Abu Dhabi, December 2 — Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, said the 54th UAE Eid Al Etihad arrives amid exceptional economic and tourism achievements that reflect the vision of the UAE’s leadership and the strength of the Union.
Marking the occasion themed “United,” the minister recalled the union’s founding by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the founding fathers, saying their vision transformed the Emirates into a global model of growth and prosperity. He reaffirmed pride in Emirati identity and loyalty to the country’s leadership, including President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; and Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Economically, the UAE led GCC growth, with real GDP rising 4.2% in the first half of 2025 year-on-year and non-oil GDP growing 5.7%. Non-oil activities contributed 77.5% of real GDP, underscoring economic diversification and strong foundations.
From January to November 2025, UAE markets welcomed 220,186 new companies. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism registered over 36,000 national and international trademarks in the same period — a 48.2% increase year-on-year — highlighting the nation’s competitiveness and investment appeal.
Tourism achievements included international recognition and awards: Sheikha Nasser Al Nowais was appointed Secretary-General of UN Tourism, and Masfout Village was named World’s Best Tourism Village 2025. The UAE ranked among the world’s top seven destinations for international tourist spending.
In the first nine months of 2025, hotels hosted 23.27 million guests (up 4.9% year-on-year) and recorded more than 79.3 million room nights. Hotel revenues rose 7.2% to exceed AED 35.9 billion. Available rooms increased to 216,248 across 1,246 establishments. Occupancy reached 79.2% (up 1.8%), average length of stay edged up to 3.41 nights from 3.38, occupied room nights rose 3.5% to 46.17 million, and the Average Daily Rate climbed 4.2% from AED 534 to AED 557.
The ministry continued developing the economic legislative framework, contributing to 11 economic laws and policies from January to November 2025 covering areas such as consumer protection, ecotourism, food security, air transport, and sustainability. It also issued eight regulatory policies and decisions on rules of origin, combating harmful practices, company regulations, and competition regulation.
Bin Touq said Eid Al Etihad inspires dedication and renewed commitment to progress under wise leadership, supporting the country’s strategic goals, notably the “We the UAE 2031” vision to double the national economy to AED 3 trillion and position the UAE as a global hub for the new economy. (ANI/WAM)
