Over 4,000 new jobs in the hospitality sector are anticipated to be created in the United Arab Emirates as hotels grow and launch new brands in response to rising demand from travelers and staycationers.
Expansion and Growth
Prominent hotel groups such as IHG Hotels & Resorts, Rotana, The Ascott, and H World International are among those planning to launch new brands in the region. This expansion will not only boost the hospitality industry but also create employment opportunities in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other regional countries.
Tourism and Job Market Impact
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the UAE’s travel and tourism industry is projected to add 23,500 new jobs in 2024, bringing the total workforce in this sector to 833,000.
By 2034, the sector is expected to employ 928,000 people, representing 1 in 9 residents in the workforce. This indicates a significant growth in the industry, with around 95,000 new jobs expected to be created between 2024 and 2034.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) projects that by 2024, the travel and tourism industry in the United Arab Emirates would generate 23,500 additional jobs, increasing the total number of jobs to 833,000. 928,000 people will be employed in the travel and tourism industry in the United Arab Emirates by 2034, according to WTTC, employing one in nine citizens. This indicates that between 2024 and 2034, almost 95,000 additional employment will be produced.
According to Philip Barnes, CEO of Rotana, the company currently employs 10,562 people, with plans to add 1,050 more by the end of 2024, or 10% more. Thirty-five of Rotana’s 76 hotels are located in the United Arab Emirates. Nine new properties in Saudi Arabia and seven in the United Arab Emirates are part of the regional pipeline. It plans to add another 30 properties by 2026 and also actively enter new markets.
Haitham Mattar, managing director for India, Middle East, and Africa at IHG Hotels and Resorts, said the group operates 33 properties in the UAE and 10,000 keys. Mattar added that nine more hotels with 2,000 keys will be added in the next three to five years.
“We take an average of 300 keys per hotel and an average of 1.5 employees per key. We are bringing over 2,000 new keys, so we are looking at over 3,000 new jobs,” he said.
“Dubai remains an important source market in terms of growth and development and there are so many opportunities. We want to continue the expansion into Dubai and bring in some new brands such as Garner. We also have a brand in the US called Even, which focuses on wellness, which we want to bring to the region,” he said.
“This year we will open Intercontinental Residences in Business Bay, Dubai. Our occupancy has increased throughout the year. The summer months were a testament to the efforts Dubai has made to boost tourism. The goals continue to grow and we provide diversity in accommodation and products for tourism in Dubai,” said Mattar.
Vincent Miccolis, director of Middle East, Africa, Türkiye, and India, The Ascott, said they employ almost 1,000 people across the operational portfolio in the GCC. “With the upcoming launch of Ascott Villas Riyadh later this year and other openings in the region, the company expects to hire an additional 200 to 250 employees,” Miccolis said. Ascott operates three properties in the UAE and 11 in the GCC.
Siegfried Nierhaus, vice president and head of development for the Middle East, India, and Africa at H World International, said they also plan to hire hundreds of people as they expand in the UAE and the region, especially Saudi Arabia.
“We are also planning to bring the Chinese Ji Hotel brand to the UAE and discussions are underway with the partners. We also plan to aggressively expand in Saudi Arabia,” he said. Earlier this year, Deutsche Hospitality was rebranded as H World International.
