Abdulla Al Marri, Minister of Economy & Tourism, said that hotel occupancy rates in the UAE reached 79.3 per cent during the first ten months of 2025, up from 78 per cent last year, ranking among the highest regionally and globally.

In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of the launch of the sixth edition of the World’s Coolest Winter campaign, the minister noted that hotel revenues totalled AED 89 billion ($24 billion) over the period, with 1,243 hotel establishments offering more than 216,000 rooms nationwide.

He added that tourism contributed 13 per cent to the UAE’s GDP last year, equivalent to AED 257.3 billion, and provides over 920,000 jobs, with plans to raise the sector’s contribution to 17 per cent within five years, supported by growing investments and continued expansion in aviation.

Al Marri highlighted that the World’s Coolest Winter campaign, held under the slogan 'Our Winter is Entrepreneurial', aims to boost domestic tourism and support entrepreneurship, reinforcing the UAE’s position as a global destination for both tourism and business.

Tourism investments reached AED 32.2 billion in 2024, up from AED 28.8 billion in 2023, and are expected to rise to AED 35.2 billion in 2025, reflecting the sector’s strong and sustained growth.