Tourism in the Middle East is on the rise

Following a steep decline caused by Covid-19, visitor numbers to the region have grown steadily each year since

In 2020, the world faced a major health, social and economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Businesses closed, streets emptied, and most of the world's population were behind their homes' doors.

Widespread travel restrictions, followed by a global lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, caused a monumental decline in international travel. Data from the UN World Tourism Organisation shows that international tourist receipts (foreign visitors' spending on goods and services) in the Middle East dropped a staggering 57.5 per cent from 2019 figures, the lowest ever recorded.

Recovering from an event of that magnitude was not an easy task for tourism in the region, but it eventually occurred. In 2022, two years after the global lockdown and travel restrictions, tourist spending was 20 per cent above pre-pandemic levels. By last year, the figure had risen to more than 60 per cent above pre-pandemic levels.

UAE and Saudi Arabia are the major contributors

Back in 2019, the UAE and Saudi Arabia together accounted for half of all international receipts; today, they account for two-thirds of the total in the region, totalling $98 billion (UAE with $57 billion and Saudi Arabia with $41 billion).

The UAE has been enhancing efforts to diversify its economy away from oil, with the tourism industry becoming one of its main pillars. As a result, the country has granted close to 40,000 commercial licences in tourism-related industries.

The UAE is expected to receive 27.6 million visitors this year, according to the latest report from the World Travel and Tourism Council. The WTTC also stated that, although conflicts in the Middle East could "dampen demand" for travel this year, the effects are expected to be limited to the areas affected.