2024-04-29 09:38:09
Representing the UAE, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council and Chairman of the Hospitality Advisory Council, led the country’s delegation to participate in the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, which is held under the aegis of slogan: “International cooperation, growth and energy for development” During the period of April 28 to 29, the state delegation included His Excellency Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of ‘Economy.
Bin Touq participated in one of the forum sessions, which covered a group of topics related to the future of sustainable tourism development and how to benefit from the potential of tourism as a major driver in promoting resilient economic growth. Ahmed Al-Khatib, Saudi Minister of Tourism, and Thiago Alonso de Oliveira, CEO of JHSF, Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah Group, and Irene Omar, Chief Executive Officer of RedBeat Capital, Capital A (AirAsia).
Bin Touq stressed that tourism represents a major basis for strengthening the growth of the global economy and is the essential driver to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, due to its importance and comprehensive nature in the achieving sustainable development of countries, through increasing income, attracting investments, providing employment opportunities and establishing… Various tourism projects and development of transport infrastructure.
He highlighted that the tourism sector creates a labor market for different age groups and reduces unemployment rates, as it offers a wide range of services and products such as hotels, tourist centers, means of transport , recreational activities and shopping. This vital sector is likely to increase its contribution to global gross domestic product to 15.5%. Trillion dollars by 2033, representing 11.6% of the global economy, and will employ around 430 million people worldwide, or around 12% of the total. workforce in the world, according to forecasts from the World Travel and Tourism Council.
While participating in the session, Abdullah bin Touq said that sustainability is one of the most important factors to enhance the growth of the tourism sector in the coming period, especially in light of environmental and social conditions. that the world is facing. It is important to strengthen joint work at all levels, in order to achieve a balance between growth and economic, environmental and social responsibility.
He highlighted the UAE’s keenness to contribute to the development of tourism infrastructure regionally and globally, to ensure the sustainability of the tourism industry in the long term. His Excellency explained that sustainable tourism faces certain challenges, perhaps the most important. including the need to improve the skills of workers and develop their performance and expertise in the tourism sector, stimulating innovation and creativity in various tourism fields and activities.
He added: “The UAE is committed to achieving sustainability not only in the tourism sector, but also in various economic and environmental sectors and to preserving resources, wealth and natural resources, especially with the announcement by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, to extend the “Year of Sustainability” initiative to… in 2024, with the aim of capitalizing on the success of this initiative during the year 2023.
He highlighted that the UAE pays great attention to the tourism sector, as it constitutes a fundamental contributor to supporting the growth of the national economy and strengthening its competitiveness. The country has worked continuously during the previous phase to showcase the country’s tourism diversity and promote the unique features and characteristics of the country’s seven emirates, with the aim of attracting more international businesses to the markets and encouraging domestic and foreign investment in tourism projects, which has helped consolidate the UAE’s position on the travel and tourism map. regionally and globally.
Bin Touq reviewed the UAE’s experience in developing its tourism sector in line with international best practices and making it more flexible and sustainable, as this experience included promoting sustainable tourism practices such as respectful accommodation of the environment, the preservation of wildlife and cultural heritage and the launch of national initiatives. and strategies, the most important of which is the “National Tourism Strategy 2031”, which aims to increase the contribution of the UAE tourism sector to the gross domestic product of the national economy to 450 billion dirhams and elevate the position of country as a country. the best tourism identity in the world by the next decade, in addition to launching the national map for reducing carbon emissions in the field of aviation, through which the country has set itself an Aspiring goal to achieve a annual production of up to 700 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.
Bin Touq highlighted the importance of ecotourism to support the sustainability of the tourism sector and preserve nature reserves and tourist attractions in the desert. His Excellency presented models of sustainable tourism in the UAE, including the “Al Marmoum Desert Reserve”, which achieves a balance between the two. visitor experience and environmental preservation. Apart from “Sir Bani Yas Island”, which shows the potential of ecotourism, His Excellency also highlighted the major international events that the country has hosted and played a leading role in enhancing the growth of its sector tourism, including the success of the island. “Expo 2020 Dubai” exhibition and “COP28” Conference of the Parties.
He discussed a set of indicators and results achieved by UAE tourism during the year 2023, which confirmed a full recovery from the pandemic and a return to higher levels of growth than in 2019 , notably the tourism sector which achieved significant growth of 26% in 2023 compared to 2023. until 2022, exceeding 2019 levels by 14%. Its contribution to the gross domestic product of the State reaches approximately 220 billion of dirhams, or the equivalent of 11.7% of the state’s gross domestic product, and its contribution to the national economy is expected to increase over the coming years. by 2024, to reach 236 billion dirhams, or the equivalent of 12% of the state’s gross domestic product, according to a recent report published by the World Travel and Tourism Council.
In addition, this vital sector has contributed to providing 809,000 employment opportunities in various tourism activities and areas of the country during the year 2023, equivalent to 12.3% of the total labor market, with a rate growth of 5% compared to the year 2022, and exceeding the levels of 2019 with a growth rate of 11.4%. The number of jobs created is expected to reach 833,000 in 2024, and there are currently 1,235 hotels in the country offering 210,000 rooms to guests and visitors.
He stressed that we will continue to work with our brothers from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, in order to activate the unified Gulf tourist visa among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, following its approval, because this visa contributes to putting highlight the various tourist components of the country. Gulf Cooperation Council countries, attracting tourists and retaining them for extended periods, and increasing the number of inter-hotel trips across the Gulf countries, making it the world’s leading tourist destination for regional and international.
It is worth noting that Riyadh hosted the extraordinary meeting of the World Economic Forum, as this meeting is the first of its kind for the forum outside Davos following the “Covid-19” pandemic, and the forum saw the presence of more of a thousand people. participants, including heads of state, senior civil servants, international experts, opinion leaders and thinkers from the public and private sector, international organizations and academic institutions, to discuss various economic issues and developments world, with the aim of finding common solutions and tackling humanitarian problems. , climatic and economic challenges.
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