A new USD 6 billion worth investment mapping initiative was unveiled at the UAE–Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025, signalling a push to strengthen tourism, infrastructure, and connectivity links across the continent.
As per the UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al-Marri, the move, which is expected to generate around 70,000 jobs across multiple African countries, positions tourism as a central pillar for sustainable development and economic diversification, thereby underscoring the UAE’s growing role as a key investor and strategic partner in Africa.
Between 2019 and 2023, UAE investments in Africa exceeded USD 110 billion, ranking the Gulf nation as the fourth-largest investor globally on the continent, after the United States, China, and the European Union (EU). Out of the USD 110 billion, over USD 70 billion has gone into green and renewable energy projects, showing the UAE’s focus on sustainable growth.
Al-Marri noted that tourism ranks among the top five Emirati investment sectors in Africa, alongside energy, infrastructure, logistics, and real estate. The new round of projects announced at the UAE–Africa Tourism Investment Summit also marked an expansion of this strategy, building on the UAE’s ambitions to align investment with climate goals and sustainable tourism development. The event, which happened in Dubai, had “Building Bridges for Sustainable Growth” as this year’s theme.
On the domestic front, Al-Marri said tourism investments in the UAE reached 28.8 billion dirhams (USD 7.78 billion) in 2023, followed by an increase to 32.2 billion dirhams in 2024, and are expected to reach 35.2 billion dirhams in 2025, reflecting the country’s ongoing efforts to provide exceptional investment opportunities.
The summit coincided with remarks from the Secretary-General Elect of the UN World Tourism Organisation for the 2026–2029 term, Shaikha Nasser Al-Nowais, who revealed that the global tourism and travel sector contributed USD 10.9 trillion to the global GDP in 2024, thereby accounting for 10% of the global economy.
Speaking to Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of the summit, she said this contribution is expected to rise to USD 11.7 trillion in 2025, marking a 6.7% increase over 2024 and a 13% growth compared with 2019 levels.
The senior official further noted that while the sector’s recovery continues to outpace global growth, it faces mounting challenges from climate change, rapid technological shifts, and geopolitical tensions — areas that require innovation and cross-regional collaboration to address.
Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, stated that tourism cooperation between the UAE and Nigeria offers a promising avenue for mutual benefits. She further highlighted some strategic projects for collaboration with the UAE and Emirati investors.