AED 141 billion spend of international tourists in the UAE in 2019

The International Tourism and Travel Council said that the total spending of international tourists in the UAE, during the past year, reached about 141.1 billion dirhams, indicating that the sector contributed to providing 754.2 thousand direct and indirect jobs in 2019 in the local market.

In its annual report, the council added that spending on recreational tourism constitutes about 79% of the total international spending on tourism in the UAE.

In detail, the annual report of the World Travel and Tourism Council revealed that the total contribution of the travel and tourism sector to the gross domestic product of the UAE, amounted to 11.9% by about 117.8 billion dirhams, during the past year, and a growth of 5%, compared to 2018.

The data released by the council yesterday, which covers 185 countries, indicated that the sector contributed to providing 754.2 thousand direct and indirect jobs last year in the UAE market, equivalent to 11.1% of the total size of the employment market.

It indicated that the total spending of international tourists in the UAE amounted to 141.1 billion dirhams during the past year.

According to the data of the Council, India topped the visitors of the country between 2016 and 2018 with a share of 12%, followed by Saudi Arabia with a share of 9%, then the United Kingdom with a share of 8%, then the Chinese market by about 6%, followed by the Sultanate of Oman with 5%.

She added that Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom top the list of markets that the population of the country intends by about 14 and 12% each, respectively, followed by Kuwait and Bahrain with close proportions.

The council data showed that spending on recreational tourism constitutes about 79% of the total volume of international spending on tourism in the UAE, compared to 21% for spending on business tourism.

As for the Mediterranean, the Council revealed in its report that the total contribution of the travel and tourism sector to the gross domestic product of the Middle East region reached 8.6% last year, at about $ 245 billion, and a growth of 5.3% compared to 2018.

He pointed out that the sector contributed to providing 6.7 million direct and indirect jobs last year in the region’s markets, which is equivalent to 8.8% of the total size of the employment market at the level of the Middle East region.

The tourism sector created 754.2 thousand jobs in the local market last year.