Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia are leading the way in the Middle East’s tourism sector, particularly in luxury wellness and sports tourism. This shift is significantly impacting global travel, as highlighted during the 51st session of the UN Tourism Regional Commission held in Doha last week

During the conference, high-level delegations from 13 countries, including eight tourism ministers, convened to discuss the region’s tourism growth. The Middle East has been recognized as the fastest recovering region from the pandemic, showcasing impressive advancements in tourism development. Qatar received special acknowledgment from UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili for its ambitious tourism targets, including the aim to welcome 6 million visitors annually and increase the tourism sector’s contribution to 12% of its GDP.

Several key achievements were reported, such as over thirty thousand students enrolling in the UN Tourism Online Academy, with more than half being women. This initiative offers courses from 18 academic partners, including newly developed courses supported by Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the UAE is implementing the UN Tourism Education Toolkit for high school students to nurture young talent in the industry. Saudi Arabia has also contributed by adding 10 new courses to the Human Capital Development by E-Learning Project, which now includes an upgrade featuring artificial intelligence.

Sports tourism was identified as a vital element for economic diversification, with Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022 serving as a benchmark for other nations. Alongside this, events such as Formula 1 races in Bahrain and the UAE, the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, and the region’s acquisition of prominent football players and teams have positioned the Middle East as a formidable player in global sports tourism.

The potential for wellness tourism and gastronomy tourism was also emphasized, focusing on cultural heritage and rural development as significant growth drivers. At the end of the session, regional cooperation was reaffirmed with Kuwait appointed to chair the Regional Commission from 2025 to 2027, while Qatar and Iraq will serve as First and Second Vice-Chairs, respectively. Egypt and the UAE will join the UN Tourism Executive Council from 2025 to 2029, with Saudi Arabia participating in the Committee on Tourism Online Education during the same timeframe.

This session underscored the Middle East’s growing influence within the global tourism landscape, highlighting its commitment to education, innovation, and diversification in the sector.