The Ministry of Economy announced the conclusion of the fifth edition of the ‘World’s Coolest Winter’ campaign, which ran for six weeks from December 16, 2024, under the theme ‘Green Tourism.’ The campaign was launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, the National Agricultural Center, and local tourism authorities from across the UAE.
The campaign successfully promoted innovative tourism concepts that enhance diversity in the sector, in line with the national vision to develop an integrated tourism ecosystem based on global best practices. By encouraging green tourism, agritourism, and sustainable ecotourism, it contributed to fostering a dynamic tourism market, attracting investments, and supporting sector growth.
H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, emphasized that the fifth edition of the ‘World’s Coolest Winter’ campaign, under the theme ‘Green Tourism,’ unlocked new opportunities by promoting the UAE’s diverse destinations and experiences across all seven emirates. The campaign highlighted the country’s ecotourism attractions, landscapes, winter retreats, agritourism, nature reserves, and scenery, attracting both local and international visitors. It also contributed to enhancing the UAE’s appeal as an FDI destination, supporting the development of tourism projects in line with the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031.
H.E. added: “The success of this campaign reinforces the UAE’s long-term vision for tourism development by strengthening its global tourism competitiveness through diversified offerings and championing sustainability through ecotourism endeavors. Additionally, the campaign aligns with the ‘Plant the Emirates’ national programme, which aims to promote sustainable agriculture as an integral part of our community culture.”
H.E. Bin Touq stated: “The fifth edition of the ‘World’s Coolest Winter’ campaign has achieved remarkable success across all seven emirates. During its course, hotel establishment revenues reached approximately AED 1.9 billion, reflecting an 86.9 per cent growth compared to that of the fourth edition. Additionally, the total number of hotel guests exceeded 4.4 million, marking a 62 per cent growth, while hotel occupancy rates reached 74 per cent.”
H.E. continued: “This edition alone reached 224.7 million people globally, taking the campaign’s total global reach across all five editions to over 1.2 billion people. This milestone further strengthens the UAE’s position as a leading world-class tourism destination. Moreover, the campaign fostered deeper collaboration between tourism authorities and key industry stakeholders, amplifying diverse tourism experiences, pioneering projects, and unique attractions across the emirates. These efforts not only reinforce the UAE’s competitiveness on the global tourism map but also lay a strong foundation for the long-term sustainability and growth of the national tourism sector, solidifying the country’s unified tourism identity on the global stage.”
The fifth edition of the “World’s Coolest Winter” campaign highlighted the diversity of green tourism across the UAE’s emirates and regions. It promoted natural, environmental, and agricultural destinations, boosting tourism activity among UAE citizens and residents while supporting international tourist inflows. The campaign used various media and marketing materials to showcase UAE’s green tourism, featuring different natural environments—from mountains and beaches to deserts, reserves, and innovative farms—along with their tourism activities.
The campaign also highlighted innovative agricultural projects, particularly those led by young Emirati entrepreneurs who cultivated plants and trees previously considered unsuitable for the UAE’s environment. Additionally, it featured major agricultural projects supported by government entities or invested in by national institutions, utilizing advanced agricultural technology to establish sustainable farming practices. These include wheat cultivation, vertical farming, and hydroponics, alongside the adoption of sustainability and conservation techniques in agriculture.
Moreover, the campaign showcased the UAE’s natural landmarks and biodiversity-rich areas, including nature reserves, islands, mountain and desert environments, and beaches, highlighting their tourism activities and experiences. It demonstrated the UAE’s focus on increasing green spaces and promoting sustainable agriculture as an integrated community culture, alongside government initiatives and efforts in environmental protection and sustainability.
The UAE’s civil aviation sector recorded a strong performance in 2024, with passenger traffic rising 10 per cent to 147.8 million passengers, up from 134 million in 2023, strengthening the country’s position as a global aviation destination.
The tourism sector also continues to show growth, with hotel establishment revenues reaching AED 37.1 billion during January-October 2024, up 4 per cent compared to 2023. Hotel occupancy rates averaged 78 per cent over the first ten months of the year, a 2.7 per cent increase over the same period in 2023. Total hotel guests across the seven emirates reached about 24.9 million during January-October 2024, growing 9.5 per cent compared to 2023. Meanwhile, the total number of hotel establishments reached 1,246 by the end of October.
