Dubai has announced the appointment of a new executive to oversee tourism activities, as the emirate continues to find ways to strengthen its position as the leading destination for international and local visitors.

Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Friday issued Executive Council Resolution NO. (6) of 2022 to appoint Khalid bin Touq as CEO of the Tourism Activities Sector and Classifications at the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).

“The resolution is effective from the date of issuance and will be published in the official gazette,” a statement said.

The announcement comes as Dubai has seen a surge in visitors, bolstered by the hosting of Expo 2020 and other public events and exhibitions.

Direct contributions of the travel and tourism sector to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) stood at 68.5 billion dirhams ($18.7 billion) in 2016, representing 5.2 percent of the total GDP. The figure was previously forecast to rise to 116.1 billion dirhams in 2027.

A recent study by US travel platform Tripadvisor named Dubai as the world’s most popular destination for travellers in 2022.

(Writing by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria)

Cleofe.maceda@lseg.com

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