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Home›Tomorrow›The Visions›UAE: We the UAE 2031

Tomorrow · United Arab Emirates

UAE Vision: We the UAE 2031 and Centennial 2071

The UAE vision runs on two horizons: We the UAE 2031, a ten-year national plan, and UAE Centennial 2071, a long-range ambition for the country's hundredth year. Together they shape where the Emirates is investing, from luxury tourism to AI, and why so many people now want to visit, live and buy property in the UAE.

Updated

At a glance

UAE: We the UAE 2031 at a glance

Plan
We the UAE 2031 (launched 2022)
Long horizon
UAE Centennial 2071 (launched 2017)
Headline goal
Grow GDP to about AED 3 trillion (approximately $817 billion) by 2031
Tourism goal
Tourism to add about AED 450 billion (approximately $122 billion) to GDP
Best months to visit
November to March

UAE vision in brief

The UAE vision in brief

We the UAE 2031 is the federal government's roadmap for the decade. It is organized around four themes: a forward-looking society, a forward economy, forward diplomacy and a forward ecosystem. In practical terms that means growing the non-oil economy, deepening trade links with the world, raising the quality of life for residents and making government services fast and digital.

UAE Centennial 2071 looks further ahead, to the country's hundredth anniversary. Its aim is simple to state and bold in scale: for the UAE to rank among the best countries in the world. Its pillars are future-focused government, excellent education, a diversified knowledge economy and a happy, cohesive society. The two plans sit side by side, with 2031 as a milestone on the road to 2071. For the regional picture, see all the national visions of the region.

Fountains play across a long pool in the gardens of Qasr Al Watan, with the towers of Abu Dhabi rising beyond the palms.
Photo: Matti Blume · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Headline goals for 2031

Figures are the published national targets; we round dollar conversions.

Double the economy

National

Raise GDP from roughly AED 1.5 trillion to about AED 3 trillion (approximately $408 billion to $817 billion), led by non-oil sectors.

Grow non-oil exports

National

Lift non-oil exports to about AED 800 billion (approximately $218 billion) and non-oil foreign trade to around AED 4 trillion (approximately $1.1 trillion).

Make tourism a pillar

National

Under the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, tourism should contribute about AED 450 billion (approximately $122 billion) to GDP, with a target of some 40 million hotel guests a year.

Lead in AI and technology

National

The UAE was the first country to appoint a minister for artificial intelligence and aims to be a global leader in AI by 2031.

Flagship projects that bring

Flagship projects that bring the vision to life

Saadiyat Cultural District

Abu Dhabi

Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and the coming Guggenheim make Saadiyat one of the world's great cultural quarters. See Guggenheim and Zayed National Museum.

To be confirmed

Al Maktoum International Airport expansion

Dubai

A new passenger terminal at Dubai World Central is planned to become the world's largest airport over the coming decades.

Masdar City and clean energy

Abu Dhabi

The UAE has committed to net zero by 2050; Masdar is the showcase. See space and clean energy.

What the UAE vision

What the UAE vision means for visitors

For travelers the plan shows up as more of everything that makes the Emirates special: new five-star resorts, world-class museums, theme parks and events, and easier movement between the seven emirates by rail. Abu Dhabi and Dubai each run their own strategies within the federal plan, and the northern emirates, from Fujairah's 2040 plan to Ras Al Khaimah's tourism push, are adding beaches, mountains and quieter luxury. Start with our UAE luxury vacation guide.

What it means for investors

The economic goals rest on openness: 100 percent foreign ownership in most sectors, long-term residency and a strong push for new industries. The ten-year golden visa, available through property and business routes, is the most visible tool. For details see the UAE golden visa and residency options and our guide to Dubai luxury property.

Questions visitors and investors

Questions visitors and investors ask

What is We the UAE 2031?

It is the UAE's national plan for the decade to 2031, built on four themes covering society, economy, diplomacy and the wider ecosystem, with targets such as doubling GDP to about AED 3 trillion.

What is UAE Centennial 2071?

A long-range government vision, launched in 2017, that aims for the UAE to be among the best countries in the world by its hundredth anniversary in 2071.

Do the emirates have their own plans?

Yes. Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah each have their own economic, tourism or urban plans that sit within the national vision.

Does the vision affect property buyers?

Indirectly, through policies such as long-term golden visas, foreign ownership rules and infrastructure investment. Always take independent legal and financial advice.

Thinking of buying? Tell us what you are looking for and we will point you to the right people.

Register interest

This page is general information to help you start your research. It is not financial, legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules, prices and thresholds change; confirm every detail with a licensed adviser and the official authority before you act.

Checked October 2026. Prices and dates are approximate and can change. See our standard.