UAE tourism to contribute $85bn by 2036 as hiring recovery leads global markets
WTTC projects a $16.4bn increase in travel and tourism’s GDP contribution, while LinkedIn data shows hiring rebounding after early-2026 volatility, reinforcing the Emirates’ post-pandemic resilience.
The travel and tourism sector in the United Arab Emirates is on course to contribute 311.7 billion dirhams ($84.9 billion) to the economy by 2036, up from 251.3 billion dirhams in 2025, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council’s latest economic impact report. The projected increase of more than 60 billion dirhams ($16.4 billion) would lift the sector’s share of GDP from 11.9 per cent, already 22.2 per cent above pre-pandemic levels, and underscores the pace of expansion in one of the world’s fastest-recovering tourism markets.
The growth is being driven by rising international visitor numbers and spending. In 2025, international visitors spent $56.9 billion, accounting for 77.9 per cent of total tourism expenditure, with India, the United Kingdom and Russia the top source markets. The WTTC expects international arrivals to reach 48.85 million by 2036, pushing overseas spending to 267 billion dirhams ($72.8 billion). Capital investment in the sector hit 35 billion dirhams ($9.4 billion) last year and is forecast to rise to 51 billion dirhams by 2036, equivalent to 5.5 per cent of total investment in the Emirates.
The tourism expansion is mirrored in a broader labour market recovery that has placed the UAE among the strongest global performers. A LinkedIn report prepared with the Ministry of Foreign Trade shows the country recorded one of the highest post-pandemic hiring recovery rates among major markets in 2025, remaining among a small group where employment activity stayed above 2019 levels throughout the year. Early data for June 2026 points to a rebound in hiring and talent inflows after regional volatility earlier in the year, with real estate, education, construction and healthcare all recording hiring above the national average. “The UAE’s exceptional performance in 2025 reinforced its position as a leading destination for global talent,” said Ali Matar, Head of LinkedIn MENA and EMEA Emerging Markets.
The travel and tourism sector directly supported 487,600 jobs in 2025, out of a total of 947,100 jobs linked to the industry, representing 13.6 per cent of the workforce. The WTTC projects total employment will reach 1.17 million by 2036, adding roughly 266,500 positions over the next decade. Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, said the data confirmed the success of policies designed to build a global business environment that attracts talent and investment. The next factual milestone will be the full-year 2026 employment and tourism data, which will test whether the early-year volatility has been fully absorbed and the projected growth trajectory remains intact.
| Arab Levant-Maghreb press | +0.90 | aligned |
|---|---|---|
| Arab Gulf press | +0.50 | aligned |
| Southeast Asian press | +0.10 | neutral |
The Emirates proclaims its own economic miracle, pointing to rising tourist spending and job numbers as proof that its diversification strategy is winning.
It amplifies official forecasts and LinkedIn data as self-evident, transforming them into a narrative of inevitable success.
It leaves out the growing trend of fractional executives, which signals cost-cutting and uncertainty rather than straightforward expansion.
The Gulf business community positions itself as adaptive, turning tax pressures into an opportunity for leaner leadership structures and celebrating the rebound as a sign of resilience.
It reframes cost-cutting and fractional hiring as modern efficiency, and uses LinkedIn data to validate the recovery narrative while acknowledging early-year turbulence.
It omits the long-term tourism revenue projections that dominate the other bloc, focusing instead on short-term hiring trends; it also omits the celebratory national-pride framing.
Southeast Asia asserts its own tourism success, measured by visitor targets and adaptive policies, implicitly rejecting the Gulf's dominance of the narrative.
It shifts the focus to local indicators, using comparison and analogy to create relevance, without ever mentioning the UAE's growth.
It omits any reference to the UAE data entirely, thus avoiding a comparative frame that might overshadow its own achievements.
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