The UAE's travel and tourism sector is projected to create 23,600 additional jobs in 2024 to reach a total of about 833,000 jobs this year, with the outlook remaining strong despite the continuing Israel-Gaza war, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
That is up 2.9 per cent from last year and 14.7 per cent from 2019 before the pandemic that decimated the sector worldwide, the global tourism body said on Thursday in its latest UAE Economic Impact report.
Tourists to the UAE are expected to increase their spending during visits to the country that is home to the world's tallest building, iconic luxury hotels and an outpost of the Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi.
International visitor spending in the UAE is projected to grow 9.5 per cent year-on year to reach nearly Dh192 billion ($52.2 billion) in 2024, the WTTC data shows. Meanwhile, domestic visitor spending is forecast to increase by 4.3 per cent to stand at Dh58 billion.
The UAE travel and tourism sectors' contribution to the national gross domestic product in 2024 will reach Dh236.4 billion, representing 12 per cent of the total economy, the WTTC data shows. The sector's estimated contribution to the Arab world's second largest economy this year is a 7.6 per cent increase from 2023 and up 23 per cent compared to 2019.
The UAE's travel outlook is buoyed by the ease of travel through its airports, "sensible" visa policies, diverse tourism offerings, greater opportunities for business travel and the expected return of Chinese visitors to the country in larger numbers this year, Julia Simpson, the WTTC president and chief executive, told The National on Thursday during a trip to Abu Dhabi.
The UAE in November 2022 announced an ambitious national tourism strategy that aims to raise the sector’s contribution to the GDP to Dh450 billion by 2031, with an annual increase of Dh27 billion. It also targets attracting 40 million hotel guests by 2031 and Dh100 billion in tourism investment to the UAE.
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