UAE’s tourism sector boosted by 6 key factors

Abu Dhabi: The UAE is expecting a busy summer season with 6 major factors will boost the tourism sector in the following months, including the aviation sector’s efficiency, the tourism sector’s competitiveness, the health sector’s stability and many tourism options provided by the country.

Aviation sector The UAE’s aviation sector has returned to normalcy to pre-pandemic levels, recording the same figures as in 2019 and previous years. Dubai International Airport announced its readiness to receive 2.4 million passengers from 24th June to 4th July, bringing the average number of daily passengers to 214,000. Etihad Airways is also preparing to receive large numbers of passengers at Abu Dhabi International Airport between June 30 and July 15th July 2022, according to a recent press release.

The Ministry of Economy’s figures confirm that the UAE’s tourism sector has entered the stage of recovery, and hotel establishments recorded AED11 billion (US$2.99 billion) in revenues in the first quarter of 2022, a growth rate of 20 percent compared to the same period in 2019, while the occupancy rate of hotels reached 80 per cent in the same period, attracting nearly 6 million visitors who spent 25 million hotel nights, an increase of 10 per cent compared to the same period in 2019.

Safe health situation The UAE is currently considered a safe destination for many tourists worldwide, given the significant international confidence in the country, after the way it handled the COVID-19 pandemic and the considerable resources employed as part of the precautionary measures. Moreover, the country was ranked in leading positions in terms of vaccination rates and COVID-19 testing.

Tourism and residence visas The multiple-entry tourist visa system currently adopted by the UAE, which is valid for five years, is one of the main factors that will support the tourism sector in the coming period. It is aimed at increasing the number of tourists visiting the country from around the world.

The country has recently unveiled a wide variety of residency options, becoming one of the most flexible countries in terms of residence and tourism.

Various options In recent years, the summer season has become a major holiday season, due to the big shopping malls that house the most famous international brands and are fully covered and air-conditioned entertainment cities, along with heritage areas that were recently restored to receive visitors all year long.

Hotel sector’s competitiveness The international competitiveness of the UAE’s hotel sector is a key driver for the recovery of the summer tourism season. At the end of 2021, the number of hotels around the country totalled 1,144.

Hotels in the UAE offer a package of incentives and discounts during the summer season, including price reductions on reservations and value-added offers, and they also organise many recreational and sporting events that offer distinctive tourist experiences for all family members.

Summer events The country’s summer events help promote local tourism and attract foreign visitors.

On 1st July, 2022, Dubai will launch the 25th Dubai Summer Surprises 2022, which will involve a 10-week events schedule that includes shopping offers, hotel incentives, and various food experiences and entertainment events.

Abu Dhabi will also host the Abu Dhabi Summer Pass, which will include unique offers covering tourism experiences, cultural locations and family entertainment.

The public is also awaiting the annual Sharjah Summer Campaign, which will include exclusive touristic offers.

WAM UAE tourism summer 2022 UAE tourism summer 2022