Page 219 - MOE ENGLISH PR - APRIL 2024
P. 219
5/1/24, 9:16 AM PRESSR: H.E. Bin Touq leads UAE delegation participating in World Economic Forum in Riyadh — TradingView News
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
https://www.tradingview.com/news/reuters.com,2024-04-29:newsml_ZawHSML4:0-pressr-h-e-bin-touq-leads-uae-delegation-participating-in-world-ec… 5/6