Mohammed bin Rashid: The UAE is among the top 7 global destinations in international tourist spending, surpassing countries that have preceded us in this field by hundreds of years.

 

The UAE

Mohammed bin Rashid: The UAE is among the top 7 global destinations in international tourist spending, surpassing countries that have preceded us in this field by hundreds of years.

A report issued by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) revealed that the travel and tourism sector in the United Arab Emirates recorded an exceptional performance during 2024. The sector's contribution to the country's GDP reached AED 257.3 billion (USD 70.1 billion) — representing 13% of the national economy, with a 3.2% increase compared to 2023 and 26% growth compared to pre-pandemic 2019. This marks one of the highest global and regional rates in terms of tourism’s contribution to economic growth.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said:

> “In a new indication of the strength and diversity of our national economy, the WTTC report highlighted exceptional achievements in the UAE tourism sector. Total international tourist spending exceeded AED 217 billion last year, in addition to AED 57 billion in domestic tourism spending. The UAE is now among the top 7 global destinations in international tourist spending, surpassing countries that have had a head start in this field by hundreds of years.”

His Highness also stated:

> “We welcome tourists, we value investors, we embrace talent, and we are building the best environment for living, tourism, and visits. Welcome to the world.”

In this context, H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the UAE Tourism Council, emphasized that the UAE has given great importance to the tourism sector as a key driver for economic growth and diversification. The country has succeeded in delivering a unique and distinguished tourism experience globally through various forward-thinking strategies and initiatives. These have played a vital role in enhancing the UAE's appeal to tourism investments and projects, promoting the seven emirates’ distinctive attractions, improving travel and airport infrastructure, and solidifying the country’s leadership on the global tourism map.

He added:

> “Just days ago, the UAE achieved a historic milestone in the tourism sector with the appointment of Sheikha Al Nuaimi as the elected Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization. Today, we celebrate further achievements from the WTTC — the result of our wise leadership’s vision to strengthen the sector’s competitiveness, create jobs for Emiratis, and cement the UAE’s status as a leading global tourism hub.”

He continued:

> “These strong indicators confirm that the UAE’s tourism sector is steadily progressing toward the goals of the National Tourism Strategy 2031, which aims to increase tourism’s contribution to GDP to AED 450 billion and attract 40 million hotel guests annually over the next decade.” He noted that national efforts continue to develop an integrated tourism system aligned with global best practices, enhance access to key tourism markets, and offer rich, diverse experiences for global visitors — all in line with the “We the UAE 2031” vision.

Regarding international tourism, the report showed that the UAE maintains its leadership as one of the world’s top destinations. Visitors came from key markets such as India (14%), the UK (8%), Russia (8%), China (5%), and Saudi Arabia (5%), with 60% from the rest of the world — reflecting the UAE’s advanced international position and the success of its flexible national policies in attracting a diverse range of visitors.

In 2024, international visitor spending in the UAE reached AED 217.3 billion (USD 59.2 billion) — an increase of 5.8% compared to 2023 and 30.4% compared to 2019. Domestic tourism spending also rose to AED 57.6 billion (USD 15.7 billion) — a 2.4% increase compared to 2023 and a 41% increase compared to 2019.

The report expects international tourist spending to rise by 5.2% in 2025 to reach AED 228.5 billion, while domestic spending is projected to grow by 4.3%, reaching AED 60 billion.

The WTTC report also highlighted that leisure tourism accounted for 84.7% of total spending in the UAE in 2024, while business tourism represented 15.3% — demonstrating the sector’s flexibility in balancing leisure and commercial offerings. It also revealed that 79% of total tourism spending came from international visitors and 21% from local tourists.

Despite rapid growth, the UAE has remained committed to environmental sustainability. Tourism-related carbon emissions accounted for only 13.3% of the UAE’s total emissions in 2023 — in line with the country’s vision of promoting sustainable tourism across all segments.

On the social front, the report showed that women made up 16.3% of the UAE tourism workforce in 2023, while youth (ages 15-24) represented 9.7% of total tourism jobs. The sector also contributed USD 8.6 billion in tax revenues, accounting for 5.4% of total government revenues, underlining its growing financial role in supporting the state’s budget.

Globally, the travel and tourism sector contributed USD 10.9 trillion to the world GDP in 2024 — representing 10% of the global economy, with 8.5% growth over 2023 and 6% over 2019. It is expected to reach USD 11.7 trillion in 2025, up 6.7% from 2024 and 13% from 2019. The sector also created 356.6 million jobs in 2024, accounting for 10.6% of global employment, reflecting 6.2% growth over 2023 and 5.6% over 2019