UAE hosts UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit to forge a shared vision for sustainable tourism ventures across Africa

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism hosted the UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025. The summit, held in Dubai under the theme ‘Building Bridges for Sustainable Growth,’ witnessed extensive participation from over 350 leaders, ministers, senior government officials, decision-makers, investors, and entrepreneurs from the UAE and 53 African countries.
The summit, held as part of the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS World 2025) and in collaboration with The Bench, was attended by His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council; His Excellency Márcio de Jesus Lopes Daniel, Minister of Tourism of Angola; His Excellency Amadou Ba, Minister of Culture, Crafts, and Tourism of Senegal; His Excellency Rodney Sikumba, Minister of Tourism and Arts of Zambia; Her Excellency Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism of South Africa; Her Excellency Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy of Nigeria; His Excellency Siandou Fofana, Minister of Tourism and Leisure of Côte d’Ivoire; His Excellency José Luís Sá Nogueira, Minister of Tourism and Transport of Cabo Verde; Her Excellency Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, UN Tourism Secretary-General elect for the term 2026–2029; Her Excellency Yomna Elbahar, Vice Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt; His Excellency John Ololtuaa, Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife of Kenya; Jonathan Worsley, Chairman and CEO of The Bench; along with a number of senior investors and global chief executives in the tourism and hospitality sectors at regional and international levels.
In his opening speech at the summit, H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said: “Guided by the wise vision of our leadership – a vision that not only anticipates the future but also actively shapes it and achieves its milestones – the UAE has positioned tourism as a bridge connecting peoples and cultures around the world. It has become a key driver for attracting investment and entrepreneurs, strengthening the growth and competitiveness of the national economy, and a source of pride through its pioneering achievements across all its verticals, led by national talents who have earned global trust to hold high-level positions.”
H.E. Bin Touq added: “The UAE is an exceptional model for tourism development, marked by qualitative leaps in its policies and tourism infrastructure, aligned with global best practices. These include the adoption of pioneering national initiatives and strategies, pumping investments into various tourism fields, building distinguished tourism projects across the country, in addition to opening new airports, expanding the airline network in cooperation with strategic partners worldwide, enhancing internal transport networks, and providing high-quality tourism services. This has all contributed to cementing the UAE’s status as a leading destination in today’s global tourism landscape.”
H.E. stated: “The UAE continues to play an active role as a developmental partner for the African continent through its consistent support for sustainable economic and tourism growth. In this context, hosting this summit under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum reflects our steadfast commitment to expanding Emirati investments in Africa and building fruitful partnerships with counterparts in both the public and private sectors. The summit also marks a new milestone in strengthening economic and tourism cooperation between the UAE and the African continent.”