Page 201 - MOE ENGLISH PR - APRIL 2024

5/1/24, 9:14 AM H.E. Bin Touq leads UAE delegation participating in World Economic Forum in Riyadh
Reviewing performance indicators and results achieved by UAE tourism in 2023, H.E. Bin
Touq confirmed its full recovery from the pandemic and return to higher levels of growth than
2019. The national tourism sector grew by a significant 26 per cent in 2023 compared to that
of 2022 and surpassed 2019 levels by 14 per cent. Its contribution to the country's GDP
amounted to AED 220 billion, accounting for 11.7 per cent. This is expected to rise in 2024 to
AED 236 billion, equivalent to 12 per cent of the country's GDP, according to a recent report
by the World Travel and Tourism Council.
In addition, this vital sector provided 809000 of jobs in various activities and tourism fields in
the country in 2023, equivalent to 12.3 per cent of the total labor market. With five per cent
growth from 2022, exceeding 2019 levels with 11.4 per cent growth, the number of jobs it
creates is expected to reach 833,000 in 2024. There are currently 1,235 hotels in the UAE
providing a total of 210,000 rooms for guests and visitors.

Unified GCC Tourism Visa
H.E. Bin Touq explained that efforts are underway in collaboration with other GCC partners to
launch the unified GCC tourist visa. Once it comes into effect, it will contribute to highlighting
the diverse tourism destinations in GCC countries, attracting and retaining tourists for longer
periods, thus increasing the number of hotel guests and making the region one of the leading
destinations for regional and international tourists alike.
World Economy Forum, Riyadh
Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh hosted the special meeting of the World Economic Forum, its
first meeting outside Davos after the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 1,000 participants
attended the Forum, including senior officials, international experts, opinion leaders and
intellectuals from government and private sectors, international organizations and academic
institutions to discuss various global economic issues and developments with an aim to find
common solutions to address them.

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