UAE Tourism Eyes Pre-Pandemic Levels

Most recently, all entry requirements and internal COVID-related restrictions were abolished in the United Arab Emirates.
Gulf states have joined more than 120 nations that have eliminated travel restrictions and has resumed regular travel.
Dubai is the most well-known tourist attraction in the United Arab Emirates, which is a well-liked travel destination in the Middle East. But prior to the latest modification, the UAE had rigid internal and entry limitations that have kept many tourists away for the past 2.5 years.
As the emirate continues to recover from the Covid-19 worldwide crisis, Dubai has welcomed 85% of the pre-pandemic number of foreign tourists to the emirate in the first nine months of this year.
According to the most recent government data available, the city saw 10.12 million overnight visitors from January to September, down from 12.08 million during the same period of 2019 before the pandemic.
“The ability of Dubai to bounce back and recover very quickly enabled us not to miss a beat, so whether you’re looking at tourism, trade or a financial hub, all three of them really flourished through Covid and out the other side,” Helal Al Marri, director general of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, said at DP World’s Global Freight Summit.
“One of the things we’ve learnt is having an environment that is digitally enabled.. and has very strong data-driven decision-making — this is what’s needed in ever-turbulent times,” he added.
The UAE unveiled a national tourism strategy with the goal of luring 40 million hotel guests, earning Dh100 billion ($27.23 billion) in additional tourist investment, and increasing the sector’s contribution to the nation’s gross domestic product to Dh450 billion by 2031.
The largest long-haul airline in the world, Emirates, recorded a record profit in the first six months of the current fiscal year due to robust demand for travel during the busiest summer travel period as a result of reopened international crossings and loosened coronavirus restrictions.
The airline cited its ability to expand capacity in response to the spike in travel demand as the reason it turned a profit of Dh4 billion from a deficit of Dh5.8 billion in the same time last year.
According to Sultan bin Sulayem, chairman and chief executive of DP World, the industry’s “urgent mission” in terms of global marine connectivity is to restructure supply chains so that trade can better withstand shocks in the future.
The sector must cooperate to share knowledge and data, he said, as the pandemic, geopolitical unrest, and global climate crises have revealed the vulnerability of many components of the supply chain infrastructure.
However, “old technologies” or the sheer number of incompatible digital platforms are slowing down major portions of global trade.
According to Mr. bin Sulayem, “whenever that occurs, there is a bottleneck, a point of failure that damages supply networks.”
“There is digital friction rather than frictionless exchange.”
According to a DP World report issued, over half of freight-forwarders believe that inflation and geopolitical unrest will be the biggest threats to the global supply chain over the next five years.
63% of those surveyed listed inflation as their top worry, while 56% mentioned geopolitical problems.
It is “difficult to determine,” according to two thirds of freight forwarders, when economic problems will end.
The third quarter of 2022 saw a 2.1% increase in gross container volumes according to DP World, who cautioned that the near-term prognosis was uncertain.
“Looking ahead, the near-term outlook remains uncertain given the geopolitical environment, inflationary pressures and currency fluctuations but we remain positive on the medium to long term outlook for global trade,” Mr bin Sulayem said.
From December 2, entry into Qatar would no longer require a World Cup match ticket. However, before visiting Qatar, tourists would still need to apply for and carry a Hayya Card. In addition to providing stadium entrance and match tickets, the Hayya Card is an ID that acts as a visa for Qatar.
Ain Sokhna Al Galala will become the first destination for recreational health tourism in Egypt and the Middle East after tourism development business DM Development and German integrated property management provider Apleona inked a memorandum of agreement. The health resort, which is expected to cost $12 million to develop, will have a private hotel affixed to it and be situated in the resort’s shopping section.
In addition to creating more than 1,000 jobs in the tourism and service industries, the project hopes to draw about 29,000 tourists a year. By offering specialised health and entertainment services, DM Development hopes to promote Egypt’s economic development and draw a new group of tourists that choose recreational tourism.
As one of the major producers and suppliers of aviation fuels in the Spanish market, Cepsa and UAE flag carrier Etihad Airways have signed a memorandum of understanding to speed up the decarbonization of air travel through the development of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Both businesses place a high priority on the creation of environmentally friendly fuels as a means of lowering air travel’s carbon footprint and advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’s objectives for tackling climate change.
The fuels, which can lower aircraft emissions by up to 80% compared to standard kerosene, will be made using circular raw materials that do not compete with food resources, such as discarded cooking oils, non-food animal waste, or biodegradable waste from other industries. In addition, the alliance will aim to electrify Etihad’s ground fleets, which include supply vehicles, luggage loading and unloading operations, and aircraft assistance, as well as to create new energy options like renewable hydrogen.
At the last meeting of the Arabian Travel Market Advisory Board, travel and tourism experts from throughout the Middle East highlighted the opportunities and difficulties that sustainable strategies must address. Reeds Exhibitions, the company behind Arabian Travel Mart, invited participants from tourism boards, hospitality organisations, travel technology units, and aviation groups to the conversation.
According to Danielle Curtis, the Arabian Travel Mart’s exhibition director, the meeting’s findings will assist the organisers make the 30th edition of the event the most environmentally friendly one yet. Working Towards Net Zero will be the topic of ATM 2023, which is slated to run from May 1 to May 4 at the Dubai World Trade Center. “We are working closely with our exhibitors and partners to help catalyse sustainable change within the Middle East travel and tourism sector,” said Curtis. “To bring the sustainable theme of ATM 2023 to life.”
The number of visitors arriving in Hungary from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia is anticipated to reach a record high in 2022. In order to further advertise Hungary as a dreamy winter wonderland destination to visitors from the Middle East, Visit Hungary has also chosen AVIAREPS as its representative office in the Gulf nations. This rise in visitors from the region is a result of the quick turnaround and expansion of direct flight access to Hungary, as well as the positive momentum generated by proactive activations carried out during Dubai Expo 2020.