A total of 2.6 million Indian tourists visited the UAE in 2017, accounting for 10 per cent of the total number of visitors to the UAE, officials said.

 

The figures were revealed as the UAE Ministry of Economy successfully organised a tourism roadshow in India under the theme ‘Visit UAE’. 

 

The number of visitors from India increased from 2.3 million visitors in 2016 to approximately 2.6 million in 2017-- showing a growth rate of up to 12.8 per cent according to data from the UAE’s tourism development departments and authorities. In contrast, the number of UAE visitors to India increased from about 55,800 in 2015 to more than 67,100 in 2016, with a growth rate of up to about 19 per cent, according to the World Tourism Organization.

 

The roadshow across three major Indian cities was joined by tourism departments and authorities from the Emirates, other local government entities concerned with the tourism sector and a group of tourism institutions and companies, including aviation, major attractions, hotels and tour and travel agencies in the country.

 

The road show initially took place in Bengaluru, then moved to Ahmedabad and concluded in Mumbai. The event covered a number of activities and events aimed at highlighting UAE tourist attractions -- introducing landmarks, services and facilities provided by the national tourism sector.

 

Commenting on the importance of the event, Mohammed Khamis Al Mheiri, advisor to the Minister of Economy for Tourism Affairs, said the UAE’s leadership attaches great importance to the development of the tourism sector, which is seen as one of the economic diversification pillars and represents an important step in the move to support the transition to a post-oil economy. 

 

He also said the MOE’s efforts are in line with the UAE Vision 2021 goal to position country among the best sustainable tourism destinations in the world.

 

Al Mheiri added that India is one of the UAE's leading strategic economic partners and the second largest trading partner in 2016. The country also represents a vital tourist market -- highlighted by the large number of recorded Indian visitors and tourists that come to visit various UAE emirates and tourist attractions. 

 

To date, tourists and visitors from India represent 10 per cent of the total number of visitors to the UAE recorded in 2016, which reached 24.9 million, said officials. 

 

Al Mheiri also underscored the major role played by the civil aviation sector in supporting tourism exchange between India and the UAE, which provides dynamic air transport with multiple solutions and various options for tourists. Both countries are linked to each other via 1,065 flights per week.

 

Abdullah Al-Hammadi, director of the National Tourism Program at the Ministry of Economy, delivered a speech that focused on what the UAE offers to its visitors. He said the country offered a rich tourism experience covering the unique offerings presented by each of the seven emirates, including natural landscapes, historical landmarks and other attractive tourist destinations. - TradeArabia News Service