Smart tourism drives demand

Travellers have stated that technology has helped increase confidence in travelling, according to reports.

The global tourism sector is preparing for a new phase of growth wherein countries are employing new products and allocating deep budgets for its promotion and development. A major component driving this growth will be the development of smart tourism, which will involve digital and technological innovations in this sector. In a recent study, travellers themselves stated that technology will help increase their confidence in travelling,” says Guest of Honour at the event, H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises. “The UAE is already employing the latest in digital technology across sectors, and in particular to support the travel sector. We have deployed 5G connectivity and have so far trained 100,000 programmers to support businesses. We hope to continue this drive, reach new horizons, and expand to new sectors.”

He highlighted the importance of a calculated and detailed development strategy in the tourism sector, using the digital technologies to accelerate and attract visitor experience.

“We are working on ways to advance tourism initiatives. The World’s Coolest Winter Campaign attracted nearly 950,000 visitors and brought in revenues of US$1 billion in 45 days. We are seeing an increase in international tourism with global vaccination drives in full swing. With the Expo 2020 Dubai, we have welcomed 3.5 million visitors in just the first six weeks. We also aim to increase the UAE national participation by encouraging more SMEs to lead the sector. There is much to look forward to in supporting the tourism industry to move forward.”