His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, attended the World Tourism Forum 2025 held on 12 and 13 May in Prague, organised by the UN Tourism in collaboration with the Government of the Czech Republic under the theme ‘Shaping the Future of Tourism through Innovation and Technology.’
The event brought together global leaders, policymakers, and experts to explore the latest trends and best practices in tourism and hospitality, focusing on AI and advanced technologies as well as their role in the sustainable development of the sector.
H.E. Bin Touq highlighted how the UAE has prioritised the tourism sector as a key strategic pillar of the national economy. The country continues to strengthen its position as a leading global destination by investing in innovation, adopting latest digital solutions, and forging strategic partnerships with various countries and leading global institutions.
H.E. added: “The UAE has successfully established its position on the global tourism landscape, strengthening its role in the growth and prosperity of the sector as a global hub for sustainable tourism. This was achieved through developing advanced infrastructure, enhancing innovation and integrating technology into tourism policies, and actively contributing to shaping the future of global tourism through greater international collaboration.”
The Minister of Economy highlighted that participation in the Global Tourism Forum offers a significant opportunity to enhance international collaboration and exchange expertise with industry leaders and key decision-makers from around the world. H.E. added that the Forum is an ideal platform for showcasing the UAE’s success in developing smart and sustainable tourism offerings and leveraging cutting-edge technology including AI and other digital tools to drive innovation and sustainable growth of the sector.
H.E. bin Touq added: “We believe that forging global partnerships and developing national talent are key to ensuring a prosperous future for tourism. We look forward to enhancing collaboration with our international partners to achieve shared goals in this vital sector.”
His Excellency also affirmed that the UAE’s efforts to transform tourism into one of the most sustainable drivers of economic growth is driven by the National Tourism Strategy 2031. It aims to position the UAE as the world’s best tourism destination, raise the sector’s GDP contribution to AED 450 billion, attract AED 100 billion in tourism investments within the UAE’s markets, and welcome 40 million hotel guests.
The World Tourism Forum 2025 explored the potential of AI and cutting-edge technologies in shaping the future of tourism. It featured discussions and workshops on innovation, societal responsibility, education, and talent attraction, in addition to highlighting leading projects in smart tourism fields and sustainability. The Forum also included sessions on big data utilisation and the environmental aspects of tourism, with the participation of experts and officials from across sectors.
