The Ministry of Economy has unveiled “UAE Grand Tour”, a B2B2C booking platform that stitches the country’s seven emirates into themed itineraries of up to 14 days. Announced on 17 September at Arabian Travel Market, the portal has been developed with Rocket International and aggregates accommodation, attractions and transport into book-and-go packages for tour operators, travel agents and direct consumers. The idea is simple: treat the UAE as a single destination, not seven siloed city-breaks. Sample programmes—Grand Classic, Grand Adventure, Grand Eco-Friendly, Grand Wellness—guide visitors from Abu Dhabi’s cultural district to Fujairah’s Hajar Mountains, Ras Al Khaimah’s desert retreats and back to Dubai’s urban core. Users can customise modules or combine sectors to match traveller profiles, lengthening stays and dispersing tourism spend beyond the usual DXB-centric footprint. For DMCs and multinational TMCs the platform offers API connectivity, live inventory and dynamic pricing, making it easier to bundle corporate retreats or incentive trips that hop across emirates without stitching together separate contracts. The ministry hopes that integrated routing will lift average length-of-stay—currently 3.8 nights—to double-digit levels, boosting SME revenues in lesser-visited areas. Crucially for mobility managers, the system incorporates real-time visa-eligibility checks using ICP APIs, ensuring that mixed-nationality groups can validate entry requirements before payment. A carbon-calculator widget estimates emissions across coach, rail and car segments, aligning with many companies’ ESG reporting mandates. Officials also confirmed that the domestic “World’s Coolest Winter” campaign will be marketed internationally for the first time this season, supported by the Grand Tour content engine.
Source: Khaleej Times
