UAE shares tourism development insights at OECD meeting in Paris

The UAE, represented by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, participated in the 118th session of the Tourism Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), held in Paris, France, with the participation of Badreya Al Maidoor, Assistant Under-Secretary for Support Services at the Ministry.

According to a Ministry statement issued today, the UAE showcased its experience in developing a competitive and sustainable tourism sector, highlighting the key targets and initiatives of the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, its efforts to strengthen the sector’s resilience to global changes, and the development of an integrated tourism data and statistics ecosystem.

The session featured a series of meetings and discussions with broad international participation on future trends in tourism, including opportunities to accelerate digital transformation, promote sustainable investment, address climate change and maximise the social benefits of tourism.

Discussions also covered the development of sustainability indicators, strengthening sustainable tourism data infrastructure and improving the sector’s social and economic impact in rural and remote areas.

During the UAE delegation’s interventions, Al Maidoor highlighted tourism’s strategic role in supporting economic diversification, growth and investment.

She said the UAE has built an integrated tourism ecosystem supported by world-class infrastructure, extensive international air connectivity and a diverse range of destinations and tourism experiences across the seven emirates.

The delegation reviewed the targets of the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, which aims to increase the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP to AED450 billion, attract AED100 billion in tourism investment and reach 40 million hotel guests annually by 2031.

It said the next phase will focus on maximising tourism’s economic value, developing specialised tourism products and experiences, increasing the participation of national talent and accelerating digital transformation.

Efforts will also seek to broaden the benefits of tourism growth across different destinations and local communities.

During discussions on global tourism trends and developments affecting the sector, the delegation stressed the importance of strengthening tourism’s preparedness to deal with challenges affecting international travel.

It highlighted the need to diversify source markets, strengthen domestic and regional tourism, and intensify coordination among government entities, airlines and private-sector institutions.

The delegation also presented the UAE Grand Tour, which aims to encourage visitors to extend their stays and explore multiple destinations and experiences across the seven emirates in a single journey.

The initiative is designed to increase tourism spending, strengthen connectivity among destinations and create new economic opportunities for tourism establishments and small and medium-sized enterprises.

The delegation also highlighted the World’s Coolest Winter campaign as a national initiative aimed at stimulating domestic tourism, promoting the UAE’s natural, cultural and heritage diversity, and encouraging citizens, residents and visitors to explore tourism attractions across the country.

During a session on maximising tourism’s social and economic benefits, the UAE delegation stressed the importance of balanced tourism development and enhancing the sector’s contribution to job creation, entrepreneurship and the development of emerging tourism destinations, while preserving cultural and natural heritage.

It explained that the UAE tourism model builds on the distinct competitive advantages of each emirate, enabling the development of integrated tourism products that cater to different visitor segments while taking into account the economic, social and environmental characteristics of each destination.

The delegation affirmed the UAE’s readiness to share its experiences and leading practices with OECD member and partner countries, particularly in tourism coordination, joint national campaigns and the development of multi-destination tourism experiences, supporting international knowledge and expertise exchange.

In a session focused on strengthening evidence and data for sustainable tourism policies, the delegation reviewed national efforts to develop an integrated tourism data and statistics ecosystem.

These include further developing the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), improving the measurement of tourism expenditure, leveraging modern data sources and strengthening integration among relevant federal and local entities.

The delegation also stressed the importance of developing practical and internationally comparable indicators to measure the economic, environmental and social dimensions of tourism.

It highlighted opportunities for greater cooperation with the OECD, UN Tourism and the European Commission in this field, contributing to the development of a more sustainable tourism sector regionally and globally.

Concluding its participation, the UAE reaffirmed its commitment to continued cooperation with the OECD and its member and partner countries, and to contributing to international initiatives on tourism resilience, digital transformation, balanced destination development and measurement of the sector’s economic, social and environmental impact.