Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Council, announced that hotel establishment revenues in the UAE exceeded AED 26 billion during the first half of 2025, recording a 6.3 percent growth compared to the same period last year.
He highlighted that the hotel occupancy rate reached 80.5 percent in the first six months, reflecting the sector’s continued momentum, the success of joint public-private efforts, and alignment with the goals of the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, which seeks to increase the tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy to AED 450 billion by the next decade.
The announcement came during the third meeting of the Emirates Tourism Council in 2025, chaired by Bin Touq and attended by chairpersons and directors-general of local tourism authorities across the country.
During the meeting, Bin Touq emphasized that the UAE’s tourism industry is witnessing strong and consistent performance under the directives of the nation’s leadership, which has placed tourism at the forefront as a strategic pillar of non-oil GDP growth and a key driver of the new economic model.
He added, “Through the Emirates Tourism Council, we continue our efforts to promote sustainable tourism development in the country by fostering effective partnerships between the public and private sectors and launching innovative initiatives and projects. These efforts not only drive tourism growth but also create exceptional travel experiences, offer unique opportunities to Emirati talents, and strengthen our national tourism identity on the global stage.”
The Council reviewed several ongoing and upcoming tourism projects and initiatives aimed at further enhancing the sector’s competitiveness, alongside mechanisms for effective implementation and coordination between stakeholders. It also assessed the progress made on recommendations from its previous meeting.
Preparations for the upcoming ‘UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit’ on 27th October, held under the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS World), were also discussed. The event will see the participation of tourism ministers and senior representatives from 53 African countries.
The summit will provide a strategic platform to strengthen partnerships, explore joint investments in tourism infrastructure and sustainable hospitality, and advance the development of specialised tourism offerings, further positioning the UAE as a trusted partner and a global hub connecting African and international markets.
Additionally, local authorities presented their tourism plans and programmes, highlighting the achievements of the first nine months of 2025 and outlining development strategies for 2026, aimed at consolidating the UAE’s status as a leading tourism destination both regionally and globally.
(Inputs from WAM)
