Last year, tourism boosted Abu Dhabi’s economy by adding AED49 billion to its GDP, marking a 22 percent increase from 2022. Abu Dhabi aims to attract 40 million visitors and create 178,000 new jobs in tourism by 2030, as part of its plan to diversify away from relying solely on oil revenue.
The goal is to elevate tourism’s contribution to the non-oil GDP to AED90 billion ($24 billion) annually by the end of the decade, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office. Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced this ambition during a recent executive council meeting.
To achieve this, Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 focuses on nurturing talent within the tourism industry and reinforcing its role in driving economic growth. The strategy also involves promoting private sector investments in tourism by streamlining regulations.
Last year, Abu Dhabi saw a significant rise in visitors, reaching 24 million, a 30 percent increase from the previous year. This influx of tourists contributed significantly to the capital’s GDP, with tourism alone accounting for AED49 billion. The hotel sector played a significant role, contributing AED6.4 billion.
In 2023, the emirate took steps to further support the hospitality and tourism sector by reducing government hotel fees. This included lowering the tourism charge for guests from 6 percent to 4 percent, eliminating a municipality fee of AED15 per room per night, and scrapping a 6 percent tourism fee and a 4 percent municipality fee applied to hotel restaurants.
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