The total spending of international tourists in the UAE during the year 2019 amounted to 141.1 billion dirhams, as the tourism sector contributed to providing 754.2 thousand direct and indirect jobs.

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According to ArabiaNet, the World Tourism and Travel Council said in its annual report that spending on recreational tourism constitutes about 79% of the total volume of international spending on tourism in the UAE, according to Emirates Today.


In detail, the annual report of the World Travel and Tourism Council revealed that the total contribution of the travel and tourism sector to the gross domestic product of the UAE, amounted to 11.9% by about 117.8 billion dirhams, during the past year, and a growth of 5%, compared to 2018.


The data released by the Council yesterday, which covers 185 countries, indicated that the sector contributed to providing 754.2 thousand direct and indirect jobs last year in the UAE market, equivalent to 11.1% of the total size of the employment market.


It indicated that the total spending of international tourists in the UAE amounted to 141.1 billion dirhams during the past year.


According to the council’s data, India topped the country’s visitors between 2016 and 2018 with a 12% share, followed by Saudi Arabia with a 9% share, then the UK with 8% share, then the Chinese market with 6%, followed by the Sultanate of Oman with 5%.


She added that Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom top the list of markets that the country’s residents mean by 14 and 12% each, respectively, followed by Kuwait and Bahrain with close proportions.


The council data showed that spending on recreational tourism constitutes about 79% of the total international spending on tourism in the UAE, compared to 21% for spending on business tourism.


As for the Mediterranean, the Council revealed in its report that the total contribution of the travel and tourism sector to the gross domestic product of the Middle East region reached 8.6% last year, at about $ 245 billion, and a growth of 5.3% compared to 2018.


He pointed out that the sector contributed to providing 6.7 million direct and indirect jobs last year in the region’s markets, which is equivalent to 8.8% of the total size of the employment market at the level of the Middle East region.