Tourism in the United Arab Emirates

Tourism in the United Arab Emirates is an important part of the Emirati economy. In 2023, this sector employed many people and added a lot of money to the country's gross domestic product, making up about 12% of it.

Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the United Arab Emirates is part of Al Hajar Mountains.

In 2024, the UAE became a very popular place for visitors from around the world. It was the 6th most chosen destination for tourism and ranked 18th in how well it supports travel and tourism.

People who visit the UAE can see amazing places like the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall in Dubai, the beautiful Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, as well as natural spots such as Masfout and the Al Hajar Mountains in Fujairah. These attractions draw millions of visitors each year.

History

When the United Arab Emirates was formed in 1971, it did not have many tourists, and its economy was weak, even though it had lots of oil. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the leader who helped create the UAE, wanted to build a stronger economy that did not depend only on oil. In 1979, he opened the first hotel in Dubai, called the Metropolitan Hotel Dubai.

Dubai was one of the first places in the UAE to welcome tourists. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai from 1958 to 1990, knew that oil would run out someday. He helped create a stronger economy for Dubai. In 1989, Dubai created a group to promote tourism and attract important businesses. By the 2000s, the UAE became a very popular place for tourists, and this helped grow the country’s economy.

Tourist destinations

Main article: List of tourist attractions in the United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and is the second most popular tourist destination in the country. It is managed by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. The city is famous for its beautiful landscapes near the Persian Gulf and has many beaches for visitors. Abu Dhabi is also where the Yas Marina Circuit holds Formula One races. In the future, Abu Dhabi will be home to Disneyland Abu Dhabi, the first Disney theme park in the Middle East.

Dubai

Fujairah

Fujairah is known for sharing the Al-Hajar Mountains with Ras Al Khaimah, which attract many visitors. Other popular spots include the Fujairah Fort, Bitnah Fort, Snoopy Island, Masafi, and Al Hayl Castle. The area also has a unique tradition of bull butting, which started during Portuguese colonization in the 17th century.

Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah is famous for its natural beauty, especially the Al Hajar Mountains. Mount Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the country, offers amazing views and is a favorite spot for photographers. The world's longest zipline is located here. By 2027, Ras Al Khaimah will open the first integrated resort and casino in the country at Wynn Al Marjan Island.

Sharjah

Tourism statistics

International visitors

Country	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
India	1,224,349	2,855,096	2,778,160	2,511,933	2,080,380	1,881,489
Oman	634,879	2,814,152	2,172,910	1,928,292	2,021,958	1,716,930
Saudi Arabia	512,875	1,897,471	1,993,646	1,876,316	1,921,916	1,662,435
Pakistan	418,973	840,222	819,683	763,396	767,724	671,847
United Kingdom	418,385	1,367,997	1,365,160	1,452,455	1,460,328	1,394,118
Russia	335,016	866,857	800,253	610,427	304,295	269,493
Germany	253,973	827,837	792,303	767,048	764,715	726,957
Egypt	238,226	357,084	328,049	297,658	302,560	301,952
United States	208,800	757,353	747,691	741,473	735,147	758,875
France	188,476	444,657	403,945	353,726	337,847	335,024
China	175,297	998,278	844,005	766,972	529,103	445,109
Italy	106,088	312,493	291,944	281,176	286,806	281,251
Philippines	104,438	378,423	375,938	379,754	365,749	322,297
Kuwait	98,576	378,109	399,795	463,708	492,360	489,425
Nigeria	79,630	250,568	172,476	128,676	145,725	162,086
Kazakhstan	78,072	164,219	140,801	93,968	89,723	85,625
Ukraine	73,819	154,001	123,221	83,670	77,397	70,154
Jordan	71,707	165,852	165,821	173,465	176,794	176,971
Canada	66,003	200,321	189,915	202,461	214,492	210,620
Bangladesh	63,674	158,108	132,931	31,350	31,529	39,179
Australia	63,371	297,709	305,320	331,450	353,390	389,702
Netherlands	61,432	170,484	170,018	169,829	163,662	171,496
Iraq	58,278	119,440	103,939	90,554	82,954	85,986
Spain	52,803	139,312	118,470	116,395	117,154	113,574
Bahrain	52,385	207,855	206,723	220,601	235,598	218,046
Iran	51,822	294,955	317,968	499,614	492,100	475,269
Lebanon	50,620	124,672	123,001	129,575	135,516	147,201
Indonesia	44,073	81,179	60,303	56,499	54,734	55,601
Poland	40,691	111,945	106,888	112,254	80,647	66,054
Afghanistan	39,784	75,721	44,777	34,181	28,659	51,984
South Korea	37,716	160,427	151,194	160,106	130,978	103,219
Belgium	36,619	87,110	78,870	74,983	73,775	71,379
Sweden	36,085	106,434	113,888	122,558	119,435	113,522
Romania	35,111	87,816	78,860	67,453	61,309	57,315
Brazil	34,655	105,141	85,822	78,312	54,362	59,950
Switzerland	34,111	120,623	121,675	121,399	108,782	110,785
Sri Lanka	33,539	102,200	90,455	85,474	84,013	77,295
Syria	31,972	69,876	49,979	48,270	60,212	67,943
South Africa	30,479	118,638	112,635	103,886	91,168	100,262
Turkey	29,930	86,077	87,322	97,302	97,464	94,448
Nepal	28,581	54,386	60,836	56,322	47,588	28,910
Uzbekistan	28,141	50,514	35,363	33,981	31,351	31,413
Algeria	28,120	97,693	76,211	58,397	58,356	46,767
Austria	27,630	78,751	74,857	72,779	72,587	79,293
Ireland	27,105	88,675	89,341	94,229	92,991	87,268
Japan	26,987	113,299	107,612	97,834	83,664	82,575
Uganda	24,748	60,780	49,272	41,721	35,059	30,010
Denmark	24,608	67,969	67,562	70,777	70,255	65,819
Morocco	22,537	66,526	57,229	50,818	45,708	40,170
Czech Republic	20,479	80,207	80,257	77,055	64,614	53,454

Medical tourism

The United Arab Emirates has become a popular place for people from around the world to come for medical care. Many hospitals and clinics in the country offer high-quality treatments, attracting visitors who seek better healthcare options. This type of tourism helps boost the local economy and provides many job opportunities for people living in the area.