QUOTES OF THE YEAR •
Dubai doubles down on resilience
Dubai on track for a full tourism recovery “Dubai is safe and stable. Daily life continues, with public services, infra- structure and tourism facilities fully operational. Hotels, restaurants, retail and transportation are open. While there have been some flight disruptions, oper- ations have been scaling back up, spear- headed by Emirates and flydubai. We’re confident in a sound and full recovery. Our historic model of openness has shaped our resilience and will continue to attract first-time and repeat visitors from around the world.” Addressing the ATM audience on social media in early April 2026 , Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), explains how Dubai is operating amid regional tensions.
Travel’s resilience to be proven again “Travel & Tourism is the most resilient of sectors. The impact of international visitor spending across the Middle East is significant and averages around $600 million per day, but history shows that the sector can recover quickly, especially when governments support travellers through hotel support or repatriation. Our analysis of previous crises demon- strates that security-related incidents often see the fastest tourism recovery times, in some cases as quickly as two months, when governments and industry work together to restore traveller confi- dence.” WTTC President and CEO, Gloria Guevara , emphasises that travel recovery in the Middle East and globally can be swift when the right conditions are in place.
“Under the leadership and vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai has built one of the world’s most resilient and future-ready economic ecosystems. Today’s meeting sends a clear message of our shared commitment to align on the next phase, ensuring Dubai continues to move forward with confidence, stability and ambition, while promoting growth in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and reinforcing the city’s position as one of the world’s most trusted global hubs for trade, investment, tourism and innovation.” His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, speaking at a specially convened Dubai Majlis on March 10. It brought together nearly 300 senior leaders from across Dubai’s business community to discuss strate- gies to reinforce Dubai’s economic resilience.
A new AI Vision for Saudi tourism “Artificial intelligence is redefining industries around the world. For tourism, the question is no longer whether AI will shape the sector – but how it will lead its next chapter. Today, we are launching the #AITourismVision, a stra- tegic framework that will guide the transformation of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector and reinforce the kingdom’s position among the world’s leading destinations for AI-enabled tourism” Ahmed Al-Khateeb , Minister of Tourism, Saudi Arabia, announces the launch of AI Tourism Vision. Built on five pillars, the vision “redefines the relationship between technology and hospitality, ensuring that artificial intelligence enhances the human experience, raises service excellence, and creates new opportunities for investment and growth”, he says on LinkedIn. Dubai aviation growth will not pause “Our expansion plans at Dubai Airports have not changed and will not stop, and we will continue to strengthen Dubai's leading position within the global aviation system. Onward and upward.” Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports expresses confidence that the world’s Dubai International will recover quickly once regional airspace stabilises. Just a few months earlier he said: “Record traffic is no longer an exception, but part of [our] operating reality.” This followed DXB retaining its position as the world’s busiest airport for international passengers, handling more than 95 million travellers in 2025.
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