UAE highlights its leadership in tourism development at TOURISE Summit in Riyadh

H.E. Bin Touq underscores the Summit’s significance as a global platform driving the sector’s growth and prosperity

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, participated in the TOURISE global tourism summit, held in Riyadh under the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 11 to 13 November. The Summit aimed to explore the future of global tourism, enhance connectivity between international destinations, and facilitate the exchange of expertise on developing sustainable tourism policies. It further sought to stimulate cross-border partnerships and investments, while fostering innovative, high-quality solutions that contribute to building a global tourism sector better equipped to navigate challenges and achieve long-term economic and social development.

The UAE delegation to Saudi Arabia was led by H.E. Abdulla in Touq Al Marri to attend the 26th Session of UN Tourism General Assembly, during which the official announcement was made appointing H.E. Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais as Secretary-General of UN Tourism for the 2026–2029 term, following the final approval by the General Assembly.

In his speech during the Summit, H.E. Bin Touq highlighted that the UAE has consolidated its position among the world’s leading tourism destinations for millions of visitors from around the globe, guided by its ambitious future vision. This achievement has been enabled by advanced infrastructure, policies that support sustainable growth, and high-quality initiatives that have strengthened the competitiveness of the national tourism sector. His Excellency further emphasised that the UAE has successfully diversified its tourism offerings while providing rich and varied experiences for visitors, all while reinforcing sustainability across tourism projects and programmes. These efforts reaffirm the country’s global leadership as a diversified and sustainable economic model.

H.E. Bin Touq noted that the UAE’s tourism sector continues to achieve accelerated growth, driven by flexible policies, incentive-based legislation, and substantial investments in aviation infrastructure, hospitality facilities, and smart tourism services. He also highlighted the role of the UAE’s advanced tourism visa framework, which has facilitated easier entry for visitors from around the world. His Excellency added that these combined efforts have led to a rise in international visitor numbers and strengthened the tourism sector’s contribution to the UAE’s GDP.

H.E. Bin Touq also highlighted the UAE’s leading experience in developing and advancing the sector, along with the key indicators reflecting the progress of the national tourism ecosystem. The number of commercial licenses held by tourism, hospitality, aviation, air transport, aviation-technology and digital-tourism companies reached 39,546 by mid-September 2025, underscoring the UAE’s leadership as a hub for tourism projects and quality investments in this vital sector.

H.E. further underscored the Summit’s significance as a premier global platform, launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to explore opportunities for regional and international growth and prosperity in the tourism sector. The Summit also serves as a vital forum for exchanging insights and expertise on the future of tourism amid rapid economic and technological transformations. This, in turn, highlights the region’s expanding role as a global hub for tourism and hospitality.

H.E. Bin Touq discusses air connectivity between tourism destinations with industry leaders

During the Summit, H.E. Bin Touq took part in a panel titled “Air Connectivity: Unlocking Global Linkages,” along with Honourable Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism of South Africa; H.E. Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in Saudi Arabia; and Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air.

The session examined the critical role of expanding air transport networks in driving the growth of the global tourism industry, facilitating seamless mobility between destinations. It also highlighted potential strategies to strengthen connectivity between emerging markets and international hubs through strategic partnerships and investments in advanced technologies and infrastructure.

During the session, H.E. Bin Touq stated: “The UAE believes that the future of tourism relies on developing a more integrated network of air transport and tourism connectivity across countries worldwide - particularly among the GCC states, which possess unique strengths to foster growth and integration across the tourism, travel, and hospitality sectors, as well as world-class destinations that attract visitors from across the globe.”

“The UAE’s aviation sector has signed air transport service agreements with 189 countries worldwide, underscoring the nation’s pivotal role in strengthening global air connectivity. Of these agreements, 120 are fully liberalized under the Open Skies framework, while 43 are partially liberalized. This reflects the UAE’s openness to international cooperation in the sector and its ongoing efforts to expand its global air network,” H.E. added.

In this context, H.E. noted that passenger traffic through UAE airports has surged, rising from 114.8 million in 2015 to 147.8 million in 2024, an increase of 28.7 per cent across all inbound, outbound, and transit passengers. He also highlighted that aircraft movements continue to grow, surpassing 800,000 arrivals and departures by the end of 2024.

He further explained that the UAE has adopted a flexible visa policy to simplify procedures and extend the length of stays. The country now offers tourist visas for 30, 60, and 90 days, along with multiple-entry options and transit visas. Many nationalities can obtain their visas on arrival or through online platforms and airline partners – which makes travel easier for families and groups, encouraging repeat visits, and ensuring a smoother, more convenient tourism experience. These visa arrangements reflect the UAE’s vision of being an open, welcoming gateway for visitors from around the world.

H.E. noted that hotel establishments across the UAE welcomed more than 16 million guests during the first half of this year, marking a 5.5 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024. Last year alone, hotels in the UAE hosted around 30.8 million guests, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 9.5 per cent compared to 2023. Also, the visitors from the GCC reached approximately 3.3 million in 2024, accounting for about 11 per cent of the country’s total hotel guests.

The Minister of Economy and Tourism stressed that technological innovation is a core pillar in shaping the future of travel—whether using artificial intelligence to streamline airport operations or through big-data insights that enhance the passenger journey and advance air transport services. He emphasized the UAE’s commitment to adopting cutting-edge digital solutions to ensure a more seamless and sustainable travel experience.

The TOURISE Summit, launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, stands as one of the leading international platforms bringing together governments, investors, innovators, thought leaders, and decision-makers to align efforts in shaping a new era of tourism built on sustainability, innovation, and strong public-private collaboration. The summit witnessed broad participation from ministers and government officials from around the world, alongside experts and industry leaders from the tourism, travel, and hospitality sectors.