• RESILIENCE
Oman and Bahrain have pursued more differentiated strategies centred on nature, heritage and cultural tourism, broadening the region's overall appeal and creating a more diverse tourism ecosystem. Oman's Vision 2040 continues to prioritise sustainable tourism development through the promotion of heritage assets and nature-based experiences, while Bahrain is strengthening its visitor economy through waterfront regeneration, heritage conservation and leisure investments. Saudi Arabia has placed tourism at the centre of Vision 2030, backed by one of the world's most ambitious tourism investment programmes, including landmark developments such as Diriyah, The Red Sea, AMAALA and Qiddiya. The scale of this transformation is reflected in the numbers, with travel and tourism expected to contribute $12 trillion to the global economy in 2026, up from $11.6 trillion in 2025, according to the WTTC. The Middle East has consistently outperformed many mature tourism markets in terms of its contribution to this figure in recent years. International visitor spending in the UAE alone reached a record $62.2 billion in 2025 according to WTTC data, while Saudi Arabia welcomed 30 million international visitors in 2025, reflecting the rapid expansion of the kingdom's tourism sector. Across the region, investment continues to flow into new airports, hotels, attractions, cruise facilities and destination infrastructure, reinforcing tourism's growing role as an
engine of economic diversification. Importantly, this diversification extends beyond individual destinations. The Middle East is no longer competing through a single tourism proposition, but through a complementary mix of business travel, luxury hospitality, cultural experiences, adventure tourism, wellness, religious tourism and major events. That breadth has created a more balanced regional tourism economy, reducing reliance on individual source markets and helping destinations respond more effectively as travel patterns evolve. The region’s recent geopolitical challenges have highlighted the value of that approach. Years of investment has created an industry with the operational depth, connectivity and institutional coordination needed to adapt quickly to changing conditions.
authorities in all seven emirates worked alongside airlines, airports, hospitality operators and destination partners to maintain clear communication, ensure the continuity of tourism services and provide support to visitors and travellers. That level of coordination reflects years of work to integrate tourism policy across the UAE. Through the Emirates Tourism Council (ETC), federal and local tourism authorities have developed a more unified approach to destination management, marketing and tourism development, enabling faster decision-making and more consistent engagement with industry partners during periods of disruption. The ETC also continued to strengthen coordination between the respective tourism bodies, reinforcing a national approach to tourism development and destination management. As the UAE’s most popular destination, Dubai's response combined immediate operational support with longer- term economic measures designed to sustain business confidence. On April 1, Dubai introduced an AED 1 billion ($272 million) economic stimulus package to support business growth and strengthen the competitiveness of the emirate's economy. The package formed part of a broader programme of initiatives aimed at supporting the private sector, encouraging investment and maintaining economic momentum despite increased regional uncertainty. Hotels were permitted to defer 100% of sales fees and Tourism Dirham payments for three months, while grace periods for
STRATEGY TO ACTION The response by tourism authorities
across the region to the events of 2026 has demonstrated that resilience is built as much through coordination as infrastructure. While the immediate priority was to minimise disruption for travellers, the broader objective has been to preserve confidence across the tourism ecosystem, from industry stakeholders such as airlines, hotels, tour operators and investors to the end-users themselves. In the UAE, close collaboration between government entities and the private sector enabled the industry to respond quickly to a rapidly evolving situation. Tourism
Below: Between February 28 and April 30, Dubai Airports safely handled around six mil- lion passengers
38 | ATM YEARBOOK 2026
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