The UAE’s travel and tourism industry achieved unprecedented growth in 2024, contributing AED257.3 billion ($70.1 billion) to the national GDP, according to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The figure represents 13% of the country’s total economy—marking a 3.2% increase from the previous year and a 26% surge from pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum praised the sector’s outstanding performance, calling it “a new indicator of the strength and diversity of our national economy.” He highlighted that international visitor spending reached AED217 billion, while domestic tourism expenditure hit AED57 billion in 2024. “The UAE ranks among the world’s top seven destinations for international tourist spending, surpassing countries that have been in this industry for centuries,” he said.
Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, attributed this momentum to the UAE’s strategic vision and commitment to building a globally competitive tourism ecosystem. He emphasized that the UAE’s rapid tourism development is aligned with the “We the UAE 2031” vision and the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, which aims to grow the sector’s GDP contribution to AED450 billion and attract 40 million hotel guests annually within the next decade.
“Just days ago, the UAE achieved a historic milestone in the tourism sector with the election of Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais as Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation,” Al Marri noted, linking this global recognition to the leadership’s proactive tourism initiatives.
The WTTC report also showcased the UAE’s broad international appeal, with visitors from India (14%), the UK (8%), Russia (8%), China (5%), and Saudi Arabia (5%) leading arrivals. The country’s international visitor spending in 2024 jumped 5.8% from 2023 and soared 30.4% compared to 2019. Meanwhile, domestic tourism grew by 2.4% from last year and 41% over 2019.
Leisure tourism continued to dominate, accounting for 84.7% of total tourism spending, while business travel made up the remaining 15.3%. Around 79% of total tourism revenues came from international visitors.
Notably, the UAE’s growth remains anchored in sustainability. The report showed that tourism-related carbon emissions made up only 13.3% of total national emissions in 2023—evidence of the country’s push for environmentally responsible travel.
Socially, women represented 16.3% of the sector’s workforce, while youth aged 15–24 years accounted for 9.7%, signaling the industry’s role in empowering future generations. The sector also delivered a fiscal impact, generating $8.6 billion in tax revenues in 2023—5.4% of the government’s total income.
Globally, the travel and tourism sector contributed $10.9 trillion to world GDP in 2024 and supported 356.6 million jobs, with further growth projected in 2025 as the industry continues to rebound.