UAE says tourism revenues top $5 billion

By Ahmed Hatem

ABU DHABI, UAE, (AA) - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said Sunday its tourism revenues hit 19 billion dirhams ($5.1 billion) in the first half of 2022.

UAE Vice-President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum said on Twitter that hotel guests rose to 12 million, marking a 42% increase.

Sheikh Mohammed, who is also UAE Prime Minister and Dubai ruler, expected "a strong tourism sector recovery in the upcoming winter season."

"Our indicators today are stronger than our indicators before the pandemic, our economic growth is faster and our tourism, trade and development sectors are larger than before the pandemic," he said.

Several countries have managed to overcome the repercussions of the COVID-19 outbreak and returned to pre-pandemic revenues.

The UAE is a major business and tourist attraction in the Gulf region.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara