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Tourism
International tourist arrivals through September were 20% above pre-pandemic levels - no other region had fully recovered.
Dawit Habtemariam | 4 months ago
Airlines
Dubai Airport has surpassed pre-pandemic levels during the initial half of 2023. However, its projection for the entire year still falls slightly short of 2019 numbers. Call it "cautious optimism."
Peden Doma Bhutia | 8 months ago
Thailand is experiencing a shortfall in its anticipated number of Chinese tourists, potentially impacting its tourism target for 2023. The country is now exploring alternative markets like Middle Eastern tourists, who can significantly contribute to its tourism revenue despite not matching the Chinese numbers.
Peden Doma Bhutia | 9 months ago
Abu Dhabi acknowledges that culture serves as a unique and compelling attraction that sets it apart from other destinations, helping the emirate to attract tourists seeking authentic cultural experiences.
Peden Doma Bhutia | 10 months ago
When you are a destination as ambitious as Saudi Arabia with an aim to attract 100 million annual visitors by 2030, you have to emphasize year-round appeal to avoid missing out on travelers.
Peden Doma Bhutia | 11 months ago
Destinations in the Middle East understand that to realize their very ambitious tourism goals, they need to create enough infrastructure. Little wonder then that Saudi Arabia is now racing ahead of United Arab Emirates to build more hotel rooms.
Peden Doma Bhutia | 12 months ago
As Saudi Arabia looks to diversify its economy, the country is on a rapid urban expansion, ensuring that there's enough infrastructure to accommodate a growing number of tourists.
Peden Doma Bhutia | 1 year ago
From issuing the first tourist visa in September 2019 to the announcement of a free-of-charge four-day stopover transit visa for air travelers, Saudi Arabia has indeed come a long way. And then of course there's the target to attract 100 million tourists per year by 2030.
It's interesting to note how each of Dubai's ambitious economic predictions rests on its tourism prowess and its ability to attract international visitors.
As Middle Eastern nations look to diversify their economy beyond oil, tourism will most likely be the strongest sector to drive this change.