UAE jobs: Travel and tourism sector to create 7,000 employment opportunities this year

UAE jobs: Travel and tourism sector to create 7,000 employment opportunities this year

A report says the travel and tourism sector in UAE represents nearly 10 per cent of the total economy

Published: Wed 17 May 2023, 8:42 AM

The UAE’s travel and tourism sector will reach its 2019 peak this year, contributing Dh180.6 billion to the emirate’s economy in 2023, close to the 2019 high of Dh183.4 billion.

According to World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) latest report, the recovery is driven by overseas travellers flocking back to Dubai and Abu Dhabi after the pandemic.

It said the travel and tourism sector in UAE represents nearly 10 per cent of the total economy.

It projected that the sector will create nearly 7,000 jobs this year, surpassing the pre-pandemic peak of 745,100, to reach more than 758,000 employed by travel and tourism companies.

The UAE’s travel and tourism sector has been one of the first sectors to recover during the post-pandemic period, driven by strong demand for inbound and outbound travel.

As a result of “revenge travel”, Dubai International (DXB) passenger traffic more than doubled to over 66 million in 2022 on the back of a strong recovery. Following strong results, the world’s busiest international airport raised its forecast for 2023 to 78 million.

During the first quarter, DXB registered a