UAE tourism strengthens global appeal through sustainability and integrated growth

Abu Dhabi: The UAE continues to strengthen its position as a leading global tourism destination through a mix of cultural, leisure, nature and hospitality experiences, supported by world-class infrastructure, strong air connectivity and coordinated tourism offerings across all seven emirates. According to the latest figures, travel and tourism contributed around Dh251.3 billion to the UAE economy in 2025, an increase of 3 per cent compared with 2024 and more than 22 per cent higher than 2019 levels. International visitor spending reached approximately Dh209 billion. A key milestone in 2026 was the adoption of the National Ecotourism Policy, which aims to balance economic growth with the conservation of ecosystems and natural resources while highlighting the UAE's natural and cultural assets. The UAE currently has 55 nature reserves, while nearly 4,900 hectares of deserts, mountains and beaches have been rehabilitated to support ecotourism and nature-based experiences. Efforts to position the country as a unified tourism destination have also gained momentum through the launch of the Visit UAE identity, which brings together the unique attractions of each emirate under a single national brand. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has also launched the UAE Grand Tour platform, offering visitors itineraries of up to 14 days across all seven emirates and encouraging longer stays and multi-destination travel. Several emirates have introduced initiatives aimed at boosting visitor numbers. In Dubai, the Department of Economy and Tourism launched the A Dubai Invite programme, enabling residents to invite family and friends to visit the city through special offers and benefits available until October 31, 2026. Ras Al Khaimah introduced the RAK Ambassador initiative, encouraging citizens and residents to promote the emirate as a tourism and investment destination by inviting relatives and friends from abroad. In Abu Dhabi, the Department of Culture and Tourism's Hayyakum campaign combines theme park attractions on Yas Island with cultural experiences in the Saadiyat Cultural District and family-oriented activities. These initiatives support the objectives of the National Tourism Strategy 2031, which seeks to increase tourism's contribution to GDP to Dh450 billion, attract Dh100 billion in new investment and welcome 40 million hotel guests annually. Domestic tourism also continued to perform strongly. The sixth edition of the World's Coolest Winter campaign generated Dh12.5 billion in hotel revenues and attracted around five million hotel guests, up 5 per cent from the previous edition. Hotel occupancy reached 84 per cent. The UAE's cultural tourism offering has also expanded, including the launch of Cultural Trails in Al Ain, a 1.4-kilometre interactive route through the historic Al Jimi and Al Qattara oases. The hospitality sector recorded further growth in 2025, with hotel establishments welcoming approximately 32.34 million guests, up 5.2 per cent from 2024. Guest nights exceeded 110.62 million, an increase of nearly 5.9 per cent, while hotel revenues rose 9.7 per cent to about Dh49.21 billion. The country now offers around 217,000 hotel rooms across more than 1,240 hotel establishments. The UAE's aviation sector continued to play a key role in supporting tourism growth. Passenger traffic through UAE airports reached 156.8 million travellers in 2025, up 6.1 per cent from the previous year, while aircraft movements increased 6.8 per cent to around 855,300. Dubai International Airport retained its position as the world's busiest airport for international passenger traffic, handling 95.2 million passengers in 2025 and reinforcing the UAE's status as a global aviation and tourism hub.