The UAE travel and tourism sector is expected to add more than 26,000 jobs this year, pushing total employment close to 925,000. If you’re a high school student choosing a major, a graduate building your CV, or a professional planning a career move, this is your sign: tourism and hospitality is hiring, evolving, and getting more competitive.
Industry snapshot: tourism jobs are climbing fast
A new report highlighted in The National points to strong momentum in the UAE’s tourism economy, driven by aviation growth, hotel performance, visitor demand, and a wider travel ecosystem that needs skilled talent (not just “anyone who likes travel”).
Source: UAE's travel and tourism sector to add more than 26,000 jobs this year (The National)
What this means for students, graduates, and working professionals
When an industry grows at this scale, employers start looking for people who can deliver from day one, customer experience, operations, event execution, tourism marketing, and service leadership. The opportunity is real, but so is the competition.
- Students: Choose a degree that matches UAE market demand and gives you options across airlines, hotels, events, and destination experiences.
- Graduates: Add specialized knowledge so you’re not “just another CV.”
- Professionals: Upskill to unlock promotions, switch functions (ops → marketing, or front office → management), or move into tourism business leadership.
The career paths getting hotter in the UAE tourism ecosystem
Tourism growth creates jobs across multiple lanes:
- Hotel & Resort Operations
- Airline and Airport Services
- Tour Operations & Travel Management
- Events, Conferences & Experiences (MICE)
- Tourism Marketing, Sales & Customer Experience
- Hospitality Leadership & Service Excellence
Study smart: build your advantage with Horizon University College
If you want a degree that aligns with where the UAE economy is heading, explore the BBA Concentration in Tourism and Hospitality Management at Horizon University College . It’s designed for real careers in tourism operations, hospitality management, marketing, events, and customer experience, skills that scale with the industry.
Want more tourism industry news and insights?
Stay updated with the latest trends, insights, and career-relevant stories through Horizon University College’s Knowledge Update stream: Travel & Tourism (Industry News & Insights) .