The Minister of Economy discusses with the ministers of tourism in Spain and Croatia to enhance joint cooperation
Abu Dhabi, May 4 / WAM / His Excellency Abdullah Bin Touq Al -Marri, Minister of Economy, with His Excellency Tontchi Ghostina, Minister of Tourism and Sports in Croatia, and His Excellency Rosario Sanchez Grao, Minister of State for Tourism in Spain, discussed ways to enhance the prospects for joint tourism cooperation during the next stage and push him to more advanced and prosperous levels, and exchange the latest expertise and practices in the field of sustainable tourism development.
His Excellency the Minister of Economy stressed, during a European tour that included Spain and Croatia, that the UAE is keen to enhance cooperation with European markets and build fruitful partnerships in various tourism fields and activities, in order to support the advancement of economic development and create new opportunities that enhance the construction of a prosperous future for the tourism sector at the regional and global levels, indicating that Emirati tourism has witnessed a great qualitative development, especially in adopting initiatives Copyruming patriotism contributed to the inauguration of a distinguished tourism infrastructure according to the best global practices, the development of leading tourism destinations and products, and the increase in the number of tourists and visitors at the level of the seven Emirates.
He said that the efforts of the UAE are continuing to support initiatives and projects aimed at sustaining global tourism, supporting joint work with the United Nations Tourism and its member states, and expanding the prospects for cooperation in various tourism fields.
During his meetings with the ministers of tourism in Spain and Croatia, Ben Touq reviewed the importance of the national tourism strategy 2031, and its prominent and vital role in supporting the sustainability and competitiveness of the tourism sector in the country by the next decade, explaining that this strategy put a group of national targets, which included raising the UAE’s position to become the first globally as the best tourist identity, and increasing the contribution of the tourism sector to the gross domestic product of the national economy To 450 billion dirhams, attracting 100 billion dirhams for the tourism sector in the state markets, and attracting 40 million inmates.
He touched on a group of indicators achieved by the tourism sector in the country, including the increase in the revenues of hotel establishments during the year 2024 to reach 45 billion dirhams and a growth rate of 3% compared to 2023, and the rate of hotel occupancy in the country reached 78%, which is among the highest regionally and globally, and the inauguration of 16 new hotels in the seven Emirates to reach the total to 1251 hotels by the end of last year.
His Excellency discussed with His Excellency Rosario Sanchez Grao, Minister of State for Tourism in Spain, the latest developments in the global tourism sector, and the mechanisms for enabling sustainable growth, in addition to enhancing joint cooperation in the various tourism fields, and the possibility of building new partnerships that support increased tourism exchange between the two countries during the next stage.
The number of Spanish tourists to the UAE reached 150 thousand and 231 tourists in 2024, an increase of more than 14% compared to 2023, and the number of flights between the two countries reached 48 flights per week through airlines in the two countries.
His Excellency also held another meeting with His Excellency Tontchi Ghostina, Minister of Tourism and Sports in Croatia, to discuss support for cooperation between tourism companies in the UAE and Croatian markets, in addition to strengthening bilateral work in order to create new tourism and recreational programs that support the increase in the exchange of tourist delegations, especially since the number of flights between the UAE and Croatia reached more than 42 flights per month through the airlines in the two countries.
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