Page 29 - MOE ENGLISH PR - APRIL 2024

Press Release

Furthermore, H.E. Bin Touq highlighted the UAE's commitment to enhancing the regional and
global tourism infrastructure to ensure the sustainability of the sector. He indicated that there are
challenges ahead for sustainable tourism, most notably the necessity to upskill the workforce,
improving their performance and expertise in tourism, and fostering innovation and creativity
across various tourism fields and activities.

The Minister of Economy said: “The UAE is committed to promoting sustainability, not just in the
tourism industry but across diverse economic and environmental sectors, safeguarding resources,
wealth, and natural reserves, especially following the announcement by His Highness Sheikh
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, extending the ‘Year of Sustainability’ to
the year 2024 with the aim of building on the success of this initiative last year.”

National initiatives & strategies to promote sustainable tourism growth

H.E. emphasized that the UAE attaches significant importance to the tourism sector, recognizing
it as a key contributor to national economic growth and enhancing its competitiveness and
diversity. The country has successfully highlighted its tourism diversity in the past phase,
promoting the unique features and characteristics of all seven emirates, with the aim of attracting
more global companies to its markets. These achievements encourage national and foreign
investments in tourism projects, thereby consolidating the UAE's position on the travel and tourism
landscape at regional and global levels.

Elaborating on the UAE's experience in developing its tourism sector in accordance with
international best practices and making it more flexible and sustainable, H.E. Bin Touq said that
these included the promotion of sustainable tourism practices such as eco-friendly accommodation,
wildlife conservation, cultural heritage, and the launch of national initiatives and strategies such as
the ‘National Tourism Strategy 2031.’ The strategy aims to increase the contribution of the UAE
tourism sector to the national GDP to AED 450 billion, raising the country's profile as the best
tourism identity by the next decade. Besides, through the launch of the National Sustainable
Aviation Fuel Roadmap, the country has set an ambitious target to achieve annual production of
up to 700 million litres of sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.

Role of ecotourism in promoting sustainability of national tourism sector

H.E. Bin Touq noted the importance of ecotourism in supporting the sustainability of the tourism
sector and preserving natural reserves and desert attractions. H.E. presented examples for
sustainable tourism in the UAE, including the Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve, which balances
the experiences of visitors with the preservation of environment, in addition to Sir Baniyas Island
that has ecotourism potential. He also highlighted major international events hosted by the country
such as Expo 2020 Dubai and COP28, which also played a prominent role in promoting tourism
growth.

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