As part of the Abu Dhabi stop of the “World Tour Vespucci and Italy Village,” the event “The Wonders of Italian Tourism and the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics,” promoted by the Ministry of Tourism and organized by ENIT, represents a unique opportunity to further strengthen ties with Gulf countries and to showcase Italian tourism excellence to a highly strategic market for Italy.
Tourism flow data confirms this trend. In 2023, there was an increase of over +44% in travelers from Abu Dhabi and +32% from Dubai, while Saudi Arabia registered a 95% rise in visitors, with overnight stays increasing by over 32% and spending by 74%. Additionally, tourists from Saudi Arabia increased their overnight stays by 32.5% and spending by 74.6%.
“The extremely positive trend in tourism from Gulf countries,” stated Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè, “is an encouraging sign for our sector. We are working to attract more Arab visitors—who, notably, are high-spending tourists—by offering increasingly innovative options. Thanks to a new industrial vision, which the Ministry has now embraced, and the valuable work of industry operators, we will be able to consolidate this success, making Italy even more appealing to this market.”
“ENIT,” explained CEO Ivana Jelenic, “actively supports Italian businesses in fully seizing these opportunities through targeted promotional actions and by fostering the creation of strategic partnerships. This ensures that the Italian tourism sector can reap the maximum benefits from this extraordinary growth opportunity.”
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