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Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) CEO Issam Kazim has told the emirate’s hospitality leaders he wants to convert holiday-makers into residents.
Speaking at DET’s latest City Briefing, held at Dubai World Trade Centre on Thursday June 15, Kazim said: “Today we have two new KPIs. We want to make sure Dubai continues to be one of the best cities to work in, and more importantly, one of the best cities in the world to live in.”Around a quarter of all Dubai tourists return within a year. Kazim said convincing those people to make Dubai a permanent home is key.He added: “Once you bring them in, you’d hope they spend more money next time and stay for longer. Eventually, they would consider living in Dubai, and we have all the visas to facilitate that. We’d like them to work here, live here and retire here.
“It’s all about closing the loop.”
Dubai has a high proportion of tourists visiting friends and family, Kazim explained. “The more we grow the community here locally,” he added. “It both retains spend, and it brings in even more first-time visitors. That needs to continue.”
The latest data from Dubai’s tourism performance (which goes up to April 2023) shows that the average length of stay in the city is four nights. Increased from 2019. In total, 6.02 international visitors came to Dubai from January to April 2023, closing the gap on 2019’s 6.26 million during the same period.ADVERTISEMENTDubai’s population is around 3.5 million, 85 percent of which are expats.The Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) plans to add billions of dirhams to the economy across more than 100 projects in the next 10 years. It was announced at the start of the year by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
By 2033, Sheikh Mohammed would like to see Dubai one of the top four global financial centres, doubling the city’s economy.
The plan includes a programme to support 30 private companies to achieve unicorn status ― worth more than US$1 billion (about AED3.67 billion). Other business incubators will support the growth of private companies, with 400 of the most promising identified.
Dubai was voted Middle East’s Leading City Destination 2022 at last year’s World Travel Awards.
Source: Hotelier Middle East

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A new project from Modon Properties has been announced, located on Abu Dhabi’s Hudayriyat Island, and featuring what they’re calling the world’s “largest man-made wave pool.”
“Set to open by the end of 2023, Surf Abu Dhabi will be the biggest and most advanced artificial wave facility in the world. Designed in partnership with Kelly Slater Wave Co., the landmark destination will offer a high-performance surfing experience, featuring the world’s longest ride, biggest barrel, and largest man-made wave pool. Underscoring Abu Dhabi’s sporting and leisure credentials, the exclusive surfing complex seeks to attract everyone from beginners to pro-surfers. Surf Abu Dhabi will provide an ideal location to host major international events and will play a major role in developing the surfing community locally, regionally, and globally.”
Specifics on just how big the pool will be, and the size of the waves it will be able to produce, are still scarce. However, per a report from TimeOut, the pool will span 51 million square meters. The Surf Ranch in Lemoore, CA is reportedly 2,300 feet long – that’s only 700 meters.
So, it’s bigger. Much bigger. You do the maths.

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Public, private and academic sectors uniteIn line with Sustainable Development Goal 17 on partnerships for development, the ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses project brings together leading businesses and top scholars with the multilateral system to co-design a measurement tool that is meaningful and feasible for improved monitoring how tourism businesses impact, and depend on, people, planet and prosperity. UNWTO and Oxford University will carry out a comprehensive mapping of current work, interview pioneering businesses in the accommodation and reservation services industries, and further research and development.
Based on this work, UNWTO plans to issue a first beta version of the ESG Tourism Framework for accommodation and reservation services, with a view to extending it into additional tourism industries over 2024 and launch the finalized, agreed version for global uptake.
UNWTO Executive Director, Zoritsa Urosevic, said “By drawing on the power of international consensus – based on the forthcoming UN Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism (MST) – the ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses will provide a comparable and relevant set of indicators for tourism industries. It will empower private and public sectors with more robust data to shape innovative policies, transform business models and promote better tourism governance”.
“The ESG Framework brings together the University of Oxford’s world class academic research with the international consensus-building ability and expertise of the UNWTO.  Ensuring that this strategic approach is matched with real-world testing and consultation with industry experts, such as easyJet holidays, this project is uniquely placed to bring about meaningful impact in the sustainable tourism sector,” said Professor Alexander Betts, University of Oxford’s Local and Global Engagement Officer
Matt Callaghan, easyJet holidays’ Director of Customer & Operations, said: “We have big ambitions when it comes to making sustainable holidays mainstream and we’re committed to playing our part in supporting better tourism governance. So, as the SDG Impact Lab’s founding partner we’re delighted to be supporting the Lab’s work with the UNWTO, to develop a first of its kind environmental, social and governance framework for sustainable tourism.ADVERTISEMENTActionable data for real impactIn tourism, as in other sectors, the challenge often lies not in a lack of data, but rather in the absence of common and harmonized approaches to organizing data, especially given the complexity of numerous existing initiatives. This hinders the ability to benchmark performance across businesses and to communicate progress of the sector with policy makers. It can even undermine stakeholder confidence.
By applying internationally recognized statistical approaches, this project aims to establish a fundamental level of consensus and alignment in business disclosures, enabling more consistent reporting that is comparable:
Between businesses within the tourism sector,Between tourism businesses and those in other economic sectors, andBetween business level-data and public-level (national and subnational) data.Moreover, the ESG Framework will demonstrate the potential of supplementing business–level data with national and global tourism statistics, for more holistic and cost-effective ESG disclosures that make the most of available information.
Developed under the umbrella of the UNWTO Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (SF-MST), applicable to countries and destinations worldwide to guide the production of reliable and comparable data of tourism’s economic, social and environmental aspects, the ESG Framework for Tourism businesses will bring the benefits of consensus and harmonization also to the private sector.

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Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority – Miami Beach is home to world-famous beaches and waters, serving as a destination that provides inspiration, motivation, relaxation and experiences that allow visitors to immerse themselves in the power of the area’s waters. From organized beach clean ups that give back and mindful yoga practices along the shoreline to activities including paddle boarding, kite surfing, jet skiing and fishing, the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority is working with local businesses to showcase the many ways summers visitors can Connect With the Waters this season. Those looking for water-centric vacation inspiration can follow @experiencemiambeach on Instagram to meet Miami Beach-based leaders and companies including Clean Miami Beach, Warrior Flow Yoga, Boucher Brothers, BouYah Watersports and more through the new campaign.
“The Connect With the Waters campaign spotlights the crown jewel of Miami Beach, our stunning waters, and takes a deeper dive into the teams dedicated to providing memorable experiences while working to preserve the natural surroundings for our community and visitors to enjoy,” says Christopher Rollins, Chair of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA). “We know travelers are looking for unique ways to Connect With the Waters of Miami Beach and we’re proud to feature a selection of options that allow for active or passive experiences to immerse in the beauty, calm and thrill of our waters.”
Connect With the Waters uncovers the varying ways those visiting for business or pleasure can experience the power of Miami Beach’s waters. The campaign features a variety of businesses with the content now live @experiencemiamibeach on Instagram featuring Clean Miami Beach, a non-profit dedicated to bringing awareness to the harm of single-use plastics and opportunities to make a hands-on impact while on Miami Beach, and Miami Beach-based Warrior Flow Yoga, a welcoming and inclusive practice that brings people together for yoga and fitness with Miami Beach as the backdrop. Rooted in reflection and empowerment, they provide mindful practices including personal, group and signature full moon flows. Upcoming videos will cater to thrill seekers who can Connect With the Waters through active options like jet skiing, parasailing, paddle boarding and kayaking with BouYah Watersports and those who prefer to relax and take in the sights and sounds of the water on from the comfort of a beach chaise will find solace with five-star, oceanfront service courtesy of Boucher Brothers.
“Miami Beach is home to small and family-run businesses that deliver memorable activities. We know seeing is believing and our new social campaign invites future travelers to learn more about the best ways to Connect With the Waters through dynamic content,” adds Grisette Marcos, Executive Director of the MBVCA. “As our social following continues to rapidly grow, we are focused on bringing fresh information and experiences to the forefront of our communication efforts through social platforms and enhancing our itineraries found in the new EXP Miami Beach Tours app that is now available for download.”
To view the current Connect With the Waters campaign videos, visit www.instagram.com/experiencemiamibeach and view the MB Waters highlights section on the main profile page. Download the new EXP Miami Beach Tours APP now available on Apple and Google.ADVERTISEMENT

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Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Minister, HE Ahmed Al-Khateeb revealed that the Kingdom is investing US$800 billion in the sector over the next ten years.
Speaking at the 10th edition of the Arab-China Businessmen Conference on Sunday, Al-Khateeb said that travel and tourism counts for 4.5 percent of Saudi Arabia’s GDP, marking an increase from three percent in 2019.
Saudi Arabia spends US$110 billion to become world leader in luxury hotelsKingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently developing or planning more than US$1 trillion worth of real estate and infrastructure projects, which includes 315,000 hotel rooms. US$110 billion of that figure is solely for hotels, most of which are luxury properties.
These ambitious initiatives align with the country’s Vision 2030 strategy. Over the next four to five years, the number of hotel rooms is projected to nearly double to approximately 200,000. By 2028, at least 50 percent of the proposed supply is expected to be operational, as some existing properties make way for newer, more competitive, and appealing hotels and resorts.
Leading real estate consultancy Knight Frank, asserts that KSA is poised to showcase its vision of an ultra-modern future to a global audience. The country’s real estate landscape will undergo a transformative shift, redefining tourism, living, and lifestyle. A diverse array of giga and mega projects will play a significant role in achieving this goal.ADVERTISEMENTKnight Frank’s research on KSA hotels, excluding the giga projects, reveals that there are currently 129,000 hotel and serviced apartment rooms in the country. By 2030, this figure is expected to increase by more than 60 percent to reach 212,000 rooms in various sectors, including 5-star, 4-star, 3-star, and below, as well as serviced apartments.
The development cost for 4-star properties alone amounts to almost half of the total investment of $21.3 billion. Furthermore, the Kingdom’s giga projects contribute to nearly 73 percent of the hotel supply pipeline, resulting in a 62 percent surge in the number of 4- and 5-star hotel rooms by the end of the decade.
Saudi Tourism Authority says “tourism is the new oil” as 100 million visitor target is raisedSaudi Arabia will increase the 100 million visitor target it set as part of the Saudi Vision 2030 programme.
The number was first set in 2016 when the Vision was first announced, however, in 2022, the Kingdom welcomed 77 million domestic travellers and 16.5 million international, adding up to 93.5 million.
Dubai, the region’s longstanding tourism leader, has 14.5 million international visitors in 2022.
As the 100 million mark was almost reached eight years ahead of schedule, Saudi Tourism Authority’s (STA) CEO Fahd Hamidaddin said the goal post will move.
Source: Hotelier Middle East

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