Saturday, September 7, 2024 International visitors are projected to spend $52.2 billion in the UAE this year, marking a 9.4% increase and positioning the country as a top global tourism spender.
International visitors are set to spend an estimated $52.2 billion in the UAE this year, reflecting a robust 9.4% increase compared to the previous year, according to the latest World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) report.
This growth positions the UAE as the 10th largest global recipient of inbound tourism spending and the second largest in the Middle East, trailing only Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is forecasted to garner $68.3 billion, up from $60.
6 billion in 2023, ranking it sixth globally. The UAE’s tourism sector is experiencing significant growth, driven by a global surge in travel demand. Passenger traffic at UAE airports saw a notable increase of over 14% in the first half of 2024, reaching 71.
75 million travelers, as reported by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The GCAA also reported 20,274,694 arrivals, 21,090,750 departures, and 30,391,978 transit passengers during the same period. In response to this growth, the GCAA is collaborating with national airlines and partners to explore new market opportunities, following the UAE’s establishment of air transport agreements with over 90% of the world’s countries.
Looking ahead, the tourism sector’s contribution to the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to grow at an annual rate of 3.9% from 2024 to 2034, surpassing the 2.4% growth rate anticipated for the broader regional economy.
By 2034, the sector is expected to contribute $744 billion to the regional GDP, accounting for 7.8% of the total. This expansion is anticipated to generate an additional 2.
1 million jobs, bringing total employment in the sector to 10.4 million, or approximately one in nine jobs in the Middle East, according to the WTTC. Globally, international visitor spending is anticipated to rise by nearly 16% this year, reaching $1.
9 trillion. Notably, several tourism destinations are witnessing substantial increases in international spending compared to pre-pandemic levels, with Saudi Arabia and Egypt seeing significant surges of 91.3% and 22.
9%, respectively, compared to 2019 figures..
