Abu Dhabi, October 5- Tourism ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have reached a unanimous decision to designate Al Ain as the Gulf's tourism capital for the year 2025. This significant announcement came during the seventh meeting of GCC tourism ministers and undersecretaries, hosted by the Al Dakhiliyah Governorate in the Wilayat of Manah, Oman, over two days. The UAE delegation, led by His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of the Economy, actively participated in this decision-making process.
His Excellency Bin Touq stated, "The selection of Al Ain as the Gulf's tourism capital for 2025 affirms the United Arab Emirates' leadership as a distinguished tourist destination and reflects the confidence the country enjoys as a sustainable tourism destination. Al Ain boasts distinctive tourism assets." He extended an invitation to GCC counterparts to visit the United Arab Emirates and Al Ain to explore the picturesque tourist landscape and learn about the advanced tourism services and developments achieved by the UAE's tourism sector, which have solidified its regional and global leadership.
Moreover, His Excellency emphasized that the GCC's tourism sector faces challenges that hinder its growth, sustainability, and prosperity. These challenges encompass procedures for tourists traveling between GCC countries, the development of intelligent tourism infrastructure within the Gulf, and the economic changes affecting international tourism, not only in the Gulf but globally.
"Increasing cooperation and coordinating joint actions among GCC countries during this meeting are essential to improve growth prospects in the GCC tourism sector and elevate it to more flexible and sustainable levels," His Excellency Bin Touq added. This would involve simplifying the movement of tourist delegations between GCC countries and enhancing electronic connectivity and digital tourism data based on international best practices, thereby contributing to the development of pioneering smart infrastructure for Gulf tourism.
His Excellency noted that recent international events and conferences organized by GCC countries have had a significant impact on intra-Gulf tourism and attracting a significant number of international visitors to the GCC. A prime example was the Gulf Cup hosted by the brotherly state of Qatar, which GCC countries leveraged to promote tourism and boost hotel occupancy rates. Additionally, the UAE facilitated civil aviation traffic by operating flights for international visitors from GCC countries to Qatar during this global event.
In this context, hosting the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) next month in the UAE is expected to have a positive impact on improving intra-Gulf tourism growth.
His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq highlighted the UAE's commitment to supporting ongoing efforts in the Gulf to strengthen cooperation in the tourism sector. This includes contributing to the implementation of joint tourism initiatives, strategies, and programs that promote Gulf cooperation across various economic, tourism, social, and humanitarian domains.
His Excellency continued, "The UAE has made significant strides in developing its tourism policy and infrastructure according to international best practices. It has launched initiatives and strategies for tourism sector growth, with the most significant being the National Tourism Strategy, which involves investments in various tourism areas and the construction of tourism projects in different emirates, aligning with the economic objectives of the UAE Vision 2031."
His Excellency reiterated that tourism sector development and growth are national priorities for the UAE. Therefore, the UAE is committed to working closely with its GCC counterparts to accelerate the realization of common tourism projects and achieve the desired goals outlined in the Gulf Tourism Strategy. This collaborative effort aims to increase the flexibility and sustainability of tourism across GCC countries.
His Excellency also discussed several indicators highlighting the vital role of the tourism sector in promoting sustainable economic growth within GCC countries. According to reports by the World Travel and Tourism Council and the Gulf Statistical Center, the tourism sector's contribution to GCC countries' GDP reached approximately $171.4 billion in 2022, representing over 8% of the region's GDP. The tourism sector within GCC countries provided more than 3.4 million jobs, accounting for over 12% of the Gulf labor market.
GCC countries are collectively considered one of the UAE's most significant tourist markets, with GCC customers representing 11% of total hotel guests in the UAE. Furthermore, Gulf tourism plays a crucial role in supporting the global tourism sector, as it welcomed approximately 6.6 million tourists in 2021, constituting around 47% of the total number of international tourists.
His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq expressed gratitude to the brotherly Sultanate of Oman for hosting this fruitful meeting and commended its leadership during the meeting. He stated, "We have confidence in Oman's ability to make a qualitative addition to the GCC's joint cooperation efforts during its presidency of this meeting, contributing to achieving new accomplishments that enhance the achievements of GCC countries."
This meeting took place within the framework of Oman's presidency of the current session of the Gulf Cooperation Council. During the meeting, various tourism topics were discussed, including the latest developments in the Gulf Tourism Strategy, collaborative efforts between the tourism and culture sectors in GCC countries, and opportunities for cooperation in the field of entertainment. The aim is to support international cooperation in tourism and promote participation in initiatives and programs that foster growth and sustainability in the tourism sector within GCC countries.