Dubai: The UAE ranks fourth globally in worldwide tourism expenditure, with guests spending Dh224 billion within the nation final yr, in keeping with a World Tourism Group report on worldwide tourism expenditure.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, introduced the outcomes on his official account on X platform.
“Two days in the past, the UN World Tourism Group (UNWTO) launched a report rating the UAE fourth globally in worldwide tourism expenditure, with a complete of Dh224 billion final yr,” Sheikh Mohammed stated.
The UAE surpassed prestigious international locations corresponding to France, Italy, Turkey and Germany in worldwide tourism expenditure and was simply behind the US, Spain and Britain, the vice chairman added.
Sheikh Mohammed introduced the outcomes via a brief story within the final of a sequence of his messages, beginning with “life has taught me.”
The Vice President shared an attention-grabbing anecdote: “Amid the discussions on limitless regional crises and challenges by ministers at one of many GCC conferences within the Eighties, I used to be requested to talk. I used to be in my mid-thirties on the time and was the youngest pastor to attend. And since most of them had been uninterested in the limitless speak about politics, I proposed one other proposal: why not develop the GCC cities into worldwide vacationer locations, beginning with Dubai?
He continued: “All eyes had been on me and there was a quick silence earlier than one of many senior international ministers burst out laughing. He then puzzled: “What would vacationers discover in Dubai and our Gulf cities? Desert! Sand! Warmth and humidity!” Then the room burst into laughter once more. Nevertheless, the minister continued in a extra seasoned tone, asking: “So, Sheikh Mohammed, the place is the cultural and civilizational heritage, human historical past in Dubai that folks can go to?”
Persevering with the story, Sheikh Mohammed stated: “I didn’t argue with him. As a substitute, I felt unhappy as a result of we weren’t utilizing our wealth higher and never having sufficient religion in our youth. We appeared reluctant to attempt something completely different than what we had been already acquainted with.”
Sheikh Mohammed added: “After I learn the UN World Tourism Group (UNWTO) report rating the UAE fourth globally in worldwide tourism expenditure, I considered my good friend the International Minister!”
