UAE Launches Sixth World’s Coolest Winter Campaign as Tourism Revenues Reach $11 Billion by 2025
UAE’s Reinforced Commitment to Domestic Tourism
The United Arab Emirates has unveiled the sixth iteration of its prominent World’s Coolest Winter campaign, themed ‘Our Winter is Entrepreneurial’. This initiative highlights the strength and resilience of the country’s tourism sector, which has recently reported substantial growth in revenues, occupancy rates, and global positioning.
This national campaign supports the UAE Strategy for Domestic Tourism, reinforcing tourism’s significance as a fundamental driver of sustainable economic growth. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the Minister of Economy and Tourism, officially announced the campaign’s launch alongside various tourism stakeholders across the emirates.
A Vision for Sustainable Tourism
Originally set in motion by the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, this strategy is designed to foster an integrated and sustainable tourism ecosystem throughout the nation. Bin Touq remarked that each edition of the campaign has gained increasing momentum, effectively amplifying tourism’s contribution to the UAE’s economy.
“In its sixth year, the initiative emphasizes Emirati entrepreneurship and innovation, showcasing the sector’s investment potential and its capacity to provide exceptional visitor experiences,” stated bin Touq. Over the last five years, the campaign has reached over 1.2 billion people, solidifying the UAE’s standing in the global tourism landscape and promoting domestic tourism effectively.
Strengthening Visitor Engagement and Experiences
The World’s Coolest Winter campaign will operate for six weeks, commencing from December 16, and intends to feature eco-tourism destinations, green spaces, and a variety of winter experiences throughout the UAE. The current edition will particularly highlight tourism experiences developed by local entrepreneurs and startups, integrating their offerings into winter destinations across the country.
Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Director of the Tourism Development Department at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, emphasized that the campaign exemplifies the UAE’s overarching vision for a robust and diversified economy. He noted that its evolution into a landmark initiative substantially elevates the UAE’s tourism profile, aligning with the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, which aims for AED100 billion in new tourism investments and a target of 40 million hotel guests by 2031.
Record Visitor Statistics Reflecting Growth
The statistics from recent months underscore the surging demand for UAE tourism. During the first ten months of 2025, hotels nationwide welcomed approximately 26.1 million guests, marking a 5 percent year-on-year increase compared to 2024. This surge resulted in over 89 million occupied room nights.
Hotel revenues also saw a notable rise of 8 percent, surpassing AED40 billion (approximately $10.9 billion), while hotel capacity reached 216,500 rooms across 1,241 establishments. The average occupancy rate climbed to an impressive 79 percent, driven by robust international demand alongside a thriving domestic market.
Bin Touq noted that the UAE’s tourism sector has sustained its upward trajectory and that the country ranks among the top seven destinations for international tourism spending in 2025.
International Recognition and Milestones
The year has seen several noteworthy accomplishments for the UAE’s tourism sector. UN Tourism recently elected the first female and first Emirati Secretary-General for the 2026–2029 term. Additionally, Masfout Village in Ajman was recognized as the World’s Best Tourism Village for 2025, while Al Ain was designated as the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2026.
These accolades and milestones further emphasize the flourishing state of the UAE tourism sector, affirming its dedication to excellence and innovation.
Entrepreneurial Focus within the Campaign
With the theme “Our Winter is Entrepreneurial,” this year’s campaign aims to leverage its established success as a catalyst for innovative economic opportunities. Khalid Kalbat, Director of Small and Medium Enterprises Development at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, stated that this edition presents a unique focus on entrepreneurship while continuing to promote the UAE’s tourism assets.
Since its inception, the World’s Coolest Winter campaign has generated approximately AED6.7 billion ($1.8 billion) in hotel revenues over its previous editions. Revenues have escalated dramatically, increasing by 90 percent from AED1 billion ($272 million) in the first edition to AED1.9 billion ($517 million) in the fifth edition.
Further, tourism’s contribution to the UAE’s GDP reached AED257.3 billion ($70.1 billion) in 2024, accounting for about 13 percent of the economy.
Sustaining Growth Through Innovation
Kalbat reiterated the UAE’s commitment to sustained growth in its tourism sector, highlighting its exceptional global competitiveness. For the fourth consecutive year, the UAE has ranked as the world’s number one destination for entrepreneurship according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report.
“In order to enhance this status, we are utilizing the rapid expansion of our tourism industry as a vehicle for youth entrepreneurship,” Kalbat remarked. The role of small and medium enterprises, which contribute 63.5 percent of the non-oil GDP and account for 95 percent of the country’s companies, is vital to this mission.
The Ministry encourages all stakeholders to synergize their efforts throughout the campaign, positioning tourism and entrepreneurship as fundamental pillars of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision.
Published on 1765928780 • Category: Travel & Hospitality, ministry of economy and tourism, UAE hotels, UAE tourism, UAE tourism campaign, UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, World’s Coolest Winter, world’s coolest winter campaign