Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has been slowly making its way back to normal, with tourism being one of the most affected fields globally. That said, the UAE has been doing its best to recover in the past couple of years, and this year, things have been looking up.
UAE’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, announced in a Twitter post that the country has been doing well in its tourism sector, with revenues surpassing $5 billion.
The Prime Minister revealed that he chaired the first meeting of the Ministers’ Council at Qasr Al-Watan in the capital, Abu Dhabi, in preparation for the new season. At the beginning of the meeting, they reviewed the competitive and development indicators for the country, which revealed that they’re now stronger than those before the pandemic. He also stated that the country’s economic growth is faster than how it was pre-pandemic, with tourism, commercial, and development sectors becoming larger too.
Sheikh Mohammed explained that the UAE’s tourism sector’s revenues surpassed 19 billion dirhams ($5.17 billion) during the first half of 2022, thanks primarily to the total number of hotel guests, which reached 12 million, achieving a growth of 42%. He expects a strong tourism recovery with the upcoming winter season as well.
“Many countries in both the east and west of the world are still suffering from the pandemic’s effects. Global trade has not yet regained its strength, but the UAE has become a model and an exceptional example of how to recover growth quickly and strongly post the pandemic.”
“Our development indicators today have achieved first place globally in 156 indicators, compared to 121 before the pandemic. 432 of these indicators are among the top 10 globally compared to 314 pre-pandemic. We are number one in the world in attracting talent, infrastructure, flexibility of laws, ability to adapt, and more,” boasted Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.
The Main Source Of The Latest Tourism Bump
This increase in revenue can be traced back to the large number of visitors and tourists expected to arrive in preparation for the World Cup, which will take place near the end of November in Qatar.
Tourists and fans are getting accommodations in the UAE and surrounding countries due to the limited places to stay in Qatar. This situation created a boom in tourism in the region as it prepares to host those coming for the highly-anticipated sporting event.
What Has The UAE Been Doing To Grow Its Tourism Lately?
The UAE has been taking several steps towards its growth in several sectors over the years, with a large focus on tourism, especially when it comes to preparing for the World Cup that’s happening in nearby Qatar. The easiest example of that focus is the Emirate’s first Football-Themed Hotel set to open in November.
Another example is updating its entry rules and its visa requirements, making it much easier for visitors to enter the country. Instead of its original 30-day duration, visitors to the UAE can use this tourism visa and stay up to 60 days in the country. The UAE also made a five-year multiple entry version of the visa wherein visitors can enter the country multiple times and stay for up to 90 days per year.
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