Media Centre

UAE World’s Coolest Winter campaign generates $3.4bln in hotel revenues

The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism announced the conclusion of the sixth edition of the World’s Coolest Winter campaign, which ran for six weeks starting December 16 under the slogan “Our Winter is Entrepreneurial.”

Implemented in collaboration with tourism authorities across all seven emirates, the campaign aligns with the UAE Strategy for Domestic Tourism.

The campaign achieved its core goal of showcasing the UAE’s diverse tourism offerings, including beaches, islands, nature reserves, and cultural, urban, and heritage landmarks.

A key focus was highlighting tourism experiences led by entrepreneurs and startups, emphasising their role in delivering innovative and competitive tourism products.

This approach reinforced entrepreneurship as a central driver of growth and enriched the overall tourism experience.

The campaign also demonstrated growing global confidence in the quality and competitiveness of the UAE’s domestic tourism offerings.

The sixth edition delivered strong results nationwide. Hotel revenues reached AED 12.5 billion ($3.4 billion), with more than 5 million hotel guests, marking a 5% increase over the previous edition.

Hotel occupancy reached 84%, up 2% year-on-year.

Globally, the campaign achieved over 300 million views and reached more than 1.5 billion people, supported by collaborations with 53 local and international content creators and generating over 1.8 million engagements.

Beyond promoting domestic tourism, the campaign spotlighted innovative tourism products and initiatives led by entrepreneurs and startups, encouraging investment and supporting green, environmental, and agricultural tourism.

Through extensive media outreach, it showcased pioneering tourism projects and the UAE’s environmental and experiential diversity, while highlighting young Emirati startups using advanced technologies to enhance travel planning, hospitality, and immersive tourism experiences.

The campaign also reflected the accelerated growth of the UAE’s tourism and travel sector.

In 2025, hotel revenues reached approximately AED 44.4 billion during the January–November period, with 29.1 million guests and nearly 99.4 million hotel nights.

The aviation sector also recorded strong growth, with passenger traffic projected to reach 159 million by the end of 2025.

Further achievements included the UAE ranking among the world’s top seven destinations for international tourist spending, the election of Shaikha Al Nowais as Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organisation, Masfout Village winning the 2025 Best Tourism Village award, and Al Ain being named Capital of Arab Tourism for 2026.

Abdulla Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, stated that the campaign’s success reflects strong investment opportunities in the UAE tourism sector, a vital pillar of the nation’s sustainable economic vision.

He emphasised that coordination among tourism entities across the emirates strengthens the UAE’s position as a unified, year-round global destination and supports the goals of the We the UAE 2031 vision.