Blockchain instrumental for Dubai’s tourism strategy

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, affirmed that Dubai, under the vision of the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will achieve its goal to be the most-visited city in the world, through adopting ambitious development plans, initiatives and projects that will make it a preferred tourism destination for millions of people around the world.

Sheikh Hamdan also highlighted the role of the tourism sector as a vital source of income, which supplements the emirate’s GDP and contributes to its development and economic diversity.

He made this statement while chairing a meeting of the Executive Council that was held today at its headquarters in the Emirates Towers, with the attendance of Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and First Deputy Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, and general managers and members of the council.

“These plans and strategies to strengthen the tourism sector reflects our efforts to promote Dubai’s stature in international tourism forums and make it a favoured destinations for tourism, business and events, through ambitious initiatives that aim to achieve sustainable growth and guarantee our international competitiveness, which will enable Dubai to deal with the changes witnessed by economic sectors and international markets,” Sheikh Hamdan said.

The council highlighted that Dubai’s tourism strategy is in line with the sector’s development plans and aims to make it a leading tourism market, in light of the rapid developments witnessed by most economic sectors and international markets. The sector’s future will also require greater integration between public and private sector authorities, the implementation of ambitious initiatives to strengthen the sector and increase its future contributions to Dubai’s GDP, and the adoption of the latest technologies, such as blockchain.

The council’s members witnessed a presentation by the Department of Tourism on its directives and commercial marketing strategy, which aims to increase the contribution of the tourism sector to the emirate’s economy. It also learnt about the department’s goal to attract 21 to 23 million visitors by 2022, and 23 to 25 million visitors by 2025.

The department’s tourism strategy is based on five priorities, which are continuing its pioneering role in basic and diverse markets, increasing its presence in major tourism markets, diversifying its sources of income, creating a comprehensive tourism experience, under the theme, “Only in Dubai,” and promoting Dubai’s attractiveness as a leading business destination.

Dubai’s future tourism strategy will rely on the sector’s sustainable growth and its contributions to the emirate’s GDP, in line with the UAE Centennial 2071 and the Dubai Plan 2021, which mainly focusses on non-oil economic sectors.

During the meeting, the council discussed several policies and government projects and made the appropriate decisions.

Earlier this year, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has launched Tourism 2.0, a blockchain-enabled marketplace that connects potential buyers directly to hotels and tour operators. The latest initiative is in line with DTCM’s participation in the Dubai 10X programme.