The UAE has achieved an impressive feat in the tourism sector by ranking fourth worldwide in international tourist spending, according to a report by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Visitors to the UAE spent a substantial Dh224 billion in 2022.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, revealed this achievement on his official social media platform. He stated, “The UAE surpassed esteemed countries such as France, Italy, Turkey, and Germany. Only the United States, Spain, and the United Kingdom ranked higher.”
In a series of heartfelt messages titled “life has taught me”, Sheikh Mohammed shared a personal anecdote from the 1980s. As a young minister attending a GCC meeting, he proposed transforming the Gulf cities into international tourist hotspots, beginning with Dubai. His idea was met with skepticism, with a senior minister humorously questioning Dubai’s appeal, given its desert climate and perceived lack of historical attractions.
Reflecting on that memory, Sheikh Mohammed expressed his earlier dismay at the region’s underutilization of its resources and the limited faith in its younger generation’s innovative visions.
Reading the recent UNWTO report, he fondly remembered that moment and the skeptical foreign minister, illustrating the UAE’s tremendous progress in the tourism industry.
