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3h ago

UAE Issues Nearly 40,000 Tourism-Linked Business Licences as Sector Surges

The licensing jump underscores tourism’s record spending translating into rapid business formation.

Tourists and residents are seen at a souk in the Dubai Creek area. The UAE's tourism sector offers a host of activities, including areas showcasing the country's heritage. Antonie Robertson / The National
Dubai desert rural tourism plan UAE

Overview

  • The economy minister said 39,546 licences in tourism, hospitality, aviation and related fields were issued by mid-September, nearly four times 2020 levels.
  • The unified Gulf tourist visa helped draw 3.3 million GCC visitors in 2024, with about 1.9 million from Saudi Arabia and strong flows from Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.
  • Tourism contributed AED257.3 billion in 2024, equal to 13% of GDP, with 30.75 million hotel guests and nearly AED45 billion in hotel revenue.
  • Momentum carried into 2025 as hotels hosted more than 16 million guests in the first half with AED26 billion in revenue, while airports handled 102.9 million passengers in the first eight months.
  • Capacity growth is accelerating with designs approved for an AED128 billion Al Maktoum International terminal planned for 260 million passengers.