Planning a holiday? UAE unveils new way to explore all seven emirates in one trip
Winter tourism campaign to target international markets for first time
DUBAI – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has unveiled a new national tourism identity and a multi-emirate travel platform designed to showcase the country as one integrated destination.
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism announced the launch of ‘Visit UAE’ and the ‘UAE Grand Tour’ platform during Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre. The initiatives bring together destinations, experiences and tourism products from across the seven emirates while creating new options for visitors to plan longer, multi-destination trips.
The announcements were made in the presence of Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, during the ministry’s participation in ATM 2026, which is being held from 14 to 17 September. The ministry said its participation is focused on highlighting the diversity of tourism offerings across the UAE, strengthening the country’s international presence and developing partnerships with tourism organisations and private-sector players.
Visit UAE
‘Visit UAE’ has been introduced as the UAE’s first unified national tourism identity at the federal level. The identity is intended to bring the country’s tourism offering together under a single platform while retaining the distinct attractions and experiences available in each emirate.
The initiative will showcase the UAE as an integrated destination, allowing international visitors to view the seven emirates as part of a wider tourism experience rather than as separate destinations. It also aims to provide a common identity through which the country's attractions, experiences and tourism products can be presented to global audiences.
The ministry said the launch forms part of efforts to enhance the UAE’s attractiveness and competitiveness as an international tourism destination while strengthening cooperation between federal and local tourism entities.
Alongside the new identity, the ministry launched the ‘UAE Grand Tour’ platform, developed in collaboration with Rocket International and tourism authorities across the seven emirates.
The platform offers national tourism itineraries covering more than one emirate, with trips extending for up to 14 days. Routes span all seven emirates and are designed to encourage visitors to combine multiple destinations during the same trip.
The platform also allows users to search for and book programmes through participating travel-sector partners. Dedicated tools have been developed for tour operators and travel agents, enabling them to create integrated programmes for international markets and provide direct booking options for travellers.
Multi-emirate trips
The UAE Grand Tour has been developed with tourism authorities and private-sector operators, including hotels, attractions and providers of tourism experiences. Participating partners contribute accommodation, activities and experiences that can be incorporated into the itineraries.
The available programmes cover several categories, including family holidays, cultural tourism, nature-based experiences and adventure activities. Information on participating hotels, attractions and transport services is also provided to help visitors plan journeys across multiple emirates.
The platform is designed to give travellers greater flexibility in building trips around their interests, while giving tourism businesses an additional channel through which to promote combined experiences.
The multi-emirate approach is also intended to encourage visitors to spend more time in the UAE. By linking destinations and experiences across the country, the initiative seeks to make longer stays easier to plan and increase opportunities for visitors to experience different parts of the UAE during one journey.
Bin Touq said the UAE continues to strengthen its position as a global destination for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), supported by infrastructure, facilities and services serving business travellers and international visitors.
He also highlighted the role of ATM as a platform for examining changes shaping the travel industry, including artificial intelligence, innovation and growing demand for personalised and integrated tourism experiences.
The minister said the new initiatives reflect the UAE’s efforts to develop its tourism sector and strengthen its position as a destination capable of bringing together diverse experiences across its seven emirates.
According to the ministry, the measures are also aligned with the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, which targets increasing tourism’s contribution to GDP to Dh450 billion, attracting Dh100 billion in additional tourism investments and welcoming 40 million hotel guests annually by the next decade.
Winter goes global
The ministry also announced that ‘World’s Coolest Winter’, the UAE’s flagship seasonal domestic tourism campaign, will expand into international markets for the first time.
First launched in 2020, the campaign has traditionally encouraged residents and visitors already in the UAE to explore destinations and experiences during the winter season. The upcoming edition will broaden that focus by targeting selected international markets and promoting the UAE as a winter tourism destination.
The campaign will highlight a wide range of experiences, including desert and coastal activities, adventure tourism, festivals and events, as well as city-based attractions.
It will also promote the UAE’s mild winter climate as part of the country’s appeal during the colder months in international source markets.
The international expansion is expected to complement the new Visit UAE identity and UAE Grand Tour platform by linking seasonal tourism promotion with multi-emirate travel products.
Together, the initiatives are designed to present a broader selection of destinations to overseas visitors while creating opportunities to combine experiences across the UAE during a single trip.
The ministry said the measures form part of wider efforts to strengthen the resilience and sustained growth of the national tourism sector, diversify visitor markets and products, promote domestic tourism and respond to changing patterns across the global travel industry.