In an exciting announcement, His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, unveiled the sixth edition of the campaign titled “أجمل شتاء في العالم,” which translates to “The Most Beautiful Winter in the World.” This year’s campaign, under the slogan “شتاؤنا ريادة” (Our Winter is Leadership), marks a collaborative effort between the ministry and various tourism authorities across the United Arab Emirates. The “أجمل شتاء في العالم” campaign has achieved remarkable success in its previous iterations, reaching over 1.2 billion people globally and significantly enhancing the UAE’s standing as a premier tourist destination.
Successive Achievements in Tourism
His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri emphasized that the “أجمل شتاء في العالم” campaign has consistently built on the success of its predecessors, strengthening the tourism sector’s role as a crucial driver for the UAE’s economic growth and sustainability. The ongoing campaign aims to showcase the unique aspects of the UAE’s tourism sector, with a focus on innovation and leadership.
Key Performance Metrics
The UAE’s hotel industry continues to experience remarkable growth. In the first ten months of 2023, hotels across the nation welcomed 26.1 million guests, reflecting a 5% increase compared to the same period in 2022. This influx has resulted in over 89 million hotel nights, underscoring the UAE’s status as one of the most competitive and high-performing tourism markets in the world. Additionally, hotel revenues during this timeframe witnessed an impressive 8% rise, reaching over 40 billion dirhams, while the number of available hotel rooms increased to 216,500 across 1,241 establishments. The hotel occupancy rate now stands at 79.3%, driven by robust international arrivals and growing domestic tourism.
Strategic Objectives for the Current Campaign
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism organized a press conference to outline the strategic objectives of the sixth iteration of the “أجمل شتاء في العالم” campaign. Running from December 16 for six weeks, this edition aims to highlight the UAE’s environmental attractions, green areas, and unique winter experiences. Mohammed Al Hababi, Director of Tourism Development at the Ministry, stated that this campaign builds upon the momentum and achievements of earlier editions, propelling even greater ambitions for the UAE’s tourism sector.
Empowering New Ventures
One of the primary goals of this edition is to support and empower emerging tourism companies while encouraging investment in innovative tourism ideas. Al Hababi highlighted that every tourist destination in the UAE holds significant potential for entrepreneurial innovation. The campaign aims to create a supportive environment that nurtures these ideas, enabling them to flourish and transform into global success stories. Furthermore, through a focus on innovative tourism experiences led by entrepreneurs and startups, the “أجمل شتاء في العالم” initiative seeks to elevate and promote newly conceived tourism products.
Since its inception, the “أجمل شتاء في العالم” campaign has generated impressive results, with hotel revenue during its five previous editions amounting to around 6.7 billion dirhams and a staggering 90% growth rate in hotel earnings. While earnings were 1 billion dirhams in the inaugural edition, they surged to 1.9 billion dirhams by the fifth edition, demonstrating the campaign’s powerful impact, which has reached over 1.2 billion individuals worldwide.