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The Middle East Outbound
Travel Market
with Special Insight into the Image of Europe as a Destination
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), a Founded in 1948, the European Travel Commis
The Middle East Outbound Travel Market

United Nations specialized agency, is the leading sion (ETC) is a non-profit organisation whose
international organisation with the decisive role is to market and promote Europe as a
and central role in promoting the development tourism destination in overseas markets. ETC’s
of responsible, sustainable and universally members are the national tourism organisations
accessible tourism. It serves as a global forum (NTOs) of 33 European countries. Its mission
for tourism policy issues and a practical source is to provide added value to members by
of tourism know-how. Its membership includes encouraging exchange of information and
155 countries, 7 territories, 2 permanent observers management expertise and promoting awareness
and over 400 Affiliate Members. about the role played by NTOs.
www.UNWTO.org www.etc-corporate.org
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Travel Market
of Europe as a Destination
with Special Insight into the Image
Copyright © 2012 World Tourism Organization and European Travel Commission
Cover photo: Copyright © iStockphoto/kyoshino
The Middle East Outbound Travel Market with Special Insight into the Image of Europe as a Destination
UNWTO ISBN: 978-92-844-1396-6 (printed version) ISBN: 978-92-844-1427-7 (electronic version)
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Published by the World Tourism Organization and the European Travel Commission
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Market with Special Insight into the Image of Europe as a Destination, UNWTO, Madrid
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... vii
Scope of the Study............................................................................................................. ix
Executive Summary........................................................................................................... xi
Part 1– Middle East Outbound Travel Market
1 Middle East Region Profile................................................................................................ 1

1.1 Geography (including Regional Integration Blocks)....................................................... 1
1.2 Demographic Characteristics....................................................................................... 2
1.2.1 Population Profile (actual and projected)........................................................... 2
1.2.2 Migration.......................................................................................................... 4
1.2.3 Language and Religion .................................................................................... 5
1.3 Political Situation.......................................................................................................... 6
1.3.1 Governance .................................................................................................... 6
1.3.2 Political Unrest ................................................................................................ 7
2 Operating Environment...................................................................................................... 9
2.1 Economic Indicators..................................................................................................... 9
2.1.1 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Growth Rates........................................... 9
2.1.2 GDP per Capita............................................................................................... 11
2.2 Business Environment ................................................................................................. 12
2.2.1 Doing Business in the Middle East................................................................... 12
2.2.2 Foreign Direct Investment................................................................................. 13
2.3 Potential for Outbound Tourism ................................................................................... 14
2.3.1 Medium and Long Term Prospects.................................................................. 14
3 Transport Infrastructure.................................................................................................... 15

3.1 Road............................................................................................................................ 15
3.2 Rail............................................................................................................................... 16
3.3 Port.............................................................................................................................. 16
3.4 Air ............................................................................................................................... 17
3.4.1 Airports............................................................................................................ 17
3.4.2 Airlines (full service, low-cost and business jet)................................................. 18
3.5 Air Carrier Association.................................................................................................. 25
iv The Middle East Outbound Travel Market
4 Travel Profile....................................................................................................................... 27
4.1 Middle East Outbound Tourism.................................................................................... 27
4.2 Outbound Travel Destinations....................................................................................... 28
4.2.1 Outbound Travel to Key International Destinations............................................ 29

4.2.2 Outbound Travel to European Destinations....................................................... 30
4.3 Travel Source Markets.................................................................................................. 32
4.4 Profile of Middle East Travellers ................................................................................... 33
4.5 Characteristics and Behaviour of Middle East Travellers ............................................... 34
4.5.1 Purpose of Travel............................................................................................. 35
4.5.2 Type of Travellers (FIT vs group Travellers)........................................................ 37
4.5.3 Single vs Multiple Destinations ........................................................................ 37
4.5.4 Travel Frequency.............................................................................................. 38
4.5.5 Length of Stay................................................................................................. 38
4.5.6 Seasonality...................................................................................................... 40
4.5.7 Travel Companions.......................................................................................... 41
4.5.8 Travel Group Size............................................................................................. 41
4.5.9 Accommodation.............................................................................................. 41
4.5.10 Booking Patterns............................................................................................. 42
4.5.11 Sources of Information..................................................................................... 43
4.5.12 Holiday Activities.............................................................................................. 43
4.5.13 Spending (and shopping)................................................................................. 44
4.6 Destination Preferences................................................................................................ 44
4.6.1 Repeat Travel................................................................................................... 45
4.7 Holiday Preferences .................................................................................................... 46
4.8 Travel Market Segments............................................................................................... 46
4.8.1 Leisure Travel................................................................................................... 46
4.8.2 Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR).................................................................. 47
4.9 Visa Issues and Other Constraints to Travel Abroad...................................................... 48
5 Travel Trade Structure ....................................................................................................... 51

5.1 Air Access and Connectivity......................................................................................... 51
5.1.1 Air Links with Europe – By Airline and Country................................................. 51
5.1.2 Planned Air Access Developments .................................................................. 52
5.2 Structure and Organization of the Travel Trade............................................................. 53
5.2.1 Travel Agencies and Tour Operators................................................................. 53
5.2.2 Travel Distribution Systems.............................................................................. 58
5.2.3 Travel Trade Associations................................................................................. 59
6 Media Usage....................................................................................................................... 61
6.1 Internet and Social Media (penetration and usage)....................................................... 61
6.1.1 Internet............................................................................................................ 61
6.1.2 Social Media ................................................................................................... 62
6.2 Online Travel Planning, Booking and Purchase............................................................. 62
6.3 Travel Sites and Portals................................................................................................ 63
6.4 Travel Trade Press ....................................................................................................... 64
6.5 Mass Media ................................................................................................................ 65
Table of Contents v
7 Other Market Information.................................................................................................. 71

7.1 National Tourism Organizations with Offices in the Middle East..................................... 71
7.2 Travel Trade Fairs in the Middle East............................................................................. 71
7.3 Holiday Legislation/Main Holiday Periods in the Middle East......................................... 72
Part 2 – Image of Europe as a Holiday Destination in the Middle East
8 Interviews with the Travel Trade....................................................................................... 77

8.1 Profile and Behaviour of Outbound Leisure Travellers.................................................... 77
8.2 Key Drivers and Barriers to Holiday in Europe .............................................................. 78
8.2.1 Key Drivers to Holiday in Europe...................................................................... 78
8.2.2 Barriers to Holiday in Europe............................................................................ 79
8.3 Marketing of Europe to Travellers – Issues and Challenges........................................... 81
8.4 Trade Activities in Promoting International Destinations ................................................ 81
8.5 Future Travel Trends in the Outbound Travel Market ..................................................... 82
8.6 Promoting Europe as a Holiday Destination.................................................................. 83
8.7 ‘Best Prospect’ Customer Segments for Europe ......................................................... 84
9 Online Interviews with Consumers................................................................................... 85

9.1 Travel Experience ........................................................................................................ 86
9.1.1 Travel Frequency ............................................................................................. 86
9.1.2 Travel Destinations ......................................................................................... 86
9.2 Travel to Europe .......................................................................................................... 88
9.2.1 Travel to Europe vs Other World Destinations .................................................. 88
9.2.2 Number of Times Been to Europe ................................................................... 88
9.2.3 Countries Visited in Europe and How Often...................................................... 89
9.3 Motivations and Barriers to Holiday Abroad.................................................................. 90
9.3.1 General Motivations to Holiday Abroad ........................................................... 90
9.3.2 Motivations to Holiday in Europe ..................................................................... 91
9.3.3 Barriers to Holiday in Europe ........................................................................... 93
9.4 Travel Behaviour – Europe vs Other World Destinations................................................ 94
9.4.1 Characteristics of the Most Recent Holiday Trip Abroad................................... 94
9.4.2 Characteristics of the Holiday Trip in Other World Regions............................... 100
9.4.3 Sources of Information for Destination Decision Making................................... 105
9.4.4 Comparison of Holiday Trip in Europe vs Key Competitive Destinations............ 106
9.5 Future Travel ................................................................................................................ 108
9.5.1 Europe vs Other World Regions Likely to Visit ................................................. 108
9.5.2 European Destinations Likely to Visit ............................................................... 109
9.5.3 European Destination Likely to Visit First.......................................................... 111
9.6 Familiarity with European Destinations ......................................................................... 113
10 Online Focus Group with Consumers.............................................................................. 117

10.1 Frequency of Travel...................................................................................................... 117
10.2 Characteristics of Recent Holiday Abroad..................................................................... 119
10.2.1 Holiday Destinations and Motivations............................................................. 119
vi The Middle East Outbound Travel Market
10.2.2 Holiday Activities.............................................................................................. 121

10.2.3 Holiday Satisfaction.......................................................................................... 122
10.3 Information Sources for Destination Decision Making................................................... 123
10.4 Image of Europe .......................................................................................................... 124

10.5 Perception and Image of European Destinations ......................................................... 125
10.6 Key Drivers and Barriers to Holiday in Europe............................................................... 128
10.7 Promoting Europe as a Holiday Destination in the Middle East..................................... 130
10.8 Future Trip to Europe.................................................................................................... 131
Part 3 – Conclusions and Recommendations
11 Conclusions and Recommendations............................................................................... 139

11.1 Current Image and Position of Europe as a Destination Brand ..................................... 139
11.2 Marketing Strengths and Weaknesses of Europe as a Destination Brand .................... 140
11.3 Marketing Europe as a Destination Brand to Middle East Consumers .......................... 141
11.4 Marketing Europe as a Destination Brand to the Travel Trade ...................................... 142
Annexes
Annex I List of the Travel Trade OrganizationsContacted for Interviews.......................... 143
Annex II Questionnaire for the Travel Trade Interviews.................................................... 145
Annex III Questionnaire for the Consumer Interviews...................................................... 149
Annex IV Guideline Questions for the Consumer Focus Groups...................................... 157
Annex V Examples of Travel Packages to Europe........................................................... 163
Annex VI List of European Travel CommissionMember Countries (as of January 2012).... 165
Annex VII Key GCC Publications with Circulation Figures................................................. 167

List of Figures and Tables.................................................................................................. 169
Bibliography........................................................................................................................ 173
Acknowledgements
This handbook was prepared by Ms Kumud Sengupta, Market Vision Research & Consulting Services, on
commission to the European Travel Commission (ETC) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The handbook, which forms part of ETC’s ongoing Market Intelligence Programme, was carried out
under the supervision of Mr Philip Morrison (VisitBritain), and Ms Lisa Davies (ETC) on behalf of ETC’s
Market Intelligence Group (MIG) in collaboration with UNWTO’s Tourism Trends and Marketing
Strategies Programme.
The members of the ETC Market Intelligence Committee (MIC) who contributed to this handbook were:
Mr Leslie Vella (Chairman MIG and Malta Tourism Authority), Ms Lisa Davies (ETC Executive Unit),
Ms Sandra Carvão, Ms Valeria Croce, Mr Michel Julian and Mr John Kester (UNWTO), Ms Carla
Aguirre (VisitSweden), Ms Gaëlle Berréhouc (Atout France); Mr Philip Morrison / Mr David Edwards
(VisitBritain), Ms Emöke Halassy / Ms Tünde Mester (Hungarian National Tourist Office), Mr Brian Maher
(Fáilte Ireland), Mr Vincent Nijs (Toerisme Vlaanderen), Mr Arturo Ortiz (Turespaña), Mr Joachim Scholz
(German National Tourist Board), and Mr Tom Ylkänen (Finnish Tourist Board).
We would also like to acknowledge the support of our partners – European Cities Marketing (ECM) and
the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) – to ETC’s Market Intelligence Programme.
Scope of the Study
The Middle East region is one of the world’s smallest, yet fast growing, tourist generating regions, with
an average annual growth rate of 9.9% from 2000-2010. With a population of more than 250 million,
expected to swell to over 400 million by 2050, the region promises to be an attractive and lucrative
market for travel destinations around the world.
The European Travel Commission (ETC) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) decided to
make it the subject of their annual market study for the 2010 work programme and contracted Market
Vision Research and Consulting Services, Dubai to undertake a study on the Middle East outbound
travel market with particular reference to the position and image of Europe as a tourism destination in
this travel market.
The ETC’s interest is principally for the benefit of its members (see Annex VI). Besides continually
monitoring mature markets, the ETC must also seek insights into a growing market like the Middle East.
Likewise, for the UNWTO it is also important to collect market information on the Middle East for its
members as it is recognised as a growing outgoing market where each visitor has a high average spend.
The purpose of the study was to obtain information on the Middle East outbound market to support
the marketing activities of ETC, UNWTO, and their member countries. To be able to develop the right
marketing message for Middle Eastern consumers, not only is the image of Europe important, but also
more in-depth information is needed on Middle Eastern consumers’ experiences and wishes concerning
travel to European countries.
The study, completed in September 2011, was a combination of desk research, interviews with the
travel trade and online interviews and focus groups with consumers. It looked not just at the Middle
Easterners’ travel behaviour, trends and propensity to travel, but also delved more deeply into Europe’s
image as a holiday destination in the region, the awareness and perceptions of individual European
countries, motivations and possible barriers to travel to Europe, etc.
This report, intended for distribution to all ETC countries and members of the UNWTO, documents
the findings of the study and provides comprehensive analysis useful for the future marketing and
promotional strategies for promoting destinations and in particular, Europe in the Middle East region.
The report is divided into three parts, as follows:
• Part 1 – Middle East Outbound Travel Market (Secondary Research)
• Part 2 – Image of Europe as a Holiday Destination in the Middle East (Primary Research)
• Part 3 – Conclusions and Recommendations

Executive Summary
• The Middle East region is one of the smallest, yet fast growing, tourist generating regions in the
world. Outbound travel from the Middle East has more than quadrupled from 8.2 million in 1990
to 36.2 million in 2010.
• The average annual growth rate of 9.9% during the period 2000-2010 is the highest in the world,
well above the global average of 3.4% per annum for the same period, reflecting a dynamic
growth trend unmatched by any other world region.
• Despite the negative impact of the socio-political unrest in the Middle East since the beginning
of 2011 on tourism flows (inbound and outbound), the medium to long term prospects for the
tourism sector remain positive.
• Over three-quarters of outbound tourist arrivals from the Middle East region are to destinations
within the Middle East region. The share of intra-regional destinations has been steadily rising,
growing from 66% in 1995 to 75% in 2010.
• Of all travel outside the Middle East region, the largest market is Europe with a substantial 46%
share in 2010, though it has seen gradual deterioration from a high of 86% share in 1990.
• International leisure travellers from the Middle East are more male than female, with one-half in
the 18-34 years age group. Over one-half are married, with children in the household. Most of
international leisure travellers from the Middle East to Europe are well educated and belong to the
upper socio-economic strata of society.
• Within the Middle East, the important travel source markets are the six GCC nations (also known
as Gulf countries) – Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman – that
together constitute about 60% of all outbound travel and about 75% of total international tourism
expenditure from the Middle East region.
• The GCC countries are characterized by a high proportion of expatriate residents that also undertake
international holidays. 60% of international leisure travellers from the GCC are estimated to be
local nationals while 40% are estimated to be expatriates. Notably, the spending power of local
nationals is far higher than that of expatriates.
• As per the primary research which was focussed on GCC nationals, the top drivers for a holiday
in Europe are: natural scenic beauty, good (cool, cold) weather, towns and cities great for holiday,
prestigious holiday destination region, and culture, history and sightseeing attractions.
• The main barriers to holiday in Europe are: high cost of holiday, need for visa, high cost of visa,
need for advance planning, and perception of lack of availability of Halal food.
• Europe holds an aspirational holiday destination status among GCC nationals. It is seen as a
prestigious destination, very ‘advanced’ and very well-organized for tourism.
• Europe is well perceived by potential visitors for its variety of things to see and do (scenic beauty,
history, culture, entertainment), different kinds of holidays/holiday experiences, quality of tourist
facilities and infrastructure and overall image as a top class holiday destination, and these are
Europe’s main marketing strengths.
• Additionally, it is seen as a destination that offers good (cool, cold) weather, an attractive contrast
to the hot weather in the Middle East. The ease of accessibility, wide availability of holiday travel
xii The Middle East Outbound Travel Market
packages to Europe, and the ability to visit multiple destinations within Europe are other perceived
strengths among potential visitors.
• The key marketing weaknesses for Europe are the cost of holiday and the issue of securing a visa in
‘quick time’ for which Europe is not perceived well. The cost of visa is another issue which may be
considered a marketing weakness, as for large families it becomes a major cost, and a key factor
in holiday decision making.
• In addition, long duration multiple entry visas are rarely provided for countries on the Schengen
visa making it inconvenient for more frequent visitations.
• On gastronomy, although many European countries have no dearth of Halal food options, the
perception is of limited availability and choice, especially among potential first-time visitors.
• Another weakness, especially on account of the recent ‘burqa’ ban in France, is the market’s
perception that the European countries are becoming anti-Arab and ‘do not want Arab visitors’.
• The main barrier to market development is seen to be the fragmented nature of promotional
activity undertaken by individual European destinations in Middle East markets, and the low or
non-existent level of activity on a pan-Europe platform.
• For most European destinations, the Middle East is a low priority target market; hence efforts are
sporadic, largely limited to participation in travel exhibitions and fairs such as the Arabian Travel
Market. There is limited contact with the travel trade during the rest of the year.
• The travel trade in the Middle East plays an important role in influencing consumers’ travel
decisions. Hence it is important to keep in regular touch with these influential decision-makers
and encourage them to recommend European destinations to their customers.
• The general lack of awareness and knowledge of a number of European destinations and of their
tourism offering among both the travel trade and potential travellers is another factor that can
impact the overall growth of travel to Europe.
• The consumer research shows and the trade also believes that the main opportunity for Europe
lies in its strong appeal as an aspirational vacation destination for Middle Eastern residents, and
the high quality, diversity and versatility of its tourism product and holiday experiences. Another
opportunity for Europe lies in promoting value by highlighting the ease of multi-country travel and
budget holiday options for the price sensitive travellers.
• Europe’s key competitors in long-haul travel are mainly the Asian destinations – Singapore,
Malaysia and Thailand. For short breaks, apart from intra-regional destinations such as Dubai/
United Arab Emirates, Oman, Lebanon and Egypt, the main competitive destinations are also
Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, and increasingly India.
• Both the trade and potential visitors to Europe are open to the idea of promoting Europe as a whole
or as regions/groups of countries. Since limited promotion is done by European countries in the
Middle East markets, it is felt that in the first instance, it would be important to create awareness
about Europe as a whole.
• Thereafter, marketing of Europe as groups of countries together, on a thematic platform may be

appropriate, with individual countries in the mix given substantive promotional push.
• The overall positioning of Europe as a ‘Never Ending Journey’ could gain strong support from an
inclusive statement that speaks about ‘welcoming all’ without prejudice, to negate any negative
sentiments that may be felt by prospective Middle Eastern visitors.
Part 1
Middle East Outbound Travel Market
Chapter1
Middle East Region Profile

1.1 Geography (including Regional Integration Blocks)
Source: http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/middleeast.html.
The Middle East is a loosely defined geographic region. Most of the Middle East countries are part of
Asia, with the exception of Egypt, which is part of Africa, and the north-western part of Turkey, which is
part of the European landmass.
Middle East is the term traditionally applied by western Europeans to the countries of south-west Asia
and north-east Africa lying west of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Thus defined it includes Cyprus,
the Asian part of Turkey, Syrian Arab Republic, Lebanon, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Iraq,
Iran, the countries of the Arabian peninsula (Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar,
Bahrain, Kuwait), Egypt and Libya.
2 The Middle East Outbound Travel Market
The area was viewed as midway between Europe and East Asia. The term is sometimes used in a cultural
sense to mean the group of lands in that part of the world predominantly Islamic in culture, thus
including the remaining states of North Africa as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Within the broader Middle East region, there are two main regional blocks:
• The Levant, also known as Mashriq or Mashreq.
This includes the countries of Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Syrian Arab Republic,
Jordan, and occasionally Cyprus, Sinai, and part of Iraq.
• The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also known as the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC).
This is a political and economic union involving the six Arab states of the Persian Gulf – Bahrain, Kuwait,
Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These countries are also referred to as
the Gulf countries.
As defined by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Middle East region comprises 14 countries
– Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian
Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
For the purpose of this study, 11 countries have been covered: Bahrain, Egypt, the Islamic Republic of
Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic and United Arab Emirates.
1.2 Demographic Characteristics
1.2.1 Population Profile (actual and projected)

The Middle East region has a total population of 267 million (2010 estimates). One of the fastest
growing regions in the world, its population is projected to swell to 418 million by 2050, growing by a
phenomenal 56% during the period 2010-2050.
Figure 1.1 Population Projection for 2010-2050 (million)
1,800 418
1,600 335
1,400 267
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
Source: Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population
Prospects: The 2008 Revision, http://esa.un.org/unpp.
Middle East Region Profile 3
In percentage terms, the fastest growing sub-region will be the GCC, with all the six countries’ population
projected to grow by 67% during the period 2010-2050. The population of the Levant region is forecast
to grow by 66% from 2010 to 2050, led by the Palestinian territories and Syrian Arab Republic.
Within other Middle East countries, Yemen’s population is forecast to increase by 121% during the period
2010-2050. It is worth noting that, in absolute terms, the population of already populous countries such
as Egypt and the Islamic Republic of Iran is set to grow more than that of the GCC countries.
Table 1.1 Distribution of Population by Region and Country, 2010-2050 (x 1,000)
Country 2010 2025 2050 2010-2050

Change %
GCC Countries 39,229 50,925 65,624 67
Bahrain 809 1,021 1,276 58
Kuwait 3,052 3,990 5,240 72
Oman 2,905 3,784 4,877 68
Qatar 1,509 1,846 2,318 54
Saudi Arabia 26,245 34,177 43,660 66
United Arab Emirates 4,709 6,107 8,253 75
Levant Region 37,637 47,973 62,448 66
Jordan 6,471 8,089 10,241 58
Lebanon 4,251 4,735 5,032 18
Palestinian territories 4,410 6,553 10,264 133
Syria 22,505 28,596 36,911 64
Other Middle East 190,353 235,756 290,016 52
Egypt 84,474 104,971 129,534 53
Iran 75,077 87,133 96,975 29
Libya 6,544 8,144 9,819 50
Yemen 24,258 35,508 53,688 121
Total 267,219 334,654 418,088 56

Age and Gender Distribution of Population

A key characteristic of the Middle East population is that young people are its fastest growing segment.
According to the Arab Human Development Report 2009 published by the United Nations Development
Programme, some 60% of the Arab population was under 25 years old, making it one of the most
youthful regions in the world, with a median age of 22 years compared to a global average of 28 years
(UNDP, 2009).
In 2010, 51% of the Middle East population was less than 25 years old, and by 2050, it is projected
that this proportion will have declined to 34%. However, in absolute numbers, the population under 25
years of age will still constitute the largest age group with over 140 million children and youth by 2050.
At the same time, it is to be noted that the proportion of the older population (55 years and above) will
have increased from just 9% in 2010 to 26% by 2050, implying that the Middle East is also moving
towards an ageing society along with the rest of the world. In absolute numbers, this reflects a strong
growth from about 25 million in 2010 to over 100 million in 2050, and hence a sizeable potential
market for tourism.
Figure 1.2 Distribution of Middle East Population by Age, 2010-2050 (million)
2050 83,8 56,6 119,0 50,6 49,6 58,5
2025 89,2 56,1 106,0 38,0 25,3 20,2
2010 81,9 54,5 82,8 23,4 13,9 10,8
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
<15 years 15-24 years 25-44 years 45-54 years 55-64 years 65 years & above
The Middle East population is fairly equally distributed by gender, with 48% females and 52% males in
2010. In 2050, it is forecast that this proportion will remain fairly stable, reaching 206.4 million females
(49%) versus 211.7 million males (51%) in 2050.
Figure 1.3 Distribution of Middle East Population by Gender, 2010-2050 (million)
2050 206,4 211,7
2025 163,2 171,5
2010 129,4 137,8
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Females Males
Notably, due to a sizeable proportion of expatriate labour within its population, the GCC region is
characterized by a larger proportion of males (58%) than females (42%).
1.2.2 Migration
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Middle East is one of the fastest-
growing migrant receiving regions, with an annual average growth rate of the migrant stock equal to
3.8% between 2005 and 2010. In 2010, the stock of migrants in the Middle East was estimated at 26.6
million (around 13.5% of the total global migrant stock), an increase of 4.5 million migrants, compared
with the 2005 figure (IOM, 2010).
In the Mashreq region, the vast majority (77%) of the 8.7 million migrants in 2010 were refugees,
mainly from Iraq and Palestine (IOM, 2010). The six GCC countries recorded twice as many migrants in
2010 totalling an estimated 15.1 million, an increase of 2.4 million (19%) over 2005 (UN DESA, 2009).
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the vast majority of migrants in the GCC are
temporary contractual workers, estimated to represent more than two thirds of the population in Qatar
(87%), United Arab Emirates (70%) and Kuwait (69%) (ILO, 2007).
The ethnic distribution of the migrants (expatriate population) in the GCC is led by Asians, followed by
citizens of Arab and western countries, and includes people from nearly every country in the world.
Although low wage blue-collar workers dominate the expatriate workforce, rapid economic growth
driven by huge inflow of capital resulting from high oil prices, the development of non-oil sectors
such as telecom, financial services, hospitality and tourism, and the emergence of new sectors such
as investment banking and private equity have fuelled the demand for white-collar professionals with
talent and expertise.
Data from INSEAD, a leading European business school, revealed that the number of its MBA graduates
employed in the Gulf increased substantially from an average of 2% in the 1990s to over 10% by 2007.1
Additionally, there is a sizeable population of affluent expatriate business owners, many of whom run
multi-million dollar global enterprises, from their headquarters in the GCC.
The Dubai-based Arabian Business magazine (www.arabianbusiness.com) annually publishes the Gulf’s
Expat Power List and the Gulf’s Most Powerful Indians List that underscores the importance of targeting
the white-collar senior professionals and the business owners segment of the expatriate population for
tourism purposes.
1.2.3 Language and Religion

Arabic is the most widely spoken language in the Middle East, being the official language in all Arab
countries. Other popular languages include Persian (Farsi), Hindi and Urdu.
English is widely spoken especially among the middle and upper classes, in the GCC countries, Egypt
and Jordan. It is the common language for conducting business in the Middle East. French is also spoken
in Egypt, Lebanon and Syrian Arab Republic.
Islam is the dominant religion of the region, and also the leading religion for culture, politics and to
some extent even business.
Islam encourages travel which is meant to be spiritually ‘purposeful’. However, Muslims are meant to
abstain from profligate consumption and indulgence such as alcohol, prostitution and gambling which
contradict purposeful Islamic travel (cf. Din, 1989).2
The table below provides country-wise information on population distribution (ethnicity), religion and
language.
1 http://www.apexstuff.com/bt/200703/cover.asp.
2 http://ipac.kacst.edu.sa/eDoc/2009/177262_1.pdf.
Table 1.2 Ethnicity, Religion and Language by Country
Country Ethnicity/ethnic groups Religion Language
GCC Countries
Bahrain Bahraini 62%, other Arab 5%, Muslim 81%, other 19% Arabic, English, Persian,
Asian 32%, other 1% Urdu
Kuwait Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, Muslim 85%, other 15% Arabic, English
Asian 9%, other 11%
Oman Omani 73%, other Arab 3%, Muslim 75%, other 25% Arabic, English, Urdu,
Asian 23%, other 1% Indian dialects
Qatar Qatari 40%, Asian 36%, Muslim 78%, other 22% Arabic, English
other 24%
Saudi Arabia Saudi 71%, other 29% Muslim 100% Arabic
United Arab Emirates Emirati 19%, other Arab 23%, Muslim 96%, other 4% Arabic, English, Persian,
Asian 50%, other 8% Hindi, Urdu
Levant Region
Jordan Arab 98%, other 2% Muslim 92%, other 8% Arabic, English
Lebanon Arab 95%, other 5% Muslim 60%, other 40% Arabic, French, English,
Armenian
Syria Arab 90%, other 10% Muslim 90%, other 10% Arabic, Kurdish, Armenian,
French, English
Other
Egypt Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% Muslim 90%, other 10% Arabic, English, French
Iran Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Muslim 98%, other 2% Persian and Persian
other 25% dialects, Turkic and Turkic
dialects, Kurdish
Source: CIA, The World Factbook.
1.3 Political Situation
1.3.1 Governance
States of the Middle East region vary from authoritarian regimes, quasi-democracies, monarchies,
constitutional monarchies and theocracies, whilst also including some of the richest (Qatar, United
Arab Emirates, Kuwait) as well as some of the poorest (Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen) countries in
the world.
Table 1.3 Form of Government in Middle East Countries
Region / country Form of government Capital
GCC Countries
Bahrain Constitutional monarchy Manama
Kuwait Constitutional monarchy Kuwait City
Oman Absolute monarchy Muscat

Region / country Form of government Capital
Qatar Constitutional monarchy Doha

Saudi Arabia Absolute monarchy Riyadh
United Arab Emirates Constitutional monarchy Abu Dhabi
Levant Region
Jordan Constitutional monarchy Amman
Lebanon Republic Beirut
Syria Presidential republic Damascus
Other
Egypt Presidential republic Cairo
Iran Islamic republic Tehran

Source: https://www.cia.gov.
1.3.2 Political Unrest

A wave of protests has erupted throughout the Middle East (and North Africa) since the beginning
of 2011. A combination of the global financial crisis, escalating inflation, rising costs of living, high
unemployment – especially of educated youth and frustration from decades of living under authoritarian
regimes all combined in different ways in various countries, leading to a wave of rising anger.3
Some protests became revolutions as governments such as those in Tunisia and Egypt were overthrown
in January and February 2011. In Bahrain, protesters took to the streets in February 2011 demanding
democratic reforms. More recently, a civil war overthrew the ruling government in Libya. Political
unrest is ongoing in the Syrian Arab Republic.
There have been civilian protests and acts of violence in other countries as well such as Lebanon, Saudi
Arabia, Morocco and Jordan.
The Middle East and North Africa have been considerably affected by recent developments. According
to UNWTO data, North Africa lost around 2 million international tourist arrivals in 2011 in comparison
with the previous year, while Middle East lost an estimated 5 million. Nonetheless, some destinations
in the Middle East have shown particularly positive results, such as Saudi Arabia and Dubai (United
Arab Emirates), demonstrating the dynamism of the sector in the region. The Middle East should start
recovering part of its losses from 2011 in 2012 (UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, Advance Release,
2012).
However, as political events continue to unfold in several countries in the Middle East, it is difficult
to foresee the future political landscape of the region and the final consequences it might have on the
tourism sector.
3 http://www.globalissues.org/issue/103/middle-east.
Chapter 2
Operating Environment
2.1 Economic Indicators
2.1.1 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Growth Rates

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the period 2000-2008 witnessed the Middle East
and North Africa (MENA) region achieving an average annual growth rate of 5.3% in its GDP, higher
than the world average of 4.1%.
Although the negative impact of the global economic recession of 2008 was felt in MENA resulting
in a slowdown in the GDP growth rate in 2009 at 2.6% over 2008, the region is forecast to grow at
a rate faster than the world average and ahead of the advanced economies in the period 2011-2015,
notwithstanding the socio-political unrest in the region in 2011.
All Middle East nations (excluding Libya with no available data) posted positive growth in GDP in 2010,
and are expected to maintain the overall growth trend in the next 5 years (2011-2015) (IMF, 2011).
Table 2.1 Growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Constant Prices, 2000-2015
Average Current projections – Average

growth Change over previous year (%) growth
(%) (%)
2000- 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2011-

2008 2015
World 4.1 -0.7 5.1 4.0 4.0 4.5 4.7 4.8 4.4
Advanced economies 2.6 -3.7 3.0 1.6 1.9 2.4 2.6 2.7 2.3
Emerging and 6.5 2.8 7.3 6.4 6.1 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.4
developing economies
Middle East and 5.3 2.6 4.4 4.0 3.6 4.3 4.8 4.9 4.3
North Africa
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database, September 2011.
Table 2.2 Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Current Prices (US$), 2008-2015
Country Current projection Annual

average
growth
(%)
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2011-

2015
Bahrain 22.1 19.3 22.7 26.4 27.3 29.0 30.2 31.5 3.6
Egypt 162.4 188.6 218.5 231.9 252.8 273.0 298.0 320.3 6.7
Iran 330.6 362.6 407.4 475.1 494.5 523.5 553.4 588.7 4.4
Jordan 22.7 23.8 26.4 28.4 30.9 33.6 36.6 40.0 7.1
Country Current projection Annual

average
growth
(%)
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2011-

2015
Kuwait 148.8 109.5 132.6 171.1 176.6 188.1 198.3 210.5 5.5
Lebanon 30.1 34.9 39.2 41.5 44.9 48.3 51.5 54.7 5.7
Libya 88.9 58.8 71.3 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Oman 60.6 46.9 57.9 66.8 68.8 71.8 75.5 81.8 4.1
Qatar 110.7 97.6 127.3 173.2 180.7 187.8 194.6 203.2 3.8
Saudi Arabia 476.9 377.2 448.4 560.3 581.9 620.9 658.5 696.3 4.4
Syria 52.6 53.9 59.3 64.7 67.5 72.0 77.5 83.7 5.3
United Arab Emirates 314.8 270.3 302.0 358.1 375.9 396.3 417.0 441.0 4.3
Yemen 26.9 25.1 31.3 36.7 39.3 40.7 42.7 44.8 4.1
GDP Composition by Economic Sector

The economy of the Middle East is very diverse. The individual economies range from hydrocarbon
exporting rentier economies (states rich in highly valued natural resources) to government led socialist
economies to free market economies.
Collectively, the region is best known for producing and exporting oil. Notably, most of the countries in
the region have undertaken efforts to diversify their economies in recent years.
Table 2.3 Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Composition by Sector (%), 2010
Country Agriculture Industry Services
Bahrain 0.5 56.6 42.9
Egypt 13.5 37.9 48.6
Iran 11.0 45.9 43.1
Jordan 3.4 30.3 66.2
Kuwait 0.3 48.1 51.6
Lebanon 5.1 15.9 79.0
Libya 2.6 63.8 33.6
Oman 1.4 48.2 50.3
Qatar 0.1 78.8 21.1
Saudi Arabia 2.7 61.9 35.4
Syria 17.6 26.8 55.6
United Arab Emirates 0.9 51.5 47.6
Yemen 8.2 38.8 53.0

Source: CIA Factbook, 2010 estimates.
Operating Environment 11
2.1.2 GDP per Capita

The Middle East region includes some of the wealthiest nations in the world that have very high GDP
per capita, and also some with much lower levels of wealth.
The six GCC countries, benefiting from high oil revenues on small population bases, rank among the
top 40 countries in the world in terms of the average income of their citizens. Syrian Arab Republic,
Jordan and Yemen on the other hand fall in the very low income category.
Notably, all nations have seen a rise in GDP per capita during the period 2005-2010, and despite the
civil unrest, the IMF forecasts continuing improvement in GDP per capita in all countries (with available
data) until 2015.
Figure 2.1 GDP per Capita, Current Prices (US$), 2000-2015
120,000
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
Qatar UAE Kuwait Bahrain Saudi Oman Libya Lebanon Jordan Egypt Iran Syria Yemen
Arabia
 2000 28,797 34,689 17,013 11,899 9,216 8,097 7,150 4,845 1,742 1,566 1,510 1,203 540
 2005 50,109 43,989 27,015 18,324 13,658 11,806 7,673 5,824 2,300 1,283 2,710 1,510 798
 2010 74,901 57,884 37,009 20,475 16,267 18,657 10,874 10,041 4,326 2,808 5,449 2,823 1,282
 2015 98,223 72,887 51,227 25,770 22,725 23,671 13,129 5,845 3,729 7,308 3,790 1,628
High Net Worth Individuals

The 9th annual Global Wealth report released by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in May 2009
stated that based on household assets under management (AuM), the Middle East has three of the six
densest millionaire populations – Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. The AuM of wealthy
households in the GCC was put at close to US$ 1 million, compared with the global average of less than
US$ 400,000. The United Arab Emirates, along with Switzerland, led the global wealth ranking with
millionaire households accounting for 6.1% of all households in both countries – almost nine times the
global average (BCG, 2009).
As per the World Wealth Report 2009, released by Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management and
Capgemini, the number of millionaires or high net worth individuals (HNWI) in the Middle East was
373,600 and their wealth totalled US$ 1.4 trillion.1 According to the World Wealth Report released in
2011, the HNWIs population in the Middle East rose to 440,000, with their combined wealth increasing
to US$ 1.7 trillion in 2010 (MLGWM & CG, 2011).
1 http://www.ameinfo.com/201708.html.
Affluence among its citizens has fuelled the demand for luxury goods in the Middle East, especially in
the GCC countries where consumers have a huge appetite for upmarket products. London-based broker
Bernstein estimates that the Middle Eastern luxury market is worth about € 7 billion (US$ 9.5 billion)
in annual sales, which is about 4.5% of world sales. He calculated that Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Manama in
Bahrain and Doha in Qatar had developed a higher luxury retail point-of-sale density than Seoul and
Tokyo.2 (Reuters news report, 15 June, 2010)
Some of the French luxury companies that are members of the Comité Colbert industry association of
France depend on the Middle East region for 25% to 35% of their sales in such sectors as perfumes,
cosmetics and hotels.3
2.2 Business Environment
2.2.1 Doing Business in the Middle East

Many countries in the Middle East suffer from a difficult business environment, with excessive red tape
and cumbersome procedures. The lack of transparency and open access to data has also been a major
disadvantage for the region’s business environment.
Governments across the region have begun investing in e-government. According to the United Nations
E-Government Survey 2008, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, all
substantially improved their e-government services between 2005 and 2008, and their level of readiness
was above the global average. New e-government services in Middle East countries include online
consultation, forms downloading and submission, and online payments for government services (UN,
2008).
Arab economies are also picking up the pace of business regulatory reform, according to the Doing
Business in the Arab World 2010 survey from the World Bank Group. The survey report which examined
the business regulatory environment of 20 Arab economies, found 16 of them had introduced several
reforms that made it easier to do business, with the United Arab Emirates and Egypt ranking among the
top ten global reformers in 2008-2009 (World Bank, 2010).
Starting a business, paying taxes, dealing with construction permits and improving trade process were
some of the key reform areas enabling doing business in the region.
Such reforms will be instrumental in increasing foreign direct investment and intra-regional investment
flows in the Middle East.
2 http://www.supplychaindigital.com/news/luxury-brands-india/luxury-brands-skip-india-target-mid-east.
3 http://www.france24.com/en/20101027-french-luxury-groups-eye-middle-east-growth-opportunities.
Operating Environment 13
Figure 2.2 Doing Business in the Arab World 2010
Number of reforms by economy Number of reforms by Doing Business topic

Jordan Starting a business

Algeria Paying taxes
Egypt, Arab. Rep. Dealing with
United Arab Emirates construction permits
Yemen, Rep. Trading across borders
Kuwait Enforcing contracts
Lebanon Registering property
Oman Getting credit
Saudi Arabia Closing a business
Sudan Protecting investors
Tunisia
West Bank and Gaza
Bahrain
Djibouti
Morocco
Syrian Arab Rep.
Reforms making it more Reforms making it Reforms making it more Reforms making it
difficult to do business easier to do business difficult to do business easier to do business
Source: World Bank, Doing Business in the Arab World 2010.
2.2.2 Foreign Direct Investment

Despite the challenging business environment in many of the Middle East countries, the region is a
major global investment destination. According to IFC World Bank, in 2008 foreign direct investment
(FDI) across the Middle East region was some US$ 90 billion, of which US$ 34 billion was inter-Arab
investment led by investors from the GCC countries. Much of this investment has been in infrastructure
development, including tourism.4
Figures from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) show that the
MENA region attracted 30% less FDI in 2009, with FDI into the GCC shrinking by nearly 15% to US$
50.8 billion in 2009 after peaking at around US$ 60 billion in 2008 (UNCTAD, 2010). The World Bank
expects FDI growth to resume over the period through 2012.
Global strategic management consulting firm A.T. Kearney’s FDI Confidence Index 2010 confirmed the
importance of the region. The most attractive Middle Eastern destination is the United Arab Emirates,
which ranked 11th, followed by other GCC states. The Index results are testimony to the region’s success
at diversification away from natural resources, with investors noting access to Middle East markets and
consumers as their main priority, as opposed to access to resources (A.T. Kearney, 2010).
According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in 2011 the travel and tourism sector’s share
of total regional investment is estimated at 6.3% in the Middle East and 7.3% in North Africa, valued at
US$ 27.3 billion and US$ 10.9 billion respectively in the two regions (WTTC, 2011).
Having weathered the worldwide economic downturn relatively well, GCC countries’ ability, in
particular, to attract FDI should improve over the medium term. Much will depend on the revival of
demand for overseas investment projects, access to finance, and sustained efforts on the part of FDI
recipient countries in the region to diversify, develop and improve their competitiveness.
Political events in the region do not appear to have had an impact on the intentions of the GCC
governments to pursue ambitious infrastructure development plans. Large investments have been
allocated for upgrading and expanding the region’s 1,200 international, domestic and defence airports.
4 http://www.tradearabia.com/news/eco_180810.html.
In addition, new airport projects are expected to cost around US$ 90 billion over the next few years,
according to REED Exhibitions Middle East, one of the leading organizers of trade and consumer
exhibitions including the Airport Show 2011.
Over US$ 6 billion worth of hotel projects, mainly in United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia
are under development and scheduled for completion by 2013.5 Major worldwide hotel chains that
include Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Rocco Forte and Kempinski, are committed to regional expansion, on
the back of strong development opportunities in the region. This augurs well for inbound tourism as well
as intra-regional tourism.
2.3 Potential for Outbound Tourism

The size of the population and how wealthy it is are key determinants of outbound travel volumes from
any particular nation. The Middle East is a region of contrasts, with citizens of some nations such as
the GCC countries being very wealthy, while a large proportion of the citizens of countries such as the
Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen have much lower incomes.
The rapid pace of economic development and growth in GCC countries has led to better incomes not
just for their nationals but also for the expatriates living and working in these countries.
With high disposable incomes, the residents of these countries have fuelled the demand for luxury
goods, hotels and international tourism, and are today considered among the most important target
segments for worldwide destinations keen on attracting the high spending GCC tourists.
Despite the global economic recession, the Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index (3rd quarter,
2010) reported that consumer confidence in the Middle East was stable, consistently reporting steady
Index levels at or above the global average. Consumers were cautiously optimistic and as such showed
little variations in spending intentions and concerns compared to the previous quarter (The Nielsen
Company, 2010).
However, the socio-political unrest since the beginning of 2011 has had a negative impact on consumer
sentiment in the Middle East, reflected in lower confidence levels in the 2nd quarter of 2011. 22% and
29% of Middle East consumers (from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) claimed to
have cut out their annual vacation and cut down on holiday/short breaks respectively in order to save
on household expenses (The Nielsen Company, 2011).
2.3.1 Medium and Long Term Prospects

In its Tourism Vision 2020 report published in 2001, the UNWTO had forecast 35 million international
tourist arrivals from the Middle East to worldwide destinations in 2020. That figure has already been
surpassed, with over 36 million international tourist arrivals registered from the Middle East to worldwide
destinations in 2010, as estimated by UNWTO.
With the ongoing political unrest in several countries in the Middle East, it is difficult to foresee the
future political landscape of the region and the consequences it might have on outbound tourism,
particularly intra-regional tourism.
At the same time, it is to be borne in mind that the GCC countries (with the exception of Bahrain), that
command over 60% share of the outbound tourism market from the Middle East, have been relatively
calm and peaceful. Residents of these countries can be expected to offer continued growth prospects
for tourism to other world destinations (outside the Middle East region) in the medium to long term.
If the same momentum of growth in outbound travel is maintained as in the last ten years (average
annual growth rate of 9.9% during the period 2000-2010), the region may well surpass 50 million
international tourist arrivals by 2015.
5 http://www.arabianbusiness.com/-6bn-hotel-projects-seen-in-middle-east-by-2013-391694.html.
Chapter 3
Transport Infrastructure
Faced with the fastest growing populations anywhere in the world, Middle East governments have
identified the need to invest heavily in key areas including essential transport infrastructure.
The rapidly growing number of traffic and transport projects implemented by Middle East countries
continues unabated as they strive to deliver world-class transportation systems. Urban transport and
multi-class solutions are also key focus areas due to the expansion of many cities and the resultant traffic
congestion. Middle East governments have committed over US$ 147 billion to transport projects.1
Within the region, the Gulf countries are the leading investors in transport projects. Some of the key
projects being implemented include:
• Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has initiated projects with a total investment in excess
of US$ 4 billion.
• Dubai’s metro project is to cost an estimated US$ 3.9 billion including civil works, stations, system
fixed equipment, trains, engineering and financing.
• Saudi Arabia in the first phase of activity has invested US$ 5.6 billion for the construction of
bridges and railway networks.
• Bahrain has invested US$ 1.8 billion in a causeway project to link Bahrain and Qatar.
• The GCC is considering proposals for a pan-Gulf Railway.
• Abu Dhabi’s ‘master public transport plan’ sets out plans for a Metro project and the establishment
of a comprehensive public transport network.
• Qatar has committed a budget of roughly US$ 3.4 billion over the next seven years to road
projects.2
3.1 Road
The Middle East nations are deploying massive investment in state-of-the-art roads infrastructure that
will fulfil their economic and social development.
Extensive new road infrastructure is being planned to meet rising traffic and connectivity demands. The
GCC is planning to invest almost US$ 11 billion on road projects in the coming nine years to combat
traffic congestion.
Construction of roads along with bridges and tunnels to facilitate smooth transportation will have a
positive impact on intra-regional tourism in the years to come.
1 http://www.eyeofdubai.com/v1/news/newsdetail-37031.htm.
2 http://www.gulftraffic.com/AboutGulfTraffic.html.
3.2 Rail
The GCC is building its rail network, with billions of dollars worth of projects under construction or in
the pipeline.
Saudi Arabia has by far the most sophisticated and heavily used existing rail network in the GCC, already
covering more than 1,000 km. A further 1,800 km north-south line is under construction, running from
close to the Jordanian border to Ras al-Zour on the Gulf.
New east-west passenger and freight lines covering around 500 km each are also planned. A high-speed
rail link between Mecca and Medina is also on the cards to facilitate travel between the two cities.
A number of cities in the GCC are developing their own metro systems, of which Dubai’s is the first
one to become partially operational in 2009. The Dubai Metro is expected to carry up to 1.2 million
passengers a day once it becomes fully operational.
Abu Dhabi plans to create its own integrated mass transit system, based around trams, underground
metro lines and high-speed over ground rail. A rail network covering the whole of the United Arab
Emirates is also envisaged, facilitating domestic tourism.
In Oman, a 200-km rail link, initially connecting Sohar to Birka in north Muscat, with a later extension
to Duqm is planned. Qatar also has plans to develop a national rail network. In Jordan, a 26-km light
railway between the capital Amman and the country’s second largest city, Zarqa is planned.
The GCC nations also plan to build a US$ 14 billion, 1,500 km long coastal rail link stretching from
Kuwait to Oman, with links to Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran and beyond, to boost intra-regional
travel and tourism.
3.3 Port
In the Middle East ports segment, more than US$ 30 billion worth of projects are being developed, that
include dedicated cruise terminals to increase capacity for handling cruise ships.
The majority of tourists taking part in Middle East cruises come from traditional western markets, and
opt for the ’fly and cruise’ product. According to figures from the Dubai Department of Tourism and
Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Dubai played host to 261,000 cruise tourists brought on 87 cruise ships
in 2009, reflecting an increase of 37% in cruise passenger arrivals over the previous year.
A new Dubai Cruise Terminal facility, designed to handle four ships simultaneously was opened in
February 2010, with the added aim to grow it into a home port. Already a couple of cruise liners
have started operations out of Dubai. Royal Caribbean International, which operates 21 cruise ships,
launched its maiden Gulf voyage into Dubai in January 2010. The firm’s Brilliance of the Seas, which
has a capacity of up to 2,500 passengers, offers a 7-night cruise stopping in Muscat, Fujairah, Abu
Dhabi, and Bahrain, before returning to Dubai.
Costa Cruises, one of the largest Italian travel groups and Europe’s number one cruise line, has opened
a representative office in Dubai to develop the cruise tourism business in Middle Eastern countries.
Costa’s ships operating out of Dubai will be offering dedicated facilities for Arab customers.
The emirate of Abu Dhabi is also looking to develop its cruise tourism potential, and hopes to attract
around 200 ships a year by 2030, with about 200,000 passengers.
Early in 2010, Oman opened its first dedicated ultra-modern passenger cruise terminal, a US$ 7 million
facility developed as a joint venture between the Ministry of Transport and Communication, Ministry
of Tourism and the Port Services Corporation. Oman’s cruise ship tourism business expects about 120
ships carrying around 300,000 passengers to visit the country in the 2010-2011 cruise season.
Following the opening of the Khalifa Bin Salman Port in 2009, Bahrain also saw an uptick in cruise
traffic.
Transport Infrastructure 17
In Egypt, steady numbers of passengers arrive on cruise ships throughout the year, docking at the
country’s various ports. Nile cruises are popular among Middle Eastern visitors to Egypt. However, the
recent unrest in the region since the beginning of 2011 has negatively impacted cruise tourism, with
several international cruise liners cancelling itineraries in MENA until the end of 2011.
Nonetheless, the interest of regional guests increases from season to season as well as the awareness of
cruising as a holiday option as cruise liners offer regional itineraries.
In fact, buoyed by the encouraging response from regional tourists, Royal Caribbean International plans
to introduce new 12-night itineraries from Dubai which, for the first time, will include ports in India.3
Industry players believe that the future outlook for regional cruise tourism business is very positive
across the region.
3.4 Air
3.4.1 Airports
The Middle East region is well connected by air with the rest of the world. Many of the countries in
the region have several domestic and international airports facilitating local, regional and international
airlines to operate.
Table 3.1 Main Airports in the Middle East
Country Main airports City
GCC countries
Bahrain Bahrain International Airport Manama
Kuwait Kuwait International Airport Kuwait City
Oman Khasab Airport Khasab

Seeb International Airport Muscat
Salalah International Airport Salalah
Qatar Doha International Airport Doha
Saudi Arabia King Abdulaziz International Airport Jeddah

King Khalid International Airport Riyadh
King Fahd International Airport Dammam
United Arab Emirates Dubai International Airport Dubai

Abu Dhabi International Airport Abu Dhabi
Sharjah International Airport Sharjah
Levant region
Jordan Queen Alia International Airport Amman

King Hussein International Airport Aqaba
Lebanon Rafic Hariri International Airport Beirut
Syria Damascus International Airport Damascus

Aleppo International Airport Aleppo
3 http://www.timesofoman.com/innercat.asp?detail=41345.
Country Main airports City
Other countries
Egypt Cairo International Airport Cairo

Luxor International Airport Luxor
Al Nouza Airport Alexandria
Hurghada International Airport Hurghada
Sharm El Sheikh International Airport Sharm El Sheikh
Iran Imam Khomeini International Airport Mehrabad Tehran

International Airport Tehran
Fuelled by strong economic growth and increased passenger traffic, massive development in the Middle
East airport sector is under way. Expansion of existing airports and development of new airports worth
more than US$ 60 billion are under way across the region, with the Gulf countries accounting for
US$ 43 billion of this growth, of which US$ 21 billion is being invested in airport projects in the United
Arab Emirates.4
Important airport developments in the Middle East are:5
• Abu Dhabi International Airport, United Arab Emirates – US$ 6.8 billion
• Bahrain International Airport – US$ 815 million
• Al Maktoum International Airport (Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates) – US$ 10 billion
• Kuwait International Airport – US$ 2.1 billion
• New Doha International Airport (NDIA), Qatar – US$ 5.5 billion
• Saudi Arabia (King Abdul Aziz, Madinah and Tabuk Airports) – US$ 11.3 billion
• Baghdad International Airport, Iraq – US$ 2 billion
• Queen Alia International Airport, Jordan – US$ 600 million
3.4.2 Airlines (full service, low-cost and business jet)
Full Service Airlines

The Middle East is well connected by air with practically every single country in the world. Apart from
national airlines, the region is served by a large number of international airlines. The main national
carriers in the region (in 2011) are as follows:
4 http://www.ttnworldwide.com/GeneralNews.aspx?artID=7476.
5 http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/24397
Emirates Airline
Founded: 1985; commenced operations 25 October 1985

Hub: Dubai International Airport
Frequent flyer program: Skywards
Member lounge: Emirates Lounge
Subsidiaries:
• Marhaba Airport Services
• Emirates Holidays
• Congress Solutions International
• Arabian Adventures
• Emirates Flight Catering
• Emirates Tours
Fleet size: 146 (+150 orders)
Destinations: 103 including cargo destinations
Parent company: The Emirates Group
Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Website: www.emirates.com
Etihad Airways
Founded: 2003
Hub: Abu Dhabi
Frequent flyer program: Etihad Guest
Member lounge: Etihad Premium Lounge
Alliance: Arabesk Airline Alliance*
Headquarters: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Website: www.etihadairways.com
* Network cooperation among members of Arab Air Carriers Organization (www.aaco.org) for better commercial potential,
through schedule coordination.
Qatar Airways
Founded: November 22, 1993

Hub: Doha International Airport
Frequent flyer program: Qatar Airways Privilege Club - Qmiles
Member lounge: Qatar Airways First and Business Lounges
Subsidiaries:
• The Qatar Aircraft Catering Company
• Doha International Airport
• Qatar Airways Holidays
• United Media International
• Qatar Duty Free
• Qatar Aviation Services
• Qatar Distribution Company
• Qatar Executive
Fleet size: 84: (+144 orders) including cargo
Parent company: Government of Qatar
Headquarters: Doha, Qatar
Website: www.qatarairways.com
Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA)
Founded: 1945
Hubs:
• Dammam-King Fahd International Airport
• Jeddah-King Abdulaziz International Airport
• Riyadh-King Khalid International Airport
Frequent flyer program: Alfursan
Destinations: 76
Parent company: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Headquarters: Jeddah
Website: www.saudiairlines.com
Kuwait Airways
Founded: 1954
Hub: Kuwait International Airport
Frequent flyer program: Oasis Club, Maraheb (new 2009)
Member lounge: Dasman Lounge
Alliance: Arab Air Carriers Organization
Destinations: 44
Parent company: Government of Kuwait (plans for privatization)
Headquarters: Kuwait City, Kuwait
Website: http://www.kuwaitairways.com
Oman Air
Founded: 1981
Hub: Muscat International Airport
Frequent flyer program: Sindbad
Member lounge: Oman Air Lounge
Destinations: 36
Parent company: Government of Oman
Headquarters: Muscat, Oman
Website: www.omanair.com
Gulf Air
Founded: 1950
Hub: Bahrain International Airport
Frequent flyer program: Gulf Air Frequent Flyer Programme
Member lounge: Falcon Gold Lounge
Destinations: 45
Parent company: Government of Bahrain
Headquarters: Muharraq, Bahrain
Website: www.gulfair.com
Middle East Airlines (Air Liban)
Founded: 1945
Hub: Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport
Frequent flyer program: Cedar Miles
Member lounge: Cedar Lounge
Subsidiaries:
• Middle East Airlines Ground Handling
• Middle East Airports Services
• Mideast Aircraft Services Company
• Lebanese Beirut Airport Catering Company
Destinations: 29
Parent company: Banque du Liban
Headquarters: Beirut, Lebanon
Website: www.mea.com.lb
EgyptAir
Founded: 1932 (as Misr Airwork)
Hub: Cairo International Airport
Frequent flyer program: EgyptAir Plus
Alliance: Star Alliance
Subsidiaries:
• EgyptAir Express
• Air Sinai
Fleet size: 66 (+ 20 orders)
Destinations: 76
Parent company: EgyptAir Holding Company
Headquarters: Cairo, Egypt
Website: www.egyptair.com
Royal Jordanian
Founded: 1963 as Alia Airlines

Hub: Queen Alia International Airport
Frequent flyer program: Royal Plus
Member lounge: Crown Lounge
Alliance: Oneworld; Arab Air Carriers Organization
Subsidiaries:
• Royal Wings
• Jordan Aircraft Maintenance Limited (20% stake)
Fleet size: 33 (+9 orders/leases, 16 options)
Destinations: 57
Parent company: Government of Jordan
Headquarters: Amman, Jordan
Website: http://www.rj.com
Syrian Air
Founded: 1946
Hubs:
• Damascus International Airport
• Aleppo International Airport
Frequent flyer program: Syrian Air Frequent Flyer
Fleet size: 30
Destinations: 49
Parent company: Government of Jordan
Headquarters: Damascus, Syria
Website: www.syriaair.com
Low Cost Carriers

Liberalization of the region’s air sector has led to the creation of several new low-cost carriers, such
as the Sharjah-based Air Arabia, Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways, Saudi Arabia’s Nas Air and Sama, and more
recently, Dubai’s Flydubai in 2009.
Air Arabia, launched in 2003, is the Middle East’s first and largest low-cost carrier, based in Sharjah in the
United Arab Emirates. It operates scheduled services to 46 destinations in the Middle East, North Africa,
the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia and Europe to 22 countries from Sharjah and to 11 destinations
in 10 countries from its second hub in Casablanca. Its main base is Sharjah International Airport. Air
Arabia is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization. It has also set up Air Arabia Egypt, based in
Alexandria, Egypt, that began commercial flights from June 2010.
Founded in 2005, Jazeera Airways is a low-fare airline based in Kuwait. It operates scheduled services
to 30 destinations, mainly in the Middle East and Europe. Its main base is Kuwait International Airport.
The airline has grown since its launch to become Kuwait’s second national airline.
Nas Air is a subsidiary of the Saudi National Air Services that is based in Riyadh. It is the first low-cost
carrier to fly in Saudi Arabia and started its domestic flights in 2007. It flies to 13 destinations within
Saudi Arabia and 11 international destinations, with a total of 650 weekly flights. Its modern fleet
consists of 13 Airbus aircrafts A320 and Embraer aircrafts E190 and E195 that are considered to be the
youngest aircraft in the Middle East region.
Launched in 2007, Sama is a low-cost airline based at King Fahad International Airport, Dammam,
Saudi Arabia. The airline serves 15 destinations within Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East, with a
fleet of 6 aircraft.
Flydubai, United Arab Emirates’ second and Dubai’s first low-cost airline commenced commercial
operations in June 2009. In less than a year, it expanded its network to 14 regional destinations and had
flown more than 500,000 passengers. The carrier launched several new destinations in 2010 and added
six planes to its fleet of seven aircrafts by the end of the year. It will shortly fly to South Asian destinations
– India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and to Turkey.
Bahrain Air is the second flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and its main base is Bahrain
International Airport. It commenced operations in February 2008. The low-cost airline currently flies to
23 destinations in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
Business Jet Sector

In the Middle East, the business jet market is still in its infancy, but it is growing rapidly. Figures from the
Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation (CAPA) show that the corporate jet market in the Middle East grew at an
average of 13% a year from 2000-2009.
There are approximately 450 corporate jets based in the region. CAPA estimates that the corporate jet
market in the Middle East is worth between US$ 500 million and US$ 700 million a year. Forecast
growth in the region’s corporate market is expected to be between 15%-20% until 2012 (Business
Traveller Asia-Pacific, 2009).
The growth of the region’s business jet market is attributed to a variety of factors, including safety
concerns, airport delays, and lack of high frequency routes.6
The market with the most potential for business jets within the Middle East is Saudi Arabia, which holds
about 37% of the market potential in the long term, followed by the United Arab Emirates with nearly
24% of the market potential.7
One company that is benefiting from the growth of the regional market is Abu Dhabi-based Royal Jet,
which has emerged as the largest business jet operator in the Gulf with a 16% market share. Since
its launch in 2003, its fleet has grown from two aircraft to twelve, and its year-on-year revenues have
grown 30%.
7 http://www.ainonline.com/news/single-news-page/article/market-for-business-jets-still-growing-in-middle-east-23198/.
In June 2009, Qatar Airways launched a new corporate jet subsidiary – Qatar Executive – to offer
premium service to corporate customers.
Earlier, Wataniya Airways, Kuwait’s new luxury airline began operations in January 2009, flying more
than a quarter of a million guests in its first year to and from its own Sheikh Saad Terminal to its network
of eight destinations across the Middle East. However, in March 2011, the carrier ceased operations
citing financial problems and regional instability as the reasons for the decision to shut down.
3.5 Air Carrier Association

Established in 1965, the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), the Regional Association for Arab
Airlines, represents 24 member airlines that have home-bases in Arab League states. The organization
is concerned with promoting a framework for a better economic environment for airlines, joint projects
and high levels of consumer driven standards.
AACO members include Afriqiyah Airways, Air Algérie, Air Arabia, Air Cairo, EgyptAir, Emirates, Etihad
Airways, Gulf Air, Iraqi Airways, Jordan Aviation, Kuwait Airways, Libyan Airlines, Middle East Airlines,
Oman Air, Palestinian Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, Saudi Arabian Airlines,
Sudan Airways, Syrian Arab Airlines, Trans Mediterranean Airways, Tunisair and Yemen Airways.
Future Outlook
With other forms of public transport relatively scarce in the Middle East, the principle method of travel
will continue to be by air. Middle East carriers have grown from 5% of global traffic to 11% over the
past decade (until 2010). Despite the socio-political unrest that affected the region’s aviation sector in
the first quarter of 2011, the industry is predicting exceptionally strong growth for the region, with IATA
(International Air Transport Association) forecasting nearly 15% growth in total traffic in 2011 versus
2010.
Aviation is a key driver of economic growth in the Middle East and countries throughout the region
are spending billions of dollars to expand their airports in an effort to ensure these facilities have the
capacity to meet the future needs of the rapidly expanding sector. Geography has played a key role, as
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha have aimed to position themselves as global aviation hubs.
As expansions continue to boost capacity in the region, Middle East airports are forecast to handle over
400 million passengers by 2020, according to IATA.
In particular, the Middle East’s low-cost carrier (LCC) segment, that is relatively new, has significant
growth opportunities. The surge of new entry and capacity expansion by the regional LCC segment
mainly focused on short haul travel within the MENA and Asia regions implies that the next few years
could see an unprecedented expansion in short haul tourism to/from the Middle East.
Chapter 4
Travel Profile
4.1 Middle East Outbound Tourism
Market Overview
The Middle East region is one of the world’s smallest, yet fastest growing tourist generating regions with
a worldwide market share of 3.8% in 2010 (UNWTO, 2011). The region has succeeded in sustaining
the high growth rate of the past few years, despite turbulent times.
The rapid pace of economic development, coupled with a fast growing population, has been a key
factor in the growth of outbound tourism from the region.
Travel Volume
Outbound travel from the Middle East has more than quadrupled from 8 million in 1990 to 36 million in
2010. The average annual growth rate of 9.9% during the period 2000-2010 is the highest in the world,
well above the global average of 3.4% per annum for the same period, reflecting a dynamic growth
trend unmatched by any other world region.
As a result, the region’s market share as a source market for generating international arrivals worldwide
increased to 3.8% in 2010, up from a market share of 2.1% in 2000, as per UNWTO statistics.
Figure 4.1 International Tourist Arrivals from Middle East (million)
40
36.0
35 31.9 32.7
30 27.1
25 23.0 24.4
20.8
20 17.5 17.1
15.4
14.0
15 10.1 11.6 12.3
8.2 8.4 8.7 8.8 9.3 9.3 8.9
10
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Source: UNWTO.
Travel Expenditure
In 2010, the Middle East accounted for US$ 55 billion in international tourism expenditure, growing
from US$ 15 billion in 2000. Outbound travel expenditure doubled between 2000 and 2005 and
almost doubled again since then.
Per international arrival from the Middle East expenditure averaged US$ 1,500 in 2010. Per capita
spend (overall population of the region, international travellers and non-travellers) averaged US$ 250
in 2010, up from US$ 160 in 2005.
Figure 4.2 International Tourism Expenditure from Middle East (US$ billion)
60 55.2
49.8 49.8 50.5
50
40.0
40
29.8
30
21.4
18.1 19.6
20 16.3
13.5 14.2 14.4 14.1 14.6
10.3 10.5 11.5 12.2
8.5 9.9
10
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Source: UNWTO.
It should be borne in mind that the year-on-year changes in tourism expenditure as reflected in figure
4.2 above might be magnified as the values used refer to the US dollar and may thus be influenced by
the exchange rate of the US dollar to local currencies in the Middle East source markets.
4.2 Outbound Travel Destinations

Three-quarters of outbound tourist arrivals generated from the source markets of the Middle East region
are to destinations within the Middle East region. The share of intra-regional destinations has been
steadily rising, growing from 66% in 1995 to 74% in 2000 and to 77% in 2008, while in the past two
years the share has slightly fallen back to 75%. As a result, inter-regional destinations currently have a
share of 25%.
It is understood that the last few years have seen inter-regional destinations maintain their share at about
a quarter of all tourist arrivals reported from the Middle East, in large part due to the growing popularity
of destinations in the Asia and the Pacific region and due to positive growth in travel to select European
and other destinations, in particular Turkey.
Of all travel outside the Middle East region, the largest market is Europe with a substantial 49% share
in 2010.
On the other hand, Asia and the Pacific has substantially increased its share to 19% in 2010 from a
share of 12% in 1990.
The Americas and Africa have, by and large, maintained their share of Middle East tourist arrivals,
although both destination regions have seen higher market shares in earlier years than achieved in
2010.
Travel Profile 29
Figure 4.3 Interregional Tourist Arrivals from Middle East, 1990-2010 (%)
5 7 9 4 4 4 4
12 18 19 19
14 17 20
31 25
25 32 30 30 28
52 54 49 46 49
46 47
1990 1995 2000 2005 2008 2009 2010

Europe Africa Asia and the Pacific Americas
Source: UNWTO.
4.2.1 Outbound Travel to Key International Destinations

Most Middle East countries do not provide statistics on outbound departures. At the same time, many
destination countries, especially in Europe, report arrivals from the Middle East as an aggregate, rather
than as individual countries. Some European destinations only record GCC tourist arrivals. Yet again,
some countries record arrivals of residents while others record arrivals of nationals only.
The statistics of destination-wise arrivals from the Middle East for 2009-2010 (as available), compiled
from UNWTO data, indicate that seven of the top ten destinations with the highest numbers of Middle
East arrivals are intra-regional destinations: Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, Jordan, Kuwait, Egypt,
Lebanon and Qatar. Importantly, two European destinations feature in the top ten list: Turkey and
France. The United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria are the other popular European
destinations.
Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, Thailand, Yemen, Italy, Germany, United States, China, Indonesia,
Switzerland and Austria all have shown significant positive growth in Middle East tourist arrivals in
2010.
Table 4.1 Arrivals from Middle East at Worldwide Destinations, 2000-2010
Destinations Series Number of arrivals (x 1000) Change

%
2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2010-

2009
To world 13,991 22,972 24,419 27,122 31,869 32,715 36,000 10.0
Saudi Arabia TF 3,599 5,607 5,516 7,444 9,334 8,678 8,245 -5.0
Syria VF 2,111 3,456 3,445 3,124 4,391 4,712 6,192 31.4
Jordan VF 1,676 4,354 4,881 4,787 5,124 5,134 5,347 4.2
Kuwait VF 1,191 2,005 2,223 2,619 2,778 2,996 3,103 3.6
Tunisia TF 713 1,440 1,507 1,582 1,809 2,034 1,863 -8.4
Egypt VF 890 1,511 1,706 1,687 1,676 1,571 1,761 12.1

Destinations Series Number of arrivals (x 1000) Change

%
2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2010-

2009
Turkey TF 242 626 630 788 1,010 1,228 1,704 38.7
France TF 399 573 544 775 703 835 891 6.7
Lebanon TF 288 437 433 388 533 762 868 13.9
Qatar THS 166 365 414 361 628 680 752 10.6
United Kingdom VF 428 384 472 490 538 596 529 -11.3
Thailand TF 107 194 271 307 356 373 453 21.5
Yemen TF 25 239 271 269 293 290 377 30.1
Italy VF 98 376 373 388 312 261 350 34.1
Germany TCE 106 185 202 223 242 259 336 29.9
United States of TF 249 144 164 196 228 246 296 20.4
America
China VF 35 111 136 180 178 207 247 18.9
Oman THS 128 199 238 203 243 289 220 -23.9
India TF 69 86 98 118 166 159 183 15.3
Malaysia TF 44 145 174 225 216 197 167 -15.4
Indonesia TF 41 68 51 57 73 114 143 25.5
Morocco TF 79 91 106 116 127 135 142 5.5
Switzerland THS 51 76 85 109 128 114 134 17.6
Austria TCE 29 68 75 91 102 97 120 23.7
Hong Kong (China) TF 59 71 88 102 100 99 115 16.2
Nigeria VF 25 50 55 95 105 110 111 1.0
Canada VF 53 66 69 79 88 92 102 11.0
Singapore VF 71 56 66 78 88 86 101 18.4
Spain VF 111 82
Australia VF 35 49 52 63 75 80
Uzbekistan TF 21 30 50 55 67 37 -44.9
Source: UNWTO; Statistics from country tourism boards.
Note: Figures represent arrivals as reported by the destinations (TF=tourists at frontiers; VF=visitors at frontiers; TCE=tourists at all
forms of commercial accommodation establishments; THS=tourists at hotels and similar establishments).
4.2.2 Outbound Travel to European Destinations

In 2010, European destinations overall accounted for 49% of all Middle Eastern travel outside the
(Middle East) region. In total European destinations reported an estimated 4.4 million international
tourist arrivals from Middle East source markets in 2010.
Travel Profile 31
Based on data for the period 2000-2010, it is noted that the overall market in terms of international
tourist arrivals (volume) from the Middle East has been steadily growing, even through the economic
downturn in 2008-2009.
Specific destinations such as Turkey, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria have shown
resilience, with an increasing number of arrivals from the Middle East in recent years.
However, it is to be noted that during the 5-year period 2005-2010, Turkey was the only European
destination that grew its market share substantially (among European destinations) of Middle East
arrivals.
Table 4.2 Arrivals from Middle East at European destinations, 2000-2010
Destinations Series Number of arrivals (x 1000) Change Share

% %
2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 10/09 2005 2010
Europe 1,765 2,456 2,583 3,067 3,336 3,745 4,403 17.6 100 100
Turkey TF 242 626 630 788 1,010 1,228 1,704 38.7 25.5 38.7
France TF 399 573 544 775 703 835 891 6.7 23.3 20.2
United Kingdom VF 428 384 472 490 538 596 529 -11.3 15.6 12.0
Italy VF 98 376 373 388 312 261 350 34.1 15.3 7.9
Germany TCE 106 185 202 223 242 259 336 29.9 7.6 7.6
Switzerland THS 51 76 85 109 128 114 134 17.6 3.1 3.1
Austria TCE 29 68 75 91 102 97 120 23.7 2.8 2.7
Spain VF 111 82
Cyprus TF 52 40 39 51 48 50 51 2.3 1.6 1.2
Greece TF 72 72 71 46 48 56 45 -19.7 2.9 1.0
Uzbekistan TF 21 30 50 55 67 37 -44.9 0.8
Armenia TF 2 28 33 41 44 45 1.1
Ukraine TF 18 26 23 26 23 28 29 4.3 1.0 0.7
Ireland VF 25 26 28
Romania VF 34 24 25 29 32 27 1.0
Belgium TCE 20 20 21 20 22 20 26 28.1 0.8 0.6
Israel VF 108 30 21 15 19 19 22 13.4 1.2 0.5
Malta TCE 11 9 9 9 14 16 11.1 0.4 0.4
Poland VF 7 8 8 10 10 15 15 0.0 0.3 0.3
Russian Federation VF 33 33 33 24 39 14 14 4.9 1.4 0.3
Finland VF 2 4 4 12 12 9 0.2
Monaco THS 4 3 4 4 7 4 5 16.3 0.1 0.1
Slovakia TCE 0 0 0 4 1 1
Source: UNWTO.
Note: Figures represent arrivals as reported by the destinations (TF=tourists at frontiers; VF=visitors at frontiers; TCE=tourists at all
forms of commercial accommodation establishments; THS=tourists at hotels and similar establishments).
4.3 Travel Source Markets

The Middle East region generated some 36 million international tourist arrivals in 2010, having more
than quadrupled from 8.2 million in 1990.
According to data available, Saudi Arabia is the Middle East’s largest tourist generating country with
over 7 million outbound tourist arrivals in 2010. The United Arab Emirates and Egypt are also strong
generating markets in terms of trips abroad. The Syrian Arab Republic generated over 6 million trips
abroad in 2010; however, the majority of these trips were same-day visits to neighbouring Lebanon and
Jordan.
The main travel source markets from the Middle East are the six GCC nations that constitute about 60%
of all outbound travel from the Middle East region. Egypt and Lebanon account for an estimated 20%
of all outbound travel from the Middle East region, with all other countries accounting for the balance
20% share.
Table 4.3 Middle East Outbound Tourism, Trips Abroad, 2000-2010 (x1000)
Country 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Middle East (arrivals 13,991 22,972 24,419 27,122 31,869 32,715 36,000
reported by destinations)
Saudi Arabia 4,403 2,000 4,126 4,087 6,032 7,233
United Arab Emirates* 3,689 4,427 5,047 5,350 5,063
Kuwait 1,236 2,173 2,529 2,649
Oman 2,018 2,248 2,285 2,074 1,672
Qatar
Bahrain
Lebanon
Syria 3,863 4,564 4,042 4,196 5,253 5,215 6,259
Jordan 1,625 1,523 2,139 2,094 1,972 2,054 2,917
Egypt 2,964 5,307 4,531
Libya
Iraq
Palestine
Yemen
Source: UNWTO
* Market Vision report on United Arab Emirates Outbound Travel Market, 2010.
In terms of international tourism expenditure, the GCC nations’ share is far higher at about 75% of total
outbound tourism spend from the Middle East. Overall, the average spend per capita of the Middle East
is estimated at US$ 250, higher than the world average of US$ 134.
Table 4.4 Middle East International Tourism Expenditure, 2000-2010 (US$, Million)
Country 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Middle East 14,625 29,849 39,965 49,795 49,809 50,523 55,236
Saudi Arabia 9,080 12,961 20,158 15,129 20,419 21,135
United Arab Emirates 3,019 6,186 8,827 11,273 13,288 10,347 11,818
Kuwait 2,494 4,531 5,572 6,636 7,570 6,442 6,748

Travel Profile 33
Country 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Oman 471 668 713 752 856 900 1,004

Qatar 307 1,759 3,751 1,262 1,453 481 538
Bahrain 224 414 455 479 503 408 506
Lebanon .. 2,908 3,006 3,114 3,564 4,012 4,734
Jordan 669 550 540 645 800 882 1,510
Egypt 350 585 837 883 1,004 1,064 1,431
Jordan 1,072 1,629 1,784 2,446 2,915 2,538 2,240
Libya 397 680 668 889 1,277 1,587 2,047
Iraq 9 439 386 639 732 .. ..
Palestine 301 254 303 436 535 485 ..
Yemen 70 167 162 184 183 214 1,832

Source: UNWTO.
4.4 Profile of Middle East Travellers

With the exception of travellers from the six GCC nations, travellers from other Middle East countries
are almost all local nationals.
One of the key characteristics of the GCC outbound travellers is that they belong to a multi-cultural
and multi-ethnic resident community constituted of local nationals, and non-nationals from well over
a hundred different nationalities. Non-nationals or expatriates are broadly classified into three main
nationality groups – Arabs, Asians and others (Europeans, Westerners).
The expatriates constitute over one-third of the total population in the GCC, their proportion being
highest in the United Arab Emirates (82%) and lowest in Oman (27%).
While domestic travel is accessible to the majority of the population in the Middle East, international
leisure travel is limited to the middle and upper income households. Leisure travel to long haul
destinations in Europe and the Americas is mainly seen among the more affluent households.
Profile of Middle East International Travellers
Male 70%
Female 30%
18-34 years 50%
35-54 years 40%
55 years and above 10%
College graduate/post graduate 65%
Working 65%
Not working 35%
Married 55%
Children in household 80%
Annual Household Income US$ 50,000 + 40%
Annual Household Income US$ 30,000-50,000 38%

Source: Market Vision.
International leisure travellers from the Middle East are more male than female, with half belonging to
the 18-34 years age group. Nearly two-thirds are well educated with a graduate or post graduate degree
qualification, and an equal proportion are working individuals.
Over half of the travellers are married, with the majority having one or more children in the household.
Over three-quarters belong to middle and upper income households with annual income above
US$ 30,000.
In GCC countries, 60% of international leisure travellers are nationals, and 40% are expatriates.
Household sizes vary for national and non-national households – while three-fourths of nationals
belong to large households constituted of 5 or more family members, over two-thirds of non-nationals
belong to households consisting of up to 4 family members.
Middle East traveller profile data from some international destinations provides some additional
interesting insights:
Destination: South Africa Source market: Other Africa and Middle East
Age of tourists: 25-44 years: 63% 45-54 years: 19%
Destination: Sri Lanka Source market: Middle East
Gender of tourists: Males: 73% Females: 27%
Age of tourists: 30-50 years: 61%
Nationality of tourists: Nationals: 51% Expatriates: 49%
Destination: Malaysia Source market: Middle East
Destination: Indonesia Source market: Saudi Arabia
Destination: United Kingdom Source market: United Arab Emirates
Profile of Travellers to Europe

Market Vision’s past research over several years (2002-2010) in key travel source markets – Saudi Arabia,
the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt and Lebanon and among the travel trade reveals that the profile
of leisure travellers to Europe is very similar to the profile of the overall Middle East outbound leisure
traveller.
However, compared with all outbound leisure travellers, travellers to Europe tend to be better educated
and have higher incomes. They are experienced travellers and travel abroad more frequently than
travellers to other parts of the world.
4.5 Characteristics and Behaviour of Middle East Travellers

There is a paucity of data available from secondary sources on the travel habits and behaviour of Middle
East travellers. Some research is undertaken by international tourism bodies but this tends to focus on
the high-potential GCC markets.
Travel Profile 35
Much of the information below is qualitative in nature, based on anecdotal references and information
gathered from press publications and the travel trade; quantitative data is sourced from Market Vision’s
research in Middle East travel markets, and from other sources such as international passenger surveys.
Primary research findings presented in Part 2 of this report provide detailed insight into the travel habits
and behaviour of GCC travellers, the main target market for travel to Europe.
4.5.1 Purpose of Travel

While no figures are available for different purposes of travel from official sources in the majority of the
Middle East source markets, it is understood that leisure tourism drives outbound travel from the region
as a whole.
However, the purpose of travel varies across the individual countries depending upon several factors
such as the number of expatriates and ethnic composition of the population, socio-demographic profile
of residents, transport infrastructure (access to markets by various forms of transportation),United Arab
Emirates etc.
GCC countries that are constituted of a sizeable proportion of expatriates in their population have a
high proportion of outbound VFR (visiting friends and relatives) travel. Business travel that is estimated
to account for about one-quarter of outbound travel from the Middle East is characterised by travel to
intraregional destinations (60%) and interregional destinations (40%), the latter accounting for a fair
proportion of MICE tourism.
Medical or health-related tourism is another reason why an increasing number of Middle Eastern
travellers go abroad. Intraregional destinations such as Jordan, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates and
Saudi Arabia attract a number of medical tourists.
Among interregional destinations, India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are popular destinations for
medical tourism due to their perception as providers of good quality, value-for-money medical services.
European countries such as Germany and Switzerland also attract the more affluent medical tourists
from the Middle East.
Data on the purpose of travel for three main outbound travel markets – Saudi Arabia, United Arab
Emirates and Egypt is provided below, highlighting the differences in travel motivations in key individual
source markets.
Figure 4.4 United Arab Emirates – Outbound Trips by Purpose, 2009 Share (%)
Leisure
33
36 VFR
Religious
Medical/health
Other personal
Business
4
24 2
1
Source: Market Vision – United Arab Emirates Outbound Travel Market report, April 2010.
Figure 4.5 Saudi Arabia – Outbound Trips by Purpose, 2009 Share (%)
Leisure
11
79
VFR
1 Religious
2
Medical/health
3
Other personal
4
Business
Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities – Tourism Statistical Database.
Figure 4.6 Egypt – Outbound Trips by Purpose, 2009 Share (%)
38
Leisure
VFR
20
Religious
Medical/health
Other personal
29 Business
8
2
3
About one-half of the Middle East outbound travel to Europe is estimated to be for leisure, one-
quarter for business, one-fifth for VFR and the balance (5%) for medical/health and other purposes.
Understandably, this varies by destination and source market.
Data from the International Passenger Survey provided by the ONS/VisitBritain shows that Middle East
arrivals in the United Kingdom are dominated by holiday and VFR travel, the latter mainly from British
expatriates resident in the Middle East.
Table 4.5 Purpose of Travel (%)
Purpose of travel to United Kingdom 2007 2008 2009
Holiday 31 27 38
VFR 35 39 33
Business 22 23 17
Other 12 10 12
Source: ONS/VisitBritain.
On the other hand, data from Thailand shows that over 80% of Middle East arrivals in the country are
for holiday purposes.
Travel Profile 37
According to the German National Tourism Board, Germany receives over 70,000 international visitors,
including Arab visitors, for medical treatment each year. Though actual figures for Arab medical tourists
are not known, the main source markets are GCC and Levant countries, with the largest number of
medical tourists being from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
4.5.2 Type of Travellers (FIT vs group Travellers)

The Middle East has predominantly been an FIT (Fully Individual Traveller) market, with limited group
travel. There is some group travel out of Egypt and Lebanon, where holiday charters to neighbouring
countries are quite popular.
In recent years, Indian travel operators such as Cox & Kings and SOTC (Kuoni Group) have begun to
market their European group travel packages to Indian expatriates in the Middle East. These escorted
tours in Europe usually start from London or Paris, and are quite popular with the economy-minded
budget travellers and first-time travellers to Europe. Airfares are typically not included in the package
price.
Of late, all-inclusive holiday travel packages (inclusive airfare) have begun to gain popularity, especially
as they are seen to offer value-for-money and the flexibility to travellers to chart their own itineraries.
The travel trade reports that recent years have seen tailor-made holiday travel packages picking up.1
These customised travel and tourism packages range from business to leisure as well as religious
packages, and are tailored to the unique requirements and needs of the customers. Market Vision’s
research in early 2010 confirms the growing popularity of holiday travel packages among United Arab
Emirates residents – over one-half of United Arab Emirates travellers stated they had ever availed of a
holiday travel package; this figure was just 39% in 2005 and 42% in 2007.
Some travel agents report that organized group tours for participants of international conferences and
exhibitions (MICE) is gaining ground. The Elaf Group, a leading travel services provider in Saudi Arabia,
organizes group tours for participants of international conferences focusing on ‘key global issues that
are of interest to the Saudi community’, most notably medical conferences in regional and international
destinations such as Bahrain, Paris and Barcelona.
Local travel agents are also creating innovative travel packages such as the ‘Train Tours of Europe’,
a new package offered by Dubai-based Al Tayer Travels which, according to their brochure, makes
travelling by rail through Europe ‘convenient and enjoyable’. The travellers have the option to choose
accommodation from a variety of hotels in the three, four and five star hotel categories to suit their
budget.
Small families and young couples seem to dominate the demand for packaged holiday deals. According
to a Saudi travel agent, “Clients and potential travellers come to our offices looking for a change or
something different for their Haj holiday, and it’s not just Saudi citizens, we receive expatriates as well.
They want to take advantage of the Haj and Eid Al-Adha vacation, which lasts for more than one week”.2
Travel agents in Lebanon and Egypt say that all-inclusive honeymoon packages to Europe are popular
amongst young newly-weds.
4.5.3 Single vs Multiple Destinations

Market Vision’s ongoing travel research suggests that two-thirds of Middle East travellers go on single
country vacations. However, dual or multi-country visits in a single trip are gaining popularity especially
in European countries on the Schengen visa.
1 http://www.travtalkmiddleeast.com/pdfs/oct08.pdf.
2 http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093284275.
This is corroborated by the travel trade, who state that this trend is equally being witnessed among local
national as well as expatriate travellers. Germany is seen to be a popular base for travel to other parts of
Europe, as it is well connected with several flights from the whole region. In particular, local nationals
from GCC countries like the combination Germany, Austria and Switzerland, preferring to stay just a
few days in each country. Some GCC families base themselves in the Belgian capital Brussels for long
periods from where they travel by train to other European cities.
Multi-country trips within the Asia-Pacific region are also popular among Middle East travellers, who
usually prefer to combine Malaysia with Thailand or with Singapore. The Visit ASEAN Pass (VAP)
promoting intra-ASEAN travel across ten countries in the region has also been instrumental in the
uptake of multi-country travel in the Asia-Pacific region.3
Based on visitor arrival figures, Tourism Malaysia believed that many Middle Eastern travellers heading
to South-East Asia would combine their trips with stopovers in both, Malaysia and Singapore. Hence,
a ‘Twin City’ promotion building on the synergy and on the popularity of the two South-East nations
among Arab travellers was launched in September 2008 for three months. The Singapore Tourism Board
(STB), Tourism Malaysia and Singapore Airlines promoted an exclusive package, jointly offering a 5-day,
4-night “Twin City” package for Gulf residents, priced under US$ 700.4
Another trend noted among travellers is the increasing likelihood of taking advantage of free stopovers
offered by airlines, when transiting through a country en-route to their final destination.
Understanding this and aiming to boost demand to Singapore during the economic downturn, in April
2009, the STB along with Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport launched the ‘Fabulous Singapore
Stopover’ package – a joint initiative offering transit passengers a chance to experience the country.5
4.5.4 Travel Frequency

Middle East travellers take both short trips (up to three nights duration, away from home) and long trips
(four nights or longer) in a year.
Local nationals typically get away for the hot summer months to cooler destinations for a long holiday
lasting at least three weeks. These annual vacations have become a cultural tradition and a lifestyle
choice among upmarket Arab families, particularly from the GCC region. Additional short holidays are
taken to short and medium haul destinations round the year.
Expatriates in the GCC countries tend to take their annual leave vacation to their native country. Some of
them take additional holidays in other destinations, usually during national holidays and long weekends.
Previous research by Market Vision indicates that on an average, half of the residents in the GCC
take one holiday in the year, while one quarter take two vacations and another quarter travel more
frequently. In the other Middle East countries, over two thirds travel once a year.
With increased air access, especially with low-cost carriers connecting short haul destinations within
and outside the region, frequency of travel has increased among both nationals and expatriates, and can
be expected to gain further momentum.
4.5.5 Length of Stay

Middle East travellers are known to go on long vacations. Average length of vacation varies by purpose
and destination travelled to. However, the long annual vacation is usually about 20-25 days for the
3 http://www.visitasean.travel.
4 http://www.tourism.gov.my.
Travel Profile 39
majority. Some Arab travellers are known to spend more than two months abroad during the summer
time.
Tourism Forecasting Committee of Tourism Research Australia states that the average number of nights
spent in Australia by international visitors from the Middle East and North Africa is a high 44 nights.
By 2018, this figure is expected to marginally decline to 40 nights. However, it is to be noted that
education and employment visitors who stay in Australia for one year or less are included in this total
(such visitors stay longer than the average tourist). The share of nights in paid accommodation (hotels,
motels, guesthouses and serviced apartments) is just 11%, and expected to remain unchanged until
2018 (Tourism Research Australia, 2009).
In Europe, the total length of stay may be split over one or more European countries, with the duration
of stay varying by source market and destination country. As per the data provided by ETC member
countries, the average length of stay varies from as low as 3 nights to a high of 19 nights from the Middle
East/GCC. It is to be noted that a number of European countries record data on arrivals and nights for
Egypt separately from the Middle East/GCC.
Table 4.6 Average Stay in Europe by Middle East Visitors (number of nights)
Destination Series Number of nights Source market
Austria TCE 3.4 Middle East
Italy TCE 3.7 Middle East
TCE 4.4 Egypt
France THS 8.5 Middle East
Germany THS 3.0 Arabian Gulf
THS 19.0 Saudi Arabia
Switzerland THS 3.6 GCC
THS 3.3 Egypt
Slovakia TCE 3.8 Egypt
United Kingdom VF 13.1 Middle East

Source: Data supplied by ETC member countries.
IPS data from the United Kingdom (2009 provisional) provides interesting insights into differences in
length of stay by source market. By and large, visitors from GCC countries stay longer in the United
Kingdom compared to visitors from other Middle East markets. Syrians’ average length of stay appears
to be high at 18.4 nights; however, this is based on very low volumes and includes long duration study
trips.
As the graph below depicts, Kuwaitis spend maximum time (19 nights) on trips to the United Kingdom;
shortest trips are made by the Lebanese and the Jordanians (less than 10 nights).
Figure 4.7 Duration of Stay in United Kingdom by Country of Residence (average number of nights,
2007-2009)
20 19.0
17.8 18.4
17.3
13.8 14.3
15 13.3
11.2
9.4 9.9
10
0
Bahrain Egypt Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman Qatar Saudi Syria UAE
Arabia
Source: VisitBritain from International Passenger Survey 2009 (Provisional Data).
4.5.6 Seasonality
The major outbound travel season is during the school holidays, extending from the end of June until
the beginning of September. This is also the time when the summer heat is intense, with temperatures
rising over 50º Celsius. The majority of the residents leave the countries to escape from the hot weather
to cooler climes.
There are two other short, religious holidays, to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan (Eid
al-Fitri), and the end of the Hajj pilgrimage (Eid al-Adha). The dates for these vary as they are linked to
the Islamic or Hijri calendar – a lunar calendar that is used to determine the proper day on which to
celebrate Islamic holy days and festivals.
Research conducted by Market Vision in 2007 in five Middle East countries indicates that July to
September is the main travel season. During the rest of the year, travel is fairly spread out. Importantly,
between 6% and 25% of travellers are flexible in when they take a vacation overseas – this was
particularly true of the younger age travellers and those willing to travel at short notice to take advantage
of travel promotion offers and value deals.
Figure 4.8 Seasonality of Travel by Country of Residence, 2007 (%)
Kuwait 12 11 56 12 9
Lebanon 11 10 56 10 13
UAE 5 15 54 17 8
Egypt 8 10 45 12 25
Saudi Arabia 10 15 57 12 6
Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Flexible

Travel Profile 41
The United Arab Emirates Outbound Travel Market Study conducted by Market Vision among United
Arab Emirates residents in 2010 indicates that travel during the summer months of July-September has
increased to 61% from 54% in 2007. At the same time, having a ‘flexible’ holiday time frame has also
risen from 8% in 2007 to 12% in 2010.
Notably, the incidence of travel during the summer months of July-September is more pronounced
among GCC nationals than the expatriates.
4.5.7 Travel Companions

As a large proportion of international travel from the Middle East is for holiday purposes, travel
companions are mainly family members. A small proportion tends to travel with family and friends.
Expatriates (in the GCC) show a greater inclination to travel alone and/or with friends, as a substantial
proportion of working individuals (expatriates) belong to single person households.
In Egypt, single travellers are typically people who go on a VFR (visiting friends and relatives) trip, study
tour, activity-based holiday or an excursion trip as part of an organized charter or group tour.
In Lebanon, single travellers tend to be mostly men who go on a VFR trip, study tour, or an organized
charter or group tour. A fairly large proportion of Lebanese travellers go on holiday with a group of
friends.
4.5.8 Travel Group Size

Arabs are known to travel in large family groups that include members of the extended family.
According to travel agents in Saudi Arabia, Saudis travelling to Europe go in large family groups of 8-12
people during summer months; at other times, it is smaller family groups of 3-5 people, couples and
honeymooners. On the other hand, expatriates travelling to Europe usually go as singles, couples or in
small family groups of up to four people. By and large, this is true of other Middle East markets as well.
Market Vision’s research in the United Arab Emirates (2010) indicates that while 64% of United Arab
Emirates nationals travel on holiday in a group of 5 or more family members, just about one-tenth
among expatriates does so. Among expatriates, over one-half travel in groups of 3-4 people, and over
one-third travel alone or with a companion (spouse, friend or work colleague).
4.5.9 Accommodation
Accommodation preferences vary among Arab nationals and expatriates. Data from Market Vision’s
2007 study shows that United Arab Emirates nationals prefer staying in five star or four star hotels
and furnished apartments/villas. On the other hand, expatriates use different types of accommodation
including lower grade hotels and private accommodation. This data is likely to be reflective of the
preferences among nationals and expatriates in other GCC markets as well.
Table 4.7 Accommodation Preferences of United Arab Emirates Travellers – by Nationality (%)
Type of accommodation Nationals Expatriates
5-star or 4-star hotel 45 39

Furnished apartment/villa 38 10
3-star, 2-star or budget hotel 8 23
Private accommodation 7 23
Other (hostel, guest house, time share) 2 5

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) provides some interesting information on accommodation
preferences of Middle Eastern/Arab families:6
• Arab families prefer apartments and connecting rooms.
• Families prefer to cook while on holiday, and hence like to stay in apartments with either two or
three bedrooms.
• Families do not like to stay in hotels located in nightlife areas.
• Middle East clients prefer either four-star or five-star hotels, especially beach-side hotels and
resorts.
• Arab travellers prefer rooms with sea views (as opposed to sea facing).
4.5.10 Booking Patterns

The Middle East is a late booking market. The general mindset in the Middle East is to plan everything
– including holidays – at the last minute, with many travellers booking their summer holiday less than
two weeks before travelling.
Outbound travellers have the habit of ‘window shopping’ to get the best rates and push for discounts
until the last minute, prior to travelling. This tendency is noted more among travellers belonging to
middle income households, both local nationals and expatriates.
On the other hand, affluent expatriates and ‘discerning’ luxury travellers are more likely to book at least
four weeks in advance.
In order to encourage early bookings, the travel trade, particularly in the GCC, has begun to offer
special incentives and discounts. Emirates Holidays, United Arab Emirates notes a distinct change in
buying patterns for the summer peak, with more customers booking as early as January and February.
Dnata Holidays, Dubai distributes its summer holiday brochures to the travel trade as early as February
to stimulate demand, offering a number of special deals which are focused on travel booking up to three
months in advance.7
In general, while those with families (nationals and expatriates) do tend to organize accommodation
with valid reservations at least 3-4 weeks in advance, there is a tendency, especially among single (and
younger) travellers, to delay reservations until a few days prior to departure, in order to avail of any
special discounts, promotions or inclusive package deals that may come their way.
The travel agent in the Middle East is still an integral part of the distribution system. The vast majority of
people are still utilising travel agents as their primary means of booking.8
6 Source : Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA): http://www.4hoteliers.com/4hots_nshw.php?mwi=1563.

7 http://www.arabianbusiness.com/513171?tmpl=print&page=.
8 http://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/4574-iatas_new_agent_of_change/.
Travel Profile 43
However, there is a discernable shift towards using more direct methods of booking, such as direct with
the airline or hotel or through online means. Market Vision’s research in the United Arab Emirates (2010)
indicates that 42% of nationals and 52% of expatriates book direct with the airline via phone, personal
visit or the airline website, while 34% of nationals and 46% of expatriates make hotel bookings through
direct channels.
4.5.11 Sources of Information

Multiple sources are used by Middle East travellers for gathering information during the travel planning
and research process. The majority of the travellers rely on friends and family as the primary source
of information about potential travel destinations. The role of travel agents during travel planning and
research appears to have somewhat declined although this varies by the traveller profile. Travel agents
are far more relied upon for travel-related information and advice by nationals than by expatriates.
With ever increasing penetration of the internet among Middle East households, an increasing number
of potential travellers are surfing the web to gather information on travel destinations, sightseeing
details, accommodation choices, travel packages, airline schedules and prices. Significantly, destination
websites (country tourism portals) are an important information resource for outbound travellers.
Importantly, travellers, especially in GCC countries with high penetration of broadband internet
connections, are increasingly relying on user generated content sites as sources of information. They
access social networking websites, online travel forums and chat rooms to seek travel-related information
and obtain traveller reviews and opinions about holiday destinations, accommodation options, airlines,
travel itineraries, thing to see and do, etc. (Refer chapter 10 for more details).
Other sources of information are holiday brochures and travel guides, advertising, travel journals and
magazines, travel channels/programmes on television, general press, tourist offices and travel fairs and
exhibitions.
4.5.12 Holiday Activities

As the majority of Middle East outbound travellers go on holiday with family, activities on a holiday
therefore typically focus on the interests of the various members of the travelling group. Key holiday
activities include walking about and enjoying the atmosphere, relaxing, enjoying the hotel/resort and
its facilities, enjoying the weather, shopping, dining out, going to beaches and the seaside, going on
sightseeing trips, touring and driving around and visiting friends and relatives.
For Arab travellers, visits to religious landmarks are also an important activity.9
According to the travel trade, nowadays, “holidaymakers are looking to pack in as much as possible
when they visit a destination and are asking for a wider choice of activities”.10
The importance of various holiday activities varies by the nationality profile of the travellers. By and large,
for Arab nationals, the top five activities are walking about and enjoying the atmosphere, sightseeing
and visiting places of interest, going to theme parks and leisure parks, visiting shopping malls/shopping
and going to parks and gardens.
Among expatriates, the top five activities of importance tend to be: walking about and enjoying the
atmosphere, sightseeing and visiting places of interest, dining out, relaxing, enjoying the hotel/resort
and its facilities and visiting friends and relatives. Family travellers have an interest in visiting theme
parks/leisure parks, while couples and those travelling with friends enjoy the nightlife in the holiday
destination as well (Market Vision research).
9 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=istanbul8217s-shopkeepers-eye-arab-tourists-2010-03-08.
10 http://gulfnews.com/business/tourism/holiday-travel-reflects-recession-s-end-1.607131?localLinksEnabled=false
4.5.13 Spending (and shopping)

Middle East travellers, especially GCC nationals, are known to be high spenders. Shopping is a major
activity undertaken on holiday by Arab tourists whenever and wherever they travel.
As a result, they are considered to be the “pupil of the eye” among Istanbul’s shopkeepers. Instead of
visiting historic buildings and shopping for cultural knick-knacks, Arab tourists prefer to head for large
shopping centres. They are mostly interested in purchasing cosmetics products, lingerie, textile products
and footwear. In jewellery, they often prefer gold and silver. Tourists from Bahrain, Syrian Arab Republic
and Qatar like purchasing souvenirs.11
According to Tourism Australia, compared to other international visitors, GCC nationals spend almost six
times the amount on shopping items (including Duty Free goods) to take home than other international
visitors.
United Arab Emirates travellers are among the highest spenders on tax-free shopping in Germany,
and are ranked fourth highest above the United States of America and Japan. Expenditure on tax-free
shopping by United Arab Emirates travellers grew by nearly 28% in 2010 over 2009 (GNTB, 2011).
In Germany, Arab travellers’ average spending per holiday trip was € 2,808, with average spend per
night being € 133 (2007 figures from German National Tourism Board).
Switzerland notes that the daily spend (2009 figures) of Arab visitors is 530 Swiss Francs (US$ 458/
€ 373), with Saudi Arabians being the largest spenders. Gulf tourists spend an estimated US$ 233
million annually in Geneva. That accounts for about 10% of all tourism Euros spent in the city (Ame
Info, 2010).
London’s hotels in particular make it their business to attract and keep Arab tourists in the city. The
New West End Company, which represents 600 London hotels and retailers, anticipated an estimated
US$ 410 million to be spent by Arabs in London during the summer months (2009).12
4.6 Destination Preferences

Outside their own region, the most popular holiday destinations for Middle East travellers are in Europe
and in the Asia and the Pacific region. Destination preferences vary among travellers from different
Middle Eastern source markets.
Table 4.8 Popular Travel Destinations from the Middle East
Origin Destination – Europe Destination – Other
Saudi Arabia Switzerland, France, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Morocco
Turkey
United Arab Emirates United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia
Kuwait United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, United States of America, Malaysia,

Germany, Turkey Thailand
Qatar United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, United States of America, Malaysia,

Germany Thailand
Bahrain United Kingdom, Turkey, France United States of America, India, Malaysia
Oman United Kingdom, Germany, France India, Malaysia
Egypt Italy, Turkey, United Kingdom, Greece, China, United States of America, Hong
Switzerland Kong (China), Malaysia, Thailand
11 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=istanbul8217s-shopkeepers-eye-arab-tourists-2010-03-08.
12 http://arabisto.com/article.cfm?articleID=45115.
Travel Profile 45
Origin Destination – Europe Destination – Other
Lebanon Armenia, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, France, Nigeria, United States of America, China
Italy
Jordan Turkey China, Hong Kong (China),

United States of America, Malaysia
Syria Turkey, Armenia, Romania China, Morocco
Iran Turkey, Azerbaijan, United Kingdom, Italy China, Malaysia, Singapore, India
Source: World Tourism Organization.
The extract below from an online news article is quite revealing regarding destination preferences
among Saudis and to some extent, perhaps is applicable to other Arabs as well.
“Since 9/11, according to travel agents, there has been a noticeable shift in travel patterns among
Saudis, however. When on vacation they increasingly prefer to travel within the Kingdom or
region, or head to South Asia and the Far East rather than the United States of America and Europe.
It is not all to do with politics. Cost comes into it as well, indeed is probably the real determining
factor in choice of destination – the United States of America and Europe are certainly among the
most expensive of destinations.
Not that the picture is that simple. The story from European consulates in the Kingdom is that they
are issuing more visas than ever. And despite the shift in focus over the past eight years, the travel
industry still expects a ten percent rise this year in Saudi visitors to North America, South Africa
and Australia. Meanwhile, on the streets of Geneva, London and Paris, there does not seem to be
any visible drop in the number of Saudi visitors at all”.13
13
4.6.1 Repeat Travel

There is a greater tendency among nationals to travel to the same holiday destinations year-on-year than
among expatriates. Travellers are prone to go to the same ‘tourist-friendly’ countries that they have been
to before.
Importantly, cultural affinity with a destination encourages a high repeat visitation rate. Understandably,
intra-regional destinations such as Lebanon, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, etc. have high
repeat visitation from regional travellers, many of whom have second homes in these destinations.
Alexandria, the biggest city on the Mediterranean, has long been a favourite family summer resort for
Saudis. The evidence is in the sheer numbers of Saudis who take up residence there in summer, many
of whom own apartments in the city, and in the number of direct flights between it and the Kingdom,
usually around eight a day each way.14
Indonesia and Malaysia is also popular among Saudis for repeat visitation. Thailand, with its ‘Muslim-
friendly’ image and perception, attracted 53% repeat visitors from the Middle East in 2007 (Tourism
Authority of Thailand, 2007).
Turkey is another destination that Arabs tend to patronize.
According to the travel trade, even as travellers are exploring new destinations, demand for the same
tourist-friendly countries that are popular during the summer is seen during the shorter Eid Al-Adha
holidays as well.
13 http://archive.arabnews.com/?page=9&section=0&article=124117&d=29&m=6&y=2009.
14 http://archive.arabnews.com/?page=9&section=0&article=124117&d=29&m=6&y=2009.
Among expatriates, in particular, there is high tendency for repeat visitation to international leisure
destinations that have a VFR component in them (that is, there are friends and family in the destination
country).
By and large, expatriates in the GCC countries desire to use the opportunity to explore the world whilst
living in a region that is well-connected by air with a large number of worldwide holiday destinations.
Attractive travel offers also motivate expatriates and nationals alike to explore new leisure destinations.
4.7 Holiday Preferences

A city-centric holiday trip is the usual type of holiday that the majority of the Middle East travellers
prefer. Middle East travellers also enjoy visiting family and friends for a holiday, enjoy going on culture/
sightseeing holidays and beach/seaside holidays.
Visits to theme/leisure parks, holiday in the mountains and touring/driving holiday are other popular
holiday choices for Middle East outbound travellers.
For the long summer vacations people focus on their families, spend as much time with them as possible
in a nice and relaxed atmosphere, enjoy nice landscapes and entertainment (theme parks) especially
for the children. In Germany, spa and wellness centres are very popular as well as shopping. More and
more people now like to travel for just a couple of days discovering new cities and regions.
Thus, over the years, preferences have changed somewhat and other types of holidays and holiday
experiences have also begun to garner interest among travellers such as snow/ski holidays, spa/health
oriented holidays, sporting holidays including golfing trips, music/cultural/sports events, cruise holidays
and adventure trips.
Some differences in travel motivations are noted between Arab nationals and GCC expatriates. The top
six holiday type preferences by nationality are as follows:
Arab Nationals: City holiday, culture/sightseeing trip, beach holiday/holiday by the sea, shopping trip,
visit to leisure/theme park, touring/driving holiday.
Expatriates: VFR trip, city holiday, culture/sightseeing holiday, beach holiday/holiday by the sea, holiday
in the mountains, holiday in the country side.
A number of Middle East outbound travellers undertake multiple trips in a year, and travel companions
on these trips are not necessarily the same; therefore, the type of holiday undertaken depends upon
the travel companions on the trip. This tendency to go on holiday with different travel companions at
different times of the year or on different occasions is more common among nationals, especially the
younger age group male travellers, than among expatriates (Market Vision research).
4.8 Travel Market Segments
4.8.1 Leisure Travel

The Middle East leisure travel market is dominated by the family market segment. Visiting friends and
relatives (VFR) is a major market segment, more among expatriates than among nationals. There is also
a strong youth travel segment, with groups of friends travelling together on holiday or as single travellers.
Young families (with small children), couples and honeymooners are a growing outbound travel market
segment. National and expatriate newly-weds are increasingly motivated to go on honeymoon trips to
romantic places overseas.
Travel Profile 47
Tourism Australia’s strategy is to concentrate its marketing efforts on the family sector, which is the
biggest market out of the GCC for Australia. At the same time, it is also seeing a strong honeymoon
market developing as well as a rise in the ‘soft adventure’ market for adventure-seeking and sports-keen
young, single males.
Key Travel Market Segments
• Family market – young family (with small children); older family.
• VFR market.
• Couples – young couples; older couples.
• Youth – single travellers; groups of friends.
• Honeymooners.
4.8.2 Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR)

VFR is a large component of the Middle East outbound travel market for two reasons: (a) there is a huge
Arab diaspora totalling some 30-50 million people, primarily in Latin America, Europe, North America,
parts of Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and West Africa, and (b) the large expatriate population living in
the GCC countries primarily from Asian and other Arab countries that travels home on vacation every
one to two years.
Lebanese, Egyptians, Iraqis, Palestinians and Syrians are the largest Arab communities living abroad.
The Lebanese diaspora is estimated from 12 million people to more than 15 million people – far more
than the internal population of Lebanon itself. The largest concentration of Lebanese outside the Middle
East is in Brazil, which has reportedly over 7 million Brazilians of Lebanese ancestry. There are also
large Lebanese communities in Mexico (about 400,000 Mexicans of Lebanese descent), Argentina,
Colombia, Venezuela and the Caribbean. Many Lebanese have also settled for quite a long time in the
United States of America, Canada, Australia and Europe, most notably France. Some other Lebanese
have migrated to Africa.
For Iraq, no firm figures are available – some claim as low as 1.2 million people have left Iraq, while
others claim this number to be around 4-5 million. The Syrian Arab Republic, Jordan, Egypt, the United
Kingdom, the United States of America, Lebanon and Sweden are the main countries where Iraqis live
outside their own country.
The Egyptian diaspora is estimated at about 5 million. Egyptians emigrated from Egypt for many
centuries, mainly to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the Emirates and Iraq. Some emigrated to the United
States of America and western European countries as well.
Of the total Palestinian population worldwide, estimated at between 9 to 11 million, about one-half live
outside of their homeland. Jordan, Chile, the Syrian Arab Republic, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and
the United States of America have the maximum number of Palestinians.
According to the Syrian Ministry of Expatriates, the Syrian diaspora is estimated at over 18 million
people who emigrated to North America, Europe, South America (mainly Brazil, Chile and Colombia),
Australia and Africa. An estimated one million Syrians live in the United States of America, including
those who are third or fourth generation Arab Americans of Syrian descent. The majority of the Syrian
diaspora happen to be Christians having emigrated before the Islamic Arab conquest of Syria in the 8th
century AD.15
VFR travel into the Middle East and out of the region, therefore is an important tourism market segment.
15 Wikipedia, Arab diaspora: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/index.html?curid=1059095.

4.9 Visa Issues and Other Constraints to Travel Abroad

The introduction of tourist friendly arrangements for granting visas makes a visible difference to tourist
flows to a country. In most cases, the adoption of measures to facilitate the visa procurement process
becomes a major factor in the selection of destinations by Middle East travellers.
With a view to generating more tourism, many foreign tourist offices have simplified visa procedures.
Malaysia and Thailand have gained in popularity as they offer a Tourist Visa Exemption, mainly for
United Arab Emirates nationals and European passport holders, and Visa on Arrival for most other visitor
nationalities.
While United Arab Emirates nationals do not need visas to visit Singapore, expatriates from a range of
countries in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia require an entry visa, the process for which
has been streamlined through the appointment of visa facilitation agencies in the United Arab Emirates.
Nationals of GCC countries are also granted long-term entry visas on arrival at Turkish entry points.
Australia offers an online visa application service for United Arab Emirates passport holders, resulting in
faster visa processing time. This has resulted in positive growth in tourist arrivals from the United Arab
Emirates to Australia.
Schengen Visa Application

VFS Global, part of the Zurich based Kuoni Travel Group, provides visa facilitation services in the
Middle East for a number of European countries. Visas for travel to the United Kingdom are available
through this service in the six GCC nations and the Syrian Arab Republic. France, Germany and Italy
accept visa applications through a Joint Application Centre operated by VFS.
The company also provides the visa application and processing service for Malta in the GCC and for
Hungary in the United Arab Emirates.
Visitors need to obtain the Schengen visa from the Embassy/Consulate of the country where the main
purpose of travel lies. In case of travel to multiple Schengen countries, application needs to be made to
the Consulate where the visitor will be staying for the maximum number of days, or from the Point of
First Entry into the Schengen Countries, if the duration of stay is the same in more than one Schengen
Country.
Non-availability of visa services in a travel source market can have a detrimental effect on potential
travel. While visas for Ireland are now issued by Enterprise Ireland in the United Arab Emirates, the
facility was earlier available only in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Croatia continues to offer visa services in
Egypt only while Portugal offers visa services in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
However, for Schengen member states, it is permitted to apply at one of the other Schengen state
countries which do have a local embassy in a particular source market. Some nations have used
associations in the past – Cyprus visas which were earlier obtained through the British Embassy in the
United Arab Emirates are now issued by the Embassy of Cyprus in Abu Dhabi and have been since
March 2010.
The Netherlands visa service in the United Arab Emirates offers The Orange Carpet Visa Facility for
companies and organizations in the United Arab Emirates that have links with a Dutch company or
organization. Such firms that have a considerable number of employees that need to travel frequently
to the Netherlands for business purposes can sign up for the ‘Orange Carpet Visa Facility’. This facility
offers several advantages and above all speeds up the application procedure.
The processing time for visas varies from country to country, and can take from 2 days to 30 days or
longer. For a Schengen Visa, this can even take six weeks or longer depending upon the period of the
year in which the application is given (summer period being the slowest), the type of visa applied
Travel Profile 49
for, and the nationality of the applicant. Additionally, the United Kingdom and France now require
biometrics (finger printing) for all visa applicants.
Processing times for some of the European destinations, along with requirement for biometrics are as
follows:
United Kingdom: processing time 5-10 days; biometrics required
France: processing time 5-21 days; biometrics required
Germany: processing time 2-14 days; biometrics not required
Italy: processing time 3-30 days; biometrics not required
Hungary: processing time 5-20 days; biometrics not required
Malta: processing time 11 days; biometrics not required
Switzerland: processing time 2-14 days; biometrics not required
Source: Consulate/embassy websites.
The Burqa Ban

France’s law banning the burqa and other Islamic face coverings in public places went into effect on
11 April, 2011. The law, which was enacted in October 2010, set down a six-month period to inform
people of the penalty before it went into effect. The ban pertains to the burqa, a full-body covering that
includes a mesh over the face, and the niqab, a full-face veil that leaves an opening only for the eyes.
The law imposes a fine of € 150 (~US$ 214), and the person breaking the law can be asked to carry out
public service duty as part of the punishment or as an alternative to the fine. Further, forcing a woman
to wear a niqab or a burqa is also punishable.
The hijab, which covers the hair and neck but not the face, and the chador, which covers the body but
not the face, apparently are not banned by the law.
The Belgium parliament has also passed a similar law.
The full impact of this law on tourism outflows from the Muslim countries is yet to be ascertained
though it has created some apprehension amongst potential visitors to the country. Consumer research
conducted as part of this study revealed that potential visitors to Europe perceived this action (banning
the burqa) to be anti-Arab and discriminatory.
In August 2011, a new law is also set to be passed in Australia’s New South Wales state, which will give
police the power to ask Muslim women to lift their veils. On declining to do so, the woman can be
fined up to Australian $ 5,500 (~US$ 5,858) or she also may have to spend a whole year inside prison.
Another issue of relevance that may have some implications on tourism relates to instances wherein
Muslim women have been banned from wearing the body-concealing swimming costume known as
a burqini. Several press reports have informed that women wearing the garment, made up of a veil, a
tunic and loose leggings have been prohibited from entering swimming pools in places in countries
such as Italy, France and Egypt.
Notably, the Muslim swimming dress is allowed in Australia, United Kingdom and the United States of
America.
Chapter 5
Travel Trade Structure

5.1 Air Access and Connectivity

Most countries in the Middle East are well connected by air with several destinations around the world.
For major destinations across Europe, several local, regional and international airlines offer good flight
connections from the Middle East.
European destinations are medium to long haul, with some such as Turkey, Greece and Cyprus within
a distance of 4-6 hours flying time from several countries in the Middle East.
Source: www.mapsoftheworld.com.
5.1.1 Air Links with Europe – By Airline and Country

As per data provided by Innovata LLC, the global leader in flight schedule management and distribution
solutions, there are a total of 1,477 weekly flights from various countries in the Middle East to destinations
across Europe, with total capacity of an astounding 340,758 seats (May 2010). The top five airlines with
maximum direct connections between a Middle Eastern city and a European city are Emirates Airline,
Qatar Airways, Egypt Air, Lufthansa and Etihad Airways.
The table below lists 23 airlines that offer 20 or more flights a week from the Middle East to Europe.
Altogether, there are 46 airlines that link the region to Europe with direct service.
Table 5.1 Airlines Operating Direct Service from the Middle East to Europe, May 2010*
Airline Flights Seats Origins Destinations
Emirates 270 93,071 (270) United Arab Emirates Across Europe

Qatar Airways 151 36,533 (151) Qatar Across Europe
EgyptAir 120 19,831 (120) Egypt Across Europe
Lufthansa 115 27,006 Several origins (115) Germany
Etihad 88 21,727 (88) United Arab Emirates Across Europe
British Airways 69 18,321 Several origins (69) United Kingdom
Royal Jordanian 61 8,314 (61) Jordan Across Europe
KLM 59 15,828 Several origins (59) The Netherlands
Air France 54 12,080 Several origins (54) France
British Midlands 47 8,253 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (47) United Kingdom

Levant, Iran
MEA 43 8,084 (43) Lebanon (14) France, (7) United Kingdom,

(22) others
Thomson Air 39 7,566 (39) Egypt (39) United Kingdom
Austrian 38 6,160 (11) Egypt, (10) Syria, (38) Austria

(7) United Arab Emirates,
(5) Iran, (5) Jordan
Syrian Arab 37 5,444 (36) Syria, (1) Lebanon Across Europe
Saudi Arabian 36 6,070 (36) Saudi (8) France, (7) Italy, (4) Swiss,
Airlines (13) United Kingdom, (4) Spain
Alitalia 35 5,936 No Gulf origin (29) Italy, (6) Germany
Gulf Air 31 6,149 (31) Bahrain (14) United Kingdom, (7) France,
(5) Greece, (5) Cyprus
DE Condor 28 6,515 (28) Egypt (28) Germany
Aeroflot 27 3,588 (12) Egypt, (7) United Arab (27) Russian Federation
Emirates, (8) others
Swiss 26 5,509 (12) Egypt, (7) Oman, (26) Switzerland

(7) United Arab Emirates
Iran Air 24 6,610 (24) Iran Across Europe
Transaero 21 8,841 (21) Egypt (21) Russian Federation
Kuwait Airways 20 4,900 (20) Kuwait (7) United Kingdom, (4) Italy,
(4) France, (3) Germany,
(2) Switzerland
* Figures in brackets refer to number of weekly flights
Source: Innovata, LLC, www.innovatallc.com.
5.1.2 Planned Air Access Developments

Middle East airlines continue to expand, launching new routes and increasing flight capacity to popular
destinations. The airlines leading the drive for expansion are Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways and Qatar
Airways.
Travel Trade Structure 53
Reports indicate that Emirates Airline will be launching flights to Geneva from Dubai in 2011, with a
B777 aircraft. The flights are planned to be four times a week initially; however later the flight schedules
will be extended to double daily flights to Northern German port city of Hamburg from September
2011. In March 2011, the airline introduced its third daily service to Manchester.
Qatar Airways’ commitment to Europe has seen significant frequency increases on many European
routes in 2010-2011 such as Paris, Geneva and Copenhagen. Capacity upgrades have also featured
with the introduction of the carrier’s flagship Boeing 777 aircraft on several routes, including Madrid
and London Heathrow.
The airline continued its European expansion with the Italian city of Venice joining the airline’s growing
network, effective 15 June, 2011. It became the Doha-based airline’s 26th European destination in a
remarkable period of growth which has seen seven new routes introduced on the Continent during
the period January 2010-2011. Scheduled services to the German automobile manufacturing city of
Stuttgart began in March 2011.
Etihad Airways is also increasing its reach in Europe, with many new planned flights to the United
Kingdom, Germany, Italy and other European destinations. In fact, in its commitment to the important
European market, it has announced that a customer contact centre will be opened in Manchester in
2012, in addition to its existing call centres in the United Arab Emirates, India and Australia.
5.2 Structure and Organization of the Travel Trade

The structure of the travel trade in the Middle East is different from that in Europe. International leisure
travel is orientated towards families with a high emphasis on individually tailored arrangements.
A substantial proportion of the expatriate population in GCC countries tends to undertake VFR travel as
opposed to pure leisure holidays as they ‘go home’ to their native countries on vacation. As a result, there
is limited formal group leisure movement, restricted mainly to countries such as Egypt and Lebanon that
primarily have native population. Corporate incentive travel is at a fairly nascent stage though much
developed when compared with just five years ago (since 2005-2006).
In the last few years, airline packages/holiday packages are beginning to emerge as desirable alternatives
to FIT travel, offering better value for money. The internet is beginning to play an important role in travel
planning and research and has an impact on destination and product selection.
Whilst still in its early stages in some countries, the use of internet is rapidly expanding especially
in the Gulf countries. Some of the travel agents are already on e-mail, have their own websites and
undertake e-mail direct marketing campaigns. Online reservation services are also offered by some
travel companies.
5.2.1 Travel Agencies and Tour Operators

There are well over 6,000 travel agents and tour operators in the Middle East, of which over 60% are
concentrated in three main tourism markets viz. Saudi Arabia (1,320), Egypt (1,200) and United Arab
Emirates (1,400). However, the vast majority are constituted of small operations (employing less than
ten people) and are primarily ticketing agents with a focus on airline ticket sales as their main activity.
By and large, the majority of the travel agencies operate from a single location in the country where
they are based. However, the larger, more established agencies operate in multiple markets within the
region. These larger agencies, particularly in the Gulf countries, tend to be part of diversified business
groups with multiple lines of business e.g. trading, retail, construction, transport and logistics, etc. As a
result, they are financially strong, have access to some in-house business, and almost without exception
would be the General Sales Agent (GSA) for one or more international airlines.
There are few wholesalers in the marketplace. Airlines and holiday divisions of airlines tend to offer this
service, with the exception of 10-15 major operators based in the Gulf region, that also operate as retail
travel agencies. A number of the prominent travel management companies are also general sales agents
for international airlines, car rentals and hotel groups.
Some insights into the travel trade distribution sector in the top five outbound tourism source markets
viz. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Kuwait and Lebanon are presented below.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia does not have a national association of travel agents. However, there is a Travel and
Tourism Committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A few years ago, 17 of the larger
travel companies are understood to have formed the United Saudi Travel Agents (USTA) association
to focus on training programmes for Saudi agents to upgrade their knowledge and skills; however, no
further information is available about the association.
According to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), there are 1,320 travel agencies
in the country. The majority are constituted of small operations primarily focussing on airline ticket sales
as their main activity. As per SCTA, the bulk of their revenue is accounted for by international flight
ticketing (62.5%) and national flight ticketing (17.5%).1
The smaller travel agencies have been hit hard by the electronic ticketing system made compulsory by
IATA since mid-2008, as also by the zero-commission policy adopted by many international carriers.
Some other airlines, including the national airline Saudia, have reduced the commission offered to
travel agents from 12% to 7% on international ticket sales. Many of the travel agencies now offer both
inbound and outbound travel services to generate additional revenue.
The established travel agencies offer readymade, off-the-shelf travel packages throughout the year to all
parts of the world. They also offer special packages during Eid holidays and other national holidays. The
more prominent amongst these are Kanoo Holidays, Al-Tayyar Travel Group, Attar Travel and the Saudi
Travel and Tourism Bureau (STTB). Other established players are Elaf Group of Companies, Alfaisaliah
Travel & Tourism, Mosaid Travel, Al Zouman and Al Diar.
There are only a few consolidators/wholesalers in the marketplace that include airline leisure
programmes.
• Kanoo Holidays, the wholesale arm of the Kanoo Leisure Group, is one of the largest in the region,
with branches in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
• Destinations of the World, a Gulf based wholesaler has offices in Dubai, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, and also covers much of the region.
• Gulliver’s Travel Agency, based in Dammam, offering online reservations at properties across the
world.
• Others include Arabian Company for Traveller Services (ACTS) and Unique Choice based in
Riyadh.
World Holidays, a division of Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) promotes destinations and packages
through its own offices and a select number of retail travel agents. Other airlines that promote packages
through their holiday divisions include Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, Singapore
Airlines, Thai Airways and Malaysian Airlines.
Charters or group movement out of Saudi Arabia is minimal. However, the Elaf Group, a leading travel
management company in the Kingdom, has recently started organizing group tours for participants of
international conferences, most notably medical conferences, in destinations such as Bahrain, Paris and
Barcelona.
1 http://www.mas.gov.sa.
Though still in its early stages in Saudi Arabia, agents have internet access and are creating their own
websites and undertaking e-mail direct marketing. Customers are also beginning to book travel packages
direct.
United Arab Emirates

There are about 1,200 licensed travel agents in the United Arab Emirates, of which over 60% are based
in Dubai, 20% in Abu Dhabi and the rest in the other five emirates of the country. The vast majority are
constituted of small operations and are primarily ticketing agents with a focus on airline ticket sales as
their main activity.
Some of the Dubai travel agents have formed an association called the Dubai Tour and Travel Agents
Group that has about 200 members. The Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Agencies Committee (ATTAC),
established in the year 2000 with the support of the department of Civil Aviation of Abu Dhabi, is the
United Arab Emirates’s largest association of travel agents with more than 250 members. The emirate of
Sharjah also has its own Sharjah Travel Agents Association (STAA), membership of which is mandatory
for a travel agent operating in the emirate.
The main providers of holiday destination products are the airlines through their ‘holidays’ divisions,
the most prominent being Emirates Holidays, a division of Emirates Airline. The Emirates Holidays
brochures typically provide holidays to over 100 destinations across six continents with a variety of
accommodation options.
In 2004, Emirates Holidays innovated with the launch of Tradenet – a real-time electronic information
system for pricing, quotations and availability – to 1,000 travel agents in the Middle East, South Europe,
East Africa and the Indian Sub-continent.
Etihad Airways also set up Etihad Holidays in November 2003 with the aim of creating and offering
holiday packages to ‘suit a variety of budgets and tastes’. The current programme (2011) features a
choice of more than 210 hotels and 35 destinations in 17 countries, in the Middle East, Africa, Asia,
Australia, Europe and North America.
Air Arabia offers ‘ready to go’ and tailor-made holiday packages through its division Air Arabia Holidays
to multiple destinations in 24 countries.
Several regional and international airlines also promote their destinations and packages in the United
Arab Emirates with travel brochures and catalogues.
On a smaller scale, a number of leading travel agents offer holiday travel packages through the year,
to various parts of the world. Special efforts are made to promote 2-3 night packages during short
breaks such as the Eid holidays, National Day holidays, the New Year and other long weekends. Travel
packages of 7-14 nights’ duration and longer are usually promoted for summer holiday travel.
The largest retail travel services company in the United Arab Emirates is Dnata, established in 1959
by the Dubai Government. Its specialist leisure division Dnata Holidays features a wide choice of
destinations and products targeted towards the multinational population of the United Arab Emirates.
Some of the other prominent travel agents in the United Arab Emirates are Orient Travel & Touring
Agency (OTTA), Sharjah National Travel & Tourist Agency, Kanoo Holidays, Thomas Cook Al-Rostamani,
Al Futtaim Travel and MMI Travel Centre.
Apart from travel and tour operations, some agencies operate as consolidators of hotel rates in a variety
of destinations of interest to the United Arab Emirates traveller, whether on business or on leisure. The
best known of these consolidators is the Dubai-based Destinations of the World that operates through a
number of franchised offices across the Gulf and Middle East.
Some of the larger travel agents also obtain preferential rates from hotels and other destination
management companies worldwide for onward distribution through the retail travel trade.
Egypt
The Egyptian Travel Agents Association (ETAA) is an active body with over 90% of the travel companies
in Egypt as its members. There are over 1,200 travel agents in the country, of which over 200 are ground
handlers/inbound agencies only. About 700 travel agencies are mainly Hajj and Umrah travel service
providers. About 300 travel companies offer both inbound and outbound travel services, including tour
operations.
It is understood that about 30-35 travel agencies are strong in outbound travel services. Amongst these,
the more prominent ones are: Travco Group, Misr Travels, Blue Sky Travel Group, Mina Tours, Tivoli
Travel Agency, Kanoo American Express, Thomas Cook and South Sinai Travel.
Travco operates in most fields related to the tourism and travel sectors: inbound and outbound tourism,
ground transport, air transport, airline ticketing, car rental, Nile cruises (ownership and management),
hotels (ownership and management), airline and airport ground handling.
Travco offers three to seven nights’ packages to European destinations in association with various
airlines, for example a 3-night holiday travel package to Prague with Czech Airlines and a 6-night
holiday package to Munich and Salzburg with Air Berlin Airlines. It also offers charter programmes to
Beirut, Paris and Istanbul.
Thomas Cook Holidays promotes outbound travel packages to destinations around the world. In
Europe, its holiday packages are offered for travel to Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, Czech Republic,
France, Italy and Austria.
Kanoo American Express offers themed holidays to Europe such as beach holidays, cruise vacations,
cultural trips and nature tours. It also offers ski vacation packages to Austria.
The Majority of the large travel companies have wholesale operations for inbound travel. In terms
of outbound travel, Global Access is one of the largest travel wholesale companies based in Cairo,
which caters to over 300 travel agencies within Egypt. Travel companies like Kanoo American Express
and Travco directly obtain preferential prices from hotels and destination management companies
worldwide.
Kuwait
There are about 1,000 travel agents in the country. The majority, constituted of small operations, primarily
focus on airline ticket sales as their main activity. The Kuwait Travel & Tourism Agencies Association
(KTTA), of which all agencies are members, has been established under the aegis of the Kuwaiti General
Directorate of Civil Aviation.
There are about 5-6 large travel companies in Kuwait, mainly divisions of local industrial and business
houses, that control much of the travel business, both inbound and outbound, including tour operations,
in Kuwait. These include Alghanim Travel, Al-Mulla Travel Bureau, Al Sayer Travels, Barakat Travel,
Boodai Aviation Group, Destinations of the World, Al Riyadh Travels, Al Shamel Travel & Tourism and
Behbehani Travel Bureau.
Alghanim Travel is a division of Alghanim Industries, the largest, most diversified privately owned group
of companies in Kuwait. Recognised as the pioneer of the Kuwait travel industry, Alghanim Travel is the
largest and oldest travel distributor in Kuwait, specializing in Business/Corporate travel, Holidays and
Leisure, Retail outlets, Airline GSA’s and a host of other travel related products and services.
Alghanim Travel represents British Airways, Gulf Air, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Air Arabia, Cunard and
Eurorail. It is also the franchise partner for American Express. It is the only travel organization in Kuwait
to offer credit facilities to individual clients for the purchase of air tickets/tour packages/cruises. It offers
tours and packages round the year, to regional and international destinations, including Europe.
Al-Mulla Travel Bureau, part of the diversified Al-Mulla Group of Companies, is the first IATA accredited
travel agency in Kuwait. It is a full-fledged travel agency offering holiday packages, ticketing, tours and
safaris catering to both inbound and outbound travel. It is one of the major outbound tour organizers
in Kuwait’s travel market, covering a wide range of travel related products such as hotel bookings and
car rentals, cruises, travel insurance, religious tours, summer school packages, medical and health/spa
tourism and other tailor-made holiday packages for both individual and group requirements.
The Boodai Aviation Group, member of the City Group Co., a leading company in the transportation
sector in Kuwait, is a full service travel company offering travel, tour and cargo services. It is the GSA
for Air China, American Airlines, Royal Brunei, Emirates Holidays, Daallo Airlines, Shaheen Air and Air
France. It offers comprehensive tour packages and tailored travel packages to short haul and long haul
destinations around the world.
Kuwait Airways Holidays, a division of Kuwait Airways, promotes all-inclusive holiday packages to
select destinations around the world. These packages are sold through its own offices and through select
retail travel agents in Kuwait and within the region.
Several international airlines also promote their destinations and packages in Kuwait through their
GSAs. These include airlines such as the Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, British Airways,
Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and Malaysian Airlines.
The Dubai-based Destinations of the World (DOTW) has a local office in Kuwait that provides the retail
travel trade the facility of an Online Reservation System to book hotels, apartments, Ground Services
and Car Rental in more than 1,200 cities worldwide.
Alshamel International is another wholesaler of travel related services. From its head offices in Kuwait as
well as regional offices across the Middle East, Alshamel Holidays services the needs of travel agencies
all over the world, but especially in the GCC.
Lebanon
There are about 500 travel companies in Lebanon, of which about 300 are considered active. Over
200 are members of the Association of Travel and Tourist Agents in Lebanon (ATTAL). The majority are
primarily focussed on airline ticket sales as their main activity. About 100 agencies are involved in
outbound travel of which 30 also handle outbound tour operations.
The prominent travel companies in Lebanon are: Saad Travel, Target Travels, Anastasia Travel & Tourism
and Nakhal & Cie.
Saad Travel, a division of Saad Transport, one of the oldest companies in the travel and transport business
in Lebanon, offers 5-14 day travel packages to destinations around the world. These packages are also
sold through the retail travel trade.
Target Travels offers ready travel packages and custom packages to destinations around the world. Target
Travel is a founding partner of RADIUS (www.radiustravel.com), the world’s largest travel management
company with reputed partner agencies all over the world. This gives it access to negotiated special
deals and offers with hotels and airlines and other travel suppliers worldwide.
Established in 1959, Nakhal is one of the oldest Lebanese travel agencies and among the most specialized
ones in the tourism and travel industry. Amongst its services, it offers tour packages and charters to
various destinations around the world. Its summer programs include tours to Austria, Italy, France,
Spain, Denmark, Sweden and China. Nakhal is the GSA for Armavia, the national airline of Armenia,
Costa Cruises – the European cruise company and Club Med – the international club resort company.
MEA Holidays, the holidays division of the national carrier Middle East Airlines, offers all-inclusive
travel packages round the year that are sold through the airline’s offices around the world and through
select retail travel agents within the region.
Other international airlines also promote their destinations and packages in Lebanon with travel
brochures and catalogues. These include airlines such as the Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air,
Air France, Lufthansa and Czech Airways.
5.2.2 Travel Distribution Systems

The world’s leading travel distribution system companies set up regional offices in the Middle East, to
cater to the travel and tourism industry in the region.
Amadeus (www.amadeus.com)
In May 2008, Amadeus, a global leader in technology for the travel and tourism industry, launched its
Middle East Regional Hub in Dubai. The Amadeus System is installed on more than 9,800 travel agency
point of sale terminals that can make bookings on all of the Middle East full service carriers.
Amadeus has an exclusive distribution agreement with twelve member airlines of the Arab Air Carriers
Organization (AACO) to offer the full suite of Amadeus Altéa Customer Management Solution or the use
of its sales and reservation component as the airlines’ own internal sales system.
These include: Air Algérie, Afriqiyah Airways, EgyptAir, Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways, Libyan Airlines,
Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Sudan Airways, Syrian Arab Airlines, Tunisair and Yemen Airways.
These airlines, belonging to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, account for 66% of
reservations made by travel agencies in the region.
Travelport (www.travelport.com)
In 2008, Travelport Global Distribution System (GDS), which manages both the Galileo and Worldspan
brands, committed a multi-million dollar investment in the Middle East region in order to refine its
distributor relationships in select markets and establish a new direct support network for travel agents
in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
The company’s new, networking platforms TravelChat and Travelport Opinions are designed to improve
knowledge sharing amongst travel agents and have recently been made available in the Middle East.
Sabre Holdings (www.sabre-holdings.com)

Sabre Holdings is a retailer of travel products, and it also provides distribution and technology solutions
for the travel industry through its companies: Travelocity, Sabre Travel Network and Sabre Airline
Solutions. It has 16 offices in 11 countries across the Middle East and the Levant.
Its key clients include Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Oman Air, Gulf Air, Kanoo
Travel, Sharaf Travel, Al Rais Travel and Al Moosa Travel.
Sabre is the first GDS to launch Attribute-Based-Shopping, a new tool allowing agencies to compare
shopping by ‘airline attribute’ like baggage fees and seat selection, giving the traveller a total value for
their fare.
5.2.3 Travel Trade Associations

The Middle East region has a number of local travel trade associations, as listed below:
• Dubai Travel and Tour Agents Group, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (www.dttag.com)
• Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Agencies Council, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
(www.attac.ae)
• Sharjah Travel Agents Association c/o OTTA (www.orienttravels.com)
• Jordan Inbound Tour Operators Association, Jordan (www.jitoa.org)
• Jordan Society of Travel and Tourism Agents, Jordan (www.jsta.org.jo)
• Egyptian Travel Agents Association, Egypt (www.etaa-egypt.org)
• Egyptian Hotels Association, Egypt (www.eha.org.eg)
• Association of Travel & Tourist Agents in Lebanon, Lebanon (www.attallb.com)
• Association of Bahrain Tours & Travel Agents, Bahrain
• Kuwait Travel and Tourism Agencies Association, Kuwait (www.kttaa.org)
• Syrian Association of Travel and Tourist Agents, Syria (http://satta1.com)
• Travel and Tourism Committee at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry

(http://www.jedtourism.com/Topic.aspx?lng=en&id=8)
• United Saudi Travel Agents, Saudi Arabia
Gulf Travel & Tourism Associations Committee (www.gttac.com)

In June 2009, Gulf Travel & Tourism Associations Committee (GTTAC), a regional travel trade association
was formed. The GTTAC is a regulatory body, with its headquarters in Abu Dhabi and established by
the Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Agencies Council (ATTAC), along with other GCC founding members
that include Bahrain, Kuwait, Sharjah and Qatar.
The objective of GTTAC is to create the basis of cooperation between the GCC Travel and Tourism
Associations to lead to further growth of the travel industry in the region.
Chapter 6
Media Usage
6.1 Internet and Social Media (penetration and usage)
6.1.1 Internet
The last decade has seen rapid growth in the use of the internet in the Arab world. As per data from
internet World Stats (www.internetworldstats.com), there are an estimated 72.5 million internet users
in the Middle East (June 2011). The region witnessed phenomenal internet usage growth rate of over
2,000% during the period 2000-2011, up from a mere 3.3 million in December 2000. As per 2011
statistics, the internet penetration rate is 33.5% in the Middle East as against the world total of 30.2%.
Internet penetration rates vary by country, as the following data shows. The Islamic Republic of Iran, the
Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen recorded maximum growth (+10,000%) from extremely low bases.
Table 6.1 Middle East Internet Usage, 2011
Country % Population User growth (%)
(penetration) (2000-2011)
Bahrain 53.5 1,523.3
Iran 46.9 14,500.0
Iraq 2.8 6,783.2
Israel 70.4 314.4
Jordan 26.8 1,268.3
Kuwait 42.4 633.3
Lebanon 29.0 300.6
Oman 48.4 1,527.8
Palestine (West Bk.) 53.7 3,840.0
Qatar 66.5 1,779.3
Saudi Arabia 43.6 5,600.0
Syria 19.8 14,796.7
United Arab Emirates 69.0 383.7
Yemen 9.7 15,560.0
Total Middle East 33.5 2,107.1

Source: http://www.internetworldstats.com.
6.1.2 Social Media

In the Arab world where societies remain conservative, authoritarian states dominate and many topics
are off-limits for traditional media, social media is opening up social interactions on an unprecedented
scale. Spurred by increasing broadband penetration, Facebook and other social media platforms are
growing at a phenomenal pace in the Middle East.
After launching its Arabic version in March 2009, Facebook’s registered user base soared to reach
nearly 10 million within a year. By June 2011, Internet World Stats reported over 16 million Facebook
subscribers in the Middle East. In the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, 45% and 32% of the total
population respectively is on the site – putting these countries in the top quartile of the nearly 100
countries that Facebook reports country data on. In Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon and Qatar, over 20% of
the population uses Facebook.
In terms of hard numbers, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates lead with 7.1 million, 3.9
million and 2.2 million monthly active Facebook users as of May 2011 (Inside Facebook, 2011).
Twitter has seen increased popularity after it launched its Arabic version. Twitter’s Arabic community
is estimated at 35,000-45,000. Personal blogging is also catching on in the Middle East. Popular
social media site Jeeran claims it has 160,000 blogs running on its platform; however, active blogs are
estimated to be about 35,000 across the region. Popular blog topics include religion, politics, media,
culture and international affairs.
Social media users are also becoming more social organizing Tweetups, blogger meetings, and other
social media events across the region. In a recent survey, 95% of Twitter users welcomed brand
engagement on the platform, indicating openness to social media marketing (Nxtbook Media, 2010).
Google also has its sights set on the social networking space with its Buzz service. Google’s travel and
social networking initiatives coincide with its new Arabic website, Ahlan Online, designed to teach
Arabic speakers how to use Google tools to navigate the internet.1
From the travel and tourism standpoint, it is not only the flight ticket booking business that is going
online. Travellers are increasingly using the internet to not only book holidays and hotel rooms, but also
to share recommendations with one another on social networking sites.
Facebook is now being used by Middle East hotel chains to attract customers. The hotel company
Starwood’s Aloft Abu Dhabi, having used the social networking site as the platform for its opening
campaign, now has 7,000 Facebook users.
“Cairo is the third most popular location for Facebook viewers after the United States of America and
Canada,” according to the Canadian-based Fairmont Hotels and Resorts (Cairo).2
6.2 Online Travel Planning, Booking and Purchase

Across the region, Middle East travellers are increasingly using the internet for travel planning and
research; however travel booking and purchase patterns are fairly low, though these vary by country.
During the Travel Distribution Summit for the Middle East held in Dubai in June 2008, it was revealed
that just 2% of travel bookings come from the internet in the Middle East. Low credit card penetration,
issues related to online payment gateways, security of transactions and 13 different currencies (different
in individual countries) were stated as some of the hurdles in the region impacting adoption of travel
bookings and purchase. Yet, high social use of internet and growing consumer confidence indicate that
the Middle East market is ready to embrace the web as a channel for travel distribution.3
1 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=38705.
2 http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100425/BUSINESS/704259966/1137.
3 http://www.eyefortravel.com/node/14425.
Media Usage 63
Within the Middle East, the GCC leads e-commerce transactions. Studies show that the present volume
of e-commerce in the GCC is about US$ 100 billion. The United Arab Emirates is the most advanced
Arab country in e-commerce, with a quarter of United Arab Emirates residents using the internet for
commercial transactions.
United Arab Emirates e-commerce is expected to have totalled US$ 36 billion by 2010. In Saudi
Arabia, e-commerce transactions were valued at US$ 12 billion in 2008. Books and modern electronic
equipment, such as mobile phones, are the most purchased commodities online.
The online travel retail business in the Middle East region is seen to grow by 25% annually and is
expected to touch the US$ 250 million-mark by 2011. According to Euromonitor International, the
spread of online travel distribution will begin with flights, followed by hotels and packages thereafter.
Internet travel retail is expected to grow from 2.3% in 2007 to 3.8% by 2011. However, although
internet retail will experience high growth rates, most of travel retail will still be done offline with online
travel driven predominantly by the expatriate community.4
In the GCC, online travel booking is comparatively higher compared to other Middle Eastern countries.
According to a regional travel management firm in the GCC, about 50% of the citizens research travel
online, and 5% book online.5
From an hotelier’s perspective, hotel direct, voice and the traditional agency are still very high producers
because the Middle East is still a developing region, combined with a culture that is built on relationships.
However, hotel groups are increasingly making efforts to maximise online direct and indirect distribution.
Recognising the importance of direct online bookings, some hoteliers have incorporated an online
booking engine on their websites. The regional hotel group Rotana claims that since the new direct
booking engine was introduced on rotana.com in late 2010, the company has seen bookings more than
double.
Rotana is working to drive more traffic to its website and to increase the booking conversion rate. It
expects that 50% of its business will be generated online within the next two to four years.6
6.3 Travel Sites and Portals

There are a limited number of ‘local’ online travel agencies (OTAs) in the Middle East. However, most
international OTAs accept bookings from Middle East travellers.
myTravelChannel.com is the leading travel portal in the Middle East. The channel is owned and has been
developed exclusively by the Emirates Group (www.ekgroup.com), the region’s largest travel provider,
which owns Emirates Airline, Emirates Holidays, Dnata Travel Services and Emirates SkyCargo. Further,
to enable full market coverage, the channel has also developed a network of suppliers and partners
within the region.
OctopusTravel.com is an on-line travel company with offices in London, Hong Kong (China), New
York, Osaka, Rome and Sydney offering discounted hotels in 121 countries worldwide, apartments,
sightseeing tours, its own Travel Guides and other travel related services. OctopusTravel is a Travelport
Inc. brand. To serve the Middle East market, it has established a regional office in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates.
Hotels.com, a leading provider of hotel accommodation worldwide, launched its first Arabic-language
site www.fanadeq.hotels.com in May 2009. Hotel.com’s parent firm, Expedia Inc., has recently opened
a regional office in Dubai. Expedia’s Inc. Middle East portal in dual-language – English and Arabic, is
expected to be launched as well.
4 http://www.eyefortravel.com/node/14424.
5 http://www.discovertheworld.com/office/48/United Arab Emirates.
6 http://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/10356-rotana-revelations/2/.
In the last two years, India’s MakeMyTrip.com and ClearTrip.com have both launched local travel
portals in the United Arab Emirates - MakeMyTrip.ae and ClearTrip.ae, primarily to cater to the large
Indian community resident in the Gulf region. MakeMyTrip.com has appointed a number of General
Sales Agents across the Middle East.
At the same time, Amadeus, a leading provider of technology and distribution solutions for the travel
and tourism industry, has launched Amadeus Agency Internet Engine (e-Power) Corporate Edition, a
new corporate self booking tool designed for travel agencies in the Middle East. The system is designed
for travel agents and travel portals selling their products and services online and can be used to book
flights, hotels and car rentals. It is available in 23 languages including Arabic.
Apparently, the region’s first OTA UFlyOnline.com, which offered a range of travel products in eight
countries in the Middle East and North Africa region has temporarily suspended bookings, although its
web portal is still active.
Practically all Middle Eastern airlines offer the facility of online reservations and payments on their web
sites. Air Arabia already has the largest proportion of internet-based bookings in the Middle East region
through its website. Most regional airlines promote online ticket sales by offering special deals, offers
for extra miles and exclusive cash plus miles offers to their online visitors and frequent flyer programme
members.
Other regional and international airlines also offer online booking facilities.
Online reservation services are now being offered by the larger, more established travel agencies as
well. However, the majority offer customers the flexibility of making reservations with or without online
payment (refer Chapter 8: primary research with the travel trade).
6.4 Travel Trade Press

A number of dedicated travel trade magazines and journals serve the Middle East market. These include:
Table 6.2 Travel Publications in the Middle East
Publication Publisher Language/ Readership Profile

frequency
Arabian Travel News ITP Publishing, English, 23,912 For travel agents and
www.itp.com United Arab Emirates monthly travel providers
Hotelier Middle East (digital) ITP Publishing, English, 18,000 For hospitality
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com United Arab Emirates fortnightly industry professionals
Travel & Tourism News (TTN) Al Hilal Publishing & English, 8,427 For travel agents and
Middle East (print and online) Marketing Group monthly 27,945 (online) travel professionals
www.ttnworldwide.com
Business Traveller Middle East Motivate Publishing, English, 26,437 For international
www.motivatepublishing.com United Arab Emirates bimonthly business travellers
Travel Trade Gazette MENA TTG Middle East & English, 20,000 For travel
(TTG Mena) North Africa Ltd, fortnightly professionals and
www.ttgmena.com Cyprus business travellers
Travel Trade Weekly (TTW) Travel Trade Weekly English, 150,000+ For global travel
(digital) Ltd, Cyprus weekly and (TTW) professionals
Travel Trade Monthly (TTM) monthly 6,000 (TTM)
(print)
www.traveltradeweekly.travel
Media Usage 65
Publication Publisher Language/ Readership Profile

frequency
TravTalk Middle East Durga Das English, For the travel

www.travtalkmiddleeast.com Publications, India monthly industry
The Arab Traveller Fanar Publishing WLL, Arabic, 36,000 For trade and
www.fanarpublishing.com Bahrain bimonthly traveller
Middle East Travel, headquartered in Lebanon, has a consumer focus in addition to focus on the travel
trade. Other similar multi-purpose magazines in the region include Egypt Month and Egypt Revealed in
Egypt; Jordan Travel News in Jordan.
Tourism news is covered fairly widely in the daily press across the region, reflecting the growing
importance of the industry in Middle Eastern economies. Dedicated features and news sections on
tourism, hospitality and aviation are regularly published in local Arabic and English media.
Tactical advertising promoting travel packages and value deals targeting the leisure traveller is usually
seen in the daily press during the holiday season. Destination marketing through television commercials
on regional television channels is also undertaken by the tourism boards of some countries.
Email marketing efforts by airlines, travel agencies and tourism boards have also been undertaken with
increasing frequency. Airlines such as Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, etc., have
regular email newsletters for their frequent flyer customers, while travel agencies tend to send seasonal
offers through emails. United Kingdom/Britain, France, Switzerland and Austria provide their tourism
websites in Arabic as well, while Germany offers an e-brochure in Arabic.
6.5 Mass Media

An overview of the mass media in key Middle East markets is presented below.
Egypt
Number of daily newspapers: 19
Total dailies circulation: 4.0m
Total TV penetration: 93%
• Satellite TV penetration: 43%
• Cable TV penetration: 0.2%
Broadband penetration: 7.4%
Mobile penetration: 72%
Top read newspapers: Al Ahram, Al Gomhuriah, Al Masry Al-Youm, Akhbar Al Yom, Al Messa
Top read magazines: Akhbar Al Nogoom, Akhbar Al Hawadeth, Akhbar Al Riyada
Top television channels: Al Hayat, Rotana Cinema, Al Mehwar, Dream 2, Dream 1
Top internet sites: Masrawy, Yalla Kora, Myegy, Mazzika
Newspapers remain the dominant form of news consumption but one-third read news online, with a
higher proportion among the younger demographic segment.
Magazine consumption varies significantly by demographic segment; celebrity magazine Akhbar Al

Nogoom has a high concentration among women and young people, while Akhbar Al Hawadeth, a
sensationalist tabloid, has broader appeal across genders.
In terms of television viewership, consumers prefer local Egyptian content, with six of the top eight
channels being Egyptian. General entertainment channel Al Hayat is reported as the most popular,
despite being relatively new, with a strong female following. Egyptians watch nearly 3.5 hours of TV on
weekdays, and almost an hour more on weekends, with high viewing among both the youngest and
oldest age groups.
Egyptians spend nearly three hours a day online, with internet usage particularly high among the
younger generation. As a result of a strong local content production industry, the majority of Egyptians
prefer content originating from their country. Among the top sites, the Egyptian news portal ranks first,
followed by local football portal Yalla Kora, movies download site Myegy and music portal Mazzika.
Facebook Arabic and YouTube are also popular.
Most common activities among Egyptians on the internet are getting information, chatting, online
games, social networking and downloading music, videos, etc.
Most common activity on the internet
Lebanon
Total dailies circulation: 396,000
Total TV penetration: 93.4%
• Cable TV penetration: 1.4%
• IPTV penetration: 0.1%
Broadband penetration: 19%
Top read newspapers: Al Balad, Annahar, Al Safir, Al Diyar
Top read magazines: Al Jaras, Al Shabaka, Nadine, Laha, Hasna’, Hia, Snob Al Hasna’, Al Jaysh
Top television channels: LBC, Al Jadeed, OTV, Future TV, MTV, Al Manar, MBC 4
Top internet sites: Tayyar.org, Annahar.net, Aljazeera, Al-Nashra, Farfesh
Al Balad, offering heavy subscription discounts and promotions, is reported as the most read newspaper
in Lebanon, followed by Annahar and Al Safir. Newspaper preferences are more linked to political
affiliations than to population demographics. Newspapers remain the dominant form of news
consumption but nearly 35% read news online, with 11% preferring the internet to print.
Top magazine Al Jaras is more popular among women and readers below 30 years, while Nadine, Laha,
Hasna’, Hia and Snob Al Hasna’ are all women’s magazines. Al Jaysh is a current affairs magazine
published by the Lebanese army with a largely male following.
Although the majority prefer to watch TV in Arabic, over 25% prefer English. Established channels LBC
and Future TV are among the most popular, offering Arabic versions of international shows such as
Superstar, Star Academy, and The Weakest Link, etc.
Media Usage 67
The average Lebanese person spends almost 2.5 hours a day on the internet. The majority of internet
users prefer to browse websites in English. Popular websites include Tayyar and Annahar which were
also the most visited news websites, confirming the strong preference for news content consumption
in Lebanon.
Most common activities among Lebanese on the internet are: getting information, chatting, social
networking, emails and VOIP calls.
Saudi Arabia
Total dailies circulation: ~1.9m
• IPTV penetration. 0.2%
Top read newspapers: Okaz, Al Hayat (Saudi Edition), Al Riyadh, Al Jazeera, Asharq Al Awsat
Top read magazines: Sayidati, Zahrat al Khaleej, Laha, Fawasil, Hia, Al Osrah
Top television channels: MBC 1, MBC 2, Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera, MBC Action, LBC, Panorama
Drama
Top internet sites: Muntadyat, Facebook Arabic, YouTube, Alam Hawaa, Al Arabia, Tarab.net
Okaz, preferred by Saudi nationals and younger consumers, and Al Hayat, popular across all
demographics, are reportedly the most popular; pan-Arab publications are clearly popular, with two of
the top newspapers, Al Hayat and Asharq Alawsat, being pan-Arab dailies. Although print remains the
dominant platform for reading news, nearly 75% of people read news online more than once a week.
The Al Jazeera website is the most popular source of online news, particularly among expatriate Arab
males. Al Arabiya is popular among people from higher socio-economic classes and under 40 years of
age.
The top three magazines, Sayidati, Zahrat Al Khaleej and Laha, are pan-Arab women’s magazines, and
women form the majority of magazine readers in Saudi Arabia.
The preferred language to watch TV programming is overwhelmingly Arabic. Top genres include movies
and sports, driven by males, and general entertainment, driven by females. Saudis spend nearly three
hours watching television on weekdays.
Saudis spend nearly 2.7 hours per day online, with more time spent by the younger population. They
prefer to browse in Arabic. All the top websites involve a significant amount of interactivity, user-
generated content (UGC), and social media; Muntadyat, a news portal where people can share news,
Facebook Arabic, YouTube and Alam Hawaa, a community site targeting women.
Most common activities among Saudis on the internet are: getting information, emails, games online,
watching videos, social networking and chatting.
United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Total dailies circulation: ~1.1m
• Cable TV penetration: 47%
• IPTV penetration: 13%
Top read newspapers: Al Khaleej, Gulf News, Al Ittihad, Emarat Al Youm, Al Bayan, Khaleej Times
Top read magazines: Kull Al Usra, Zahrat Al Khaleej, Friday, Al Sada, Sayidaty, Weekend
Top television channels: MBC 2, MBC 1, MBC 4, Abu Dhabi Al Oula, Al Jazeera, Dubai Sports
Top internet sites: Facebook Arabic, Maktoob, YouTube
In the United Arab Emirates, the diverse composition of the population with expatriates of varying
backgrounds, languages and media preferences strongly influences preferences in media consumption
patterns.
While Al Khaleej and Al Ittihad, both Arabic newspapers, are read by Arab consumers, the readership
of English language Gulf News and Khaleej Times is concentrated among non-Arab expatriates. The
National, English daily launched in 2008, is also becoming quite popular among expatriates. Print
remains the dominant platform for news, but almost a quarter of readers use the internet as often or
more than print.
The top two magazines Kull Al Usra and Zahrat Al Khaleej are lifestyle magazines read entirely by Arabs
(nationals and expatriates) with marginally more women reading them than men. Friday, an English
weekly magazine with the Gulf News newspaper, is popular among non-Arab expatriates.
United Arab Emirates audience preferences reflect the country’s diverse population, showing appreciation
for a wide variety of genres, television channels and programs, both in Arabic and other languages, and
spending nearly two hours watching television on weekdays. News and sports are popular genres,
driven mostly by men, while general entertainment is preferred by women, in particular expatriate Asian
women; among men, sports are more popular among United Arab Emirates nationals while a higher
proportion of expatriates prefer to watch news. Channel preferences by nationality are as follows:
United Arab Emirates Nationals Arabs Expatriates Asians Expatriates Other Expatriates
Abu Dhabi Al Oula MBC 1, 2 and 4 Zee TV BBC
MBC 1,2 and 4 Al Jazeera Star Plus CNN
Rotana Cinema Rotana Cinema NDTV Fox News
Dubai Sports Abu Dhabi Al Oula Sony TV Star Movies
Sama Dubai Dubai Sports Neo Cricket Fox Movies
On average, United Arab Emirates residents spend 2.7 hours online. While nearly half of United Arab
Emirates residents prefer to browse the internet in Arabic, a greater proportion prefer to browse in
English (in line with the size of the non-Arab population).
Media Usage 69
Website preferences vary widely by nationality, with the top three Arabic websites visited by Arabs
in the United Arab Emirates being Facebook Arabic, regional portal Maktoob and YouTube. Most
common activities among United Arab Emirates residents on the internet are: getting information, social
networking, emails, chatting and online gaming.
Basic information on some of the other Middle East markets is available, as follows:
Jordan Kuwait
Number of daily newspapers: 8 Number of daily newspapers: 17
Total dailies circulation: 313,000 Total dailies circulation: 961,000
Total TV penetration: 95% Total TV penetration: 99%
• Satellite TV penetration: 78% • Satellite TV penetration: 91%
• Cable TV penetration: 1% • Cable TV penetration: 9%
• IPTV penetration: 0.1% • IPTV penetration: 0.1%
Broadband penetration: 15% Broadband penetration: 24.5%
Mobile penetration: 95% Mobile penetration: 109%
Oman Qatar
Number of daily newspapers: 8 Number of daily newspapers: 7
Total dailies circulation: 274,000 Total dailies circulation: 211,000
Total TV penetration: 86% Total TV penetration: 93.5%
• Satellite TV penetration: 48% • Satellite TV penetration: 75.5%
• IPTV penetration: 0.1% • Cable TV penetration: 3.2%
Broadband Penetration: 9.7% • IPTV penetration: 13.5%
Mobile penetration: 130% Broadband penetration: 84%
The data in this section is sourced from: Arab Media Outlook 2009-2013 Report - 3rd edition
http://www.dpc.org.ae/UserFiles/AMO%20Eng%20combined.pdf
Chapter 7
Other Market Information

7.1 National Tourism Organizations with Offices in the Middle East

A large number of National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) of international destinations are represented
in the Middle East. Since the United Arab Emirates/Dubai is widely seen as the tourism hub of the
region, the majority of NTOs have their regional offices located in Dubai. Some NTOs have instead
appointed local representatives for trade and media coordination.
NTOs with regional offices in Dubai include:
• Austria • Jordan • Morocco* • Switzerland
• Cyprus • Kenya • Oman • Thailand
• France • Korea • Philippines • Tunisia
• Germany • Malaysia* • Seychelles • Turkey
• India • Mauritius • Singapore • United Kingdom
• Ireland • Monaco • Sri Lanka

* Also in Saudi Arabia
Australia and New Zealand had set up offices in Dubai, but it is understood that both offices have
stopped operations from early 2010. For Australia, the Middle East region is now being handled by their
office in Malaysia.
7.2 Travel Trade Fairs in the Middle East

The most important travel trade fair in the Middle East region, by far, is the Arabian Travel Market, held
annually in May in Dubai.
Provided overleaf is a listing of some of the main travel trade events held in the region.
Table 7.1 Travel Trade Fairs in the Middle East
Trade show/ Fair Description Venue Date
Arabian Travel Market Most significant annual travel Dubai May each year
www.arabiantravelmarket.com trade show in the Middle East
region
Bahrain International Travel Expo Well established travel Bahrain May each year
www.bitebahrain.com exhibition held annually in (cancelled in 2011)
the Kingdom of Bahrain
Business Travel Show Dedicated event for buyers Dubai, October each year
www.businesstravelshowdubai.com and bookers of corporate United Arab (2011 event postponed
travel in the Middle East, Emirates to 2012)
Gulf Incentive Business Travel International event for the Abu Dhabi, March each year
and Meetings business travel and meetings United Arab
www.gibtm.com industry Emirates
Trade show/ Fair Description Venue Date
Oman Travel Market Premier exhibition for the Muscat, May each year
www.oite.com/otm travel and tourism industry Oman
Arab World Travel & Tourism International event for the Beirut, No fixed date/time
Exchange travel and tourism industry Lebanon
www.awtte.com
Riyadh Travel Fair Global forum for travel and Riyadh, May/June each year
www.riyadhtravel.net/ tourism agencies in the Saudi Arabia
capital city of Saudi Arabia
Due to the political unrest in Bahrain and the Middle East region, the Bahrain International Travel Expo
was cancelled in 2011. It is understood that it may not be re-instated.
7.3 Holiday Legislation/Main Holiday Periods in the Middle East

The countries of the Middle East are primarily Islamic states. Islam follows a lunar calendar that is
distinct from the Gregorian calendar. As a result, religious holiday dates occur at different periods across
years.
The main holiday period is when schools shut for the long, hot summers, from mid-June till early-
September, and again for the winter mid-December to early-January. Some schools also have a mid-
term break in March or April. The exact dates for these holidays vary from country to country. The
weekend is Friday and Saturday in most states.
For working individuals, 25-30 days of annual leave is the norm in most Middle East countries.
Muslims celebrate a number of religious holidays:
• The Prophet’s Birthday
• Eid Al Fitr
• Eid Al Adha
• Al Hijra, New Year’s Day
Muslim holidays celebrate the events in the life of Muhammad, Islam’s Prophet; the majority revolve
around the hearing of the Quran which is Islam’s most important religious book.
Eid Al-Fitr is an important Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, or the month of fasting.
Ramadan occurs in the 9th month of the Islamic calendar and lasts one month.
Edi Al-Adha is the other main holiday which takes place over three days and celebrates the sacrifice of
Prophet Abraham’s son Ismael. Each year, Muslims make an annual pilgrimage to Mecca which is called
Hajj. Eid al-Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice follows this event.
A number of websites on the internet provide dates for the Islamic holidays, such as http://www.
holidays.net/ramadan/dates.htm and http://www.godweb.org/IslamCalendar.htm.
One or two days of national day holidays are also observed in most countries in the region. The website
http://www.marktheday.com/middleeastholiday.aspx provides the dates for national holidays in Middle
East countries.
Part 2
Image of Europe as a Holiday
Destination in the Middle East
Background and Objectives
In October 2010, primary research was initiated to obtain information on the Middle East outbound
market to support the marketing activities of the European Travel Commission (ETC) and the World
Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and their member countries.
To be able to develop the right marketing message for the Middle East consumer, not only is the image
of Europe important, but also more in-depth information on the Middle East consumer’s experiences
and wishes concerning travel to European countries is needed.
Both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were adopted to fulfil the objectives of this
research. This included interviews with the travel trade, online interviews with consumers and online
consumer focus groups.
Interviews with the Travel Trade

The purpose of the interviews with the travel trade was to obtain information on the different segments
among the outbound travelling population, their consumer and travel behaviour and how the Middle East
market was expected to develop in the near future. Consumer motivations and barriers to visit Europe,
image perceptions of Europe, issues and challenges with marketing Europe/European destinations, and
trade activities undertaken to promote Europe were some of the key information areas that formed the
scope of the interviews.
Online Interviews with Consumers

An online sample survey of the outbound travelling population of nationals in the GCC countries was
undertaken. These countries were chosen because of their strong potential for growth in outbound tourism.
The survey was conducted amongst potential first-time visitors and potential repeat visitors to Europe
in the next three years. The purpose was to shed light on the awareness, knowledge and perceptions of
Europe and European countries and to examine the image of Europe/European destinations vis-à-vis
other holiday destinations among these potential visitors. The interviews also aimed to examine the key
motivations and barriers to travelling to Europe.
Online Focus Groups With Consumers

In order to obtain more in-depth information about GCC nationals, online focus groups were conducted
among potential first-time visitors and potential repeat visitors to Europe in the next three years. The
focus groups were conducted amongst a more defined target set of potential visitors to Europe, based
on information gathered from the desk research, travel trade and the consumer survey. The discussions
focussed on seeking information on travel planning and research, information sources used for
destination decision making, awareness, knowledge and image perceptions of Europe and European
destinations, past experience in Europe among those who had been there and in-depth inquiry into
prospective visitors’ needs and expectations with respect to holiday in Europe.
This part of the report presents the findings from the travel trade and consumer surveys (online interviews
and focus groups). It is organized into three chapters, each detailing the findings of the three stages of
the research.
Chapter 8
Interviews with the Travel Trade

The travel trade research was undertaken with a total of 25 representatives across a cross-section of
the trade including travel agencies, tour operators, consolidators and airlines. The interviews were
conducted during the months of October – December 2010, with a focus on the GCC countries. A list of
the organizations contacted for the purpose of this research is provided in annex I. In addition, several
travel trade companies were met and spoken with during the Arabian Travel Market 2010.
All interviews were conducted with the aid of a questionnaire/discussion guide (annex II).
8.1 Profile and Behaviour of Outbound Leisure Travellers

According to the travel trade, the majority of the outbound leisure travellers to international destinations
are well-to-do families travelling in large groups. In GCC countries that are characterised by a high
proportion of expatriates, the upper middle class expatriate community also travels on holiday to
international destinations, including to Europe.
The travel trade indicates that over the years, greater air access to European destinations, along with
the convenience of the Schengen visa for multi-country travel, has resulted in attracting a wider travel
audience that includes both the affluent and the budget travellers.
Travel tends to be in groups ranging from 5-12 people for local national families and smaller groups of
2-5 people for expatriate families. Nationals travel in larger family groups during the summer months,
July-September, and in smaller family groups or as couples during other times of the year. All age groups
are included in the travel group, as the market is family-oriented.
Much of the travel from the GCC region is on FIT (Fully Individual Travellers) basis with individually
customised travel itineraries, though there is group travel from Egypt and the Levant. Small families and
young couples dominate the demand for packaged holiday deals.
In terms of frequency of travel, the average family undertakes an annual vacation lasting at least two
weeks during the summer. Shorter vacations lasting between three to seven nights are undertaken
round the year, often to coincide with children’s mid-year and winter school holidays and other public
holidays, such as the national day and Eid holidays.
GCC leisure travellers are high spenders, yet value conscious. Comfort is very important to them and
they are very particular about the quality of accommodation, food and local transport. By and large,
accommodation preferences are for furnished apartments with the facility to cook, and for superior
hotels and resorts. There is an increasing tendency among the younger travellers to use three star hotels
and budget accommodation, especially when travelling with friends.
According to the travel trade, GCC (national) travellers request frequent changes in travel plans. Often
travel plans undergo alterations until the day before travel, and sometimes even after departure. Typical
changes relate to travel group size and composition, itinerary and accommodation. Through all the travel
planning and booking process, national travellers tend to be quite demanding and expect exceptional
customer service.
The travel trade says that their regular customers are very experienced travellers, who are quite willing
to experiment with new destinations and new experiences. At the same time, they are also habit driven,
and will patronise a destination that they have had a good experience in. As a result, some destinations
have a high repeat visitation rate such as Malaysia, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Germany.
In general, Europe is more popular among the affluent nationals, while the Far Eastern destinations are
favoured by other travellers. Turkey has become increasingly popular among all classes of traveller, not
least because of its Islam-friendly image perception.
The travel trade in Saudi Arabia stated that the popular ‘traditional’ destinations for Saudi nationals are
the United Kingdom (London) and the United States of America, while there has also been a surge in
interest in nearby destinations such as Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Oman, the Syrian Arab Republic and the
United Arab Emirates.
Across the GCC countries, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore have emerged as top Asian destinations
for outbound tourism. In Europe, Germany is becoming popular among Saudi and United Arab Emirates
nationals. With new (airline) flights to Spain, the travel trade anticipates good traffic to the country. In
addition, ‘wellness’ tourism to India is seen to be gaining popularity especially among the middle-aged
outbound travellers.
The travel trade acknowledges that online bookings are increasingly being adopted by international
travellers from the GCC region; however, the older family traveller group continues to favour making
travel arrangements through ‘trusted’ travel agents.
8.2 Key Drivers and Barriers to Holiday in Europe
8.2.1 Key Drivers to Holiday in Europe

Growing affluence and increasing spending capacity, led by growing GDP per capita across the region,
especially in the GCC nations, has boosted demand for international travel to destinations around the
world, including to Europe.
According to the travel trade, one of the key drivers for travel to Europe has been the increasing
accessibility of European destinations led by the region’s leading airlines such as Emirates Airline, Etihad
Airways and Qatar Airways, that continue to open up new routes to an ever increasing number of
destinations in Europe. Most of Europe can be accessed by short haul or medium-haul flights, and there
is sufficient airline seat capacity available to facilitate travel round the year.
The travel trade notes that, although ‘affordable’ or budget holidays are feasible in a number of European
destinations, Europe has an up-market destination image, and is largely favoured by GCC travellers who
wish to stay away from the ‘mass’ exodus to Middle East and Asian destinations, particularly in the
summer holiday season.
A key motivation to holiday in Europe is its ‘status symbol’ connotation, that appeals to the wealthy
nationals for whom visiting and holidaying in Europe is ‘in keeping’ with their social status.
Europe is mainly perceived as a summer destination. The travel trade states that travellers from the
region, looking to escape from the high summer temperatures find the best time to visit Europe is during
the June to September time period, the traditional holiday period in the region.
According to the travel trade, Europe’s attraction lies in its contrast from the Middle East in terms of
landscape and the diversity of the tourism products and experiences that it offers. GCC travellers are
attracted by Europe’s nature/natural landscape, scenic beauty, countryside, mountains and beaches,
vastly different from the largely desert landscape of their countries.
Other factors that attract Middle Easterners to Europe include:
• Well developed and organized tourism infrastructure.
• Wide variety of options for sightseeing, activities, entertainment, shopping and dining.
• Many modes of transport permitting travel to multiple European countries.

Interviews with the Travel Trade 79
Above all, Europe is seen to offer a change of ‘scene’ and a different atmosphere compared to the
Middle East region as a whole, where Middle Easterners can relax and enjoy themselves.
8.2.2 Barriers to Holiday in Europe

The travel trade respondents identified several factors that may be considered barriers to holiday in
Europe among the Middle East overseas travellers. These included:
• Cost
Holidaying in Europe is seen to be far more expensive than a holiday within the region (to
destinations such as Egypt, Dubai, Lebanon and Oman) and holidays to destinations in Asia (to
destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India).
As an example, trade respondents indicated that a 10-day trip to Europe can cost about US$ 2,700
per person1 with economy airfare and 4-star hotel accommodation, whereas a holiday trip of a
similar duration in the Asian destinations could cost half as much while intra-regional holidays
could cost substantially less (as a result of the lower airfare given proximity). In-city expenses –
hotels, dining out and local transportation – also tend to be higher in Europe vis-à-vis Middle
Eastern and Asian destinations. As a result, Europe is usually not an option for those with a limited
budget.
The high value of the Euro in recent times has also been a deterrent to travel to Europe. For
example, for the traveller from the United Arab Emirates, €1 traded at AED 4.98 in March 2009
and then rose sharply to AED 5.51 in November 2009. Trade indicates that the subsequent drop
in the value of the Euro has had a positive impact on travel to Europe in 2010, with € 1 trading at
AED 5.19 in June 2010 (which is the main holiday period in the region) and then dropping further
to AED 4.81 in December 2010.
Trade also indicates that the economic recession has had an adverse impact on travel to Europe
over the past two years (2009-2010), benefiting destinations that offered a lower cost vacation –
Thailand and Malaysia in Asia were cited often as two such destinations that benefited.
• Visa-related issues
An oft-repeated deterrent to travel to Europe for some travellers is seen to be the complexity
of applying for and getting visas for travel to Europe. Documentation requirements, processing
time and cost of visa are some of the factors that act as deterrent to travel to Europe, particularly
because several non-European destinations offer visas on arrival or visa exemptions for nationals
of GCC countries.
Further, for some European nations the Embassies are only in select Middle East countries and
cities, thus making the visa process that much more cumbersome and longer.
The travel trade also notes that since the duration of the Schengen visa tends to be limited, some
travellers prefer going to other places such as Thailand and Malaysia where visas are granted with
ease and for longer duration. For example, GCC nationals (with the exception of Saudi Arabians)
may enter Thailand without a visa for 30 days; Saudi nationals may apply for a visa on arrival
for stay up to 15 days. Similarly, nationals of GCC countries, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan do not
require visas for stay up to three months in Malaysia.
• Accessibility
The travel trade states that direct access to a destination is very important for the Middle East
travellers as the majority are disinclined to travel to a destination if it does not have direct flight
connections. Exceptions are where travel is not for vacation per se, but for reasons such as medical
therapy.
1 Exchange rate as on 26 December, 2010.

As a case in point, the trade respondents highlighted the fact that travel to Spain was limited due to
lack of direct flights; however, the country is now benefiting with direct flights connecting Madrid
to source markets in the GCC from 2010 onwards. On the other hand, Saudi travel to Austria has
been adversely impacted by Austrian Airlines going offline in early 2010.
A large proportion of travellers to Europe go to the United Kingdom (London). The popularity
of London was felt to be directly linked to the high number of daily flights from the Middle East
region to London’s airports.
According to the trade, destinations in Europe that do not as yet have direct links (flight connections)
with the Middle East may see limited tourist traffic from the region.
• Food
According to the travel trade, Halal food is an important consideration for Muslim travellers from
the Middle East. As Halal food is generally available in most European countries, it is not generally
highlighted as an issue by the frequent traveller to Europe.
However, for those who have never been to Europe, the perception that Halal food may not be
easily available or may be expensive can act as a deterrent to travel to Europe.
By and large, local nationals are felt not to be very adventurous in their food tastes and are likely to
favour Arabic food and fast food for younger travellers. Nevertheless, gastronomy is an important
element in the Middle East traveller’s overall vacation experience in Europe.
According to a trade respondent, “As long as they (Arab travellers) know they can get Arabic food,
they are happy. Many of them enjoy the experience of roadside cafes, small local food outlets…
these are easy on the pocket, and at the same time they provide the opportunity to enjoy the local
culture.”
The trade feels that the European nations would benefit from taking stock of Halal restaurants in
their main cities, and listing them on their official tourism websites.
• Language
According to the travel trade, language is not an issue for the vast majority of the travelling public
from the Middle East to established tourist destinations in Europe. Many of the Arab nationals,
particularly GCC nationals are well educated and well travelled, and do not consider language as
a barrier to travel to a known holiday destination.
However, language may be a barrier to travel to the lesser known nations in Europe – Romania,
Bulgaria, Latvia, etc., in part due to limited information and knowledge about these destinations
from the holiday point of view.
• Safety and security
The travel trade feels that Middle East travellers, by and large, consider Europe to offer a stable, safe
and secure holiday environment.
However, the greater concern for travellers of Muslim ethnicity is the growing isolation of the
Muslim community, with the international press regularly highlighting acts of terrorism committed
by individuals of the Muslim faith and recent government regulations banning the use of the veil
by Muslim women in countries such as France and Belgium. This discomfort was first seen after
9-11, and had subsided in large part during the intervening years, but appears to have re-emerged
now.
According to the trade respondents, some Arab tourists have expressed apprehensions regarding
travel to European countries that have introduced ‘anti-Islam laws’ fearing discrimination and
harassment ‘simply because a person is of the Muslim faith’.
• Cultural affinity
Although the travel trade respondents believe that the ‘modern’ Western culture of the European
nations is not necessarily an obstacle in itself for Arab nationals to visit Europe, they did highlight the
growing popularity of ‘Islamic-friendly’ holiday destinations such as Turkey, Malaysia, Singapore,

Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
According to the trade, it is not so much the lack of cultural affinity that may come in the way of
growing tourism from the Middle East to Europe, it is the European governments’ regulations and
laws such as the ‘Burqa ban’ that may curtail future travel potential to Europe from the Middle East,
if the travelling population feels they are being discriminated against.
Further, the travel trade respondents felt that lack of awareness and knowledge about Europe/
European holiday destinations, poor/unpleasant self experience on a holiday or negative feedback
from others can also be barriers to visit specific holiday destinations.
8.3 Marketing of Europe to Travellers – Issues and Challenges

According to the travel trade, the majority of Middle East travellers ‘know where they want to go
and they know what they want’. Marketing classic holiday destinations in Europe is relatively easy as
travellers are familiar with them and have usually pre-decided to visit them.
However, new (unfamiliar) destinations such as Eastern European countries need a lot of information
and ‘convincing’.
The travel trade respondents mentioned that travellers tend to ask several questions in relation to the
holiday destination in consideration. These relate to: the weather, in-destination aspects (local transport,
currency, money exchange facilities, languages spoken), Halal food, travel times, emergency handling,
mosques, hotel facilities, shopping vouchers and discounts, domestic help travel arrangements,
children’s activities in the vicinity (of the hotel), dress code, modalities for shipping back stuff to home
countries, etc.
Having access to ready information to answer these and other such questions is key to marketing
destinations, especially lesser known destinations, to Middle East travellers.
Apart from the above, the trade respondents believe that the key challenge for Europe will be how to
maintain its competitive advantage, given that the Middle East region offers its residents increasing
accessibility to virtually every country in the world.
In the face of stiff competition from destinations in other parts of the world, the trade respondents
consider Europe’s diversity – Europe is varied, lots of countries, lots of holiday options – as its key
competitive advantage. On the other hand, exchange rate fluctuations that impact cost of holiday in
Europe, and other barriers to travel (as highlighted earlier) are seen to be the key negatives associated
with marketing Europe in the Middle East.
8.4 Trade Activities in Promoting International Destinations

Tourism destinations are promoted by the travel trade using various media and promotional channels
in the Middle East:
• Holiday brochures.
• Direct mailers: e-mail and SMS campaigns.
• Online: through website.

• Mass media: print and radio advertising.
• Outdoor advertising: hoardings and billboards.
• Co-promotional activities with airlines, tourism boards, hotels.

• Seasonal promotions: summer vacations, Eid holidays.
The majority of the travel agencies offer packaged tours and flexible/customized packages for their clients
to international destinations, including to Europe. Group tours are common in Egypt and Lebanon, less
so in the Gulf countries other than incentive tours. A wide range of all-inclusive packages is offered, in
terms of duration, cost and destinations covered (annex V).
A number of European tourism boards have a presence in the Middle East, largely in Egypt and in Dubai.
These include United Kingdom, Cyprus, Ireland, France, Austria, Switzerland, France, Germany, and
most recently Spain. These tourism boards are seen to be actively promoting their respective countries
in the Middle East region, with marketing efforts aimed to attract an increasing share of outbound travel
from the region. Some have tie-ups with the larger tour operators, and provide necessary information
and support: this includes literature, CDs, promotional material, educational seminars and workshops,
hotel deals. Workshops and road shows are also conducted for the travel trade.
By and large, the travel trade believes that European destinations with a tourism board presence in
the region are supportive of their efforts; however, they feel that current activities of some tend to
be sporadic, infrequent and lack follow-up. Continuous efforts are largely from the already ‘popular’
destinations. Other destinations’ efforts are seen to be miniscule, often limited simply to participation
in the Arabian Travel Market, the annual trade fair in Dubai.
The travel trade is of the view that to popularise these other (lesser known European) destinations’
tourism offering, there is need for sustained effort, requiring some investment on their part ‘in order to
attract tourism dollars from Middle East travellers’. Keeping in regular touch with the travel trade ‘beyond
the Arabian Travel Market’ is seen to be the first essential step towards this effort.
8.5 Future Travel Trends in the Outbound Travel Market

It should be noted that the travel trade survey was undertaken during the period October-December
2010, prior to the start of the political unrest in the region that began early 2011. At the time of the
survey, the trade respondents’ prognosis on the future travel trends was based on a resurgence in Middle
East outbound travel in 2010 after reduced growth in 2009 on account of the global economic recession.
The travel trade maintained that several factors pointed to the inherent growth potential of the outbound
travel market in the Middle East, specifically in the GCC:
• Essential solidity of the Middle Eastern economies, several based on stable oil prices.
• Continuing economic activity, growth and development.
• Increase in per capita GDP in the region; high affluence in the GCC.
• Growth in population; large proportion of young adults.
• Residents’ ability to spend on travel experiences, and growing interest in international travel,
exploring new destinations and new tourism products.
• Increasing regional and international trade leading to growth in business travel.
• Increasing global business exchanges through MICE activity including trade fairs and exhibitions,
incentive travel and high-level international meetings.
According to the travel trade, 5-10% year-on-year growth in outbound travel is achievable and
sustainable over the next five to ten years, noting especially that in the GCC in particular, the expatriate
population almost always travels on their annual vacation at least once in 2-3 years (thus guaranteeing
certain growth in outbound travel from this segment of the population).
The growth in the number of low-cost carriers (LCCs) and capacity expansion of existing LCCs serving
the region is also seen to encourage increased travel in the future, especially to Middle Eastern and
Asian destinations.
Travel Prospects for Europe

The travel trade believes that, with leading regional carriers such as Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways
and Qatar Airways continuing to expand and to increase connectivity and capacity on the Middle East
and Europe air travel route, demand for outbound tourism to Europe will be sustained at least in the
short to medium term. However, Europe’s market share may be at risk as competition from other world
destinations increases.
The trade respondents feel that factors such as the economic conditions in individual Middle East
countries (inflation, unemployment), visa-related issues, travel costs, exchange rate fluctuations, etc.,
will impact Middle East leisure travellers’ propensity to travel and to spend in Europe in the future.
On the other hand, increase in business and trade with Europe can be expected to fuel growth in Middle
East business travel to European destinations.
The trade respondents consider the United Kingdom, Turkey, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and
Austria as the main holiday destinations in Europe for Middle East outbound travel. However, travel to
France and other destinations that introduce the ‘burqa’ ban would need to be monitored for possible
negative impact.
Prospects for Spain, Cyprus, Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Belgium are also noted to be good.
The travel trade believes that FIT customers will continue to dominate the travel market segment for
leisure tourism to Europe, with demand for all-inclusive holiday travel packages increasing especially
among first-time travellers to Europe.
In terms of holiday travel products, culture/sightseeing, city tourism, holiday in the mountains, beach
holiday/holiday by the sea, adventure holidays, spa and wellness holidays and sporting holidays are all
seen to offer potential for growth in travel to Europe. Cruise tourism is also seen to be an opportunity
area for growth.
Further, the trade respondents expect that honeymoon tourism to Europe will grow exponentially as
there is an increasing trend among the newly-weds, especially from the GCC, to undertake honeymoon
trips in ‘exotic’ and romantic destinations overseas. European countries such as the United Kingdom,
Italy, Switzerland and Turkey are already popular among the affluent youth for honeymoon tourism.
8.6 Promoting Europe as a Holiday Destination

In order to promote Europe as a holiday destination in the Middle East, the travel trade was asked for
their suggestions on whether Europe should be promoted as a single destination, as regions, as groups
of countries or as individual countries.
Trade respondents suggested two options:
• Promote classic holiday destinations with some of the less familiar ones.
• Promote groups of countries along themes and routes.

Trade respondents also suggested that European destinations could consider promoting their tourism
as ‘Islam friendly’ i.e. packaging existing resources (tourism products, services, and experiences) and
marketing them in a manner that would appeal to the Middle East consumers.
Additionally, some hospitality tips for Arab guests proffered by the travel trade are as follows:
• Arabian hospitality for Arabic speaking tourists, Arabic newspapers and tourist guides.
• Warm hospitality – Arabic welcome note, Arabic amenities, prayer mats, compasses, prayer rooms
on request, still mineral water in large bottles in hotel rooms.
• Addresses of embassies, Arabic-speaking doctors and Arabic (Halal) restaurants should be made
available. These can be given with the welcome letter at hotel check-in and also listed on official
tourism board websites.
8.7 ‘Best Prospect’ Customer Segments for Europe

Travel trade respondents consider family groups, young couples, honeymooners and youth (groups of
friends) as the customer segments with maximum potential for travel to Europe in the near future. In
terms of socio-demographic segmentation, the target customer groups would be as follows:
Table 8.1 Travel Trade Fairs in the Middle East
Youth segment
Young adults • 18-24 years; high school/college graduates,

• students; junior employees,
• single/married; part of an extended family household,
• mid-upper income households,
• interested in culture/sightseeing, city tourism, adventure and sporting holidays, honeymoon
trips, cruise tourism.
Mature youth • 25-34 years; well-educated – graduates/post-graduates,

• businessmen/traders; middle/junior level officers or executives ,
• single or married (with small children); part of an extended family household; mid-upper
income households,
• interested in culture/sightseeing, city-centred holidays with shopping focus, beach/seaside
holidays, leisure /theme park vacations, adventure and sporting holidays, honeymoon trips.
Family segment
Middle age family • 35-44 years; well-educated,

• affluent households,
• married, with children, large household (4-8 members),
• interested in culture/sightseeing, city holidays with shopping focus, beach/seaside holidays,
leisure/theme park visits, holiday in the mountains.
Older family • 45-54 years; well-educated,

• affluent households,
• married, with children in the age group 13 to 18 years,
• businessmen/traders; senior managers/executives ,
• interested in culture/sightseeing holidays, family attractions, city holidays, cruise holidays.
spa and wellness holidays, holidays in the mountains.
Travel trade respondents also felt that there was potential to tap the Middle East schools and colleges
market for student group travel for educational and cultural trips, summer camps, language learning
(mainly English and French) trips and sporting holidays (e.g. ski holidays).
Chapter 9
Online Interviews with Consumers

An online consumer survey was conducted in the six GCC markets, the main outbound travel markets
in the Middle East. The survey, consisting of a total of 500 interviews with consumers, was undertaken
during the months of November and December 2010.
The interviews were conducted amongst GCC nationals only. Each respondent was pre-screened to
meet the following eligibility criteria for participating in the survey:
• Is the main or joint decision maker for holiday travel in household.
• Has travelled internationally in the past 3 years for holiday purposes or plans to undertake
international travel for a holiday within the next 3 years.
• Will seriously consider a holiday in Europe in the next 5 years.
50% of the respondents selected for the survey were past visitors to Europe; 50% were potential first-
time visitors to Europe.
Quotas were set for the number of interviews to be completed for the countries under study: Saudi
Arabia: 150, United Arab Emirates: 150, other GCC countries: 200.
The geographical distribution of the sample was as follows:

Table 9.1 Geographical Distribution of Consumer Sample
Travel market Potential first-time Potential repeat visitors Total

visitors to Europe to Europe
Saudi Arabia 74 76 150
United Arab Emirates 75 75 150
Other GCC countries 101 99 200
• Bahrain (23) (25) (48)
• Kuwait (26) (30) (56)
• Oman (30) (22) (52)
• Qatar (22) (22) (44)
Total 250 250 500
The target respondents for the interviews were constituted of males and females, in the age group 20-44
years.
A structured questionnaire was used for the online survey (cf. annex III). The main findings of the survey
are presented below.
9.1 Travel Experience

9.1.1 Travel Frequency

Survey respondents were asked how many times they had been on holiday abroad (outside their country
of residence) in the past three years.
The majority of GCC nationals (87%) claimed to have travelled abroad on holiday at least once in the
past three years.
Figure 9.1 Incidence of Holiday Abroad in last Three Years (%)
Been on holiday Not been on holiday

87 13
Among those who had undertaken a holiday abroad in the past three years, about one-fifth had been
on a holiday at least seven times. 34% had been 3-6 times and 47% had been 1-2 times on holiday
overseas.
Figure 9.2 Frequency of Holiday Abroad in last Three Years (%)
3-6 times
34
7-10 times
11
1-2 times
47
> 10 times
8
9.1.2 Travel Destinations

Respondents were asked which parts of the world they had ever visited on holiday. As the survey was
conducted using quota sampling, with 50% past visitors to Europe, the incidence of travel to other
destinations is in relation to Europe.
Online Interviews with Consumers 87
Overall, the Middle East and Asia regions were the most popular holiday destinations among GCC
nationals, attracting 74% and 54% of all respondents respectively. Nearly one-quarter had been to
Africa and 17% had visited North America. Australasia, Caribbean and Latin America had also been
visited by 8%, 6% and 5% of respondents respectively.
On an average, respondents had been on holiday to 2.4 destination regions in the world.
Figure 9.3 World Destinations ever been to onHoliday (%)
74
54
50
23
17
8 6 5
Middle East Asia Europe Africa North Australasia Caribbean Latin

America America
Notably, past visitors to Europe were far more experienced international travellers than non-visitors to
Europe. On an average, past visitors to Europe had been to 3.2 world destination regions compared to
1.6 world regions visited by non-visitors to Europe.
Table 9.2 World Destinations ever been to on Holiday (%)
Destination regions All respondents All never been to All been to Europe
(N=500) Europe (N=250) (N=250)
Middle East 74 75 74
Asia 54 45 62
Europe 50 0 100
Africa 23 18 27
North America 17 8 26
Australasia 8 4 12
Caribbean 6 3 10
Latin America 5 2 7
Average number of regions visited 2.4 1.6 3.2

9.2 Travel to Europe

9.2.1 Travel to Europe vs Other World Destinations

Respondents who had been abroad on holiday in the past three years had visited multiple destination
regions. Among past visitors to the region, Europe was the most popular holiday destination visited by
73% of the respondents. Over two-thirds had also travelled within the Middle East region, and 41% had
been to one or more of the Asian countries. Albeit to a lesser extent, all other destination regions had
also been visited by past visitors to Europe.
In contrast, among non-visitors to Europe i.e. those who had never been to Europe, the last three years
saw intra-regional travel within the Middle East by 71% of the respondents. 44% of the respondents had
been to Asian destinations. Africa and North America were other popular destination choices among
those who had never visited Europe.
Figure 9.4 World Destinations been to on Holiday in last Three Years (%)
73 69 71
44
41
13 14
8 7 8
4 2
1 0 1 1
All been to Europe All not been to Europe

Europe MiddleEast Asia North America Africa Australasia Caribbean Latin America
9.2.2 Number of Times Been to Europe

Europe’s appeal as a holiday destination is evident from the high repeat visitation trend noted among
past visitors, 70% of whom claim to have been to Europe on more than one occasion. While 47% of the
visitors had been to Europe 2-6 times, 15% had visited the region seven or more times.
30% of the visitors had been to Europe just once; over one-half having visited the destination region for
the first time within the last three years. This suggests that Europe continues to attract first-time visitors
from the GCC countries, all of whom have indicated intent to visit Europe again in the next three years.
About one-tenth of the respondents could not recall/did not know the number of visits made to Europe,
having been there ‘several’ times.
Figure 9.5 Number of Times been to Europe (%)

4-6 times
2-3 times
17
30
7 times or more often

15
Once Can´t remember

30 8
9.2.3 Countries Visited in Europe and How Often

Over the years, visitors to Europe have explored a large number of European holiday destinations.
France, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Greece and
Belgium were the top ten countries ever visited on holiday by GCC nationals.
Other European countries visited on holiday include Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Hungary,
Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Malta, Spain, Poland, Portugal and Monaco.
Figure 9.6 European Countries ever Visited on Holiday (%)
52 52
47
40
36
33
28 27
22
19 17
12 12
10 9 7 7
3 3 2 2
France
United Kingdom
Turkey
Germany
Italy
Austria
Switzerland
The Netherlands
Greece
Belgium
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Sweden
Hungary
Norway
Denmark
Ireland
Malta
Spain
Poland
Other (Portugal, Monaco)
Among GCC nationals, the most popular European holiday destinations were the United Kingdom,
Malta, Ireland, Czech Republic, Portugal and Spain, having been visited more than once on holiday.
The top six destinations with the highest repeat visitation (visited more than six times) were the United
Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, Malta, Norway and Germany.
Table 9.3 Number of Times been to European Destinations (%)
Country Once 2-3 times 4-6 times > 6 times Can’t say
Austria 65 22 6 4 4
Belgium 62 28 6 0 4
Cyprus 69 19 7 0 5
Czech Republic 38 38 17 0 7
Denmark 56 11 28 0 6
France 56 24 12 4 4
Germany 59 18 5 10 8
Greece 62 24 5 5 4
Hungary 81 12 0 0 8
Ireland 22 17 28 28 6
Italy 45 29 11 6 9
Malta 13 25 50 13 0
Monaco 50 50 0 0 0
The Netherlands 50 28 10 4 7
Norway 35 35 13 13 4
Poland 60 20 20 0 0
Portugal 50 50 0 0 0
Spain 50 38 13 0 0
Sweden 66 14 14 3 3
Switzerland 49 23 7 14 7
Turkey 56 22 11 7 4
United Kingdom 28 20 22 28 2
9.3 Motivations and Barriers to Holiday Abroad
9.3.1 General Motivations to Holiday Abroad

Respondents were asked to indicate their top three key motivations for travelling abroad on holiday.
Among GCC nationals, the top three motivations for going on a holiday abroad were: need to de-stress
and relax, sightseeing and visiting new places. Spending time/relaxing with family, having a change
from routine and experiencing and learning about new cultures were the other key drivers for a holiday
outside the home country.
Escaping from the intense heat of the Middle East in the summer months, spending time with friends
and meeting new people/making new friends were some of the other motivations for holidaying abroad.
Table 9.4 Motivations to Holiday abroad (%)
Motivation to holiday abroad All respondents (N=500)
Need to de-stress and relax 66

Sightseeing 62
See new places 59
Change from routine 50
Spend time with family / relax with family 46
Experience/learn about new cultures 45
Escape from the heat of the Middle East 33
Spend time with friends 29
Meet new people/make new friends 20
Participate in different activities 17
Other (shopping, get away from work, visits to religious sites) 3

Note: Multiple responses.
9.3.2 Motivations to Holiday in Europe

Respondents were asked the main reasons why they like to, or would like to holiday in Europe vis-à-vis
other world regions.
The table below displays the multiple reasons that motivate GCC nationals to visit different parts of the
world. For Europe, the top five drivers are:
• natural scenic beauty,
• good weather,
• towns and cities are great for holiday,
• prestigious holiday destination region, and
• culture, history and sightseeing attractions.
Notably, one or more of these are also among the top five motivating factors for visiting other destination
regions, suggesting that Europe today has competition from all over the world.
At the same time, there are other motivating factors for visiting Europe for which there is less competition
from other destinations. These include:
• good holiday (tourism) infrastructure,
• one visa allows visit to many countries in the region (Schengen visa),
• easy to visit multiple destinations in region (transport infrastructure), and
• to watch sports events.
Easy to get visa/no need for visa, welcoming and friendly people, ease of language, etc., are some of
the key drivers to visit other destination regions; on these aspects, Europe’s attraction is comparatively
lower.
Specifically, value-for-money holiday destination and shopping destination are among the top five
drivers to visit Asian destinations – the key inter-regional competitor destination region to Europe.
Table 9.5 Motivations to Holiday in Europe vs other World Destinations (%)
Motivations Europe Carib- North Latin Africa Middle Asia Austra-

bean America America East lasia
Natural scenic beauty 60 28 32 17 27 27 52 33
Good weather 58 40 23 17 18 25 44 29
Towns and cities are great for holiday 55 20 26 21 22 32 44 27
Prestigious holiday destination region 54 25 26 17 15 25 36 30
Culture, history, 53 20 22 20 35 49 48 22
sightseeing attractions
Good holiday infrastructure 50 13 29 8 8 16 27 19
Good quality of accommodation 48 16 31 12 15 37 40 28
One visa for many countries in region 44 na na na na na na na
Shopping destination 42 10 21 12 13 33 47 18
Diversity of travel packages 40 19 20 13 16 24 42 20
Easy to visit multiple destinations 40 12 16 14 8 33 31 10
Ease of language 36 10 31 9 18 56 28 18
Safety and security 35 11 20 9 9 42 31 23
Beaches and the sea 32 36 11 21 19 32 38 27
Accessibility 29 9 7 11 19 54 43 10
To watch sports events 29 8 5 8 4 16 11 9
Welcoming and friendly people 23 14 15 14 15 44 49 19
Easy to get visa 22 9 14 11 23 39 45 14
Value-for-money holiday destination 21 15 18 12 24 37 48 12
To participate in sports activities 20 9 11 9 7 18 20 14
Visit family/friends living 13 8 14 5 12 39 25 9

in this region
No need to get visa na na na na 7 49 30 na
Own a family home in region 7 5 3 10 8 24 18 1
Other (single currency, language 16 8 8 10 9 16 14 6

learning, activities for children)
Among potential repeat visitors, multiple reasons were cited for wanting to visit Europe again. Satisfaction
with past experience, desire to ‘see’ more of Europe, rest and relaxation in favourite European country,
experiencing different weather or different kind of holiday and shopping appear to be some of the main
attractions of Europe among potential repeat visitors.
Figure 9.7 Motivations to Holiday in Europe again (%)
Very satisfied with past experience in Europe 65

To ‘see’ more of Europe 59
Rest and relaxation in favourite European country 51
Undertake a different kind of holiday in Europe 49
Experience a country in different weather 49
Enjoy shopping in Europe 42
To explore specific countries in more detail 41
Spend time with family/friends living in Europe 41
Visit Europe with different travel companions 32
Spend holiday time in family home in Europe 15
Other (great fun with friends, geared for tourism) 7
9.3.3 Barriers to Holiday in Europe

Respondents were asked to mention the factors that would likely prevent them or someone like them
from holidaying in Europe vis-à-vis other world regions.
The top five barriers to holiday in Europe were mentioned as:
• high cost of holiday,
• need for visa,
• high cost of visa,
• need for advance planning, and
• lack of availability of Halal food (food allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines).
Compared to other world destinations, Europe is perceived to be more expensive for a holiday, followed
by North America and Australasia. The cost of obtaining a visit visa is also perceived to be the highest
compared to other world destinations. It should be noted that nationals of one or more GCC countries
are accorded ‘visa exempt’ status or can obtain visa on arrival in a number of Asian countries such as
Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
The processing time for visa application is perceived to be another key barrier to visit Europe. GCC
nationals tend to be late planners and bookers; Schengen visas in particular require starting the holiday
planning process weeks or even months in advance of travel.
Lack of availability of Halal food appears to be a general perception with respect to most international
destination regions including Europe, with the exception of the Middle East and Asia. Other factors
include language issues, safety concerns, lack of sufficient knowledge about the region, lack of cultural
affinity, etc.
The data table below displays the key barriers to holiday in Europe vis-à-vis other world destination
regions. The top five barriers to holiday have been highlighted for each individual destination region.
Table 9.6 Barriers to Holiday in Europe vs other World Destinations (%)
Barriers Europe Carib- North Latin Africa Middle Asia Austra-

High cost of holiday 45 33 36 24 9 10 16 33
Requires a visa 42 29 42 32 20 19 35 36
High cost of visa 36 15 28 17 6 7 12 19
Requires too much advance 34 36 41 31 20 14 23 38

planning
Lack of availability of Halal food 30 23 31 38 20 7 16 20
Difficulty in getting visa 28 10 37 19 8 10 12 20
Language issues 23 32 17 41 29 9 26 17
Concerns about personal safety 22 22 36 46 56 17 28 14
Have already been there on holiday 22 3 5 5 8 23 19 3
Don’t know much about region 19 49 37 52 41 11 16 38
Don’t feel comfortable due to 18 26 27 35 29 11 16 17

different culture
Past holiday experience poor/ 14 4 7 8 11 11 28 6

unsatisfactory
Friends and relatives have not 13 20 21 30 29 13 14 14

recommended it
Other (infrastructure not well 11 6 9 7 5 7 16 7

developed, security issues)
9.4 Travel Behaviour – Europe vs Other World Destinations

Respondents were asked details about their most recent international holiday trip – when they had
been, where, for how long, with whom, for what type of holiday, travel organization, etc.
9.4.1 Characteristics of the Most Recent Holiday Trip Abroad

Of the total respondents in the survey, 20% went to Europe while 80% went to other world destinations
on their most recent holiday trip. 47% had been to intra-regional destinations within the Middle East
region and 28% had visited Asian countries. 5% of the GCC nationals went on holiday to North America,
Africa and Australasia.
Figure 9.8 World Destinations Visited on most Recent Holiday (%)
Asia
28
Australasia
1
Europe
20
Middle East
47 North America
2
Africa
2
Among those who visited Europe, 40% were repeat visitors while 60% were first time visitors.
Some GCC nationals had visited more than one country on their recent holiday trip to Europe. Altogether,
twenty European countries had been visited, of which ten countries were the main holiday destinations
– Turkey, United Kingdom, Austria, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Cyprus and
Germany.
Figure 9.9 European Destinations Visited on most Recent Holiday (%)
United Kingdom 26
19
France 26
16
Turkey 23
23
Austria 23
16
Germany 12
5
Italy 9
5
The Netherlands 7
4
Switzerland 5
5
Spain 5
5
Czech Republic 5
Ireland 5
Cyprus 2
2
Belgium 2
Denmark 2
Hungary 2
Norway 2
Portugal 2
Greece 1
Malta 1 Destinations visited

Main holiday destination
Sweden 1
For over one-third of the visitors to Europe, the summer months of July to September were the main
travel months. However, as the data below indicates, travel to Europe was fairly well spread out through
the other months of the year, suggesting that Europe is seen as a year-round holiday destination by some
GCC nationals.
Figure 9.10 Seasonality of Recent Holiday in Europe (%)
Jan-Mar 20% Apr-Jun 24% Jul-Sep 36% Oct-Dec 20%

17
16
9
8 8
7 7 7
6 6 6
3
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
By and large, most European destinations are long haul destinations with over six hours air travel time.
However, destinations such as Turkey, Greece and Cyprus are medium haul destinations with 4-5 hours
travel time.
Although 63% of GCC nationals spent at least seven nights in the main holiday destination on their most
recent trip to Europe, 35% spent 4-6 nights and 2% spent 1-3 nights (in Turkey and in Greece).
Figure 9.11 Duration of Recent Holiday in Europe (%)
11-15 nights
17
7-10 nights
30
16-30 nights
7
> 30 nights
9
1-3 nights
4-6 nights 2
35
GCC nationals undertook different types of holiday trips to Europe, the most popular types being culture/
sightseeing trip, holiday in the countryside, city holiday and beach holiday/holiday by the sea.
Figure 9.12 Type of Recent Holiday in Europe (%)
Culture/sightseeing holiday 21
Holiday in the countryside 12
City holiday 10
Beach holiday/holiday by the sea 8
Holiday in the mountains 7
Adventure trip 7
Visit to leisure park/theme park 7
Shopping trip 5
Visit of music/cultural/sports event 5
Visiting friends & relatives 5
Snow/ski holiday 5
Touring/driving holiday 2
Sporting holiday 2
Spa holiday 2
Cruise holiday 2
GCC nationals usually go on holiday with family members. On the most recent trip to Europe, 65%
travelled with family members and another 14% travelled with family and friends. Nearly a fifth (19%)
went to Europe with friends while just 2% travelled alone.
Increasingly, national youth (mainly young men) are noted to be going on sporting, adventure, sightseeing
and touring/driving holidays with groups of friends to a wide range of destinations around the world
(more insights in the next section of this report).
Figure 9.13 Travel Companions on Holiday in Europe (%)
Travelled with friends

14
Travelled with family Travelled with family

65 and friends
14
Travelled alone
2
GCC travellers go on holiday in large groups. Altogether, 16% travelled in a group size of five or more
people, and 52% travelled in a travel party consisting of 3-4 people. 30% of visitors to Europe travelled
with one accompanying person (spouse, sibling, parent or friend) while 2% travelled alone.
Figure 9.14 Size of Travel Party on Holiday in Europe (%)
5-8 people
14
9 or more people
2
3-4 people Alone
52 2
2 people
30
The majority of GCC nationals visiting Europe stayed in paid accommodation. About half of the visitors
stayed in premium hotels and resorts (five and four star hotels or resorts) and 19% stayed in a rented
apartment or villa/house.
Other types of accommodation used in Europe were: 3-star hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation,
youth hostels, cruise ships and time share/holiday club accommodation. Two percent of the visitors
stayed in accommodation they owned while 7% stayed with relatives or friends.
Figure 9.15 Accommodation used on Holiday in Europe (%)
5 star hotel or resort 28
Rented apartment/villa/house 19
With relatives or friends in their home 7
Bed and breakfast accommodation 5
Youth hostel 5
Cruise ship 2
Own apartment or villa 2
Time share accommodation/holiday club 2
Visitors to Europe were asked how they had made their travel arrangements, namely with respect to
airline ticketing and accommodation booking.
40% of the visitors booked a customised, all-inclusive travel package to Europe, put together by the
travel agency as per the customers’ needs.
Given that the survey was conducted online, it is understandable that the use of the internet was
common among travellers. One-third of the visitors to Europe made their flight bookings on airline
websites and 8% on third party travel websites and via destination portals. 12% of the visitors made
airline bookings through the travel agent and 7% by visiting the airline office.
Use of the internet for accommodation booking was also popular though somewhat less predominant than
for airline booking: 30% of GCC nationals made accommodation bookings online on hotel websites or
on third party travel websites including destination portals. 16% of the travellers made accommodation
bookings through the travel agent and 7% through friends and relatives in the destination country. 9%
of GCC visitors did not require paid accommodation in Europe, staying in their own accommodation
or with relatives and friends.
Table 9.7 Travel Booking for Holiday in Europe (%)
Airline booking % Accommodation booking %
All-inclusive package through travel agent 40 All-inclusive package through travel agent 40
Through travel agent 12 Through travel agent 16
Online on airline website 33 Online on hotel website 21
Online on travel website 6 Online on travel website 5
Visit to airline office 7 Through friends or relatives 7
Online on destination portal 2 Online on destination portal 2
Did not require booking 9
9.4.2 Characteristics of the Holiday Trip in Other World Regions

As indicated, of the total respondents in the survey, 80% went to world destinations other than Europe
on their most recent holiday trip.
The top ten most popular holiday destinations (excluding European countries) among GCC nationals
were Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Within the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and
Jordan were the main holiday destinations visited by GCC nationals, while in Asia, the most popular
holiday destinations were Malaysia, Thailand and India.
Table 9.8 Countries Visited on most Recent Holiday – Excluding European Countries (%)
Destination % Destination % Destination %
United Arab Emirates 17 Bahrain 4 Qatar 1
Malaysia 10 Oman 4 Tunisia 1
Thailand 7 Indonesia 3 Australia 1
Egypt 7 United States of America 3 Sri Lanka 1
India 7 Yemen 2 Hong Kong (China) 1
Jordan 6 China 2 Maldives 1
Lebanon 6 Singapore 2 Korea 1
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 5 Morocco 2 Philippines 1
Syria 5 Pakistan 1 Kenya 1
Kuwait 5 Iran 1 New Zealand 1
Travel to other world destinations followed a similar seasonal pattern as with travel to Europe. While
43% of GCC nationals undertook their most recent holiday in the first half of the year, 57% went on
holiday in the second half of the year. The peak travel months were July to September, the summer
holiday time period in the Middle East region.
Figure 9.16 Seasonality of Recent Holiday in other World Destinations (%)
37
21 22
20
Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec
Just as 63% of GCC nationals spent at least seven nights in the main holiday destination on their recent
trip to Europe, 66% of those who went to other world destinations spent a minimum of seven nights in
the main holiday destination.
However, fewer visitors (21%) spent 4-6 nights in other destinations compared to those who went to
European destinations (35%). Instead, a larger proportion of visitors (13%) spent 1-3 nights on vacation
in other destinations (primarily intra-regional destinations) vis-à-vis those who went on holiday to
Europe (2%).
The trend of taking multiple short trips within the region has no doubt been boosted by the launch of
regional low-cost carriers as also the increase in flight capacity and frequency of regular airlines such
as Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Gulf Air.
Figure 9.17 Duration of Recent Holiday in other World Destinations (%)
11-15 nights
7-10 nights 21
25
16-30 nights
10
4-6 nights
21 > 30 nights
10
1-3 nights
13
It is interesting to note the differences between the types of holiday trips GCC travellers undertook in
Europe versus the type of trips they undertook in other parts of the world.
In Europe, the most popular types of holidays among over one-half of the visitors were culture/sightseeing
trips, holiday in the countryside, city holiday and beach holiday/holiday by the sea. In contrast, in other
countries, these holidays were undertaken by just over one-third of visitors.
Apart from culture/sightseeing trips and city-based holidays, other popular types of holidays among
visitors to destinations other than Europe were shopping trips, visiting friends and relatives (VFR) and
spa holidays. These types of holidays were undertaken by just 12% of visitors to Europe.
Comparing all the different types of holidays undertaken in Europe versus other world destinations,
it appears that Europe/European destinations enjoy a more positive (and competitively advantageous)
association with specific types of holidays, namely holidays in the countryside, culture/sightseeing trips,
holidays in the mountains and snow/ski holidays.
Figure 9.18 Type of Recent Holiday in other World Destinations (%)
Culture/sightseeing holiday 17
Shopping trip 13
Visiting friends & relatives 10
City holiday 10
Spa holiday 10
Adventure trip 6
Beach holiday/holiday by the sea 5
Visit of music/cultural/sports event 5
Visit to leisure park/theme park 5
Holiday in the countryside 4
Holiday in the mountains 4
Touring / driving holiday 4
Cruise holiday 1
Snow/ski holiday 1
Other (honeymoon,fishing, visiting
religious sites) 10
Compared with those who went on holiday to Europe with family members (65%), fewer travellers to
other parts of the world undertook the holiday with family members (57%). Equally, travelling in an
extended group with family and friends was more popular among those who went on holiday to Europe
compared to those who went to other parts of the world. Instead, a larger proportion of travellers to
other parts of the world undertook their holiday with friends (25%) than those who went to Europe with
friends (19%).
12% of the travellers went on holiday alone to different destinations around the world (excluding
Europe); in contrast just 2% undertook their holiday in Europe alone.
Figure 9.19 Travel Companions on Holiday in other World Destinations (%)

Travelled with friends

25
Travelled with family

57 Travelled with family
and friends
7
Travelled alone
12
As indicated, GCC nationals travel on holiday in large groups constituted of family members and/or
friends. However, it is noted that travelling in large groups is proportionally higher on visits to other
world destinations (mainly Middle Eastern and Asian destinations) than to European destinations, likely
a function of a number of factors such as cheaper travel costs, proximity, cultural affinity, ease of getting
visas, etc.
While 16% travelled in large groups of five or more people to Europe, a far higher proportion (26%)
travelled to other world destinations in large groups (five or more people).
On the other hand, 52% of visitors to Europe did so in a party of 3-4 people as against 41% of those who
travelled to other world destinations in a similar group size. Two-person holiday travel was also higher
among visitors to Europe than among visitors to other world destinations.
Figure 9.20 Size of Travel Party on Holiday in other World Destinations (%)
5-8 people
18
9 or more people
3-4 people 8
41
Alone
12
2 people
21
As with holiday trips to Europe, the majority of GCC nationals travelling on holiday to other parts
of the world stayed in paid accommodation. Premium hotels and resorts (five and four star hotels or
resorts) and rented apartment or villa/house were popular accommodation choices across travellers,
irrespective of the holiday destination.
Travellers also used other types of accommodation such as three star or budget hotels, bed and breakfast
accommodation, youth hostels, cruise ships and time share/holiday club accommodation, the proportion
slightly varying among those who visited Europe and those who visited other world destinations.
The major difference in accommodation choice among visitors to Europe versus visitors to other parts of
the world was with respect to usage of unpaid accommodation. While 9% of visitors to Europe stayed
in unpaid accommodation (own apartment/villa or with relatives or friends), this proportion was 21%
for those who visited other parts of the world (namely the Middle East and Asian destinations where a
larger proportion of GCC nationals own property and have friends and relatives).
Figure 9.21 Accommodation Used on Holiday in other World Destinations (%)
Rented apartment/villa/house 17
Apartment/villa owned by family/friends 8
With relatives or friends in their home 7
Own apartment or villa 6
Bed and breakfast accommodation 5
2 star or budget hotel 3
Youth hostel 3
Time share accommodation/holiday club 1
40% of GCC nationals booked a customised holiday package to Europe. However, for visits to other
destinations, just 14% did so.
Other travellers made airline bookings primarily through the travel agency or direct with the airline
(online or via telephone); however, the use of online booking channels was considerably higher among
those who visited Europe than those who visited other destinations. Notably, over one-fifth of GCC
nationals travelled to intra-regional destinations by road (personal car) on their most recent holiday trip.
Similarly, the use of online booking channels for accommodation booking was higher among those
who visited Europe than those who visited other destinations. Over one-fifth of GCC nationals
travelling to destinations other than Europe did not require paid accommodation, staying in their own
accommodation or with relatives and friends. This proportion was considerably lower among visitors
to Europe (9%).
Table 9.9 Travel Booking for Holiday in other World Destinations (%)
Airline booking N=400 Accommodation booking N=400
All-inclusive package through travel agent 14 All-inclusive package through travel agent 14
Through travel agent 22 Through travel agent 12
Online on airline website 22 Online on hotel website 16
Online on travel website 2 Online on travel website 4
Visit to airline office 12 On arrival or through friends/relatives 11
Online on destination portal 2 Online on destination portal 5
Telephone booking with airline 4 Telephone booking with hotel 17
Did not require booking (travel by road) 22 Did not require booking 21
9.4.3 Sources of Information for Destination Decision Making

Visitors to Europe and other destinations were asked which sources of information they had used for
destination decision making and which information source was the most influential in their decision
making.
Friends and family and the internet were the predominant sources for information and the most influential
in destination decision making for GCC nationals whether visiting Europe or other world destinations.
Equally, satisfaction with past experience in a holiday destination was the key deciding factor for a
repeat visitation to the destination among all visitors, whether they went to Europe or to other world
destinations.
Figure 9.22 Information Sources used for Destination Decision Making (%)
67
Friends and family
54
51
Internet
25
Travel agents and 14
tour operators 4
15
Holiday brochures and travel guides
1
16
Advertising
4
11
Travel journals and magazines
3
7
General press
0
Travel channels/programs 10
on television 2
9
Tourist offices
1
8
Travel fairs and exhibitions Use
1
5 Most influential
Past experience
5
Users of the internet were further asked which types of websites they used as sources of information
for holiday decision making. Tour operator (25%), transport provider (21%), and travel booking (20%)
websites were the top three sources of information on the internet among GCC travellers.
Other sources of online information gathering were travel blogs, social media websites, travel review
websites such as Trip Advisor, independent travel advice websites such as Lonely Planet and National
Tourist Board websites.
Figure 9.23 Types of Websites used as Information Sources for Holiday Decision Making (%)
Tour operator websites 25

Transport provider websites 21
Travel booking websites 20
Travel blogs 19
Social media websites 16
Travel review sites 16
Independent travel advice 11
National Tourist Board websites 10
9.4.4 Comparison of Holiday Trip in Europe vs Key Competitive Destinations

The key competitive world regions to Europe are the Middle East and Asia where altogether three-
quarters of GCC nationals went on their most recent holiday. Presented overleaf are comparative data
displaying characteristics of holiday trips made by GCC nationals to European, Middle Eastern and
Asian destinations.
Notably, Europe’s attraction vis-à-vis Middle Eastern and Asian destinations, lies in its culture, history,
nature, landscape – mountains and countryside, and its beaches. Further, it is more of a family
destination, less attractive to individual (single) travellers.
Table 9.10 Characteristics of Holiday in Europe, Middle East and Asia (%)
Holiday characteristics Europe Asia Middle East

(N=100) (N=137) (N=236)
Type of trip
Culture/sightseeing holiday 21 13 18
Holiday in the countryside 12 3 4
City holiday 10 10 9
Beach holiday/holiday by the sea 8 6 4
Holiday in the mountains 7 6 3
Visit to leisure park/theme park 7 6 4
Adventure trip 7 10 3
Shopping trip 5 13 14
Visit of music/cultural/sports event 5 7 3
Snow/ski holiday 5 0 1
Visiting friends and relatives 3 7 11
Spa holiday 2 12 8
Holiday Characteristics
Cruise holiday 2 1 0

(N=100) (N=137) (N=236)
Touring/driving holiday 2 1 5
Sporting holiday 2 0 0
Other (honeymoon trip, fishing trip, visit of religious sites) 2 4 12
Seasonality
January-March 20 17 24
April-June 24 20 22
July-September 36 40 35
October-December 20 23 19
Trip duration
Up to 6 nights 37 13 48
7-15 nights 47 64 36
> 15 nights 16 23 17
Travel companions
None (alone) 2 14 11
Family 65 56 58
Friends 19 24 24
Family and friends 14 6 6
Travel party size
2 people 31 40 16
3-4 people 52 35 52
5-8 people 14 22 19
9 or more people 3 3 13
Accommodation
5-star hotel 28 39 21
4-star hotel 21 20 14
3-star hotel 9 7 5
2-star or budget hotel 0 3 3
Rented apartment or villa or house 19 9 21
Own apartment or villa 2 6 7
Apartment/villa owned by family or friends 0 6 9
Stayed with relatives or friends in their home 7 4 9
Time share accommodation or holiday club 2 0 1
Bed and breakfast accommodation 5 5 5
Youth hostel 5 1 5
Cruise ship 2 0 0

(N=100) (N=137) (N=236)
Airline
All-inclusive package tour through travel agent 40 19 10
Airline through travel agent 12 31 13
Online on airline website 33 27 21
Online on travel websites such as Expedia 6 1 3
Telephone booking with airline 0 4 5
Visit to airline office 7 16 11
Online on destination portal e.g. VisitEurope.com 2 1 2
Did not require airline booking (travelled by own car) 0 0 36
Accommodation
All-inclusive package tour through travel agent 40 23 10
Accommodation through travel agent 16 6 14
Online direct on hotel website 21 17 14
Online on travel websites such as Expedia 5 6 3
Telephone booking with hotel 0 20 15
Online on destination portal e.g. VisitEurope.com 2 6 5
Did not require booking (own accommodation or family/friends) 9 14 25
Other (on arrival, through friends/relatives) 0 9 14
9.5 Future Travel

All respondents had been pre-screened for an over-average likelihood of travel to Europe on a holiday
in the next five years. They were asked (a) which destination regions they would seriously consider
visiting in the next five years, and (b) which country or countries they were most likely to visit on their
next European holiday.
9.5.1 Europe vs Other World Regions Likely to Visit

All respondents intended to travel abroad on holiday in the next three years.
Although Middle East and Asia are the most likely competitive destinations for future holiday travel
among potential visitors to Europe, all other world regions are also fairly high on the list for potential
travel among GCC travellers. This suggests that competition for Europe will intensify in the years to
come.
GCC nationals aspire to explore the world, and they express interest in destinations across different
parts of the world. Interest in other world destinations is noted across all potential visitors to Europe,
irrespective of whether they have been to Europe in the past or not.
Figure 9.24 Future World Destinations Likely to Visit (%)
100
80
60
40
20
0
All (N=500) Never been to Europe (N=250) Been to Europe (N=250)
 Europe 100 100 100
 Caribbean 21 25 14
 North America 38 41 31
 Latin America 24 25 22
 Africa 45 47 41
 Middle East 77 76 80
 Asia 86 85 89
 Australasia 34 36 31
9.5.2 European Destinations Likely to Visit

GCC nationals indicated interest in visiting multiple European countries over the next five years. The
top ten European countries that GCC nationals are most interested in visiting are Turkey, Italy, United
Kingdom, France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Cyprus and Greece.
Figure 9.25 European Destinations Likely to Visit (%)
35
30
20
10
0
 Turkey 31 31 31
 Italy 29 26 32
 United Kingdom 28 25 32
 France 28 23 33
 Spain 24 25 23
 Austria 23 20 26
 Switzerland 21 19 24
 Germany 12 14 10
 Greece 9 6 12
 Cyprus 9 6 11
The data table overleaf presents the detailed list of European countries that potential visitors from
the GCC nations would consider for a holiday. It is indicative of their willingess to explore different
European regions, beyond the classic holiday destinations.
Croatia, Georgia, San Marino, Estonia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and
Serbia did not figure in the list of potential holiday destinations for GCC nationals in the near future.
Table 9.11 European Destinations Likely to Visit (%)
Destinations All Never been to Europe Been to Europe

(N=500) (N=250) (N=250)
Turkey 31 31 31
Italy 29 26 32
United Kingdom 28 25 32
France 28 23 33
Spain 24 25 23
Austria 23 20 26
Switzerland 21 19 24
Germany 12 14 10
Greece 9 6 12
Cyprus 9 6 11
The Netherlands 8 7 8
Sweden 6 7 6
Belgium 4 4 4
Czech Republic 3 3 4
Denmark 3 2 3
Malta 3 2 3
Portugal 3 2 4
Romania 3 2 4
Norway 3 2 4
Monaco 2 2 3
Poland 2 1 4
Slovakia 2 2 2
Ireland 2 1 3
Finland 1 1 2
Iceland 1 1 2
Ukraine 1 2 1
Bulgaria 1 0 2
Hungary 1 0 2
Lithuania 1 2 0
Slovenia 1 2 0
Destinations All Never been to Europe Been to Europe

(N=500) (N=250) (N=250)
Latvia 1 0 1
Luxembourg 0 1 0
9.5.3 European Destination Likely to Visit First

GCC nationals were further asked to indicate the destinations in Europe that they would be most likely
to visit first.
The top ten European countries that GCC nationals would most likely visit first are Turkey, United
Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Cyprus and Greece – the same destinations
that evoked maximum interest in the next five years among potential visitors.
Interestingly, a larger proportion of potential first-time visitors to Europe anticipated going to Turkey,
Italy, Spain and Germany first than potential repeat visitors to Europe. In contrast, a larger proportion
of potential repeat visitors to Europe were likely to visit United Kingdom, France and Switzerland first
than potential first-time visitors.
Austria, Cyprus and Greece received similar response from potential first-time and repeat visitors to
Europe.
Figure 9.26 European Destination Likely to Visit First (%)
18
15
12
0
 Turkey 31 31 31
 United Kingdom 29 26 32
 Italy 28 25 32
 Spain 28 23 33
 France 24 25 23
 Switzerland 23 20 26
 Austria 21 19 24
 Germany 12 14 10
 Cyprus 9 6 12
 Greece 9 6 11
17% of GCC nationals would likely visit some other European country on their next holiday trip to
Europe.
The data table overleaf presents the detailed list of European countries that potential visitors from the
GCC nations would consider going to first, for a holiday.
Table 9.12 European Destination Likely to Visit First (%)
Destination All Never been to Europe Been to Europe

(N=500) (N=250) (N=250)
Turkey 15 18 12
United Kingdom 13 12 15
Italy 11 12 10
Spain 10 11 8
France 10 8 12
Switzerland 9 6 12
Austria 8 8 8
Germany 2 4 0
Cyprus 2 2 2
Greece 2 2 3
The Netherlands 2 3 1
Sweden 2 2 1
Belgium 2 2 1
Czech Republic 1 0 2
Malta 1 0 2
Portugal 1 1 1
Romania 1 1 1
Ireland 1 0 2
Slovakia 1 2 0
Slovenia 1 2 0
Poland 1 1 1
Ukraine 1 1 1
Latvia 1 0 1
Hungary 0 0 1
Iceland 0 0 1
Norway 0 0 1
The main motivation for visiting the various countries first mainly centred on sightseeing, culture and
historical sites, nature/natural beauty, landscape and good weather (not hot). For some potential visitors,
recommendation from family and friends was the key motivation to visit a new European destination.
Table 9.13 Motivation to Visit Specific European Sountry (qualitative response)
Turkey Culture, history, landscape, Islamic country, cultural affinity, proximity, affordable, friendly
people, shopping.
United Kingdom History, heritage, nature/landscape, touristic sites, familiar country/city (London), friends and
relatives, shopping, good weather (not hot).
Italy Recommended by friends/family, beautiful country, countryside, touristic attractions, culture,

sightseeing, architecture, Italian food, sporting events, romantic country, visit Rome, Nice,
Venice, shopping.
Spain Childhood dream, culture, history, Islamic landmarks, sightseeing, Andalusian culture and
heritage, watch football, Al Hambra Palace, beautiful scenery and landscape, beach resorts,
friends and family.
France Dream destination, good feedback from friends, culture, history, art, museums, Eiffel Tower,
Louvre Museum, shopping, friends and family, gastronomy, Eurodisney.
Switzerland Nature, beautiful ambience, mountains, snow, great weather, sophisticated people, Swiss
watches/watchmaking, favourite holiday place, dream destination.
Austria Recommended by friends, nature, beautiful country, moderate weather, nice atmosphere,
affordable, new experience, ice skating.
Germany Recommended by friends, landscape, sightseeing, moderate weather, new experience,

Munich, science and technology museums.
Cyprus Recommended by friends, tourist places, sightseeing, beaches, sea, beach resorts, nature, nice
hotels.
Greece Islands, culture, historical places, proximity to home, friendly people.
The Netherlands Nature, greenery, landscape, fun and enjoyment, new experience.
Sweden Never been, visit Scandinavian countries, fishing, cold weather, nature, sightseeing, cruise.
Belgium Sightseeing, culture, museums, shopping, diamonds, visit Brussels, Antwerp.
9.6 Familiarity with European Destinations

Respondents were asked how familiar they were with European destinations (39 ETC member nations)
from a holiday point of view.
Understandably, past visitors to Europe are more familiar with European destinations than those who
had never been to Europe. At the same time, it is important to note that even for popular classic holiday
destinations in Europe, there are a fairly large proportion of potential visitors who know little about
them. This is true across all potential visitors, irrespective of whether they have been to Europe or not.
The table overleaf provides details on GCC nationals’ level of familiarity with the 39 European
destinations. Suffice it to say that there is scope for all European countries to raise awareness and increase
knowledge about their collective and individual holiday product offerings among GCC travellers. It may
be noted that none of the respondents chose the option ‘Never heard of it’ for any of the European
countries i.e. all respondents claimed to have heard of all the European destinations even though they
had little or no knowledge about many of them from the tourism point of view.
Table 9.14 Level of familiarity with European destinations (%)
Destination Never been to Europe (N=250) Been to Europe (N=250)
Know very Know a fair Know little/ Know very Know a fair Know little/
well amount nothing well amount nothing
Turkey 21 40 39 32 40 28
France 16 35 49 22 54 24
Germany 12 34 54 15 49 36
Greece 12 35 53 16 36 48
Spain 12 24 64 25 35 40
United Kingdom 12 32 56 32 37 30
Italy 11 30 59 18 34 48
The Netherlands 9 26 65 19 38 43
Switzerland 9 35 56 20 54 26
Cyprus 8 26 66 10 26 64
Austria 5 23 72 11 39 50
Sweden 5 18 77 10 39 52
Belgium 4 14 82 4 39 56
Malta 4 23 73 6 37 57
Czech Republic 3 23 74 4 29 67
Ireland 3 16 81 7 23 70
Poland 3 15 82 6 28 67
Portugal 3 9 88 7 25 68
Finland 2 18 80 6 21 74
Luxembourg 2 6 92 9 25 66
Norway 2 13 85 8 23 69
Hungary 1 13 86 6 32 62
Croatia 1 3 96 1 7 92
Monaco 1 9 90 4 14 82
Serbia 1 0 99 2 2 96
Bulgaria 0 14 86 0 18 82
Denmark 0 11 89 5 20 75
Estonia 0 0 100 0 2 98
Latvia 0 0 100 0 2 98
Lithuania 0 8 92 0 10 90
Romania 0 2 98 6 17 77
Slovakia 0 0 100 0 2 98
Slovenia 0 4 96 2 17 82
Destination Never been to Europe (N=250) Been to Europe (N=250)
Know very Know a fair Know little/ Know very Know a fair Know little/
well amount nothing well amount nothing
The former 0 0 100 0 0 100

Yugoslav
Republic of
Macedonia
Georgia 0 1 99 0 1 99
Iceland 0 2 98 1 4 95
Montenegro 0 0 100 0 2 98
San Marino 0 0 100 0 0 100
Ukraine 0 4 96 3 13 84
Chapter 10
Online Focus Group with Consumers

A total of four focus group discussions were conducted with consumers during the month of December
2010, across GCC markets. Focus groups were conducted online using the Bulletin Board Focus Group
(BBFG) technique. BBFGs are discussions that engage the respondent over an extended period of time
(2-4 days) allowing respondents to participate at their convenience within the time frame, logging in
multiple times a day to participate in the discussion.
For this research study, the online groups were run over a period of four days, with each group consisting
of 10-15 participants, with a total of 52 participants across all groups.
The focus groups were conducted amongst pre-screened respondents meeting one of the following
conditions:
• Past travellers to Europe, intend holidaying in Europe in the next 3 years.
• Potential travellers to Europe, never been to Europe, intend holidaying in Europe in the next
3 years.
The group profile and composition was as follows:
Been to Europe 18-30 years Males and females GCC nationals
Been to Europe 31-44 years Males and females GCC nationals
Not been to Europe 18-30 years Males and females GCC nationals
Not been to Europe 31-44 years Males and females GCC nationals
Altogether, 18 Saudi nationals, 17 United Arab Emirates nationals and 17 other GCC nationals
participated in the online focus groups.
Focus groups were conducted with the aid of a detailed discussion guide (cf. annex IV). The main
findings of the survey are presented below.
10.1 Frequency of Travel

The majority of participants travel at least once a year outside the country. Past visitors to Europe tend to
be more frequent travellers, making 6-7 trips within the GCC/Middle East region, and one or two trips
outside the region each year.
By and large, participants appear to have a fairly flexible approach to holiday travel, displaying
willingness to travel whenever the ‘opportunity arises’ such as long weekend breaks, special holiday
promotion deals from the travel trade, musical or sporting events in a regional destination, etc.
Those who have never been to Europe tend to be less frequent travellers, citing availability of vacation
time, work load and financial situation as key determinants of travel frequency to international
destinations. On the other hand, domestic tourism appears to be quite popular across all participants,
especially among Saudi Arabians, Omanis and Emiratis.
‘’We travel within the GCC at least 7 times a year, and outside the GCC, at least twice. Usually
when we go for our summer holidays, we go to more than one destination.’’
Bahraini female, 20 years
‘’It’s very flexible, sometimes we travel 3-4 times outside the country, sometimes even more often.
Last year, my friend got tickets for the Formula One in Abu Dhabi at the last minute, so we went.
I enjoy such unplanned trips, they are fun.’’
Kuwaiti male, 23 years
‘’I travel for work purposes once every month. As for leisure, I travel two times internally (within
the country) and externally (outside the country).’’
Saudi male, 25 years
‘’It depends on the vacations and the distance of the area I am travelling to – average is anywhere
between 2-3 times per year.’’
Omani male, 25 years
‘’I like travelling a lot, but I can’t find the time to do it. I travel once a year, on average.’’
Bahraini male, 26 years
‘’During each annual holiday, I travel outside the country. In shorter holidays, we holiday in the
Kingdom.’’
Saudi female, 29 years
‘’I love travelling a lot but the current conditions of my husband’s work prevent us. The rate of
travel is once a year.’’
‘’I like to travel a lot; during the last quarter of this year I travelled four times. If we get an opportunity
like special holiday or a good promotional offer, we decide and just go.’’
Emirati female, 34 years
‘’I generally travel outside the country once a year during my annual leave.’’
Qatari male, 32 years
‘’I travel two to six times a year, at least once or twice to Oman where it is easy to drive and go.’’
Emirati male, 35 years
‘’In the last one year, I took 7 international flights; for the first time, I travelled out so much.’’
Kuwaiti female, 38 years
‘’One trip per year, in addition to a number of visits during the year to some parts of the Kingdom
and to the Kingdom of Bahrain.’’
‘’Not much, maybe once in 2-3 years, depending on financial and general circumstances and
free time. I have been to United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Malaysia and New
Zealand.’’
‘’I travel 3-4 times in a year; with friends and separately with my wife, and then again with my
entire family. Internally, we take many holidays, going to a beach hotel in Umm al Quwain or
Fujairah.’’
Online Focus Groups with Consumers 119
10.2 Characteristics of Recent Holiday Abroad

The participants were asked to describe their most recent holiday trip abroad; past visitors to Europe
were asked to describe their most recent holiday trip to Europe.
The purpose was to gain insight into the reasons why the participants decided to go to a particular
destination, how they planned the trip, what sources of information they used during the planning
process, the kind of information they sought, who accompanied them on the trip, what they did in the
holiday destination and their likes and dislikes about their holiday experience.
For the majority of participants, the most recent holiday trip had been in the summer of the year when
the research was conducted (2010); however, some participants had travelled as recently as a few
weeks prior to the research, during the Eid al-Adha holidays in November 2010. Most had travelled
with family.
10.2.1 Holiday Destinations and Motivations

GCC nationals who had been to Europe had visited a number of European destinations over the past few
years. These mainly included destinations in Northern, Western, Southern and Mediterranean Europe,
namely Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland,
Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain and Turkey.
Half of the participants in the ‘past visitors to Europe’ focus groups had been to one or more European
destinations on their most recent holiday trip. These included: the United Kingdom, France, Germany,
Austria, Switzerland, Spain and Turkey. Other holiday destinations visited by these participants were
mainly within the Middle East and Asia regions: Syrian Arab Republic, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, United
Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Thailand, Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka. One participant
had visited Australia on the most recent holiday trip.
Among those who had never been to Europe, the destinations visited on the most recent holiday trip
were primarily a similar set of Middle Eastern and Asian countries visited by GCC nationals who had
been to Europe.
Table 10.1 Countries visited on holiday abroad
Group profile Recent country visited European countries ever visited
Been to Europe
18-30 years United Kingdom, Turkey, Spain, Syria, Spain, United Kingdom, Switzerland,
Lebanon, India, Thailand, Malaysia Germany, Turkey, France, Norway
31-44 years United Kingdom, Turkey, Spain, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom, Switzerland,
France, Austria, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Egypt, Germany, Turkey, France, Italy, Belgium, Malta,
Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan Greece, Holland, Austria
Not been to Europe
18-30 years United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Syria,

Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan, Malaysia,
China, Thailand
31-44 years United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Syria,

Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Egypt, India, Malaysia,
Singapore
Half of the GCC nationals who visited a European destination on their most recent holiday went to a
new country in Europe, the prime motivation being to see and experience a new holiday destination.
Among GCC nationals who had never been to Europe, visits to some of the Asian destinations were for
the first time.
For those visiting the same destination, visiting relatives/friends, familiarity and ‘always go there’ were
the main reasons, along with visiting the destination in a different season/climate for a different holiday
experience.
The majority of GCC nationals had been on holiday with their family, often with the extended family
that included married siblings and their families, uncles, cousins, etc. At the same time, travelling with
just the immediate family – spouse and children, is also noted. Some (males) went on holiday with
friends.
The trip duration varied, as people travelled during different times of the year, depending upon vacation
time available. In general, GCC nationals took longer trips in the summer months and shorter vacations
during other times of the year. Destinations within the Middle East attracted short stays as well as long
stays.
‘’The last family vacation we had was in July and August. We went to London for 10 days with my
family and we joined our neighbours over there. We chose London because our neighbours really
wanted us to come so we decided to go and spend time with them over there. We usually go to
Switzerland every year with all my uncles and cousins, but this year we didn’t go there because
everybody couldn’t come, so we decided to go to London.’’
‘’Last trip was in February in this year. It was to Syria and Lebanon. I was accompanied by my
husband and my sister and her husband. We got the idea of travel to Lebanon in winter from my
husband’s friend, so we could see the snow.’’
‘’My family and I were in Bangkok and Malaysia, in the first week of October. We chose to go
because had not been there before, and I love to travel and want to see the world.’’
‘’In October 2010 for a period of 13 days we went to Turkey – my wife and I, and our daughter
who is less than two years old. After much searching and browsing on the internet, I decided on
Turkey, because of the cultural aspect and nature, especially at the picturesque coast of the Black
Sea in the north. It is like in Europe, and same time it is a Muslim country so it is right for me.’’
‘’It was in the month of July I went to Sri Lanka and Malaysia with my husband and my son. It
was for 13 or 14 days. We had already visited Malaysia previously; as for me I wanted to travel to
Belgium but in the end we preferred Malaysia as it is more entertaining for my husband and my
son.’’
‘’In the summer, I have been to Syria and Lebanon, accompanied by my family. We stayed there
for a period of almost a month. I studied in that country and I wanted to show my family the life
I was living there.’’
‘’I went to Spain with my husband for 7 days last month. There were no other countries at the
time in my mind; had heard so much about Barcelona and tourism in Spain from the internet and
friends so when direct flights started, we decided to go.’’
‘’The last time I travelled was 4 days ago and I have only returned home today. I have been in
United Arab Emirates and Qatar with my mother, sister and my cousin and we stayed there for
4 days. We decided to visit United Arab Emirates because of our strong desire to see the Ferrari
World there; as for Qatar we go there just to visit the family.’’

Omani female, 21 years
‘’In the last Eid Al-Adha, I went to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates with the family for 4 days.’’
‘’I visited the city of Kayseri in Turkey. I remember the first visit well in 1986, as a child with my
parents. We stayed with a Turkish family in a small village. It was one of the most beautiful trips. I
went with my wife and children to the country because it was beautiful and I wanted to share it.’’
‘’Last summer I went to Turkey with friends for a week.’’

Among GCC nationals, friends and family were the key motivators and influencers in destination
decision making. The head of the household was the final decision maker in most GCC households.
Internet played a big role in destination search, with people wanting to explore new destinations.
‘’My father chose our holiday destination (London). After the exams, everyone wanted a change
of atmosphere.’’
‘’I chose Turkey because of the quietness and weather. I had heard good reviews about it from
friends and relatives.’’
‘’The idea was in my mind for a long time and I like Egypt so much and when I had the chance to
go I did not hesitate because the Egyptians are so friendly, the government cares about tourism, the
travel expenses are moderate, there are a variety of places to go to.’’
‘’I make the decision with my husband on which country to visit, and the family and friends do
motivate me to visit a special country with high class hotels, nice touristic areas, climate and the
nice weather, and of course shopping for ladies.’’
Qatari female, 34 years
10.2.2 Holiday Activities

GCC nationals enjoyed visiting tourist attractions and other popular places of interest, dining out and
shopping during their recent holiday. The majority had not pre-planned activities, especially when it
came to regional destinations. Some travellers basically had a broad ‘list of things to do and sights to
see’.
‘’I visited some tourist attractions, shopping and more is the diversity of restaurants in the country
(Syria).’’
‘’We enjoyed our stay in Egypt. We went to popular places such as the home of Raya and Sakina,
Bey Citadel and the Marine Biology Museum in Hurghada, the cinema and traditional markets.’’
‘’Frankly, there was no prior arrangement for what to do or where to go. After we arrived, I was
looking for tourist areas through the internet and then decided where to go.’’
‘’Indeed there was a prior intention to make the most of this trip, but there was no prior planning
as such. We just took it day by day, asking at the hotel, checking out brochures, etc.’’
‘’The choice of activities was pretty flexible depending on what everybody wanted to do. We went
to the touristic places, restaurants, parks and shopping areas.’’
‘’The best part was relaxation and change of atmosphere, nice weather, and the sights seen, and
enjoying with family.’’
10.2.3 Holiday Satisfaction

In terms of holiday satisfaction, majority of the GCC travellers claimed to have enjoyed their holiday
and expressed satisfaction with the trip overall and their holiday experience.
There were no major negatives cited, though some spoke about the warm weather (in Middle East
countries), delays at airports and the behaviour of officials at airports.
‘’Excellent, exceeded my expectations. Beautiful scenery and I had a good time with the family.
The weather was good and there were places for tourism and family. The most important thing is
that the kids had a lot of fun.’’
‘’It met the expectations, as the goal was to relax, be entertained and get away from work pressure.’’
‘’The trip was good, and the positive point was the change in atmosphere, and yes I enjoyed the
trip greatly and it was very satisfactory.’’
Most travellers expressed the desire to re-visit the country that they had been to, and would also
recommend it to others. The key feedback they would provide would focus on: friendly country and
hospitable people, scenic beauty, nature, safety and security and well organized tourism infrastructure.
10.3 Information Sources for Destination Decision Making

GCC nationals use a variety of information sources when researching holiday destinations. Friends and
family, internet, advertising, travel exhibitions and fairs, television programmes, films, travel agents,
newspapers, magazines, tourist offices, travel guides – one or more of these various sources can create
initial interest in different holiday destination options.
Potential travellers then undertake further research, largely on the internet, exploring deeper into the
destinations of interest. They also count on the experience of others – people they know or people who
voice their opinion on the internet in travel forums or on social networking websites.
One of the most important sources of information is the expatriate population in the GCC countries.
GCC nationals, particularly the youth, tend to ask their friends, school/college and work colleagues for
information on their native countries.
‘’Advertisements and the internet as a first source of information and then what others say about
the country.’’
‘’First experiences of parents, friends, and secondly tourist offices and research on the internet.’’
‘’Forums for travel and tourism on the internet, such as (Forum Gallery).’’
‘’Internet, especially the official websites of the Ministries of Tourism of the countries; secondly,
travel agencies.’’
Search Engines and Websites

Google and Yahoo are the most popular search engines used by potential travellers in the GCC. They
then explore different kinds of websites searching for information on destinations, typing generic travel-
related search words such as European holiday, France tourism, Ministry of Tourism Malaysia, hotels in
London, children’s activities in Thailand, etc.
Some of the websites which GCC nationals typically tend to use are: official websites of destinations,
country tourism portals, third party travel websites such as expedia.com, booking.com, hotels.com,
airline websites, travel review sites such as tripadvisor.com, online travel guides, etc. Facebook and
Youtube were also mentioned by the GCC travellers.
GCC nationals find travel forums, particularly on Arabic community websites, very useful for destination
related information and tips: people share information on weather, accommodation, how to travel
locally, where to eat, pictures of streets, people, action, food... advice is given and asked. Information on
airlines, air fares, when to book and how and when... it is extremely useful.
Participants in the groups mentioned several Arabic community websites that have travel forums. These
included: http://travel.maktoob.com, www.omaniaa.net, www.Eqla3.com, http://www.s-oman.net,
http://forum.uaewomen.net, www.alsaha.com, www.eyoon.com and www.alr7al.com.
Nature of Information Sought

GCC nationals rely on the internet and on friends and family for information on everything related to
holiday in an international destination – general country information, cities, tourist sites, shopping,
entertainment, activities, hotels, etc.
“I look for information on location of the hotel, how many rooms, room rates, activities that can be
done in the area, pictures of the hotel room, facilities, restaurants and places to visit.”
“I search the internet for information about the country and famous tourist places and restaurants
and hotels, as well as about the prices... in addition to the experiences of others through their visit
to the country.”
“I go the internet and browse the country tourist sites; especially I want to know about the weather.”
Type of Content Most Influential in Decision Making – Destination, Accommodation,

Activities
Photographs/images and videos are most persuasive in decision making on all aspects. According to
the participants, pictures and videos posted by travellers are more reliable as from these one can ‘truly
judge how exactly the place is, the hotel rooms are, activities that are enjoyable, and most important
how beautiful the place is.’ Reviews and comments by travellers sharing their holiday experiences ‘first-
hand’ are considered very influential in a make-or-break decision on available destination choices.
Not only are decisions on holiday destination made based on such factors, selection of city, hotel and
activities is also influenced by reports and pictures from past travellers.
‘’Photos with reports, comments of visitors on the place are most useful.’’
‘’Experience is the best proof of everything. Whether it is someone we know personally or someone
on the internet in a forum, it makes it easier to make a decision after reviewing all remarks and
feedback.’’
‘’The reviews from our family members, our past experience and also pictures of the hotel and its
location and prices are all important in deciding where to stay.’’
‘’One of the members of our family group travelled to Switzerland and took photos and sent us his
review. We called the hotel manager for more information and emailed the person in charge so
that they could tell us more about the location and activities, etc.’’
‘’Just as others post holiday pictures, I also upload photos and videos of our trips on Facebook
and YouTube. This is the most persuasive way to exchange experiences and help make decisions.’’
10.4 Image of Europe

Potential visitors to Europe were asked for their spontaneous associations with the word ‘Europe’. While
some GCC nationals first made mention of countries and cities in Europe, others associated aspects of
nature, landscape, scenic attractions, nice weather, snow and ‘great atmosphere’ with Europe.
Participants also spontaneously associated archaeological/historical sites, sightseeing objects such as

monuments, museums, castles, forts, etc, with Europe. Mention was also made of the European Union,
industrialised nations, advanced economies, Euro currency, famous fashion brands, art and culture, and
organized infrastructure when thinking of Europe.
GCC nationals also associate Europe with fun, ‘freedom’, fashion and sophistication, and think of
Europeans as ‘civilised’ and peaceful people. Linkage with Arabic civilisation was also mentioned by
some participants, as was racism in some European countries.
“The first country that comes to my mind is Switzerland. Then I think about mountains and lakes,
London, Paris, Germany, Ireland, Spain...”
“Beautiful nature, archaeological/historical sites, modern art, and famous brands.”

“Fun, wonderful atmosphere, different cultures, science, different industries.”

“Freedom, cleanliness, snow, windmills, castles and forts.”

“Many things come to my mind – Europe’s links to Arabic civilization (Andalusia), racism in some
European countries, magnificent scenery and nature in most European countries...”
“Europe is calm, quiet and has good, cold and fresh weather. Europe is civilized and people there
are peaceful.”
Potential visitors to Europe were then asked about associations with Europe as a holiday destination,
including countries that came to their mind when thinking of a holiday in Europe.
Similar associations surfaced as before when thinking of Europe as a holiday destination:
• Countries – United Kingdom, Austria, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Italy.
• Cities – London, Paris, Rome.
• Nature, scenic attractions, snow, mountains.
• Nice atmosphere, the organization of travel.
• Cleanliness, nice weather, greenery, countryside.
• Historic sites, architecture, art and culture.
• Sports activities – paragliding, rafting.
• Family fun, enjoyment – something for everyone.
• Fashion, glamour, shopping.
10.5 Perception and Image of European Destinations

Participants were asked to mention all European countries that they were aware of and familiar with
as holiday destinations. Countries first mentioned across all groups – past visitors and non-visitors to
Europe – were the popular holiday destinations, namely the United Kingdom/Britain, Austria, Spain, the
Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, and Germany.
Sweden, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Greece, Cyprus and Czech Republic were the
other countries that found mention across all groups. Additionally, Poland found mention among the
non-visitors groups.
Although most participants claimed to have heard of other European countries (ETC member countries),
they were unfamiliar with them from the point of view of a holiday. It was felt that perhaps tourism is
not well developed in these countries or that these countries are not geared for foreign tourists, hence
the lack of much information about their tourism offerings.
Understandably, past visitors were more knowledgeable about destinations that they had visited
in Europe. Interestingly, even among those who had never been to Europe, there was a fair degree
of knowledge of the classic holiday destinations in Europe, largely on account of information and
experience sharing by past visitors – friends and relatives – as well as by people on online forums,
Facebook, Youtube, etc.
Associations with and perceptions of individual countries that participants were familiar with, centred
on cities, sightseeing objects, natural beauty, landscape, etc., with past visitors to Europe recalling
specific places and events when thinking of a destination. Past visitors also tended to associate specific
types of holidays/themes with individual destinations.
Presented below are respondents’ perceptions of individual European countries that they are familiar or
somewhat familiar with:
Table 10.2 Associations with and Perceptions of European Countries
Switzerland Mountains, greenery, lakes, Alps, snow
Interlaken, countryside, cable cars
Sports activities like rafting, paragliding, boating, mountain trekking, cycling
Swiss watches, jewellery
France Paris, Disneyland, Eiffel tower, walking in the streets, cruise
history, historical monuments, castles and palaces, museums, art and music
Beautiful countryside
Fashion capital, largest department store, shopping
Racism (anti-Islam)
Austria Landscapes, lakes and rivers
Music, culture, sightseeing
United Kingdom London city, London – City of Fogs, underground train system, beautiful architecture
History and culture, castles, palaces, museums
Parks and gardens
Shopping, fashion, famous brands, great sales
Big Ben, River Thames, London Eye, ferry rides
Great countryside, Sherwood Forest in Nottingham
Spain Barcelona, Madrid, Andalusia, rural towns
Islamic civilization, history, historical monuments
Great beaches, football, bullfighting

Turkey Istanbul, good museums and historical sites
Islamic friendly, comfortable place for holiday, reasonable cost of holiday

Good weather
No visa required
Italy Rome, Venice, Leaning Tower of Pisa
Ancient Christian history, Roman Empire
Good food, fashion
Combines history, civilization, fashion and food
Unsafe for tourists (have to be careful)
Germany Munich, Frankfurt
Industrialized, cars, engineering, scientific museums
Palaces, museums, historical sites
The Netherlands Amsterdam
Countryside, beautiful scenery, landscape, flowers/flower markets
Walking, cycling
Belgium Brussels, Antwerp
Chocolates, cheese, festival of flowers, nature, greenery
Diamonds
Bulgaria East Europe, Sofia
Croatia Southern Europe
Cyprus Beaches, night life
Czech Republic Prague, health treatment, spa, Bohemian crystal, Karlovy Vary
Denmark Scandinavia, cold weather
Finland Fjords, Scandinavia, snow, cold weather, Midnight Sun, Nokia
Greece Islands, beach resorts, beauty, romantic holiday, honeymoon holiday
Hungary Budapest, thermal spas, famous for crystals
Ireland Nature, greenery, parks and gardens, cliffs, medical education, Dublin, separate visa from
Schengen
Latvia East Europe, part of former Soviet Union, snow, cold weather
Lithuania East Europe, cold weather, Lithuanian dancers
Luxembourg Western Europe, developed country, famous for banking, castles, museums
Malta Island, sea
Norway Norwegian cruise, mountains, sporting activities – paragliding, sailing, cycling, rain, unique
Poland Central Europe, not safe
Portugal Agricultural economy, villages, tourism not developed, unsafe, drugs
Sweden Scandinavian country, Ikea, Volvo, winter, Icehotel, fishing, ski holiday
Ukraine Eastern Europe, Black Sea, Kiev, architecture, historical monuments

Other European destinations – Estonia, Georgia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Monaco,
Montenegro, Serbia, etc., did not evince any associations or perceptions among the respondents.
Some additional comments from participants were as follows:

• “France is known for perfumes and Champs-Elysees, one of the best places to shop.”
• “I know Italy for leather industry and I know the Netherlands and Belgium for chocolate and
cheese.”
• “Austria is known for nature and wonderful weather.”
• “I have heard about the festival of flowers in Belgium and about bullfights in Spain.”
In terms of regions of Europe, most participants appeared to be aware of countries belonging to different
regions. However, it is difficult to say how many genuinely know Europe and its regions well, as the
discussions were conducted in an online bulletin board. It cannot be ruled out that some participants
may have accessed the list of European countries in different regions from the internet, while participating
in the forum. Overall, however, familiarity with individual destinations was very limited / minimal.
Asked to state the most attractive European destination from a holiday point of view, the universally
popular countries found mention across all groups. More than one country was mentioned by most
participants as desirable holiday destinations, the combinations marginally varying between and within
groups:
• United Kingdom, Spain and France.
• Spain, Italy and France.
• Switzerland, Italy.
• Switzerland, London, France,
• London, Italy, Germany, France.
The United Kingdom was referred to as Britain by a number of participants; also, London was mentioned
as the destination, rather than the nation as a whole by several participants.
A brand personification exercise was also undertaken in an attempt to gain further insight into the brand
personality of the individual European countries. As part of this exercise, participants were asked to
recommend a celebrity as a suitable brand ambassador for each country they were familiar with.
For most, sports personalities were the answer though some political figures and cine` stars were also
included. However, the majority selected the match based upon where (country) the celebrity hailed
from, or the role he/she may have performed representing a character from a particular country. For
example, David Beckham for United Kingdom/England, Zinedine Zidane for France, Francesco Totti
for Italy and Iker Casillas for Spain were suggested as brand ambassadors for their respective countries.
By and large, participants were fairly unfamiliar with celebrities from other fields, and could not
associate any specific ‘famous’ names with individual countries. Exploring options for involving Arab
personalities with European destinations, some of the participants thought it was a good idea, especially
if those from the sports and the music industry were involved.
10.6 Key Drivers and Barriers to Holiday in Europe

Participants were asked: What is the main reason why you or someone like you is motivated to go on a
holiday to Europe, compared to other countries or regions?
Nature, beautiful landscape, greenery, culture, history and tourist attractions were the primary
motivations for going on a holiday to Europe. It was felt that ‘diversity with history’ was the biggest
differentiator between Europe and other world destinations.
“Since childhood we are seeing advertising about these (European) countries. Not a single day
passes without seeing ads about these countries in television series or movies, and the scenes
captivate and motivate you to go to these countries. There’s nothing quite like Europe.”
“Europe has the best tourist attractions and infrastructure.”

The ability to visit multiple European countries with ease (with a single visa) matched by a well developed
transport infrastructure was also a key driver in the decision to visit Europe vis-à-vis other world regions.
Travel costs were felt to be comparatively less vis-à-vis destinations such as the Americas, Caribbean
and Australasia. There was also mention of the relative ease of getting a Schengen visa compared to
getting a US visa.
Compared to Asian destinations, Europe is perceived to be a superior, luxurious and prestigious holiday
destination. Past visitors to Europe felt that although Asian destinations offered more reasonably priced/
budget friendly holidays, Europe offered value-for-money in that the ‘richness of experiences and
memories far surpasses what Bangkok or Malaysia can provide’.
The motivations to holiday in Europe vis-à-vis Middle Eastern destinations were several, the chief among
them being a ‘total change of scene and atmosphere’.
Europe was seen as a ’tourist haven’ geared for tourism, with well developed tourist attractions, offering
different kinds of holiday experiences such as culture/sightseeing holidays, holiday in the mountains,
snow/ski holidays, countryside holidays, touring/driving holidays, etc., unmatched by any other world
regions, including the Middle East.
Among past visitors, Europe was seen to be competitive with any other world destination in terms of
price, as it was understood to offer a range in budget and luxury vacation options.
“There are so many countries in Europe, all are nice and we can get a good range in budget for
holidays. I want to visit all if possible.”
Participants were then asked: What is the one thing about Europe that is most attractive compared to
other world regions such as America, Asia and Australasia?
GCC nationals mentioned a number of factors as the most attractive about Europe, these being:
• natural beauty,
• tourist attractions,
• tourism infrastructure,
• ease of access and proximity to GCC countries,
• ease of travel,
• family-friendly activities and entertainment,
• sports activities,
• many countries to choose from for a holiday,
• nice weather,
• single visa (excluding for the United Kingdom), single currency.

Among non-visitors, one of the key motivating aspects to consider visiting Europe is the easy access to
past visitors and native European expatriates from whom information, advice and travel tips on Europe
can be sought.
“We know so many people who have been to Europe especially to countries like Switzerland,
Britain, France, Turkey... also we have many Europeans living in our country, studying and working
here. It’s easy to get right information and tips for the holiday, especially some special places
which not many tourists know about. They (expatriates) show us a different/hidden side of the
country which makes it more exciting and motivates us to go.”
Participants were also asked: What, according to you, are the key barriers that prevent people like you
from holidaying in Europe? Why would they choose to holiday in other world regions/countries instead
of European destinations?
Cost and security concerns were the two main barriers to holidaying in Europe. General fear of travel
was another factor. Some felt that going on repeat visits would be expensive.
“From my point of view, the cost is the main obstacle.”

“Too expensive to go all the time.”

Past visitors to Europe mentioned that ‘anti-Arab’ laws would be a barrier to visiting some countries
again. They wouldn’t feel safe in countries that have such laws or bans.
“I wouldn’t go to France again because they have extremely anti Arab laws like banning the Hijab.
So I don’t feel safe to go there anymore.”
Asked why people would choose to go to other destinations rather than Europe, the majority felt that the
desire is to see different parts of the world; hence once they have been to Europe, they prefer to explore
other regions/countries. Other reasons would again be the cost factor, and the fact that some other (non-
European) countries may not require visas.
Apart from Europe, the main destinations GCC nationals tend to visit are Middle Eastern and Asian
destinations, for reasons of familiarity, cost and accessibility.
Further, there is now interest in exploring ‘new’ destinations such as Japan, China, Russia and countries
in Africa (for wild life). Some participants who had not been to the Americas and Australasia also
expressed the desire to visit the United States of America, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.
10.7 Promoting Europe as a Holiday Destination in the Middle East

Participants were asked which of the following options they would choose for a promotional campaign
if they were in charge of promoting European countries in the Middle East:
• Would promote Europe as a whole i.e. as a single tourism destination.
• Would promote specific European regions together.

• Would promote a group of individual countries in Europe clubbed together.
• Would promote individual countries on their own.
There was no consensus on this subject, with an almost equal number of participants recommending
each option. However, some participants felt that Europe as a whole should be promoted, with
promotion of regions or groups of countries within that, clubbed by theme, type of holiday or by ease
of travel (proximity) between them.
“It makes sense either to encourage the whole of Europe as a destination or to promote certain
group of countries; but if I were to choose, I would promote the whole of Europe as a tourist
destination and within that, groups of countries or regions by type of holiday or history, attractions.”
“Promote Europe as a whole, and certain European regions with each other – especially those with
ancient civilizations, nature and ease of travel between them.”
Those who supported individual country promotion were primarily potential first-time visitors to Europe
who felt that each country has its own history, culture and touristic attractions, and thus should be
promoted separately.
10.8 Future Trip to Europe

Participants were asked which country or countries in Europe they would be most likely to consider
going to on holiday, and why. They were then asked the kind of holiday they would like to go on, the
different activities they would like to indulge in and the kind of experiences they would seek.
Within the past visitors groups, the majority of the participants intended to visit a different set of countries
in Europe than they had visited previously. Two participants were likely to visit one of the countries
again while one participant may visit a mix of the ‘old’ and the ‘new’. The majority of the participants
would be likely to visit more than one country because it was convenient to do so, on a Schengen visa.
Austria, Spain, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France and Turkey
were the countries likely to be visited by past visitors.
Among potential first-time visitors, a similar selection of popular holiday destinations was mentioned,
along with other countries such as Sweden and Belgium.
“Most of the countries I have visited are Arab or Asian countries and it’s good to visit a European
country for a change. I’m thinking of Italy.”
“I am thinking of going to Britain and France; because of the proximity of geographical distances
between them and the beauty of nature and diversity of places for leisure and tourism.”
“I would like to visit Italy, Switzerland, and France because these have all the touristic attractions.”
“For me it will be Spain - would like to visit the touristic sites and get to know the culture of the
country I’m going to spend my vacation in. And of course visiting all entertainment places to have
fun.”
“Europe remains an attractive destination for everyone. The most important factors are nature and
history and for me the most interesting countries to visit are Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.”
“Spain: to realize my dream to see the Alhambra Palace; Britain: to see the beautiful British
countryside; Netherlands: the desire to know the Dutch people.”
“Beautiful nature and ease of movement from one country to another is the main reason for wanting
to visit Europe. I will go to Austria because of its charming nature and other closer destinations
which will decide later.”
“My idea would be: in Britain, to spend at least a week in the British countryside and visit Scotland,
Wales and spend a day out on the River Thames; in the Netherlands, certainly see the windmills
and do shopping in the popular markets.”
“If I can plan it, I would go to: Greece for two days, then fly to Germany for 4 days and travel by
train to the Netherlands for a period of not less than two days and then to Belgium to taste Belgian
chocolate.”
Key Activities and Experiences

There was little difference in the wishes and desires of the potential first-time visitors and the repeat
visitors. This was likely due to the fact that the majority were planning to visit ‘new’ destinations in
Europe during their future trip, and hence very similar activities emerged on the wish lists of both
segments.
First and foremost, seeing the nature/landscape of the country, ‘beautiful scenery’, greenery, mountains,
lakes and the countryside was top priority for majority of the participants. Sightseeing was another
integral part of the future holiday trip to Europe. This included visits to cultural and historical attractions,
seeing the famous monuments, buildings/architecture, heritage sites, museums, castles, palaces and
forts.
A number of participants mentioned that they intended to mainly undertake a ‘rest and relaxation’
holiday in Europe, in the mountains or in the ‘beautiful’ countryside.
On the other hand, some of the younger participants were interested in sporting activities and ‘adventure’,
wanting to undertake white water rafting, paragliding, cycling, etc. Hiring a car and driving around was
also mentioned by some participants, especially those that had been to Europe before and were familiar
with driving in European countries.
Shopping is an expected activity for GCC nationals, mentioned by the majority. However, among
potential first-time visitors, the perception that shopping is expensive in Europe led some to say that ‘it
(shopping) will depend on our budget and financial situation at the time of the holiday’.
“My holiday will mean enjoying the nature, shopping, general relaxation and comfort, and going
to the beautiful countryside.
There are several things that can be enjoyed by the person, such as shopping and going to the sea
and drinking a cup of coffee in the street cafes.

We do a lot of activities like cycling, rafting, paragliding, playing sports activities, driving around
the country, visiting historical and scenic sites, enjoying the lakes, mountains and scenery, spending
good time with the family.
I plan to walk around in the city, take lots of pictures, see all the tourist sites, taste different food,
go to fun places.
In France, I will visit Disneyland, and go to museums and shopping.”
“I think I will go for my honeymoon to Europe. Tourist attractions and historical palaces, old
buildings, seeing stunning views and the nature in the country – these are my ideas for the holiday.
There’s a city called Interlaken in Switzerland that we go to, there are so many things to do there.
Next year I want to explore more of Switzerland. We haven’t decided as yet, we normally decide
one month before our holiday what exactly to do.
Our holiday will be adventure – skydiving, Canyon rowing, cycling... we may go for rental caravans
to stay overnight in the campsites.”
“The holiday will be for recreation in summer and the search for quietness and relaxation. I would
like to see the palaces of Granada, Cordoba and the gardens; and enjoy nature and beautiful
places. I prefer boating and canoeing through the rivers.”
“I will go to touristic sites that symbolise the culture of the country where I am spending the
vacation, like castles, fortresses, towers, parks, entertainment centres, markets, etc.”
When asked which specific ‘must see’ destinations or attractions they would like to include in their
ideal holiday in Europe, the majority of the visitors mentioned that being able to include France, Italy,
London and Switzerland in a single holiday would be a dream vacation.
By and large, participants had just a few specific attractions in mind at present, opining that these
aspects would be explored closer to travel time, and as per the different family members’ wishes. Those
planning to visit new destinations wished to see ‘whatever is the best in each country’. Few of the
specific attractions mentioned were as follows:
• Alhambra Palace in Granada in Spain,
• Champs-Elysees, one of the best places to shop,
• Big Ben in London and the Eiffel tower and other landmarks in Paris,
• Leaning Tower of Pisa,
• Disneyland in France,
• Real Madrid in Spain.

Travel Organization
Participants were asked if they anticipated going on a package tour or not. There was divided opinion on
this aspect, with some participants opining that package tours tend to restrict movement, while others
felt that one gets the best deals in a package tour, and an opportunity to make new friends.
Yet some others felt that since they travel in large groups of family and friends, they are able to get a
customised package through the travel agency. Some take advantage of the package tour rates, and then
go their own way in the destination, and intend to do the same for their future travel to Europe.
Another key motivating factor for group tours is the facilitation provided by the travel agency in helping
organize the application process for the visa.
Overall, however, customised package tours are the preference among most potential travellers to
Europe, especially those visiting a destination for the first time.
“I would not want to go on a tour because you don’t have the option to do what you want. We
go as a group of more than 10-20 people for our holiday so we get a special deal with lot of
discounts.”
“Trips work out best in group package due to lower prices in hotel reservations, cruises and all
activities. In addition, you get to meet new people and make friends.”
“Yes, I usually go on package tour, because I take advantage of the economical rates for air fare
and hotel rates and some sightseeing, etc., and then rent a car in the destination to be on my own
with the family and friends. I will do the same for my next trip.”
“Yes, I expect to go on an organised tour because it is a reasonable price. I am looking to organise

the trip myself or through a travel agency who will help me with the visa as well.”
Travel Expenditure
In terms of anticipated travel expenditure, participants were unable to specify as they said it depended
on when and which countries they finally go to and what promotion offers are available at that time.
Also, their budgets varied, depending on destination choice, affordability and family size.
However, generally speaking, excluding air fares, per person expenditure was anticipated to be in the
region of US$ 150-300 per day, with average duration of holiday being about two weeks.
The anticipated trip would be with family and/or friends.
To sum up, GCC nationals enjoy travelling and seeing new places. Until recently, the majority travelled
within the Middle East region. The rapid economic growth and development in the GCC countries, the
increase in access/airline connectivity to destinations around the world and growing personal income
are factors that have led to increasing interest in exploration of destinations outside the region.
Europe is an aspirational destination for most, and commands a fairly loyal repeat visitation from GCC
nationals.
A couple of participants expressed their sentiments with respect to travelling on holiday to Europe, as
follows:
“I love travelling in general and I have been to a lot of places but the fact is that you enjoy more
because of the people you go with rather than where you go. But the beauty of Europe just adds
to the experience…”
“My experiences are not that many but we always know that there are constraints, such as type of
food, language and other obstacles, but we must forget the negatives and look at the pros on these
journeys because they may not be repeated soon. We have to enjoy every moment we spend on a
holiday trip… Like they say in English – ‘Enjoy your moment’.”
Part 3
Conclusions and Recommendations
Chapter 11
Conclusions and Recommendations

11.1 Current Image and Position of Europe as a Destination Brand

Europe holds an aspirational holiday destination status among Middle East consumers. It is seen as a
prestigious destination, very ‘advanced’ and very well-organized for tourism.
Perceptions of Europe centre strongly on its scenic beauty, varied landscape, history, culture, cool
weather and diversity of holiday experiences, making it an attractive holiday destination for Middle
Eastern travellers.
Tourism in Middle Eastern countries is fast developing and the harsh summer temperatures motivate
many residents to holiday outside the region. This is particularly true for an increasing number of
residents in the GCC countries who have seen their incomes rise due to rapid economic development
in their nations, and can afford international travel.
The more affluent GCC nationals prefer to spend their holidays in destinations ‘away’ from where the
average tourist would go – primarily the Middle East and Asia. Europe appeals to them, as it is perceived
to be more ‘exclusive’ and seen to offer an ‘excellent’ holiday experience due to its image as the world’s
most popular holiday destination.
Europe has strong positive associations with the diversity of its tourism product – cities, countryside,
mountains, beaches, etc., history/historical sites and monuments, culture and entertainment. It is also
strongly associated with attractive weather – cool climate, winter and snow are particularly appealing
aspects of its climate for Middle Eastern travellers.
Europe is perceived as a versatile holiday destination offering different kinds of holidays and holiday
experiences – culture/sightseeing holidays, winter snow/ski vacations, beach/sea-side holidays, touring/
driving holidays, cruise holidays, etc. It is seen as a holiday destination well geared to cater to families
with children, with various entertainment options for them.
Europe is also perceived positively as a destination with a well-developed and highly efficient tourism
and transport infrastructure. The ability to travel between European countries/cities with relative ease is
a key feature of Europe’s attraction for visitors.
Europe has an established image as a centre of high fashion and as a shopper’s paradise; however,
shopping in Europe is perceived to be expensive by some Middle Eastern travellers.
Further, in-country (local) expenses in Europe are perceived to be higher when compared with other
holiday destinations within the region and in Asia.
On gastronomy, Europe’s image is of a destination that has limited Halal food options. This is a concern
area for many Muslims who will often want to know about Halal food availability in a destination prior
to decision making. This is also the reason why a number of Middle Eastern travellers prefer staying in
accommodation with cooking facilities, especially when they travel to Europe on long holidays.
Although Europe overall is considered to provide a politically stable holiday environment, its image is
less positive from the personal safety and security point of view for Arabs, especially for women. The
recent ‘burqa’ law in France has created a lot of apprehension amongst potential visitors to the country.
Some of the past visitors to France, in fact, stated that they would not visit France again as they felt this
action was anti-Arab and discriminatory.
The common Schengen visa (and common currency) has a positive association with ease of multi-
country travel within Europe, an aspect that plays a strong motivational role in destination selection.
However, the visa application formalities and the processing time required somewhat dilutes the
position of Europe on this aspect, as Middle Eastern travellers tend to be late planners and decision
makers when it comes to holiday travel. At the same time, a number of destinations particularly in Asia
exempt GCC nationals from visa requirements or provide visa on arrival, making them more attractive
as potential holiday destinations.
Europe’s position on the dimension of cultural affinity is less positive, mainly because Middle Easterners
see their religious, moral, social and cultural beliefs and traditional value systems to be vastly different
from the ‘modern’, western cultural and social value systems of the Europeans. Among the more
traditional, conservative families, the lack of cultural sameness is a possible inhibitor for frequent
(repeat) travel in Europe.
Ease of communication (language issues) is another aspect on which Europe’s perception is somewhat
less positive, especially among the potential first-time visitors. However, among experienced travellers,
and those who speak English, this is not a major issue unless they venture into smaller towns and cities
in some European countries where English is not spoken.
In the marketing of Europe, the ETC would need to consider these various aspects, leveraging its
position on the positive aspects, and addressing some of the less positive aspects through appropriate
communication channels and perhaps, through proactive promotional activities.
11.2 Marketing Strengths and Weaknesses of Europe as a Destination

Brand
Europe is well perceived by potential visitors for its variety of things to see and do (scenic beauty,
history, culture, entertainment), different kinds of holidays/holiday experiences, quality of tourist
facilities and infrastructure and overall image as a top class holiday destination, and these are Europe’s
main marketing strengths.
Additionally, it is seen as a destination that offers good (cool, cold) weather, an attractive contrast to the
hot weather in Middle East countries. Ease of accessibility, wide availability of holiday travel packages
to Europe, and the ability to visit multiple destinations within Europe are other perceived strengths
among potential visitors.
The key marketing weaknesses for Europe are the cost of holiday and the issue of securing a visa in ‘quick
time’ for which Europe is not perceived well. Although a number of European countries’ embassies/
consulates in the GCC countries claim to prioritise visa processing and delivery by nationality (faster
for local nationals), the process can take up to a month. The cost of visa is another issue which may
be considered a marketing weakness, as for large families it becomes a major cost, and a key factor in
decision making.
In addition, long duration multiple entry visas are rarely provided for countries on the Schengen visa
making it inconvenient for more frequent visitations.
On gastronomy, although many European countries have no dearth of Halal food options, the perception
is of limited availability and choice, especially among potential first-time visitors.
Another weakness, especially on account of the recent ‘burqa’ ban in France, is the market’s perception
that the European countries are becoming anti-Arab and ‘do not want Arab visitors’. There is therefore a
degree of uncertainty and apprehension among potential visitors on the aspect of treatment that would
be meted out to them when on holiday.
Turkey, being perceived as an Islamic-friendly nation, has benefited tremendously in recent years, as
visitors feel comfortable in the environment and with the local people, are assured of Halal food, good
quality accommodation and a diverse holiday product.
Conclusions and Recommendations 141
Germany has also made tremendous efforts to woo the Arab consumer with special friendly gestures
such as special menus in hotels during Eid.
The main barrier to market development is seen to be the fragmented nature of promotional activity
undertaken by individual European destinations in Middle East markets, and the low/non-existent level
of activity on a pan-Europe platform.
For most European destinations, the Middle East is a low priority target market; hence efforts are sporadic,
largely limited to participation in travel exhibitions and fairs such as the Arabian Travel Market. There is
limited contact with the travel trade during the rest of the year.
Europe could ease travel application processes and costs, particularly for family travellers and also
consider longer duration (2, 5, 10 years) multiple entry Schengen visas if it wishes to see growth from
the Middle East market.
The general lack of awareness and knowledge of a number of European destinations and of their tourism
offering among both the travel trade and potential travellers is another factor that can impact the overall
growth of travel to Europe. The Middle East travel trade tends to develop travel offers to, and travellers
prefer to travel to only those destinations that are familiar and that have an attractive image as a holiday
destination.
11.3 Marketing Europe as a Destination Brand to Middle East Consumers

The consumer research shows and the trade also believe that the main opportunity for Europe lies in its
strong appeal as an aspirational vacation destination for Middle Eastern residents, and the high quality,
diversity and versatility of its tourism product and holiday experiences.
Another opportunity for Europe lies in promoting value by highlighting ease of multi-country travel and
budget holiday options for the price sensitive travellers.
Europe’s key competitors in long-haul travel are mainly the Asian destinations – Singapore, Malaysia
and Thailand. For short breaks, apart from intra-regional destinations such as Dubai/United Arab
Emirates, Oman, Lebanon and Egypt, the main competitive destinations are also Singapore, Malaysia
and Thailand, and increasingly India.
By focussing on GCC countries, the Asia-Pacific region continues to gain increased tourist arrivals from
the region. There is a clear opportunity for Europe as a whole, should it focus joint marketing efforts
consistently on the lucrative GCC market.
Both the trade and potential visitors to Europe are open to the idea of promoting Europe as a whole or
as regions/groups of countries. Since limited promotion is done by European countries in the Middle
East markets, it is felt that in the first instance, it would be important to create awareness about Europe
as a whole.
Thereafter, marketing of Europe as groups of countries together, on a thematic platform would be ideal,
with individual countries in the mix given substantive promotional push.
The current positioning of Europe as a ‘Never Ending Journey’ could gain strong support from an
inclusive statement that speaks about ‘welcoming all’ without prejudice, to negate any negative
sentiments being felt by prospective Middle Eastern visitors, particularly in light of the ‘burqa’ ban laws
being implemented in some European countries.
Given that Arab nationals rely heavily on the experience of others – people they know or people who
voice their opinion on the internet in travel forums or on social networking websites, the ETC may like
to consider promoting Europe on Arabic community websites – social networking websites and travel
forums.
11.4 Marketing Europe as a Destination Brand to the Travel Trade

The travel trade acknowledges that the various European country tourism boards in the Middle East are
a major source of support for their promotion of individual destinations. They note that growing tourist
numbers to these destinations are testament to their efficacy.
Given the support provided by the various European tourism boards in the Middle East, and the benefit
seen in generating outbound traffic, the travel trade suggests that more individual destinations should set
up tourism board offices/representations in the region to attract their share of a growing market.
In the meantime, information dissemination on a regular basis is essential, as are familiarisation (FAM)
tours, to the lesser known European destinations.
Annex I
List of the Travel Trade Organizations

Contacted for Interviews
Ace Travels, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia www.ace-travel.com
Kanoo Holidays, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia www.kanootravel.com
Al Tayyar Holidays Travel Group, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia www.altayyargroup.com
Khimji’s House of Travel, Muscat, Oman www.khimjistravel.com
National Tours & Travels (NTT), Muscat, Oman www.nttoman.com
Abu Dhabi Travel Bureau, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates www.abudhabitravelbureau.com
Horizon Tours & Travels, Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.horizondubai.com
Al Tayer Travel Agency, Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.altayer-travel.com
DNATA Holidays, Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.dnataholidays.com
Emirates Holidays, Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.emiratesholidays.com
SNTTA Travels & Tours, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates www.sntta.com
Mannai Travels, Doha, Qatar www.mannaitravel.com
Cleopatra Travels, Doha, Qatar www.cleopatra-travels.net
Barakat Travels, Kuwait www.barakattravel.com
Dadabhai Travels, Manama, Bahrain www.dadabhaitravel.net
Sunshine Tours, Manama, Bahrain www.sunshinetoursbahrain.com
UTM Travel Services, Damascus, Syria www.utmservices.com
Gulliver Travels, Cairo, Egypt www.gullivertravelegypt.com
Gezira Travel, Cairo, Egypt www.geziratravel.com
Target Travels & Tours, Beirut, Lebanon www.targetravel.com
Petra Tours, Jordan www.pttco.com
Royal Tours, Jordan www.royaltours.com.jo
Emirates Airlines, Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.emirates.com
Air Arabia, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates www.airarabia.com
Kanoo Travel – BMI and Lufthansa, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia www.kanootravel.com

Annex II
Questionnaire for
the Travel Trade Interviews
Introduction
Provide a brief description of the research study and its objectives. Explain it is a joint project on behalf
of the World Tourism Organization and the European Travel Commission.
Ask if respondent is aware of/familiar with ETC and its role in promoting tourism to Europe. If not,
provide a brief explanation.
Section 1: Profile and Behaviour of Outbound Leisure Travellers

• Please provide details on the profile of your clients who travel on holidays abroad:
–– Socio-demographic profile (including ethnicity) and main traveller segments.
–– Frequency of holiday travel; short holiday, long holiday.
–– Seasonality of holiday travel; duration of trips by seasonality.
–– Travel party size; travel companions; group travel versus FIT.
–– Accommodation type preferences.
–– Advance booking pattern; booking method (check uptake of online booking; is it growing?).
• When a potential customer contacts you for a holiday booking, does he/she already have a specific
holiday destination in mind or is exploring multiple options? What are their specific information
needs for holiday destination decision making? To what extent do you influence the client’s choice
of destination?
• Among your customers, which destinations are most popular for short holidays, for long holidays?
How has this pattern evolved over time? Probe: has there been a change towards certain regions,
countries over time – what are the reasons?
• Specifically, could you shed light on the profile and behaviour of travellers to Europe/European
destinations? What would you define as the main traveller segments to Europe? Probe: any
differences in comparison with general travellers abroad?
Section 2: Key Drivers and Barriers to Holiday in Europe

• In your opinion, what are the main reasons why travellers from your country (relevant Middle East
country) like to holiday in Europe? What attracts them to European countries vis-à-vis other world
regions/ countries (as leisure destinations not VFR)? Probe:
–– Accessibility.
–– Common Schengen visa.
–– Diversity of travel product – culture, history, sightseeing attractions, shopping, entertainment,

etc.
–– Safety and security.
–– Image (prestige).
–– Affordability/ value-for-money.
–– Inter-connected of European countries (multi-country vacations).
–– Diversity of holiday travel packages, etc.
• In particular, which specific countries within Europe do travellers from your country most like to
holiday in, and why?
• And what, in your opinion are the key barriers, if any, to holiday in Europe among travellers from
your country? Probe:
–– Visa related issues (cost/difficulty/speed). Any differences between European countries?
–– High cost of travel; ‘in-destination’ expenses.
–– Safety and security.
–– Language issues.
–– Food issues (lack of availability of Halal food, vegetarian food, etc.).
–– Fear of harassment.
–– Lack of attractive image.
–– Lack of cultural affinity, etc.
• In particular, which specific countries in Europe, if any, do travellers not like to holiday in, and
why?
Section 3: Marketing of Europe to Travellers

• As a travel agent/consultant, how difficult or easy do you find selling different international
destinations to holiday travellers from your country? That is, European versus North American,
Asian destinations, etc., and what are the reasons for this? Probe: level of familiarity/knowledge
with European versus other destinations as a factor in ease or difficulty in selling...
• Which specific European countries are you most familiar with and which countries are you least
familiar with or not at all familiar with, from the point of view of holiday destination marketing?
Read out list of ETC member countries, and check for individual countries.
• Are there any specific positive and negative issues in selling particular European destination(s) or
region(s) within Europe? What would these be? Probe: positive and negative image perceptions
• According to you, how can these positive images be used for marketing of Europe as a destination
and of its regions/individual countries?
• And how can the negative issues be overcome to help marketing of Europe as a destination and of
its regions/individual countries?
Section 4: Trade Activities in Promoting International Destinations

• What are your current activities with respect to promoting international destinations, specifically
Europe? Typically, what holiday travel packages do you offer for Europe; and other international
Annex II: Questionnaire for the Travel Trade Interviews 147
destinations? Probe: countries/ regions as well as cities covered, package details, package cost,
etc.
• Which European travel package(s) do your customers most prefer, and why?
• What promotional activities do you undertake to market the European packages offered by you?
Which media do you use for advertising – print, internet, T.V, radio, etc.? Do you use social media/
digital marketing tools – why, why not?
• What kind of support do you receive from European tourism boards, airlines, tour operators or
service providers for promoting European destinations in your country? Which specific tourism
boards or airlines provide good support? Probe: support in the form of product information,
promotional literature (brochures, CDs/DVDs), training, workshops, FAM trips, advertising and
promotions, trade incentives, etc.
Section 5: Future Travel Trends in the Outbound Travel Market

• How will the outbound travel market from your country develop in the next 2-3 years? To what
extent do you expect travel volumes to increase or decrease (%)?
• Specifically, to what extent do you expect to see growth/decline in travel volume to Europe, and
why?
• Which specific European destinations do you see as growing in popularity and why?
• According to you, which customer segment for leisure/holiday – FIT or Group Travel – offers
maximum potential for growth in outbound travel to Europe?
• Which type of holiday travel products offer maximum potential for growth in travel to Europe?
Section 6: Promoting Europe as a Holiday Destination

• As mentioned earlier, ETC is responsible for promoting Europe as a destination. If ETC were to
promote Europe as a whole or as a single tourism destination, what would be the best way to do
so among travellers from your country? What kind of common or unifying visual imagery or theme
can be used? What specific aspects in terms of products and services can be highlighted? Which
holiday experiences, destinations or benefits can be promoted together for Europe?
• If ETC wished to promote specific regions together, which regions would these be (e.g. Northern
region countries as a group or Scandinavian countries, Eastern Europe, Mediterranean, central
Europe, etc.)? What kind of common or unifying visual imagery or theme can be used to promote
these regions? What specific aspects in terms of products and services can be highlighted? Which
holiday experiences or benefits can be promoted together in these regions?
• Alternatively, if a group of individual countries were to be clubbed together for joint marketing,
which countries would you suggest be clubbed together, and why? What kind of common visual
imagery or theme can be used? What specific aspects in terms of products and services can be
highlighted? Which holiday experiences or benefits can be promoted together?
• Of these three options for promoting Europe/European destinations, which one do you think will
work best in the local context, and why?
Section 7: ‘Best Prospect’ Customer Segments for Europe

• In your opinion, which customer segments in your country would be the ‘best prospects’ for
Europe/European destinations? Probe: on basis of demographic characteristics, nationality, life
stage or lifestyle; first time travellers/repeat visitors; individual or group travellers…
• What specific aspects about Europe/European destinations would appeal most to these ‘best
prospect’ customer segments? Probe: will different things appeal to different customer segments?
• Which would be the best communication and promotion channels for reaching these customers?
Closing Questions
• In order to promote Europe/European destinations in your country, what support would you like to
receive from ETC and its member National Tourism Organizations?
• Finally, these are all the questions that I have. Is there anything else that you would like to add to this
discussion or suggest to ETC for promoting European destinations among Middle East travellers?
Thank the respondent and close.

149
Annex III
Questionnaire for
the Consumer Interviews
Screening Questionnaire
1. Please select the country you live in
–– Drop down list of GCC countries
2. Please select the country of your nationality
–– Drop down list of countries
3. In the past 3 years, how many times have you been on holiday abroad (outside your country of
residence)?
Not been 1-2 times 3-6 times 7-10 times >10 times
ο ο ο ο ο
4. Do you plan to take a holiday abroad (outside your country of residence) in the next 3 years?
Yes Maybe No
ο ο ο
5. How likely are you to seriously consider taking a holiday in these locations in the next 5 years?
(Randomise row order)
Very likely Likely Neither likely Unlikely Very unlikely

nor unlikely
Europe ο ο ο ο ο
Caribbean ο ο ο ο ο
North America ο ο ο ο ο
Latin America ο ο ο ο ο
Africa ο ο ο ο ο
Middle East ο ο ο ο ο
Asia ο ο ο ο ο
Australasia ο ο ο ο ο
6. Have you ever been on a holiday to Europe?
Yes No
ο ο
7. Please indicate which of the following statements applies to you with respect to holiday destination
decision making in your household.
I alone make the decision on where to go on holiday ο

I make a joint decision with someone else on where to go on holiday ο
Someone else makes the decision on where we go on holiday ο
8. Please indicate the following about you.
You are Male  Female


Your year of birth Drop down list
Your marital status Married  Single

 Separated/Widowed

Number of children under 17 years of age in your household Drop down list
Eligible respondents will be invited to participate in the main survey.
Eligibility criteria:
• Local (GCC) national.
• Has travelled internationally in the past 3 years for holiday purposes or plans to undertake
international travel for a holiday within the next 3 years.
• Open to considering a holiday in Europe in the next 5 years.
• Main or joint decision maker for holiday travel in household.
• 50% will be those who have been to Europe before; 50% will be potential first-time visitors to
Europe.
Main Survey Questionnaire

Travel experience
1. Which parts of the world have you ever visited on holiday? (Randomise row order)
Europe ο
Caribbean ο
North America ο
Latin America ο
Africa ο
Middle East ο
Asia ο
Australasia ο
Those who have not been to Europe, skip Q2 and Q3

Annex III: Questionnaire for the Consumer Interviews 151
2. How many times have you been on holiday to each of the following countries in Europe (list of
ETC member countries)? (Rotate row order).
ETC country Never Once 2-3 times 4-6 times 7 times or Can’t
more often remember/

don’t know
1. Austria ο ο ο ο ο ο
2. Belgium ο ο ο ο ο ο
3. Bulgaria ο ο ο ο ο ο
4. Croatia ο ο ο ο ο ο
5. Cyprus ο ο ο ο ο ο
And so on… ο ο ο ο ο ο
For those who have been just once to Europe, skip Q3
3. You have been to Europe more than once. What motivated you to holiday in Europe again?
(Randomise row order).
To ‘see’ more of Europe ο
Explore specific countries in more detail ο
Undertake a different kind of holiday in Europe ο
Visit Europe with different travel companions ο
Experience a country in different weather ο
Rest and relaxation in favourite European country ο
Spend holiday time in family home in Europe ο
Enjoy shopping in Europe ο
Very satisfied with past experience in Europe ο
Other (please specify)
4. In the last 3 years, which of the following countries did you visit on holiday?
–– Drop down list of countries. Multiple selection option

Motivations and Barriers
5. Generally speaking, what are your key motivations to travel abroad on holiday? Select top 3
motivations. (Randomise row order)
Change from routine ο
Need to de-stress and relax ο
See new places ο
Experience/learn about new cultures ο
Spend time with family / relax with family ο
Meet new people/make new friends ο
Sightseeing ο
Participate in different activities ο
Escape from the heat of the Middle East ο
Spend time with friends ο
Other (please specify) ο
6. And what would you say are the main reasons why you like to, or would like to holiday in each of
the following destinations? (Randomize ordering of rows and columns to avoid positional bias).
Europe Carib- North Latin Africa Middle Asia Austra-

Accessibility ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
One visa allows me to ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο

visit many countries
Culture, history, ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
sightseeing attractions
Safety and security ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Prestigious holiday ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
destination
Welcoming and ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
friendly people
Well organized/good ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
infrastructure
Shopping ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Value-for-money ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
holiday
Easy to visit multiple ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο

destinations
Diversity of holiday ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
travel packages
Natural scenic beauty ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Towns and cities are ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο

great for holiday

Easy to get visa ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο

No need to get visa ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Good weather ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Don’t know/can’t say ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
To participate in sports ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
activities
To watch sports events ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Beaches and the sea ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Ease of language ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Good quality of ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
accommodation
Other (please specify) ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
7. And what would be the main reasons that would prevent you from holidaying in each of the
following destinations? (Randomize ordering of rows and columns to avoid positional bias).

Don’t know much ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο

about destination
Friends and relatives ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο

have not
recommended it
Cost of holiday is high ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Requires a visa ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Difficulty in getting ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
visa
Cost of visa is high ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Lack of availability of ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
food (Halal food,
vegetarian food)
Language issues ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Concerns about safety ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο
Past experience poor/ ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο

unsatisfactory
Don’t feel comfortable ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο

due to different culture
Requires too much ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο

advance planning
Other (please specify) ο ο ο ο ο ο ο ο

Most recent holiday trip
8. Thinking about your most recent holiday trip, in which year and month was this trip made?
–– Drop down option for Year and Month

9. Which country or countries did you visit on this trip? Please include all countries that you spent at
least one night in, during this trip. And which country was your main holiday destination i.e. the
country where you spent the maximum number of nights?
–– Drop down list of countries
–– Option to select main holiday destination
10. And how many nights did you spend in your main holiday destination?
1-3 4-6 7-10 11-15 16-30 More

nights nights nights nights nights than 30
nights
Total number of nights in main ο ο ο ο ο ο

holiday destination
11. Which one of the following statements most appropriately describes the most recent type of trip
you took at the main holiday destination? (Randomise order).
Beach holiday/holiday by the sea ο Sporting holiday e.g. golf holiday ο
City holiday ο Adventure trip ο
Culture/sightseeing holiday ο Spa holiday ο
Touring / driving holiday ο Visit to leisure park/theme park ο
Holiday in the countryside ο Visiting friends and relatives ο
Holiday in the mountains ο Cruise holiday ο
Shopping trip ο Snow/ski holiday ο
Visit of music/cultural/sports festival ο Other (please specify)

or event
12. What type of accommodation did you stay in on this trip in your main holiday destination? (Rotate
order).
5-star hotel ο Stayed with relatives or friends in their home ο
4-star hotel ο Time share accommodation or holiday club ο
3-star hotel ο Bed and breakfast accommodation ο
2-star or budget hotel ο Youth hostel ο
Rented apartment or villa or house ο University or school accommodation ο
Own apartment or villa ο Ship or boat ο
Apartment/villa owned by family or friends ο Other (please specify)

13. How did you make your travel bookings for this trip? Multiple response.
All-inclusive package tour through travel agent ο
Airline through travel agent ο

Accommodation through travel agent ο
Online on airline website ο
Online direct on hotel website ο
Online on travel websites such as expedia ο
Telephone booking with airline ο
Telephone booking with hotel ο
Online on destination portal e.g. VisitEurope.com ο
Other (please specify)
14. Which information sources did you use to decide on your main holiday destination? Multiple
response (Randomise order).
Friends and family ο
Internet ο
Travel agents and tour operators ο
Holiday brochures and travel guides ο
Advertising ο
Travel journals and magazines ο
General press ο
Travel channels/programs on television ο
Tourist offices ο
Travel fairs and exhibitions ο
15. With whom did you go on this holiday?
Travelled alone ο
Travelled with family ο
Travelled with friends ο
Travelled with family and friends ο
Those who travelled alone, skip next Q.
16. How many people, including you, travelled together on this holiday?
2 people ο
3-4 people ο
5-8 people ο
9 or more people ο
Future Travel
17. Which European country are you most likely to consider holidaying in, in the next 5 years?
–– Drop down list of European countries

18. What would be the main motivation for visiting this country? Open ended.
19. Which other countries in Europe are you likely to consider holidaying in, in the next five years?
–– Drop down list of European countries
20. Given below is a list of European countries (ETC member countries listing). Please indicate how
familiar you are with each of these from a holiday point of view. (Rotate row order).
ETC member country Never heard of Know a little Know a fair Know very
amount well
1. Austria ο ο ο ο
2. Belgium ο ο ο ο
3. Bulgaria ο ο ο ο
4. Croatia ο ο ο ο
5. Cyprus ο ο ο ο
And so on… ο ο ο ο
ο ο ο ο
ο ο ο ο
Close.
Annex IV
Guideline Questions for

the Consumer Focus Groups
Welcome the participants. Provide an introduction to the discussion topic.
Start with basic questions about participants’ lifestyle, leisure and media habits, including use of
internet, and frequency of holiday travel.
1. Recent Holiday Abroad / Recent Holiday in Europe (focus on holiday

experience, activities)
Ask each one:
• When was your most recent holiday trip abroad?
• Where did you go? Why this/these countries? How did the idea come about? What other
destinations were you considering? Why did you choose that one in particular and not the others?
With whom did you go? For how many days?
• What did you do on your holiday – what sights did you see, what activities did you undertake? If
you have posted any videos or photos of your holiday activities online, please share these links
with us.
• How did you choose what activities to do, once there, or did you plan all activities before arrival?
(Moderator: again ask if any specific links to websites, or website names can be provided that were
useful for planning) Overall, how was your holiday experience? Did it exceed or fall short of your
expectations? What was the plus point / highlight of your trip? What did you most enjoy?
• What, if anything, was a negative experience of your trip?
• Would you go there again? Why/why not?
• Would you recommend it to your friends? Why/why not?
Among past visitors to Europe, if most recent destination was not a European country, ask: same
questions as above.
2. Information Sources for Destination Decision Making

• Thinking about your recent holiday travels, what information sources did you use for ideas and
inspiration on where to visit? What information sources did you use for researching the options
in more depth? What information sources did you use to making your final decisions about
destination, hotels, attractions, etc. (Probe: recommendations from friends and family, TV adverts,
TV programmes, travel agents, internet, airlines, articles in newspapers, magazines, tourist board
websites, travel guides e.g. Lonely Planet, etc.).
• Specifically, focusing on the use of the internet, which search engines and what sort of websites
do you use for holiday planning and decision making? Probe: any specific search engines and
websites, social media - Blogs, Forums, Twitter, Facebook, etc., sites like Tripadvisor, Youtube,
Flickr, etc. (Moderator: ask them to show/provide links to websites that are used for planning; and
decision making).
• What kind of information do you like to find online?
–– General country/destination information
–– Sightseeing information
–– Holiday types and activities
–– Local travel, accommodation, food/dining, costs, etc.
–– Online promotions, competitions, offers and prizes
• What sort of content (videos, friend’s photos, visitor reviews, etc.) has influenced your decision-
making on where to travel, where to stay and what to do? How? (Let them give examples/provide
links to type of content used and where).
• From past experience, which websites or travel portals are most useful for planning, researching,
booking an international vacation?
• What else do you personally use the internet for? Probe: uploading holiday pictures, videos,
posting messages and/or reviews, etc., while on holiday or after, and where these are done (on
which websites/social media).
• When doing travel planning and research on the internet, do you normally do that in Arabic or in
English or both? What would you prefer? What challenges or problems, if any, do you face when
using websites that are in languages other than in Arabic?
3. Europe – Association/Perception, Awareness, Knowledge

• When I say ‘Europe’ what comes to your mind? Probe on general associations (not just holidays) –
e.g. Europe as a community, continent or from a historical point of view.
• Now I would like to focus on Europe and European countries as holiday destinations. What images
or pictures or words come to your mind? What else do you associate with Europe? Which countries
come to your mind, when you think of Europe?
• I would now like to seek your impressions of Europe as a holiday travel destination on specific
aspects. As I mention each please tell me your thoughts and views.
• Tangibles
–– Cities
–– Countryside
–– Beaches
–– Mountains
–– Culture and history, historical sights and attractions, museums, castles and palaces …
–– Performing arts, theatre, music…
–– Entertainment – casinos, nightlife…

Annex IV: Guideline Questions for the Consumer Focus Groups 159
–– Food and drink, fine dining…
–– Shopping – fashion, jewellery…
–– Tourism infrastructure (accommodation, etc.)

• Intangibles
–– Safety and security
–– Friendliness (of European people) towards tourists /Arab tourists
–– Destination status/prestige as a holiday destination
–– Cost-benefit (value-for-money, premium/expensive)
–– Accessibility (ease of visas, getting to Europe, travelling within Europe)
–– Language barriers
–– Diversity of the tourism product (types of holidays associated with Europe)
• Overall quality of products and services (hotels, transport, restaurants, historical and cultural sights)
• Please mention all the countries in Europe that you are familiar with as holiday destinations. What
comes to your mind when you think of ________________ (country)?
• Are you aware of _______________? (Ask about ETC member countries not mentioned by
participants).
• Europe is divided into different parts/regions. Which countries belong to Northern Europe? Eastern
Europe, Western Europe, Central Europe and Southern Europe...?
• Of all the European countries, which do you find most attractive for a holiday, and why?
4. Key Drivers and Barriers to Holiday in Europe

• What is the main reason why you or someone like you is motivated to go on a holiday to Europe,
compared to other countries or regions?
–– Accessibility
–– Common Schengen visa (one visa for many countries in Europe)
–– Culture, history, sightseeing attractions (lots to see and do)
–– Safety and security
–– Image (prestige)
–– Friendliness of Europeans towards tourists / Arab tourists
–– Shopping
–– Cost-benefit / value-for-money
–– Inter-connectedness of European countries (multi-country vacations- can travel by road or train)
–– Diversity of holiday travel packages, etc.
• If you were to choose the top three motivating factors, which would these be?
• What is the one thing about Europe that is most attractive compared to other world regions/ such
as America, Asia, Australasia...?
• What, according to you, are the key barriers that prevent people like you from holidaying in
Europe? Why would they choose to holiday in other world regions/countries instead of European
destinations?
–– Cost of air travel
–– Visa related issues (clearance process is complicated or need separate visas for United Kingdom,
Ireland and other European countries, etc.)
–– Safety and security (e.g. pick-pocketing)
–– Climatic conditions / weather
–– Language issues
–– Non-availability of desired food (Halal)
–– High ‘in-destination’ expenses – hotel, food, transport and services
–– Harassment (racial?)
–– Unfriendliness of local people and retail personnel (in shops and other establishments)
–– Lack of cleanliness and upkeep of cities, places of interest, etc.
–– Lack of attractive image
–– Lack of interest of the destination
–– Lack of knowledge of what the destination offer to see and visit
• In particular, which specific countries outside Europe do you and people like you most like to
holiday in, and why?
5. Promoting Europe as a holiday destination in the Middle East

If you were in charge of promoting European countries in the Middle East, which of the following
options would you choose for your promotional campaign, and why:
• Would promote Europe a whole i.e. as a single tourism destination
• Would promote specific European regions together
• Would promote a group of individual countries in Europe clubbed together
• Would promote individual countries on their own
6. Future Trip to Europe

• All of you have expressed a high likelihood of going to Europe on a holiday within the next three
years. What are your reasons for wanting to go to Europe for a holiday? Which countries in Europe
are you most likely to consider going to, and why?
• Moderator: ask participants if they would be willing to plan their future holiday with you -
encourage them to post links to websites/web pages they would visit as if they were to go on a
holiday to Europe now e.g. when deciding on country, where all would they do their homework;
Annex IV: Guideline Questions for the Consumer Focus Groups 161
similarly when deciding on type of holiday they could provide links to type of web sites they
would visit and/or specific content, etc.
• What type of holiday would it be? What are the kinds of things that you would like to see and do,
the sights that you would like to see, the activities that you would like to participate in when in
Europe?
• Which specific ‘must see’ destinations or attractions would you like to include in your holiday to
Europe?
• Do you anticipate going on a package tour? Why/why not?
• What kind of per person expenditure do you anticipate on your trip to Europe? Who do you intend
to go with? For how long?
7. Image of European Destinations

• And now, I would like you to participate in a small exercise with me. Imagine that each European
country has decided to use a Hollywood or Arab or European celebrity as its Brand Ambassador.
As I mention each country name, please tell me which celebrity would be a good match for this
country and why. Moderator: Read out each European country name and play this exercise. Limit
the exercise to countries that participants are familiar with as European countries.
Closing remarks
• Finally, which country is your dream holiday destination? Why would you like to go there?
• Is there anything else that you would like to share with us about your holiday experiences in
Europe or other parts of the world?
Thank respondents and close.

Annex V
Examples of Travel Packages

to Europe
Source: Ace Travel, Saudi Arabia, http://www.ace-travel.com, February 2011.
Source: Ace Travel, Saudi Arabia, http://www.ace-travel.com, February 2011.

Source: Fursan Travel, Saudi Arabia, http://www.fursan.com.sa, February 2011.
Source: Al Rais Holidays, United Arab Emirates, http://www.alraisholidays.com, August 2011.

Annex VI
List of European Travel Commission

Member Countries
(as of January 2012)
1. Austria 18. Luxembourg
2. Belgium 19. Malta
3. Bulgaria 20. Monaco
4. Croatia 21. Montenegro
5. Cyprus 22. Norway
6. Czech Republic 23. Poland
7. Denmark 24. Portugal
8. Estonia 25. Romania
9. Finland 26. San Marino
10. Germany 27. Serbia
11. Greece 28. Slovakia
12. Hungary 29. Slovenia
13. Iceland 30. Spain
14. Ireland 31. Sweden
15. Italy 32. Switzerland
16. Latvia 33. Turkey
17. Lithuania
Source: www.etc–corporate.org
Annex VII
Key GCC Publications with

Circulation Figures
Title Lang/freq Market Circulation Audited by
Gulf News E/D UAE 123,444 BPA
Khaleej Times E/D UAE 75,135
The National E/D UAE 90,000
7 Days E/D UAE 67,123 BPA
Al Khaleej A/D UAE 150,000
Al Ittihad A/D UAE 94,275
Al Bayan A/D UAE 88,800
Al Watan (Akhbar Al Arab) A/D UAE 110,000 BPA
Kul Al Usra A/W UAE 104,250
Zahrat Al Khaleej A/W UAE 198,375
Gulf Business E/M UAE 22,774 BPA
Arabian Business E/W UAE 21,634 BPA
Al Sharp A/D QTR 65,000
Arrayah A/D QTR 45,000
Al Watan A/D QTR 23,500
Gulf Times E/D QTR 25,000
Qatar Al Youm A/M QTR 22,200
Qatar Today E/M QTR 27,600
Abode E/M QTR 15,000
Jamila A/M QTR 25,000
Ashraq Al Awsat A/D KSA 300,000
Okaz A/D KSA 250,000
Al Riyad A/D KSA 180,000
Al Watan A/D KSA 150,000
Arab News E/D KSA 59,000
Sayidaty A/W KSA 138,907
Jamila A/W KSA 79,773
Al Watan A/D KUW 70,000
Al Rai A/D KUW 93,000
Arab Times E/W KUW 49,750

Title Lang/freq Market Circulation Audited by
Al Yaqza A/W KUW 109,686

Gulf Daily News E/D BRN 12,500
Al Ayam A/D BRN 30,000
Akhbar Al Khaleej A/D BRN 36,000
Bahrain This Month E/M BRN 11,709
Al Watan A/D OMN 47,000
Al Shabiba A/D OMN 37,000
Times of Oman E/D OMN 40,000
The Week E/W OMN 50,580

List of Figures and Tables
List of Figures
Figure 1.1 Population Projection for 2010-2050 (million)...................................................................... 2
Figure 1.2 Distribution of Middle East Population by Age, 2010-2050 (million)..................................... 4
Figure 1.3 Distribution of Middle East Population by Gender, 2010-2050 (million)................................ 4
Figure 2.1 GDP per Capita, Current Prices (US$), 2000-2015................................................................ 11
Figure 2.2 Doing Business in the Arab World 2010................................................................................ 13
Figure 4.1 International Tourist Arrivals from Middle East (million) ........................................................ 27
Figure 4.2 International Tourism Expenditure from Middle East (US$ billion)......................................... 28
Figure 4.3 Interregional Tourist Arrivals from Middle East, 1990-2010 (%) ............................................ 29
Figure 4.4 United Arab Emirates – Outbound Trips by Purpose, 2009 Share (%)..................................... 35
Figure 4.5 Saudi Arabia – Outbound Trips by Purpose, 2009 Share (%).................................................. 36
Figure 4.6 Egypt – Outbound Trips by Purpose, 2009 Share (%)............................................................. 36
Figure 4.7 Duration of Stay in United Kingdom by Country of Residence

(average number of nights, 2007-2009)................................................................................. 40
Figure 4.8 Seasonality of Travel by Country of Residence, 2007 (%)....................................................... 40
Figure 9.1 Incidence of Holiday Abroad in last Three Years (%).............................................................. 86
Figure 9.2 Frequency of Holiday Abroad in last Three Years (%)............................................................ 86
Figure 9.3 World Destinations ever been to onHoliday (%).................................................................... 87
Figure 9.4 World Destinations been to on Holiday in last Three Years (%).............................................. 88
Figure 9.5 Number of Times been to Europe (%).................................................................................... 89
Figure 9.6 European Countries ever Visited on Holiday (%).................................................................... 89
Figure 9.7 Motivations to Holiday in Europe again (%).......................................................................... 93
Figure 9.8 World Destinations Visited on most Recent Holiday (%)........................................................ 95
Figure 9.9 European Destinations Visited on most Recent Holiday (%)................................................... 96
Figure 9.10 Seasonality of Recent Holiday in Europe (%)......................................................................... 97
Figure 9.11 Duration of Recent Holiday in Europe (%)............................................................................ 97
Figure 9.12 Type of Recent Holiday in Europe (%)................................................................................... 98
Figure 9.13 Travel Companions on Holiday in Europe (%)....................................................................... 98
Figure 9.14 Size of Travel Party on Holiday in Europe (%)........................................................................ 99
Figure 9.15 Accommodation used on Holiday in Europe (%)................................................................... 99

Figure 9.16 Seasonality of Recent Holiday in other World Destinations (%) ........................................... 101
Figure 9.17 Duration of Recent Holiday in other World Destinations (%)................................................. 101
Figure 9.18 Type of Recent Holiday in other World Destinations (%)....................................................... 102
Figure 9.19 Travel Companions on Holiday in other World Destinations (%)........................................... 103
Figure 9.20 Size of Travel Party on Holiday in other World Destinations (%)............................................ 103
Figure 9.21 Accommodation Used on Holiday in other World Destinations (%)...................................... 104
Figure 9.22 Information Sources used for Destination Decision Making (%)............................................ 105
Figure 9.23 Types of Websites used as Information Sources for Holiday Decision Making (%)................. 106
Figure 9.24 Future World Destinations Likely to Visit (%)......................................................................... 109
Figure 9.25 European Destinations Likely to Visit (%)............................................................................... 109
Figure 9.26 European Destination Likely to Visit First (%)......................................................................... 111
List of Tables
Table 1.1 Distribution of Population by Region and Country, 2010-2050 (x 1,000).............................. 3
Table 1.2 Ethnicity, Religion and Language by Country........................................................................ 6
Table 1.3 Form of Government in Middle East Countries...................................................................... 6
Table 2.1 Growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Constant Prices, 2000-2015............................... 9
Table 2.2 Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Current Prices (US$), 2008-2015........................................ 9
Table 2.3 Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Composition by Sector (%), 2010....................................... 10
Table 3.1 Main Airports in the Middle East .......................................................................................... 17
Table 4.1 Arrivals from Middle East at Worldwide Destinations, 2000-2010......................................... 29
Table 4.2 Arrivals from Middle East at European destinations, 2000-2010............................................ 31
Table 4.3 Middle East Outbound Tourism, Trips Abroad, 2000-2010 (x1000) ....................................... 32
Table 4.4 Middle East International Tourism Expenditure, 2000-2010 (US$, million) ........................... 32
Table 4.5 Purpose of Travel (%)............................................................................................................ 36
Table 4.6 Average Stay in Europe by Middle East Visitors (number of nights)......................................... 39
Table 4.7 Accommodation Preferences of United Arab Emirates Travellers – by Nationality (%)........... 42
Table 4.8 Popular Travel Destinations from the Middle East.................................................................. 44
Table 5.1 Airlines Operating Direct Service from the Middle East to Europe, May 2010....................... 52
Table 6.1 Middle East Internet Usage, 2011......................................................................................... 61
Table 6.2 Travel Publications in the Middle East................................................................................... 64
Table 7.1 Travel Trade Fairs in the Middle East...................................................................................... 71
Table 8.1 Travel Trade Fairs in the Middle East...................................................................................... 84
Table 9.1 Geographical Distribution of Consumer Sample................................................................... 85
Table 9.2 World Destinations ever been to on Holiday (%).................................................................. 87

List of Figures and Tables 171
Table 9.3 Number of Times been to European Destinations (%)............................................................ 90
Table 9.4 Motivations to Holiday abroad (%)........................................................................................ 91
Table 9.5 Motivations to Holiday in Europe vs other World Destinations (%)........................................ 92

Table 9.6 Barriers to Holiday in Europe vs other World Destinations (%).............................................. 94
Table 9.7 Travel Booking for Holiday in Europe (%)............................................................................. 100
Table 9.8 Countries Visited on most Recent Holiday - Excluding European Countries (%)..................... 100
Table 9.9 Travel Booking for Holiday in other World Destinations (%).................................................. 104
Table 9.10 Characteristics of Holiday in Europe, Middle East and Asia (%)............................................. 106
Table 9.11 European Destinations Likely to Visit (%).............................................................................. 110
Table 9.12 European Destination Likely to Visit First (%)........................................................................ 112
Table 9.13 Motivation to Visit Specific European Sountry (qualitative response)...................................... 113
Table 9.14 Level of familiarity with European destinations (%)............................................................... 114
Table 10.1 Countries visited on holiday abroad...................................................................................... 119
Table 10.2 Associations with and Perceptions of European Countries..................................................... 126

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Further joint ETC/UNWTO publications!
These publications are part of an ongoing series of best practice handbooks and market studies resulting
from a collaboration between the ETC Market Intelligence Group and the UNWTO Programme of
Tourism Trends and Marketing Strategies.
These publications are available free of charge for members, or for purchase (in electronic or printed
format) from:
UNWTO: www.unwto.org/pub
and ETC: www.etc-corporate.org/market-intelligence/infoshop.html
Handbook on Tourism Budgets of National Tourism

Product Development Organizations, 2008 – 2009
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Demographic Change and Handbook on Tourism

Tourism Destination Branding
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in English only destinos turísticos
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in English and Spanish
Handbook on E-marketing Handbook on Tourism

for Tourism Destinations Forecasting Methodologies
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electrónico para destinos in English only
turísticos
published in 2009
in English and Spanish
Handbook on Tourism City Tourism & Culture
Market Segmentation – The European Experience
– Maximising Market
El turismo urbano y la cultura
Effectiveness
– La experiencia europea
published in 2007
in English only Le tourisme urbain et la culture
– L’ expérience européenne
published in 2005
in English, Spanish and French
Evaluating NTO Marketing The Chinese Outbound Travel

Activities Market with Special Insight
into the Image of Europe as a
Evaluación de las actividades
Destination
promocionales de las ONT
published in 2008
Évaluation des activités in English only
promotionnelles des ONT
published in 2003
in English, Spanish and French
The Russian Outbound Travel The Indian Outbound Travel

Market with Special Insight Market with Special Insight
into the Image of Europe as a into the Image of Europe as a
Destination Destination
published in 2009 published in 2007
in English only in English only

Travel Market
with Special Insight into Europe as a Destination
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), a Founded in 1948, the European Travel Commis
The Middle East Outbound Travel Market

United Nations specialized agency, is the leading sion (ETC) is a non-profit organisation whose
international organisation with the decisive role is to market and promote Europe as a
and central role in promoting the development tourism destination in overseas markets. ETC’s
of responsible, sustainable and universally members are the national tourism organisations
accessible tourism. It serves as a global forum (NTOs) of 33 European countries. Its mission
for tourism policy issues and a practical source is to provide added value to members by
of tourism know-how. Its membership includes encouraging exchange of information and
155 countries, 7 territories, 2 permanent observers management expertise and promoting awareness
and over 400 Affiliate Members. about the role played by NTOs.
www.UNWTO.org www.etc-corporate.org

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http://www.e-unwto.org/doi/book/10.18111/9789284414277 - Monday, December 04, 2017 7:11:24 AM - Basque Culinary Center Fundazioa IP Address:150.241.198.

The Middle East Outbound Travel Market

World Tourism Organization European Travel Commission

Permission to photocopy this material in Spain must be obtained through:

Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... vii

Scope of the Study............................................................................................................. ix

Part 1– Middle East Outbound Travel Market

1 Middle East Region Profile................................................................................................ 1

3 Transport Infrastructure.................................................................................................... 15

4.2.1 Outbound Travel to Key International Destinations............................................ 29

5 Travel Trade Structure ....................................................................................................... 51

7 Other Market Information.................................................................................................. 71

7.3 Holiday Legislation/Main Holiday Periods in the Middle East......................................... 72

Part 2 – Image of Europe as a Holiday Destination in the Middle East

8 Interviews with the Travel Trade....................................................................................... 77

9 Online Interviews with Consumers................................................................................... 85

10 Online Focus Group with Consumers.............................................................................. 117

10.2.2 Holiday Activities.............................................................................................. 121

10.4 Image of Europe .......................................................................................................... 124

Part 3 – Conclusions and Recommendations

11 Conclusions and Recommendations............................................................................... 139

The report is divided into three parts, as follows:

• Part 1 – Middle East Outbound Travel Market (Secondary Research)

• Part 3 – Conclusions and Recommendations

• Thereafter, marketing of Europe as groups of countries together, on a thematic platform may be

Middle East Region Profile

1.1 Geography (including Regional Integration Blocks)

• The Levant, also known as Mashriq or Mashreq.

1.2 Demographic Characteristics

1.2.1 Population Profile (actual and projected)

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

Table 1.1 Distribution of Population by Region and Country, 2010-2050 (x 1,000)

Country 2010 2025 2050 2010-2050

GCC Countries 39,229 50,925 65,624 67

Bahrain 809 1,021 1,276 58

Kuwait 3,052 3,990 5,240 72

Oman 2,905 3,784 4,877 68

Qatar 1,509 1,846 2,318 54

Saudi Arabia 26,245 34,177 43,660 66

United Arab Emirates 4,709 6,107 8,253 75

Levant Region 37,637 47,973 62,448 66

Jordan 6,471 8,089 10,241 58

Lebanon 4,251 4,735 5,032 18

Palestinian territories 4,410 6,553 10,264 133

Syria 22,505 28,596 36,911 64

Other Middle East 190,353 235,756 290,016 52

Egypt 84,474 104,971 129,534 53

Iran 75,077 87,133 96,975 29

Libya 6,544 8,144 9,819 50

Yemen 24,258 35,508 53,688 121

Total 267,219 334,654 418,088 56

Age and Gender Distribution of Population

Figure 1.2 Distribution of Middle East Population by Age, 2010-2050 (million)

2050 83,8 56,6 119,0 50,6 49,6 58,5

2025 89,2 56,1 106,0 38,0 25,3 20,2

2010 81,9 54,5 82,8 23,4 13,9 10,8

2050 206,4 211,7

2025 163,2 171,5

2010 129,4 137,8

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

1.2.3 Language and Religion

Table 1.2 Ethnicity, Religion and Language by Country

Country Ethnicity/ethnic groups Religion Language

3 Transport Infrastructure.................................................................................................... 15