Dubai intends to merge the departments of economy and tourism in order to attract some 25 million tourists by 2025 and to widen the emirate’s foreign trade. The merged entity will be headed by Helal Al Marri.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, took to Twitter to make the announcement: “In line with the new development plan for Dubai, we announce the merging of Dubai Economy with Dubai Tourism under the chairmanship of Helal Al Marri. The new entity will be asked to increase the added value of the industrial sector, expand Dubai’s foreign trade and boost the number of tourists coming to the Emirate to 25 million by 2025,”
He tweeted: “Introducing changes to the government sector is nothing but a reflection of a new vision set by Mohammed bin Rashid to bring about great developmental leaps that consolidate Dubai’s position as the number one city in the world. The next will be better and closer.”
Al Marri has been Director General of the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) since 2013. He is a member of the Executive Council of Dubai and also the Director General of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA).
He serves as a member of the Supreme Committee of the Expo 2020 and board member at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Emaar Malls PJSC and Taaleem PJSC.
Al Marri has a master’s in business administration from the London Business School (LBS).