Dubai’s tourism authority is launching an “influencer academy” aimed at training aspiring digital creators to produce engaging content. This initiative is part of a collaboration with the travel content agency Beautiful Destinations and is driven by the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, commonly known as Visit Dubai. The goal is to not only attract more visitors but also to expand the local content creator market.

Currently, the regional creator economy is valued at around $250 million. However, it is projected that the global creator economy could reach a staggering $500 billion by 2027, as reported by Goldman Sachs. “We’re essentially creating a new professional category within the tourism ecosystem,” stated Jeremy Jauncey, CEO of Beautiful Destinations.

The UAE boasts a high digital engagement rate, with over 11.5 million social media profiles existing for a population nearly the same size. Residents spend an average of more than eight hours online each day, with nearly three hours dedicated to social media, according to 2024 data. Despite this engagement, only about 4 percent of social media users in the Middle East are recognized as creators, which is less than half the comparable percentage in the US.

According to Abhishek Rajput, engagement manager at Dubai-based management consultancy Redseer Middle East, there are approximately 1.5 million active creators in the Gulf region’s $250 million market. He noted that “the region presents strong headroom for growth.”

Participants in the three-month influencer academy course can expect widely varying earnings based on their follower count. Nano-influencers, those with 1 000 to 10 000 followers, can earn between AED500 and AED2,000 ($135-$545) per post, according to digital marketing company Alrwyt Alwash. In contrast, mega-influencers, who have more than 1 million followers, can command rates as high as AED200,000 ($54,000) per post.

The popularity of video content is rising, with 38 million videos already tagged #Dubai on TikTok. Farah Mahmood, influencer marketing director at Agence L’eclat in Dubai, noted that “consumers, followers and audiences are shifting gears more towards video-focused content as opposed to pictures.”

In January, Dubai introduced the Creators HQ incubation hub, gathering 100 creators, enablers, and supporters from over 20 countries. This initiative includes a AED150 million Creators Fund designed to support more than 10,000 local creators. Additionally, content creators and influencers in the UAE are offered a golden visa granting them 10-year residency.

Ahmad Ammar, co-founder of AAVVA Fashion and a television presenter, highlighted the evolving nature of the influencer space, stating that it has become far more structured, requiring licenses, proper invoicing, and comprehensive documentation.