The hospitality sector of the VAE continues to become stronger, with hotel cupancy rates of 81.3% in the first quarter of 2025, which underlines the strong domestic and international demand for travel and accommodation throughout the country.
The data, shared during the second 2025 meeting of the Hospitality Advisory Council, emphasizes a period of solid performance for the industry. Chased by he Abdulla bin Touq al Marri, Minister of Economy and chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, the session has merged the leaders of 16 large hotel groups and stakeholders in the sector to discuss new national initiatives aimed at accelerating growth and employment within the Hospitality industry.
According to He Bin Touq, the hospitality performance of the VAE in Q1 2025 included:
- AED 13.5 billion in Hotel Revees
- More than 8.4 million guests, 2% increased on an annual basis
- 29.3 million hotel evenings
- National average occupancy rate of 81.3%
“Bese figures reflect the department of our national tourism offer and the effectiveness of the VAE strategy to attract visitors from all over the world,” he said Bin Touq. “Our investments in hospitality infrastructure, cultural events and international positioning continue to yield tangible returns.”
The meeting also relates to the progress of various new public-private initiatives. Among them is the Summer Hospitality Camp, launched by the Ministry of Economy to support emirathization by offering practical hospitality training to school and university students.
Participants confirmed their dedication to the goals of the National Tourism Strategy 2031, which wants to position the VAE as the world’s leading brand of tourism in the following decade. The emphasis was on further cooperation between the government and private stakeholders to strengthen the country’s competitive advantage.
The Hospitality Advisory Council, which settles under the Emirates Tourism Council, serves as a strategic think tank that offers insights, recommendations and policy feedback to guide the continuous development of the hospitality sector of the VAE.
