Hospitality Advisory Council discusses opportunities to boost investment in UAE hotel sector and reviews national initiatives to enhance overall tourism competitiveness

Meeting explores ways to strengthen the presence of ‘Visit UAE’ at international exhibitions and conferences, including FHS World 2026

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, chaired the latest meeting of the Hospitality Advisory Council, held virtually. It was attended by representatives from the public and private sectors, including heads and executives of major national and international hotel establishments in the UAE.

The meeting explored opportunities to attract further investment to the hospitality sector and enhance communication and coordination between government entities and private sector representatives, supporting the sector’s continued development and investment growth. It also discussed ways to develop and diversify tourism products and offerings. The Council reviewed a number of national initiatives and their role in supporting the growth and competitiveness of UAE tourism, including the ‘Visit UAE’ national tourism identity, which serves as a unified national framework for promoting tourism destinations, products and experiences across the emirates.

H.E. Bin Touq affirmed that under the directives of its wise leadership, the UAE has prioritised enhancing the growth and competitiveness of the hospitality sector. As part of these efforts, the UAE continues to enhance its attractiveness for hotel sector investment, encouraging the expansion of hotel capacity, and developing diverse establishments and products that meet the needs of various visitor demographics. Strengthening the resilience and capabilities of this vital sector is another key focus area, enabling it to adapt efficiently to economic and geopolitical shifts while maintaining its sustainable growth.

During the meeting, H.E. said: “The hospitality sector is one of the key indicators of confidence in any economy. Travellers choose destinations that offer safety and stability; investors expand their investments in resorts, tourism destinations and hotel establishments when they are confident in the sustainability of long-term demand; and airlines expand their flight networks when they see stable and reliable growth.”

In details, the Council discussed the importance of strengthening the presence of the ‘Visit UAE’ national tourism identity, recently launched by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, at international hospitality exhibitions and conferences, including FHS World 2026, scheduled to take place from 29 September to 1 October. This will help showcase the UAE’s tourism offerings and the opportunities available within its hospitality sector. ‘Visit UAE’ is the UAE’s first unified national tourism brand at the federal level, designed to present the country as one integrated destination by unifying the national tourism offering and highlighting what each emirate has to offer under a unified national identity.

The Council also highlighted the tourism programmes offered through the ‘UAE Grand Tour’ platform across the seven emirates and their role in supporting the growth of the hospitality sector by encouraging visitors to choose diverse itineraries and explore destinations across the country, helping extend their stays and increase tourism spending. The platform enables visitors to search for and book tourism programmes through travel-sector partners, offering a diverse range of experiences catering to different visitor interests, including family, cultural tourism, eco-tourism and adventure tourism.

Furthermore, the Council emphasised the importance of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 as a leading global platform for strengthening the UAE’s presence on the global tourism landscape and showcasing the diversity of its destinations and experiences. The members underlined the importance of unified national participation at the exhibition to enhance integration across tourism efforts and forge new partnerships with international markets.