26 Feature INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT


A bright tourism future


Senior UNWTO ministers are gathering at today’s show to discuss the region’s tourism successes, challenges and the road ahead


The travel and tourism sector’s importance on the world economic stage cannot be underesti- mated, as a vital driver of growth. In 2016 alone, more than 1.2 billion people travelled interna- tionally, six billion travelled domestically, and hundreds of millions of people were employed in the industry, United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) figures reveal. “Tourism has become an undisputed vehicle


of advancing the global economy, representing 10 percent of the world’s GDP, 30 percent of service exports and one in every 11 jobs,” says UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai. “International tourist arrivals are on track to


reach at least 1.8 billion by 2030, with an average of 43 million additional international travellers entering the market each year. “Bearing in mind the outstanding perfor-


mance of tourism in MENA over the past two decades, and despite disruption of international tourism flows to some destinations in the region in recent years, UNWTO forecasts international tourist arrivals to the region to grow steadily, well above the world’s average, to reach 195 million by 2030.” The development of a robust travel and


tourism sector is a primary focus in the region, particularly in GCC countries where the industry


is being established as a pillar and key driver of modern post–oil economies. “Particularly noticeable is the fact the region


has emerged as a major hub for the global airline industry, facilitating passenger travel across several countries,” adds Rifai. “Huge investments in world-class airports


and large fleets of new aircraft have played an important role in attracting commercial traffic. Increased business activity, upcoming large- scale events and targeted promotions are also fuelling investment in tourism.”


SUCCESS STORY Against this backdrop of rapid and success- ful tourism development, this year’s UNWTO & Arabian Travel Market Ministerial Forum is entitled ‘Fostering the Contribution of Tourism to Sustainable Economic Growth and Diversi- fication in the MENA region’. Held under the patronage of His Excellency


Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, the UAE’s Minister of Economy, the event, which takes place today, brings together tourism ministers and indus- try leaders to discuss the “ways and means of capitalising on tourism growth in the region”. The panel of around 20 UAE and MENA ministers will discuss how their governments


can build a sustainable ecosystem for the sector in a way that fulfils their national agendas for GDP growth, as well as economic diversification, innovation, entrepreneurship, productivity, job creation, human capital, infrastructure develop- ment, investment and export promotion. Noting that the United Nations has desig-


nated 2017 as the International Year of Sustain- able Tourism for Development, Rifai says: “We need to work closer together to harness the contribution of tourism to economic growth, social inclusion, cultural and environmental pres- ervation and mutual understanding, particu- larly when we live in times with such a deficit of respect and tolerance”. He believes 2017 will provide a “unique opportunity” for the UNWTO to “promote the contribution of tourism to achieving the future we want – and to determine together the exact role we will have tourism play in the sustainable development agenda to and beyond 2030”. The UAE has already laid down firm plans


for a national tourism strategy that fosters long- term economic prosperity and elevates its status to one of the leading global destinations. “Tourism is one of the key sources of national


income and its role, place and contribution to the GDP should be doubled in the future,” says


Al Mansouri, adding that “the UAE has huge potential with its state-of-the-art infrastructure, magnificent diverse natural resources, tourism and hotel facilities and internationally-recog- nised historic and archaeological landmarks. “These strengths have already contrib-


uted towards establishing the UAE as one of the world’s favourite destinations. In the longer term, tourism will play a major role in the govern- ment’s plans to diversify the national economy and stimulate non-oil sectors to increase their contribution to the GDP,” he adds. In 2016, the total contribution of travel and


tourism to the UAE’s GDP was US$43.3 billion (AED159 billion), representing 12.1 percent of the overall GDP, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). These figures are set to rise by 4.9 percent each year to reach US$72 billion (AED264.5 billion) and represent 12.4 percent of GDP in 2027. Al Mansouri says the UAE has emerged as


one of the world’s most popular destinations thanks to its sharp focus on tourism as a major catalyst for economic diversification and the eventual transition to a post-oil era. “With Expo 2020 Dubai just around the


corner, the sector is set to make an even greater impact on the economy,” he adds.


“Tourism has become an undisputed vehicle of advancing the global economy, representing 10 percent of the world’s GDP, 30 percent of service exports and one in every 11 jobs”


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1 Downtown Dubai 2 Arabian Travel Market


3 Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary General 4 Dubai International Airport 5 Dubai skyline


UNWTO & ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET


MINISTERIAL FORUM


Monday April 24, 2017, 15.30-17.30


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Al Multaqua Ballroom, Arabian Travel


Market, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)


HE Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, the UAE’s Minister of Economy; Taleb Rifai, Secretary General, UNWTO; MENA tourism


ministers and senior industry leaders; and Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, Reed Exhibitions.


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