UN Tourism returned the Annual Investment Congress (AIM) to put the focus on innovation and women’s empowerment, and investments in the Middle East.
The tourism landscape of the Middle East is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by strong government support through economic diversification efforts. Tourism has emerged as a strategic sector offering opportunities for job creation, revenue generation, and sustainable growth. In 2023, the Middle East was leading the sector’s global recovery, being the only region to surpass pre-pandemic levels with arrivals reaching 87.1 million international tourists, 22% above 2019 levels.
The region is also performing well on investments: 254 greenfield projects were announced between 2018 to 2023, representing a total capital investment of USD 15.2 billion, and supporting the creation of an estimated 33,690 jobs.
The Middle East is also establishing itself as a global leader in tourism investments, and UN Tourism returned to the AIM Congress to focus on some of the key issues relating to this key priority for the sector: equality and innovation.
"The Middle East is blooming as a destination and as a major player in the global tourism sector. It was the only region where international arrivals last year were actually above pre-pandemic levels, and it's leading the way in greenfield investment projects and in creating jobs. UN Tourism is delighted to be working with the region around our shared priorities", says UN Tourism Executive Director, Natalia Bayona.
On the opening day of the Congress, UN Tourism held a special session centered around two pivotal themes: "Investing in Innovation" and "Enabling Women Entrepreneurs”. Experts provided insights into empowering women entrepreneurs in the tourism sector and investing in the next generation of women in technology to drive sustainable tourism growth.
As part of its commitment to gender equality and empowerment, UN Tourism also launched the second edition of its Women in Tech Startups competition for the region, aiming to recognize and support innovative tech-driven startups led by women entrepreneurs working in three categories: People and Skills, Green Travel Solutions and Market Innovators.
On the second day, the AIM Congress served as a platform for UN Tourism to engage global stakeholders in a discussion surrounding tourism investments in the Middle East. UN Tourism highlighted the importance of tourism trends and sustainable investment practices, discussing policies that support such initiatives and exploring tourism growth in navigating investment horizons.
The session aimed at to provide insights into the evolving tourism landscape of the Middle East, showcasing traditional and non-traditional investment opportunities and emphasizing the region’s growing influence on global tourism investments. As the global tourism landscape evolves, the region plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the sector through its vision, investment initiatives, and strategic partnerships. Participants called for the need of collaborative efforts between governments, private investors, civil society, and local communities to shape a tourism sector that is not only economically successful but also environmentally responsible and socially inclusive.
UN Tourism has launched the second edition of its Women in Tech Startup Competition: Middle East. The initiative aims to highlight and support women entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of sustainable tourism and technology across the region.
The competition targets startups that are led by women and based in the Middle East. Enterprises must be operating within the tourism sector and related industries, and offer sustainable solutions for people, the planet, and prosperity. They must also be an entrepreneurial project at an early stage, idea stage, or Series A stage of their journey. Applications are open for the following three categories:
UN Tourism has welcomed key global and regional partners and ecosystem collaborators to support the winning startups. Almosafer, Plug and Play, AIM, The Bench, Impulse4Women and Bilakatu will be providing visibility, personalized mentorship, consultancy and access to potential investment to the best entrepreneurial solutions. This year's applications will be processed through Plug and Play's open innovation platform, the largest in the world, and the finalists will also be invited to join the global UN Tourism Innovation Network.
The launch was announced at the AIM Congress, a leading investment platform, in Abu Dhabi, UAE, during a special UN Tourism Investment Forum session on “Investing in Innovation and Enabling Women Entrepreneurs”.
The second edition follows on from the success of the inaugural initiative, with over 140 startups and SMEs applying from 11 countries. The four winners, Fosha (Egypt), Sparkle Haze (UAE), Plastus Biotech (Saudi Arabia), Xenios Academy (UAE) were announced last year during the celebrations for World Tourism Day on 27 September in Riyadh.
UN Tourism is committed to advancing the positive impact of tourism on women's lives, thereby contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 5 - Gender Equality. The organization has been actively supporting women entrepreneurs, working to propel the tourism sector forward and to foster inclusivity.
UN Tourism Executive Director Natalia Bayona says: “It is crucial to empower female entrepreneurs in the Middle East with innovative business proposals that have a component of positive social impact and respect for the environment to support the sustainable development of the growing tourism sector in the region.”
Since 2018, UN Tourism has launched more than 25 startup competitions and innovation challenges, covering over 150 countries around the world. With over 20,000 participants and more than 350 top startups mapped with USD 2+ billion in funding, UN Tourism continues its efforts to support digitalization and innovation to advance the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Tourism is a tool for positive transformation and inclusive economic development.
UNWTO has joined Qatar Tourism to recognize the individuals and businesses leading the way in building a better sector in the country.
The inaugural Qatar Tourism Awards, developed in partnership with UNWTO, focused on three principal categories: Service Excellence, Cultural Experiences and Smart Solutions. At the awards ceremony, Qatar Tourism Awards also announced a surprise category, the Community Contribution Award, to recognise individual community members who have gone above and beyond to display hospitality and provide exemplary services to visitors.
The winners were announced at a ceremony that took place at Raffles Doha, attended by Basmah Al-Mayman, Regional Director for the Middle East at UNTWO and His Excellency Saad Bin Ali Al Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism. The winners reflected the broad and diverse nature of the tourism sector, including destinations, experiences, hotels and hospitality establishments. They also recognized those leading the way in building a more innovative and sustainable tourism, in line with UNWTO's key priorities for the sector.
The full list of all the winners can be found on the Qatar Tourism Awards website.
