The UAE’s transformation into a global tourism hub is a story of vision, dedication, and royal leadership. In 1988, the country welcomed its first 1,000 tourists, a milestone marked by personal touches from Emirati leaders. Nasser Al Nowais, then head of the Abu Dhabi National Hospitality (ADNH) group, recalled the challenges of attracting visitors to the emirate. “We had no tourists in Abu Dhabi,” he said. Determined to change this, his team attended a travel fair in Berlin, successfully bringing in the first wave of international tourists. These visitors were personally greeted at the airport, escorted to hotels, and shown the city’s attractions, leaving with lasting memories of Emirati hospitality. This initiative was deeply rooted in the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Founding Father, who encouraged the promotion of Emirati culture and cuisine. Inspired by Sheikh Zayed, Nasser laid the groundwork for what would become one of the world’s most vibrant tourism industries, eventually co-founding Rotana Hotels, which now manages over 80 properties globally. Gerald Lawless, a key figure in Dubai’s hospitality sector, shared anecdotes of the royal family’s hands-on involvement. He recounted a 1am call from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who arrived to inspect the Jumeirah Beach Hotel for an executive meeting. “He gave me a full hour to be ready,” Gerald chuckled, highlighting the royal’s attention to detail. Gerald also spearheaded iconic marketing campaigns, such as Roger Federer and Andre Agassi’s tennis match on the Burj Al Arab helipad, which catapulted Dubai onto the global stage. Both Nasser and Gerald emphasized that the UAE’s success lies in its people. “Treat your team with respect, and everything else follows,” Nasser said. Gerald echoed this, sharing Jumeirah’s golden rules: always greet guests with a smile, never say ‘no’ as the first response, and treat colleagues with respect. Today, Abu Dhabi welcomes millions of visitors annually, a testament to the enduring legacy of the UAE’s royal visionaries.
Sheikh Zayed’s visit, Dubai Ruler’s 1am call: How UAE Royals helped build tourism industry
