H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the UAE Tourism Council, reviewed progress on the “Summer Hospitality Camp” launched by the ministry in collaboration with several private tourism and hospitality entities.
During visits to various hotels, the minister observed ongoing camp activities, engaged with participating students, and discussed ways to expand the initiative and enhance workforce development in hospitality.
He emphasized that tourism is a key pillar of the national economy and continues to gain momentum under the UAE’s leadership vision for diversification and sustainable growth. He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting tourism establishments and strengthening public-private partnerships through field collaboration and close monitoring of program outcomes.
The camp, he noted, aims to build skills, empower students, and provide them with practical training to prepare for careers in one of the country’s fastest-growing sectors. The initiative helps young Emiratis gain real-world experience and better understand the tourism work environment.
The ministry plans to develop similar training programs to build a robust talent pipeline in line with the National Tourism Strategy 2031. Key goals include increasing Emirati participation in the sector, boosting tourism’s contribution to GDP, and promoting national tourism identity.
Over 500 students from 200 educational institutions are currently taking part in the camp, in partnership with more than 40 tourism and hospitality establishments across the UAE.
In Q1 2025, the hospitality sector recorded strong growth, with hotel revenues reaching AED 13.5 billion and over 8.4 million visitors—a 2% rise from Q1 2024. Hotel occupancy hit 81.3% with over 29.3 million nights booked.