Harvest 2024.. positive results for the tourism sector in the Emirates.. and the goal is “the best global destination”

The tourism sector in the UAE achieved positive and distinguished results in 2024, through which it has reached advanced stages on the way to reaching the goals of the “National Tourism Strategy 2031”, which aims to raise the country’s position as the best tourist destinations around the world by the next decade.

The UAE ranked first regionally and 18th globally in the Travel and Tourism Development Report for 2024 issued by the World Economic Forum, as it ranked first globally in the index of providing travel and tourism data, and in the “air transport sector infrastructure” axis, and ranked second globally. In the infrastructure and services index, and ranked third globally in the index of comprehensiveness of travel and tourism data, as well as in the index of efficiency of air transport services, and in the index of policies and enabling conditions for tourism and travel.

A report issued by the World Travel and Tourism Council expected that the contribution of the UAE tourism sector to the national economy will increase during the year 2024, reaching 236 billion dirhams, equivalent to 12% of the country’s gross domestic product.

Hotel establishment revenues in the UAE rose to 33.5 billion dirhams during the first nine months of 2024, with a growth rate of 4% compared to the same period last year. Hotel occupancy rates increased to 77.8%, which is among the highest in the world, and hotel nights recorded about 75.5%. One million nights in the period from January to September 2024, an increase of 8% compared to the same period in 2023.

Abu Dhabi Airports, Dubai International Airport, and Sharjah International Airport recorded more than 103 million passengers until the end of last September, while the General Civil Aviation Authority expected that passenger traffic at the country’s airports would reach about 150 million passengers by the end of this year.

The UAE witnessed the launch of the “National Tourism Charter”, which is one of the initiatives of the “National Tourism Strategy 2031”, with the aim of unifying national efforts to enhance the sustainable growth of the tourism sector in the country.

The charter reinforces the state’s orientations to increase nationalization in the tourism sector, by enhancing joint work with the parties concerned with the charter to provide job opportunities and jobs for the country’s citizens in various tourism activities and sectors.

The UAE launched the fifth edition of the Most Beautiful Winter in the World campaign under the slogan “Green Tourism”, in cooperation between the Ministry of Economy, the National Agricultural Center, and local tourism authorities in the country, with the aim of encouraging community participation in sustainable agricultural practices, and stimulating tourist visits to farms and agricultural projects in the seven emirates.

In terms of awards related to the tourism sector, Zayed International Airport (AUH) won the “Most Beautiful Airport in the World” award from the Prix Versailles International Awards for Architecture and Design.

Dubai was crowned the best global destination in the Travelers’ Choice Awards 2024 from TripAdvisor, which is the largest travel platform in the world, for the third year in a row, and it is the first time that a city has achieved such an important achievement.