The UAE participates in the meeting"52" The Regional Committee for the Middle East of the United Nations Tourism Organization
KUWAIT, 11 February, 2018 (WAM) – The UAE is participating in the 52nd meeting of the Regional Committee for the Middle East of the United Nations Tourism Organization, which is hosted by the sister State of Kuwait during the period from 10 to 12 February, with a delegation headed by His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism.
Their Excellencies Ministers of Tourism and senior officials in the region will participate in the meeting.
His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri stressed that the UAE, thanks to the directives of its wise leadership, is keen to continue supporting integration and cooperation efforts in the tourism sector between countries in the Middle East region, and is committed to strengthening joint work with the United Nations Tourism Organization.
His Excellency extended his thanks and appreciation to the State of Kuwait for generously hosting and organizing this distinguished event. He also congratulated Her Excellency Sheikha Nasser Al Nowais, Secretary-General of the United Nations Tourism Organization, on the occasion of her leadership of the first meeting of the Regional Committee in the Middle East during her term, stressing that her leadership represents a new beginning for the organization towards consolidating its position as a global umbrella for formulating more flexible and sustainable tourism policies.
He explained that the Middle East region continues to achieve strong tourism performance, as the number of international tourists exceeded 100 million tourists in 2025, with revenues exceeding 150 billion dollars, which reflects the ability of the countries of the region to move from the stage of recovery to the stage of sustainable growth, and to consolidate its position as a major global center for travel and tourism, stressing that the UAE has placed tourism among its national priorities as a strategic sector and a major driver for diversifying and sustaining the economy, as it ranked among the top seven global destinations in international spending. For tourists, it accounts for about 2.3% of the total international passenger traffic globally, and 32.2% of the international passenger traffic at the regional level, which are indicators that reflect the strength and competitiveness of this vital sector at the regional and global levels.
He said that the sixth edition of the “The Most Beautiful Winter in the World” campaign succeeded in achieving positive results in the seven emirates of the country. The revenues of hotel establishments in the country during this edition reached 12.5 billion dirhams, and the total number of their guests reached about 5 million guests, an increase of 5% compared to the fifth edition of the campaign, and the hotel occupancy rate reached 84%, an increase of 2% compared to the same period last year.
His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Tourism highlighted the UAE’s efforts to develop its tourism sector within the “National Tourism Strategy 2031,” which represents an ambitious national framework to increase this sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product to reach 450 billion dirhams by the next decade, attract quality investments, and consolidate the country’s position as the best tourism identity in the world, and a leading global destination in competitiveness, sustainability, and innovation.
He explained that the UAE has achieved tangible progress in accelerating the pace of digital transformation in the management of tourist destinations, and employing artificial intelligence techniques in analyzing markets and improving the experience of visitors, noting that the Masfoot region’s victory in the Best Tourist Village Award for the year 2025 from the United Nations Tourism Organization reflects the country’s commitment to promoting sustainable tourism and empowering local communities.
He stressed that the current stage requires strengthening regional coordination, expanding the scope of partnerships between the public and private sectors, and intensifying efforts in the areas of human capital development, innovation, and climate resilience, stressing that the strength of the Middle East region lies in its integration and joint cooperation, and not only in its individual capabilities.
His Excellency pointed out that the UAE will continue its role as an active partner in supporting the efforts of the United Nations Tourism Organization, and working with member states to enhance the position of the Middle East as a global model for sustainable, smart and flexible tourism, which contributes to achieving economic and social development for future generations.
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