UAE Hotels Earn $7.1B in H1 2025 as Tourism Growth Gains Pace

In the first half of 2025, the United Arab Emirates’ hospitality industry delivered a stellar performance, with hotel revenues soaring to AED 26 billion—approximately US $7.1 billion—a notable 6.3% increase compared to the same period last year. At the same time, occupancy levels averaged a strong 80.5%, signaling robust demand across the country’s major tourism hubs. These figures were underscored by Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE’s Minister of Economy and Tourism, as emblematic of sustained momentum heading into the second half of the year.

This impressive growth trajectory reinforces the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031’s objective of bolstering the tourism sector’s economic contribution to AED 450 billion (around US $122.5 billion) by the end of the decade. Minister bin Touq highlighted that the public–private partnerships and forward-looking initiatives underway are pivotal in sustaining the sector’s resilience and competitiveness. As a result, the nation continues to strengthen its position as a global tourism powerhouse.

Backing up the sector’s growth, Dubai alone welcomed nearly 9.9 million international visitors during H1 2025—pressing the emirate ever closer to claiming a spot among the world’s top three tourism destinations. This surge in visitor numbers not only fuels hotel demand but also invigorates the broader hospitality, retail, and services landscape—making tourism a key driver of the UAE’s ongoing economic expansion.