The UAE is continuing to maintain its regional and international leadership as the country witnessed progress in terms of outcomes and indicators, post the COVID-19 pandemic.
The country has established itself globally as a leading international tourism destination and stands among the top ten countries in several international competitiveness indexes of 2021, related to tourism, travel and hotels.
Earnings from hotels amounted to AED11 billion in the first quarter of this year, showing an increase of 19 percent in the same period in 2019.
These hotels resumed activities at full capacity, totalling nearly 200,000 hotel rooms, WAM said in a statement.
Aside from this, UAE hotels attracted nearly six million visitors who spent 25 million hotel nights in the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 10 percent compared with the same period of 2019
Visitors’ period of stay in hotels grew by 25 percent during the same period, while the hotel occupancy rate was 80 percent, making it one of the highest internationally, the statement said.
Passengers who visited the country surpassed 20 million in the first quarter of this year, compared to 8.6 million in the same period of last year, showing an increase of 135 percent.
UAE’s travel and tourism sector contributed 3.4 percent to the nation’s GDP, over three years, totalling 15 percent compared to 11.6 percent in 2019.
The country’s internal tourism strategy also played an integral role in boosting profits to the sector.
In 2020, local tourist expenditure rose by 33 percent, compared to 67 percent by international tourists, the statement said, adding that spending by local tourists was at 22 percent, compared with 78 percent by international tourists in 2019.
“These indicators underscore the growing confidence in the UAE’s tourism sector and its prominent local or international reputation, as well as the efficiency of its sustainable tourism policies and the success of its initiatives, campaigns and exhibitions aimed at supporting the tourism sector,” WAM said.
The UAE was home to several campaigns and mega-events that were held despite pandemic restrictions, due to timely safety measures and proactive strategies implemented over the three years.
World’s Coolest Winter Campaign, Expo 2020 Dubai and the opening of the Museum of the Future helped the country achieve new levels of success, collectively attracting over 25 million visitors.
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