A new study from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has revealed that aviation and related tourism contributed $92 billion (AED 337.9 billion) to the UAE’s economy in 2023, making up 18.2 per cent of the country’s GDP.
The sector also supported over 992,000 jobs, with 74,500 employed directly by airlines and hundreds of thousands more working in aviation services and tourism.
IATA praised the UAE’s strategic vision and investment in world-class infrastructure, calling the country a “critical hub for global connectivity.” One million tonnes of air cargo were handled in 2023 alone.
Looking ahead, the UAE is well-placed to progress in three priority areas:
Sustainability: The UAE has been a leader in the development of Low Carbon Aviation Fuel (LCAF) and is targeting an annual production of 700 million litres of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by 2030.
IATA looks forward to the potential for even broader collaboration with the UAE to advance progress towards aviation’s net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Infrastructure: As the UAE continues to invest in world class-infrastructure to meet future demand, particularly with the development of Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) and Zayed International Airport (AUH), it is critical to work with industry to remain a cost competitive hub for airlines and passengers.
Workforce: Maintaining a sustainable pipeline of aviation professionals will further strengthen the UAE's status as a global aviation hub. As part of this effort, a new IATA training centre was recently opened in Abu Dhabi.
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