UAE Launches Visit UAE Tourism Brand and Grand Tour Platform Offering 14-Day Multi-Emirate Itineraries Starting at Dh10,446

The UAE unveiled its first unified national tourism brand Visit UAE on September 16 at Arabian Travel Market 2026, alongside the UAE Grand Tour platform offering itineraries spanning up to 14 days across all seven emirates. UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri launched both initiatives at the Dubai World Trade Centre, positioning the country as one integrated destination rather than seven separate emirates. The UAE Grand Tour platform features five themed routes including Grand Classic, Grand Adventure, Grand Beaches, Grand Eco Friendly, and Grand Family, with the 11-day Grand Classic package starting at Dh10,446 per person. The platform was developed in collaboration with Rocket International and allows direct booking through travel sector partners. The launch comes as GCC flight bookings to the UAE surged more than 60 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2026, with hotel bookings up 130 percent, according to Agoda data presented at the conference. Dubai hotel occupancy reached 66 percent in August, recovering from a March low of 36 percent. The initiatives support the UAE National Tourism Strategy 2031, which targets raising the sector contribution to GDP to Dh450 billion, attracting Dh100 billion in new tourism investment, and reaching 40 million hotel guests annually. Al Marri said the final months of 2026 are critical for the tourism sector as cooler weather typically drives stronger travel demand. Secondary emirates including Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Fujairah accounted for 35 percent of total UAE-related searches on Agoda, indicating growing interest beyond Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Minister said the launch represents the beginning of recovery for UAE tourism after recent regional disruption, stating the descending is over and the sector is now positioned to take off.