Eliana Willis

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 2023 Economic Impact Research (EIR) today reveals the UAE Travel & Tourism sector is projected to meet the 2019 peak this year.
The sector is set to contribute AED 180.6 billion to the UAE economy by the end of 2023, almost matching the 2019 high AED 183.4 billion, only 1.5% behind pre-pandemic levels. This represents nearly 10% of the total economy.
WTTC is also forecasting that the sector will create nearly 7,000 jobs this year, surpassing the pre-pandemic peak of 745,100, to reach more than 758,000 employed by Travel & Tourism.
A look back on last year
Last year, the Travel & Tourism sector’s GDP contribution grew more than 60% to reach nearly AED 167 billion, representing 9% of the country’s economy.ADVERTISEMENTThe sector also created more than 89,000 more jobs from the previous year to reach more than 751,000 jobs nationally, surpassing 2019 levels by an additional 6,000 jobs.
2022 saw the return of international travellers to the UAE, with India (13%), Oman (8%), Saudi Arabia (8%), and UK (7%) leading as source markets for international arrivals.
According to the data, in 2022, international visitors contributed AED 117.6 billion to the national economy, representing a year-on-year growth of 65.3%, although 19% behind 2019 levels.
In terms of domestic spend, 2022 saw a 35.7% year-on-year jump, reaching AED 46.9 billion, 10.6% above its pre-pandemic counterpart.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “The national Travel & Tourism sector is recovering at a rapid pace, proving the UAE continues to grow in popularity amongst international travellers. The UAE is home to one of the world’s busiest and successful airports, Dubai International, which acts as a gateway to the Middle East.
“The future for the sector looks positive. By the end of this year, the sector’s contribution will level that of 2019, and over the next decade, growth will outstrip the national GDP and create more than 114,000 new jobs, representing one in nine jobs.
“Our recent Cities EIR Report highlighted the appeal tourist destinations across the country, such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, continue to hold for international travellers. These cities have shown an incredible resilience and strong leadership.”
What does the next decade look like?
The global tourism body is forecasting that the sector will grow its GDP contribution to AED 235.5 billion by 2033, representing 10.2% of the UAE economy.
Over the next decade, Travel & Tourism is set to employ more than 872,000 people across the country, representing nearly 12% of all jobs.
Middle East
In 2022, the Middle East’s Travel & Tourism sector contributed more than AED 1.2 trillion to the regional economy, 25.3% below the 2019 peak. By the end of this year, WTTC forecasts the regional sector’s GDP contribution will reach more than AED 1.5 trillion (U.S.$ 413.2 billion) and be within touching distance of the 2019 highpoint.
According to WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Report, the sector employed more than 6.8 million people across the region last year, an increase of 865,000 from the previous year, but still 8.7% behind the 2019 peak. The sector will nearly recover the jobs lost during the pandemic by the end of this year, only 2% behind pre-pandemic levels.
Over the next decade, the Travel & Tourism sector is projected to reach a contribution of nearly AED 2.5 trillion and employ more than 9.8 million people.

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(HM CARAIFA) Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett (2nd left) is welcomed by President-elect of the Caribbean Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (CARAIFA), Hugh Meredith (4th left), and other executive members on his arrival at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa, Montego Bay, on Sunday to give the keynote address at the association’s Hall of Fame Induction dinner to kick start their 34th Sales Congress. Others sharing the moment are (l-r) Congress Director, Monica Robotham; current President of CAIFA, Alicia Birch; CARAIFA’s Secretary General Marcella Fenton and, partially hidden, President of the Jamaica Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, Triola Harper-Smit
Caribbean insurance companies have been challenged to play a pivotal role in ensuring safety and security within the regional tourism industry.
Citing Jamaica’s tourism recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as an example, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett said that during the pandemic the insurance sector was needed on board as a safety valve to give assurance to visitors that they had protection if anything happened when they arrived at the destination. This, he said, was integral to the early recovery of the industry.
Minister Bartlett’s position was stated yesterday (May 14) as he delivered the keynote address at the Hall of Fame Induction dinner of the 34th Sales Congress of the Caribbean Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (CARAIFA), held at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa in Montego Bay.
“As the islands act urgently to integrate resilience as a core component of its tourism development agenda, Caribbean insurance companies can play a critical role in helping to protect the tourism sector in the face of future crises,” he said.
He listed a number of ways in which the insurance industry can help to contribute to tourism resilience, such as providing coverage for loss of income and property damage caused by a variety of risks, including natural disasters, pandemics or other disruptions; helping businesses and individuals accurately assess the risk associated with their activities and providing advice on the types of coverage that should be taken out; and increasing awareness of the importance of having adequate coverage in place by engaging in public education campaigns.ADVERTISEMENTMr. Bartlett suggested that the campaigns could include providing advice on best practices in risk management as well as making people aware of the consequences of not having adequate coverage in place and educating travellers who are unfamiliar with the risk they could be exposed to and what insurance coverage to look for.
He also stated that the insurance industry could help to contribute to tourism resilience by investing in disaster response and relief initiatives such as providing financial support for businesses and individuals affected by natural disasters or pandemic-related disruptions as well as aiding in rebuilding efforts.
Minister Bartlett noted that at last week’s Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) 41st Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Barbados, discussions took place on establishing a full pension plan across the region using as a model Jamaica’s ground-breaking comprehensive Tourism Workers Pension Scheme (TWPS), which involves two major insurance companies in the management and administration of the fund.
An important consideration is that “it has tremendous implications for capital formation across the Caribbean because there are one million workers in the tourism sector in the region; 643,000 of which are working directly in the industry and the others indirectly,” said Minister Bartlett, adding, “and if that pension plan is taken across the region as Jamaica has it, there is the potential to create a level of domestic saving, the size of which the region would never have seen” providing a pool of low-cost funds to build the Caribbean.
With Jamaica’s TWPS now fully operational, he said, “We now need a comprehensive health plan for the workers of the industry” and challenged the insurance sector “to craft an instrument that will enable a health security arrangement for the workers of the tourism industry in the Caribbean.”
With the theme for the CARAIFA sales congress focussing on resilience, Minister Bartlett also called on the region’s insurance companies “to build the human capital of our region.” He said, “Resilience has to come from knowledge, from building capacity for people to convert ideas into meaningful and practical application that will have a value and so we must build the capacity of our young people to think, not just to regurgitate information which they get by reading a text but learn to innovate.”
He, therefore, called on CARAIFA to work with the education system on a programme “to help to establish innovation incubators where young people can learn about financial administration, how to use their money properly and wisely, and learn what insurance is all about.”

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Dubai welcomed 4.67 million international overnight visitors in the first quarter of 2023, compared to 3.97 million tourists during the same period in 2022. This marks a 17 % YoY growth and the city’s best Q1 performance since the pandemic, placing it firmly on track to becoming the most visited international destination, according to the latest data published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)
The growth, which sets the city on course to full tourism recovery, contributes to the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai this January, to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three cities.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “The remarkable growth in international visitation achieved by Dubai in the first quarter of 2023 demonstrates the city’s emergence as one of the key destinations leading the way in the rebound of the global tourism sector. This achievement has been made possible by the far-reaching vision of the leadership to transform Dubai into one of the world’s fastest-growing metropolises and the globe’s pre-eminent hub for travel, talent, entrepreneurship and investment. The Dubai Economic Agenda recently launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, charts an ambitious new path for Dubai to enhance its contributions to shaping the future of the global economy. The tourism sector is not only the strongest pillars of our economy but also a key enabler of Dubai’s distinctive role in the world as a bridge between markets, cultures and regions. In the years ahead, Dubai will continue to introduce new pathbreaking initiatives to offer a distinctive proposition for travellers and achieve its goal of becoming the world’s best place to live, visit, work and invest in.”
The latest industry results – announced at the 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market in Dubai World Trade Centre, positions Dubai as the fastest recovering destination globally, achieving 98 % of pre-pandemic levels in Q1 2023, and exceeding the projection made by the United Nations World Trade Organisation that international tourist arrivals could reach between 80-95 % of pre-pandemic levels this year, especially in Europe and the Middle East.
The number of visitors in Q1 2023 was just two percentage points short of pre-pandemic volume of 4.75 million tourists that arrived in Dubai in the first three months of 2019, a remarkable achievement since turning the tide in July 2020 by reopening the city to international tourists, and in spite of current global economic headwinds. The industry performance also capped an exceptional first quarter for Dubai, which saw the city being crowned again as the No.1 global destination in Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards 2023, making it only the second time in history a city has won the coveted award for two years in a row.ADVERTISEMENTHis Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, commented: “Q1 2023 has set us off on a very strong trajectory for the year and is driving us closer towards realising the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai to make Dubai the most visited and re-visited destination. The positive industry performance is an endorsement of our well-defined strategy, and a testament to the unwavering support of our tourism industry partners and stakeholders. The coming decade will see our industry going through extraordinary phases of transformation, in terms of infrastructure, technology, attractions and experiences, as we focus on achieving the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda 2033.
“To maintain Dubai’s global appeal as the first-choice destination for travellers, we will continue to follow the multi-pronged blueprint that largely contributed to our success in 2022 – evolving the destination promise, a multi-geographic approach to markets, constant international outreach through global campaigns, hosting international MICE, business and leisure events, and further improving stakeholder relationships. As we look ahead to further accelerating momentum in our tourism sector, the pillars of sustainability, gastronomy, trade, and technology will form the foundation of our future success. Notably, this year is declared as UAE’s ‘Year of Sustainability,’ marking a major milestone for us, as the city prepares to host COP28, the UN Climate Change Conference. Sustainability will form the core of all that we do, incorporating sustainable practices into every aspect of the visitor experience to advance our journey towards becoming the world’s best city to live and work in,” HE Helal Almarri added.
Strong rebound
Dubai’s traditional source markets delivered solid tourism volumes during the first quarter of the year with key regions continuing to make an impact on international visitation, further underscoring the success of the city’s diversified multi-geographic strategy. GCC and MENA combined was the top region, collectively contributing to 29 % of total volumes, reflecting the city’s continued appeal for travellers from neighbouring markets. Western Europe accounted for 22 % of tourism arrivals, while South Asia, accounted for 16 % of total international visitation, followed by CIS and Eastern Europe together contributing 15 %, Americas (7 %), North Asia and South East Asia (6 %), Africa (4 %) and Australasia (1 %).
The majority of the regions have demonstrated significant increase in Q1 2023 compared to the same period in 2022 while four regions have fully recovered and surpassed Q1 2019 levels – CIS and Eastern Europe (48 % vs. Q1 2019), MENA (32 % vs. Q1-2019), Americas (9 % vs. Q1-2019 and Australasia 2 % vs 2019). Both South Asia and Western Europe are close to achieving pre-pandemic levels in terms of tourism volumes.
Dubai’s hotel sector spearheads growth
Dubai hotels saw a surge in performance during the first quarter of 2023. Average occupancy for the sector during the January-March period stood at an impressive 83 %, making it one of the highest in the world, and almost on par with the 84 % occupancy recorded in Q1 2019. This achievement is particularly notable given a 26 % increase in room capacity since then. By the end of March 2023, the city’s hotel sector had a total of 148,877 rooms in 814 hotel establishments compared to 118,039 rooms in 717 hotel establishments in 2019. Continued domestic and international investment into the sector helped further boost hotel inventory, with the first quarter of 2023 seeing a 6 % increase in the total number of hotels and rooms compared to the same period in 2022.

The hotel sector outperformed pre-pandemic levels across all other hospitality metrics. During the first three months of the year, Dubai hotels collectively provided 10.98 million Occupied Room Nights, a YoY growth of 7 % and a 27 % increase compared to the pre-pandemic period of Q1 2019, which registered 8.63 million Occupied Room Nights. The ADR of AED607 during the first three months of the year surpassed the ADR of 2019 (AED498), a 22 % growth while RevPAR of AED504 in Q1 2023, surged by 21 % compared to the first three months of the pre-pandemic period of 2019 (AED 417). The robust performance of the hotel sector is also evident by the fact that average length of stay by guests increased to four nights compared to 3.5 nights, a 14 % increase over the same period in 2019, highlighting the city’s appeal for longer-stay travellers.
His Excellency, Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: “Inspired by our visionary leadership, we have made tremendous strides in our efforts to position the city as a must-visit destination through celebrity-led and digital first global campaigns in parallel with initiatives that increase accessibility, minimise barriers to travel, and make it as seamless as possible for travellers to visit Dubai. We express our sincere appreciation for the steadfast support from all our stakeholders and partners who relentlessly strive to uphold our city’s position as a top-tier travel destination globally. Their commitment to our shared vision is instrumental in maintaining our city’s global reputation and for the steady inflow of international visitors. We will continue to work with them to develop innovative and unique tourism products and experiences that will further amplify the appeal of our city as the top consideration for both first-time and repeat business and leisure travellers. With global travel undergoing a paradigm shift in terms of visitor expectations and experiences, we are making every effort to ensure Dubai performs even better in 2023 and beyond to remain ahead of the curve in a highly competitive global tourism landscape.”
Spearheading sustainability initiatives
In an effort to fortify its existing and emerging markets, as well as uncover fresh opportunities for growth both in the domestic and international markets, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) is ramping up its pursuit of non-traditional tourism avenues to attract visitors. This approach is particularly crucial, as the success of Dubai’s tourism strategy will largely hinge on the pillars of sustainability, gastronomy, trade, and technology.
As Dubai shifts towards a more advanced, inclusive, long-term approach to sustainable growth, sustainability is becoming increasingly important as an opportunity and driving force for growth, as more and more travellers seek out sustainable destinations. Sustainability is a core component of Dubai’s development strategy, and hosting global events like COP28 will provide an exceptional opportunity to highlight the Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) initiative designed to enhance the sustainability of the tourism sector and contribute to broader clean energy and sustainable development objectives. DST will also prepare Dubai to cater to global travellers seeking authentic local experiences that promote sustainable practices. A key DST initiative is the Dubai Can campaign, which encourages the use of reusable bottles. The initiative has successfully reduced the number of single-use plastic water bottles by over 7 million in just one year since its launch in February 2022.
DET will further enhance its Gastronomy Always on Campaign as Dubai drives growth in the hospitality and F&B sector, focusing on the four pillars of diversity, value for money, authenticity and experience. Additionally, the city’s investment in infrastructure and support systems for entrepreneurs has transformed it into a much sought-after destination for start-ups, global talent and entrepreneurs.

With the support of its stakeholders and partners, Dubai is committed to continuously offering novel and distinctive experiences for discerning global travellers. These developments will largely be driven by the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which includes over 100 % expansion of tourism attractions, providing new areas for investment and increasing diversity of attractions and experiences for both residents and visitors. Dubai will also continue to showcase its offerings in various segments, including ecotourism, food tourism, wellness tourism, cruise tourism, sports tourism and destination weddings.
Leveraging its position as an international events destination to draw more visitors to its MICE, business and leisure events, Q1 2023 saw Dubai hosting an extensive line-up of events including the Dubai Shopping Festival, the flagship festival of the city’s year-round Retail Calendar, Art Dubai, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, Dubai Duty Free Tennis, the Dubai World Cup, Dubai International Boat Show, World Government Summit, as well as Gulfood, the world’s largest annual food & beverage exhibition, which hosted a record 5,000 plus exhibitors from over 125 countries. In addition to COP28, other major events that are set to create greater visibility for Dubai around the world this year are the family summer extravaganza, Dubai Summer Surprises, Dubai Esports and Games Festival and Dubai Fitness Challenge.

Dubai will also continue to provide alternative growth pathways facilitated by reforms and regulatory enablers, including visa initiatives like the Golden Visa, 5-year Multi Entry Visa, Virtual Working, and Retire in the Dubai programs that have eased barriers to entry, promoted long-term affiliation with the city and further enhanced its position as a global liveability hub.  Home to over 200 nationalities, Dubai also provides parents a choice of quality education for their children with many top-ranking international universities having established their campuses in the city. These initiatives have also strengthened Dubai’s pro-business environment, making it an attractive destination for multinationals, family offices, global talent, entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors.

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‘Amazing Workation’ to further boost Thailand’s appeal to foreign film makers

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The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pleased to report the launch by the Thailand Film Office under the Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, of ‘Thailand – Amazing Workation’, the newest chapter in Thailand’s ongoing efforts to remain one of the best filming destinations in the world.Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said “Thailand is already a favourite filming location for foreign TV and film makers, who applaud the kingdom’s diverse geographical characteristics, historical sites, natural beauty, fascinating culture, and filmmaking services and government support. The latest Amazing Workation initiative will certainly help further strengthen this appeal.”
The ‘Amazing Workation’ initiative contains three aspects of film production fundamentals – Great Incentives, Great Services, and Great Relaxation.
The ‘Great Incentives’ reflect the best of value beyond ‘Fast Cash,’ ‘Speedy Pay (Rebate),’ and ‘Truly Transparent’ concept. The maximum rebate up to 20% for foreign film production projects that invest 50 million Baht will be increased to 150 million Baht per project. Income tax exemption will be given to foreign film actors when filming in Thailand, for a 5-year period from 2 August 2023 to 1 August 2028.
The ‘Great Services’ reflect the world-class services, facilities, and hospitality provided to foreign film makers in Thailand, while the ‘Great Relaxation’ represents the friendly charm, unique culture, and wonderful leisure activities that can be enjoyed while filming in Thailand.
Evidence of Thailand’s well-earned popularity as a filming destination for film makers from around the world, is data showing that 171 foreign films were shot in Thailand in the first four months of 2023 from January to April – earning revenue of 1.29 billion Baht. These represented an increase of 18 films and 118 million Baht in revenue when compared to the same period in 2022.ADVERTISEMENTFor 2023, the month of April alone saw 33 films productions – earning revenue of 169 million Baht. In the first three months of 2023, March recorded 60 film productions – earning 488 million Baht, February 2023 saw 43 film productions – earning 370.99 million Baht, and January welcomed 35 film productions – earning 270 million Baht.
In 2022, Thailand was chosen as the location for 348 foreign film productions – earning revenue of almost 6.4 billion Baht.
Among the most high-profile productions filmed recently in Thailand was the third season of ‘The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip’ reality TV series in Phuket which premiered on the Peacock streaming service on 23 March 2023, and the final two episodes of season 27 of ABC’s “The Bachelor’ series in Krabi which aired on 20 and 27 March 2023.
On the big screen, Czech adventure comedy movie ‘Ostrov’ (The Island), which was shot almost entirely in Phuket and Krabi, was released in theatres in Europe in February 2023.

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