The United Arab Emirates has launched a new strategic plan for tourism in 2031 with the purpose to increase the tourism contribution to the national GDP up to 122 billion dollars a year.
The plan, as introduced by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai, foresees an annual increase of 7.4 billion dollars and aims to catalyze new investments of 27.2 billion dollars in the tourism sector of the country, as well as attracting 40 million hotel guests in 2031.
The new strategy includes 25 initiatives and guidelines to support the development of the tourism sector in the country. In the first half of 2022, with the return of tourism flows, the UAE's tourism revenue exceeded $5 billion.
“Tourism is very important to diversify our economy and increase the global competitiveness of the Emirates” Al Maktoum said. In the first quarter of 2022, local airports handled 22 million passengers. “Our goal is for the tourism contribution to GDP to reach $122 billion in 2031.”
Several federal and local tourism authorities, national airlines, international institutions, and companies will work together to strengthen the unified tourism identity and support the integrated and consolidated tourism ecosystem of the country, in order to offer an excellent experience to tourists from all over the world.