DUBAI : Tourism has emerged as one of the UAE’s most powerful economic engines, contributing significantly to GDP while supporting growth across hospitality, retail, transport and leisure. With millions of international visitors arriving each year, the sector is increasingly leveraged to unlock opportunities for start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and Emirati entrepreneurs.
This momentum is being highlighted through the World’s Coolest Winter campaign, themed “Our winter is entrepreneurial”, which showcases how government-backed funding initiatives are enabling businesses to enter and scale within the tourism value chain. These programmes provide a combination of financing, training, advisory services and incubation support, ensuring long-term sustainability while generating employment nationwide.
In Abu Dhabi, the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, established in 2007, has supported more than 1,200 companies with over Dh1.4 billion in funding, creating around 15,000 jobs. Its start-up and expansion programmes finance up to 80 per cent of project costs, with flexible repayment terms and grace periods, spanning sectors such as tourism, ICT, healthcare, agri-tech and innovation-driven ventures.
Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development has funded 168 projects worth Dh137 million since 2015 and aims to support 27,000 Emirati-owned businesses by 2033. Offering end-to-end support, from planning and accelerators to licensing, financing and access to government procurement, the establishment’s Hamdan Innovation Incubator alone supported 66 entrepreneurs in 2024, taking the total number of assisted start-ups to 826.
In Sharjah, the RUWAD Foundation, under the Sharjah Economic Development Department, continues to nurture SME growth and local entrepreneurial talent. To date, it has trained 9,724 participants, financed 106 projects, and rolled out smart digital platforms that streamline access to financing, events and innovation initiatives.
Meanwhile, the Emirates Development Bank, operational since 2015, has disbursed Dh30 billion to more than 13,500 companies, contributing AED 10 billion to national GDP. Its EDB350 digital platform simplifies account creation, financing applications and access to incubators and mentorship, enabling faster scaling for start-ups and SMEs.
The UAE’s tourism sector has seen steady growth over the past two decades, supported by world-class infrastructure, a safe and diversified environment, and globally recognised events such as Expo 2020 Dubai, Abu Dhabi Formula 1 and major international cultural festivals. Today, the sector spans luxury hospitality, eco-tourism, adventure tourism and cultural experiences, generating thousands of direct and indirect jobs each year.
With a Dh33 billion investment, the UAE is enhancing its tourism sector to drive entrepreneurship and job creation. Government-backed initiatives are empowering start-ups and SMEs with funding, training, and incubation support, ensuring long-term growth and sustainability in the tourism value chain.