Whether at the Palm or Dubai Hills, $5 million plus homes are building up steady demand among investors, especially from overseas, in recent weeks.Image Credit: Shutterstock
The United Arab Emirates has achieved unprecedented growth in its tourism sector, contributing $70.1 billion to the national economy in 2024 and solidifying its position as a global tourism leader.
The UAE’s tourism industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience and expansion, reaching a milestone contribution of AED257.3 billion ($70.1 billion) to the national economy in 2024. This represents a 3.2% increase from 2023 and an impressive 26% growth compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Key highlights of the sector’s performance include:
1. Visitor Spending: International tourists contributed AED217.3 billion ($59.2 billion), a 5.8% increase from 2023 and 30.4% higher than 2019.
2. Hotel Performance: The country hosted approximately 30.75 million hotel guests in 2024, with hotel occupancy rates reaching 78% – among the highest globally. Hotel revenues approached AED45 billion ($12.3 billion).
3. Aviation Growth: Passenger traffic through UAE airports has been extraordinary, exceeding 1 billion passengers between 2015 and 2024. In the first eight months of 2025, airports handled 102.9 million passengers, a 5.3% increase from the same period in 2024.
Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, highlighted significant strategic moves, including the launch of the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031 and the historic election of Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais as the first Emirati Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organisation for the 2026–2029 term.
The country is also investing heavily in infrastructure, with plans for a massive new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport, valued at AED128 billion ($34.8 billion) and designed to accommodate 260 million passengers.
Looking ahead, projections suggest guest numbers could reach 33 million in 2025, with revenues expected to grow by 7% year-on-year.
