The UAE passport has become even more powerful in 2018, climbing up Henley's index to become the most powerful passport in the region.

According to the recent Henley Passport Index released on Tuesday, UAE's passport is now ranked 23rd, and remains the fastest overall climber on the index, ascending 38 places since 2008.

The country has secured more new visa-waivers for its citizens in 2018 than any other jurisdiction in the world and retains its top position in the Gulf region.

Emiratis, now, get visa-free access to 154 countries.

Japan has consolidated its spot at the top of the Index, now offering its citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a record total of 189 destinations. Following closely behind Japan are Singapore and Germany in joint 2nd place, with 188 destinations accessible without a prior visa. 3rd place is shared by six countries: one Asian (South Korea) and the rest European (Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden).

The UAE races to the top as the Middle East region places tourism firmly on the agenda.

Leading global efforts towards improved travel freedom is the UAE, which has gained access to eight new countries in 2018 alone: China, Ireland, Burkina Faso, Uruguay, Guinea, Tonga, Benin, and Honduras.

The country's reciprocal agreement with China in particular has led to the Emirati hospitality and tourist industries reporting growth of up to 70 per cent compared to 2017, as Chinese travellers begin taking advantage of their newfound access to the Middle East's main hub.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said recently that the country is actively strengthening its diplomatic efforts in a bid to have one of the top five passports in the world, as per the country's Vision 2021.

Ryan Cummings, Director of Signal Risk and a leading commentator on the MENA region, confirms this sentiment: "The visa-waiver agreements signed by the UAE to date are very much in line with the country's ongoing intention to position itself as the foremost commercial hub in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) zone, where it is increasingly hosting the regional headquarters of multinational firms operating in culturally diverse industries such as healthcare, professional and financial services, and digital technologies.

Economic diversification away from the oil sector and towards the less volatile tourism industry has in fact become a common theme across the GCC zone.

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