How the travel and tourism sector can emerge with renewed confidence

How the travel and tourism sector can emerge with renewed confidence

It's sometimes useful to remind ourselves just how central the travel and tourism sector is to the UAEs economy. In 2018, its total contribution to the nation's GDP was AED164.7 billion ($44.8 billion), which accounts for a sizeable 11.1 percent of the total. That same year, the industry directly and indirectly accounted for some 611,500 jobs – or 9.6 percent of all employment in the UAE. Then there are the less quantifiable benefits of the UAE's travel industry: the positive brand associations the attractions, facilities and welcome it continually delivers.

Of course, that all stopped in March with the sudden appearance of the Covid-19 virus. The global pandemic has had huge ramifications for many sectors, but it has been catastrophic for travel and tourism in the UAE. With the cessation of