The rise of online booking platforms has had a major impact on the global travel and tourism industry as use of traditional travel agencies has given way to purchases made through online providers, or online travel agencies (OTAs). Although take-up of internet booking in the MENA region was initially slower than in other, more developed...
With the holy cities of Makkah and Medina attracting millions of pilgrims every year, the bulk of Saudi Arabia’s tourist industry remains concentrated in these two areas. The seasonal nature of many pilgrim visits has historically presented a challenge to the country’s tourism authorities, and as a result, recent years have witnessed various...
The National Transformation Programme (NTP), a key component of Vision 2030, details support for a series of initiatives and programmes developed by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) that aim to position the wider, non-religious tourism segment as a key generator of non-oil based growth. It hopes to achieve this by...
Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) expects an influx of visitors to come by the turn of the decade, and these projections are helping to drive the construction of theme parks, hospital wings, shopping malls and several new hotels. Dubai announced total international visitor figures of 14.2m for 2015, an increase of 7.5...
The importance of learning, cultural awareness and artistic appreciation was placed centre stage in Dubai when the UAE declared 2016 to be the Year of Reading. The nation’s rulers re-emphasised the role of the written word in helping to foster creativity and innovation among Emiratis and other residents. The new Opera House opening in Dubai is...
Dubai’s ambition to become the Middle East’s paramount provider of medical tourism has taken some significant steps forward, with the emirate easily surpassing initial targets for numbers of patients treated and revenues two years after the initiative was first announced. However, there are also significant challenges ahead for private health...
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