ALETIHAD (DUBAI)
Tourism in the UAE is bouncing back after the events of the past six months, said Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism on Monday.
The UAE has preserved the destination for tourism and is charting out the future of travel experiences, he said as the Arabian Travel Market opened in Dubai. “We’re done with the descending. We are in the time of preparation for ascending,” Al Marri said on a radio show.
He was confident of a strong recovery in the tourism sector after visitor numbers and hotel occupancy had been affected during the months of the conflict.
The country and its tourism industry have been the most amazing test case of the recovery, he said and spelt out innovative plans to drive tourist numbers. Support for tourism businesses are being considered with tourists being encouraged to stay longer in all the seven emirates for 11 days, he said.
“Domestic tourism is not a stop gap for us; it is a strong pillar. Those who live in the UAE, both citizens and residents, deserve to see and experience all the seven emirates,” he said.
The next three months would see more initiatives being rolled out, including the Coolest Winter Campaign that is expected to further drive numbers.
The UAE has a strong foundation in tourism with the right infrastructure, and has successfully weathered the storm, Al Marri said.