Page 510 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - JUNE 2025

Industry executives believe that the unified visa will be a game-changer for the regional
tourism industry and overall economies, creating jobs along with a big boost to GDP.

They believe that the much-awaited unified GCC tourist visa will boost 'bleisure'
(business-leisure) travel in the region, as visitors will increasingly mix the two to extend
their trips to explore the neighbouring countries.

According to data released by the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the
Arab Countries of the Gulf, the region welcomed 68.1 million visitors in 2023 and
generated a record $110.4 billion in tourism revenue, a remarkable 42.8 per cent
increase in tourist arrivals compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

The travel and tourism sector's contribution to the UAE economy continues to grow,
taking the total employment numbers to 833,000 last year, according to the World
Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

It is estimated that the number of jobs in the UAE’s travel and tourism sector will touch
one million by 2030, surpassing WTTC’s estimates of 928,000 by 2034, with one in 9
residents working in the sector.

Dubai, a regional tourism hub, welcomed 7.15 million tourists in the first four months of
2025, representing a 7 per cent growth compared to the same period in 2024, according
to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

https://www.msn.com/en-ae/money/news/gcc-tourist-visa-approved-to-be-rolled-out-soon-says-
top-official/ar-AA1GO5fP?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds