UAE Pledges $6bn in New Tourism Investment Mapping with Africa
The UAE–Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025 saw a new $6 billion investment mapping initiative unveiled, aimed at strengthening tourism, infrastructure, and connectivity links across the African continent.
A high-level ministerial roundtable in Dubai announced a new $6 billion investment mapping initiative to bolster tourism, infrastructure, and connectivity links in Africa.
According to UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al-Marri, this project is expected to generate around 70,000 jobs across multiple African countries.
The plan positions tourism as a central pillar for sustainable development and economic diversification, highlighting the UAE's growing investment role on the continent.
Between 2019 and 2023, UAE investments in Africa exceeded $110 billion, ranking the Gulf nation as the fourth-largest investor globally in Africa.
Over $70 billion of that capital went into green and renewable energy projects, reflecting the UAE’s focus on sustainable growth.
Tourism is among the top five Emirati investment sectors in Africa, alongside energy, infrastructure, logistics, and real estate.
The new round of projects announced at the summit marks an expansion of this strategy, building on the UAE's ambitions to align investment with climate goals and sustainable tourism development.
The initiative includes diverse tourism projects in aviation, logistics services, infrastructure, and digital sectors, valued at approximately $6 billion and holding potential for 70,000 job opportunities.
The summit took place under the theme 'Building Bridges for Sustainable Growth' and was organized by The Bench as part of the Future Hospitality Summit 2025.
It coincided with Secretary-General Elect of the UN World Tourism Organization Shaikha Nasser Al-Nowais's remarks that global tourism contributed $10.9 trillion to the world’s GDP in 2024, representing 10 percent of the global economy.
This contribution is expected to rise to $11.7 trillion in 2025, marking a 6.7 percent increase over 2024 and a 13 percent growth compared with 2019 levels.
Nigeria's Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, noted that tourism cooperation between the UAE and Nigeria offers mutual benefits.
Additionally, tourism investments in the UAE reached 28.8 billion dirhams ($7.78 billion) in 2023, rose to 32.2 billion dirhams in 2024, and are expected to reach 35.2 billion dirhams in 2025, reflecting ongoing efforts to provide exceptional investment opportunities.
According to UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al-Marri, this project is expected to generate around 70,000 jobs across multiple African countries.
The plan positions tourism as a central pillar for sustainable development and economic diversification, highlighting the UAE's growing investment role on the continent.
Between 2019 and 2023, UAE investments in Africa exceeded $110 billion, ranking the Gulf nation as the fourth-largest investor globally in Africa.
Over $70 billion of that capital went into green and renewable energy projects, reflecting the UAE’s focus on sustainable growth.
Tourism is among the top five Emirati investment sectors in Africa, alongside energy, infrastructure, logistics, and real estate.
The new round of projects announced at the summit marks an expansion of this strategy, building on the UAE's ambitions to align investment with climate goals and sustainable tourism development.
The initiative includes diverse tourism projects in aviation, logistics services, infrastructure, and digital sectors, valued at approximately $6 billion and holding potential for 70,000 job opportunities.
The summit took place under the theme 'Building Bridges for Sustainable Growth' and was organized by The Bench as part of the Future Hospitality Summit 2025.
It coincided with Secretary-General Elect of the UN World Tourism Organization Shaikha Nasser Al-Nowais's remarks that global tourism contributed $10.9 trillion to the world’s GDP in 2024, representing 10 percent of the global economy.
This contribution is expected to rise to $11.7 trillion in 2025, marking a 6.7 percent increase over 2024 and a 13 percent growth compared with 2019 levels.
Nigeria's Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, noted that tourism cooperation between the UAE and Nigeria offers mutual benefits.
Additionally, tourism investments in the UAE reached 28.8 billion dirhams ($7.78 billion) in 2023, rose to 32.2 billion dirhams in 2024, and are expected to reach 35.2 billion dirhams in 2025, reflecting ongoing efforts to provide exceptional investment opportunities.
