengthening engagement with key regional and

international tourism markets, expanding the range of tourism offerings, and enhancing service quality to

provide comprehensive and enriching experiences for visitors from around the world.
“These initiatives are in line with the UAE vision We the UAE 2031, and they aim to elevate the country’s

status as one of the world’s leading tourism destinations in the coming decade,” he concluded.

Regarding international tourism, the WTTC report highlighted that the UAE continues to assert its position

as one of the world’s leading travel destinations. In 2024, the country welcomed international visitors from a

diverse range of key markets, including India: 14%, United Kingdom: 8%, Russia: 8%, China: 5%, Saudi

Arabia: 5%, and rest of the world: 60%.

This broad geographical distribution reflects the UAE’s growing global appeal and the effectiveness of its

flexible and inclusive tourism policies in attracting a wide array of visitors.

The report further revealed that international visitor spending in the UAE reached AED217.3 billion
(US$59.2 billion) in 2024, marking a 5.8% increase from 2023 and a 30.4% rise compared to pre-pandemic

levels in 2019.

Meanwhile, domestic tourism spending also witnessed strong growth, reaching AED57.6 billion (US$15.7

billion) in 2024, an increase of 2.4% over 2023 and a remarkable 41% rise compared to 2019.

These figures underscore both the resilience and upward momentum of the UAE’s tourism sector across

international and domestic fronts, further solidifying its position as a premier global destination.

The WTTC report projects that international visitor spending in the UAE will rise by 5.2% in 2025, reaching

approximately AED228.5 billion. Meanwhile, domestic tourism spending is expected to grow by 4.3%, hitting

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