Programme Objectives and Scope
The National Tourism Strategy 2031 is the UAE’s federal framework for growing tourism into one of the largest contributors to national GDP. The strategy targets increasing the tourism sector’s GDP contribution to AED 450 billion and welcoming 40 million hotel guests annually by 2031. The scope encompasses leisure tourism, business and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, medical tourism, sports tourism, and eco-tourism. The strategy coordinates across emirates to present a unified national tourism proposition while leveraging the distinct strengths of each — Dubai’s entertainment and retail infrastructure, Abu Dhabi’s cultural institutions and natural landscapes, Sharjah’s cultural heritage, and Ras Al Khaimah’s adventure and eco-tourism offerings.
Key Targets and KPIs
The headline KPIs are AED 450 billion in tourism GDP contribution and 40 million hotel guests annually by 2031. Supporting metrics include average length of stay, tourism revenue per visitor, hotel occupancy rates, the number of international events hosted, airline passenger volumes, cruise passenger arrivals, repeat visitor rates, and tourism employment figures. The strategy also tracks the geographic diversification of source markets, aiming to reduce dependence on any single region and expand tourist arrivals from emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Sustainability metrics, including carbon footprint per tourist and sustainable tourism certifications, are increasingly incorporated.
Implementation Status and Progress
The UAE’s tourism sector has recovered strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic and surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Dubai welcomed record international visitor numbers in 2023 and 2024, consolidating its position as the world’s most visited city for international overnight tourists. Abu Dhabi’s cultural tourism has grown with the full operation of the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the development of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and other Saadiyat Cultural District institutions. Ras Al Khaimah has positioned itself as an adventure tourism destination with the Jais Mountain developments. The UAE’s visa liberalisation — including visa-free access for over 70 nationalities and the introduction of multiple-entry tourist visas — has substantially reduced barriers to entry. Airline capacity through Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, Air Arabia, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi continues to expand. Expo 2020 Dubai (held in 2021-2022) served as a catalyst for tourism infrastructure development.
Lead and Supporting Institutions
The Ministry of Economy provides federal policy coordination. The Emirates Tourism Council, chaired by the Minister of Economy, coordinates strategy across emirates. The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), and the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority are the primary emirate-level implementation bodies. Airlines (Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, Air Arabia) are integral to the strategy as the primary means of delivering tourists to the UAE. Hotel and hospitality groups, theme park operators, and event management companies form the private sector delivery infrastructure.
Relationship to We the UAE 2031 Pillars
The tourism strategy directly supports the Economy Pillar of We the UAE 2031 as a major contributor to GDP diversification and employment. Tourism intersects with the society pillar through its role in cultural preservation and promotion, as well as the creation of service sector employment. The sustainability pillar is addressed through sustainable tourism development, eco-tourism growth, and the integration of environmental standards into hospitality operations. The global engagement pillar benefits from tourism’s role as a soft power instrument — visitor experiences shape global perceptions of the UAE, and the hosting of major international events reinforces the federation’s position as a global meeting point.
Funding and Resource Allocation
Tourism investment is distributed across public infrastructure (airports, museums, convention centres, public spaces), destination marketing, and private sector hospitality development. Emirates airlines and Etihad Airways receive significant government support through their respective sovereign ownership structures. DCT Abu Dhabi and DET Dubai maintain substantial destination marketing budgets, jointly spending billions of dirhams annually on international tourism promotion. Public investment in tourism infrastructure includes the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, the development of Saadiyat Cultural District, and the enhancement of public transport and tourism-related infrastructure across the emirates. Private sector hotel and entertainment investment runs into the tens of billions of dirhams annually.