H.E. Bin Touq meets with tourism ministers of South Africa, Zambia, and Albania to strengthen cooperation and explore opportunities across various tourism sectors

Meetings held on the sidelines of the UAE–Africa Tourism Investment Summit held in Dubai

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, held three separate meetings with Her Excellency Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism of South Africa; His Excellency Rodney Sikumba, Minister of Tourism of Zambia; and His Excellency Blendi Gonxhja, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports of Albania.

The meetings were aimed at enhancing opportunities for cooperation across various tourism sectors and exchanging expertise and best practices in the field of sustainable tourism.

The meetings took place on the sidelines of the UAE–Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025, held in Dubai under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The summit, organized under the theme “Building Bridges for Sustainable Growth”, witnessed extensive participation, bringing together more than 350 leaders, ministers, senior government officials, and decision-makers, in addition to investors and entrepreneurs from the UAE and 53 African countries.

During the meetings, His Excellency Bin Touq presented the “UAE National Tourism Strategy 2031” and highlighted its pivotal role in reinforcing the sustainability and competitiveness of the country’s tourism sector over the coming decade. He explained the strategy’s ambitious national targets, which include positioning the UAE as the world’s leading tourism destination, increasing the sector’s contribution to the national GDP to AED 450 billion, attracting AED 100 billion in new tourism investments across domestic markets, and welcoming 40 million hotel guests.

During his meeting with H.E. Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism of South Africa, H.E. Bin Touq reviewed the latest global developments in the sector and mechanisms to foster its sustainable growth. The meeting also explored avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation in tourism activities, establishing new partnerships that enhance visitor experiences, and advancing the long-term sustainability of the sector in both countries. It is noteworthy that the number of tourists from South Africa visiting the UAE exceeded 178,767 in 2024, while air connectivity between the two countries reached around 55 weekly flights operated by airlines from both nations.

The two ministers discussed mechanisms to maximize the outcomes of the UAE–Africa Tourism Investment Summit, support mutual tourism investments between the two countries, and encourage the establishment of new and diversified tourism projects across both the public and private sectors. The discussions also focused on fostering economic growth and developing tourism infrastructure in alignment with the strategic visions of both the UAE and South Africa for this vital sector.

In addition, H.E. Bin Touq held a meeting with his Zambian counterpart to discuss ways to enable the business communities of both countries to capitalize on investment opportunities in the tourism sector. The meeting sought to expand the scope of economic partnership, encourage joint investments that contribute to the development of tourism infrastructure, and enhance mutual tourism flows, thereby fostering sustainable growth in the sector.

The meeting emphasized the importance of building upon the progress achieved across various areas of tourism cooperation to further strengthen bilateral economic relations.

Enhancing cooperation between tourism companies in the UAE and Albania

Finally, H.E. Bin Touq’s meeting with H.E. Blendi Gonxhja, Albanian Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sports, discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between tourism companies in both markets. The meeting further explored ways to deepen bilateral collaboration, focusing on developing and launching innovative tourism and leisure initiatives that encourage the exchange of visitors and delegations between the two countries. The ministers also emphasized the importance of strengthening joint efforts to launch coordinated marketing campaigns promoting key tourist attractions and destinations in both nations.