UAE winter tourism campaign lifts hotel occupancy to 84%

The UAE’s latest winter tourism campaign delivered “strong results” across all seven emirates, driving hotel revenues of AED12.5 billion over a six-week period and attracting more than 5 million hotel guests nationwide, up 5% on the previous edition. While this figure reflects total hotel takings recorded during the campaign window, officials note that the promotion has seen a 90% year-on-year increase in earnings.

 

Launched on 16 December under the theme ‘Our Winter is Entrepreneurial’, the campaign helped to achieve one of the highest hotel occupancy rates globally at 84%, reinforcing the UAE’s position as a leading winter-sun destination.

 

Now in its sixth edition, the ‘World’s Coolest Winter’ campaign showcased the breadth of the UAE’s tourism product, from islands and beaches to nature reserves, heritage sites and urban landmarks. The latest edition also placed greater emphasis on tourism experiences created by local enterprises, including eco-conscious and community-rooted offerings.

 

Globally, the initiative recorded high visitor interest and extensive engagement across digital platforms, generating more than 300 million views and reaching over 1.5 billion people, according to Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism.

 

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The campaign increased its reliance on content creators, with 53 local and international partners helping to extend its reach to nearly 900 million followers worldwide and drive more than 1.8 million interactions with campaign-produced videos.

 

In addition to destination awareness, the campaign spotlighted tourism experiences led by entrepreneurs and startups, sharing their success stories and promoting green tourism, sustainable destinations and the UAE’s natural and cultural assets. This focus aligns with national priorities to support SMEs and encourage more sustainable, experience-led travel across the country.

 

The winter campaign supports the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, which targets AED100 billion in new tourism investments and 40 million hotel guests. 

 

Tourism remains a key pillar of the UAE economy, contributing AED257.3 billion to GDP in 2024, equivalent to around 13% of the national economy. In the first 10 months of 2025, hotels across the country hosted more than 26 million guests, a 5% year-on-year increase, while room capacity rose to 216,500 and average occupancy reached 79%, underscoring the sector’s continued expansion.

 

For more information, visit worldscoolestwinter.ae