Seven centuries ago, Ibn Battuta, the famed North African traveller, began a brief pilgrimage to Makkah that turned into a 29-year journey involving shipwrecks, kidnappings, political coups, royal meetings and the Black Death. Although few people today would aspire to have such an eventful journey, more adventurous travellers than ever are seeking new destinations to explore, many of them in the Global South.
This is big business. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, travellers contributed $10.9 trillion to the global economy last year, passing pre-pandemic levels and accounting for 10 per cent of worldwide gross domestic product. Although specific figures for developing nations are only beginning to emerge, according to the World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism, Africa alone received about 74 million international tourist arrivals, which was 7 per cent more than in 2019 and 12 per cent more than in 2023.
Many relative newcomers to international tourism are working hard to exploit their untapped potential. Foreign visitors to Uzbekistan, for example, rose from about one million in 2016 to approximately seven million in 2023 as the country’s government invested in developing and promoting its Silk Road heritage.
The challenges that face emerging economies as they find their footing in the international tourism market are many. Ensuring that money spent by tourists stays in the country, rather than flowing back to international airlines, tour operators and hotel chains is one. Developing managed, equitable tourism is also vital to prevent the creation of a seasonal economy that is vulnerable to unforeseen shocks such as worldwide pandemics or climate change. A number of countries are forging their own paths forward.
In this context, global leadership has a vital role to play. It is notable therefore that the incoming Secretary General of UN Tourism, Shaikha Al Nowais – the first Emirati to hold the role – has revealed that regions with great tourism potential, such as Africa, Latin America and small island states, will be part of her focus.
"Tourism is not a luxury," she told The National this week. "It creates jobs, uplifts communities and keeps small businesses alive … With the right planning and partnerships, every country – no matter its challenges – can benefit from tourism."
This is where lessons gained from the UAE’s well-managed tourism experience can inform the global conversation. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have both risen up the ranks as destination hotspots thanks to their diverse offerings, first-class infrastructure and proven ability to work in concert with other countries, such as Qatar during the 2022 Fifa World Cup. As a leading figure in the UN’s agency for tourism, Ms Al Nowais will be able to bring such Emirati experience and knowledge to the table.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to each country’s tourism plan, and individual countries have to have their own goals. But with global leadership rooted in what has been a tourism success story, this is an opportunity to wisely develop travel in what are rapidly changing times.
