Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, on Friday announced a national tourism strategy that is intended to attract 40 million hotel guests by 2031.
The strategy, launched in the presence of Cabinet ministers and senior government officials, is also designed to attract Dh100 billion in tourism investment to the UAE.
“Today, we adopted our national tourism strategy until 2031,” Sheikh Mohammed said on Twitter.
“Today, we are among the top 10 tourist destinations in the world and our goal is to accelerate our competitiveness by attracting Dh100bn in additional tourism investments to this vital sector and receiving 40 million hotel guests in 2031.”
Sheikh Mohammed said tourism is an important part of the UAE's economy. The new strategy should push the tourism sector's contribution to GDP to Dh450bn by 2031, increasing each year by Dh27bn, he said.
“Tourism is an important part of diversifying our national economy and an important tributary to consolidating our global competitiveness,” he said in a second tweet.
“Our airports received 22 million passengers in the first quarter of this year alone. Our goal is that the tourism sector’s contribution will be Dh450bn of our GDP in 2031.”
The strategy includes 25 initiatives and policies to support the development of the tourism sector in the country, the government media office said.
It is based on strengthening the national tourism identity, developing and diversifying specialised products, building capabilities, encouraging Emiratis to become involved in the sector, and increasing investments.
The strategy will also encourage investment in travel, aviation and hospitality, create new investment opportunities, and attract more international companies to the local market.
The UAE has experienced a return to high tourism numbers this year, with a strong tourism industry performance predicted at a Cabinet meeting in September.
Figures revealed at that meeting showed the tourism sector’s revenue exceeded Dh19bn during the first half of this year and the total hotel guest numbers in the same period reached 12 million — an increase of 42 per cent.
“Our indicators today are stronger than our indicators before the pandemic, and our economic growth is faster than before the pandemic, and our tourism, commercial and development sectors are larger than before the pandemic,” Sheikh Mohammed said at that meeting.
Majid Al Futtaim, the Middle East's largest mall operator, in its “State of The UAE Retail Economy” report, last week said the travel and tourism sector has bounced back strongly, with “consumers now spending more than before the pandemic-induced turbulence”.
Dubai reported a 182 per cent year-on-year rise in international visitors between January to August.
The number of occupied room nights in the emirate rose by 28 per cent annually in the January-August period, 17 per cent above pre-coronavirus levels in 2019 at slightly less than 24 million, the report said.
Occupancy rates at Abu Dhabi hotels also improved month-on-month in August to 65.2 per cent, according to data from hotel analytics provider STR.
Passenger traffic at Abu Dhabi International Airport also nearly quadrupled during the second quarter of this year.
Hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi expect occupancy levels ranging between 80 per cent to 100 per cent thanks to the Fifa World Cup, with strong demand trends similar to those recorded during the peak period of Expo 2020 Dubai, according to the major local and international hotel chains operating in the UAE.
In 2019, the Ministry of Economy said travel and tourism contributed Dh180.4bn in revenue to the UAE's GDP, which is equivalent to 11.6 per cent of the total GDP.
Total spending of international tourists that year amounted to Dh143.1bn.
It said the number of hotels in the UAE in 2020 increased to 1,089, while the hotel capacity in the country reached 180,000 hotel rooms.
Dubai's most popular tourist attractions — in pictures
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
Third Test
Day 3, stumps
India 443-7 (d) & 54-5 (27 ov)
Australia 151
India lead by 346 runs with 5 wickets remaining
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Barcelona v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray
Ireland v Denmark: The last two years
Denmark 1-1 Ireland
7/06/19, Euro 2020 qualifier
Denmark 0-0 Ireland
19/11/2018, Nations League
Ireland 0-0 Denmark
13/10/2018, Nations League
Ireland 1 Denmark 5
14/11/2017, World Cup qualifier
Denmark 0-0 Ireland
11/11/2017, World Cup qualifier
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
England's lowest Test innings
- 45 v Australia in Sydney, January 28, 1887
- 46 v West Indies in Port of Spain, March 25, 1994
- 51 v West Indies in Kingston, February 4, 2009
- 52 v Australia at The Oval, August 14, 1948
- 53 v Australia at Lord's, July 16, 1888
- 58 v New Zealand in Auckland, March 22, 2018
Results:
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m | Winner: AF Al Montaqem, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m | Winner: Daber W’Rsan, Connor Beasley, Jaci Wickham
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m | Winner: Bainoona, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m | Winner: AF Makerah, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 | Winner: AF Motaghatres, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,600m | Winner: Tafakhor, Ronan Whelan, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
The%20Killer
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EDavid%20Fincher%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMichael%20Fassbender%2C%20Tilda%20Swinton%2C%20Charles%20Parnell%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Draw:
Group A: Egypt, DR Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi
Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania
Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola
Group F: Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
