The Middle East Tourism

With a strong existing market from business visitors, and a growing status among tourists from elsewhere in the Gulf, Qatar’s authorities are now focusing on developing a broader leisure industry.

Despite a rebound in tourism revenues last year, the sector continues to face a difficult operating environment with both regional instability and the potential for increased government taxation weighing it down.

An extensive study to develop a long-term strategy for tourism is underway in Oman after the minister responsible for the sector acknowledged that although solid progress had been made in recent years, the industry has not yet reached its full potential.

Next year, 2014, marks the beginning of a cycle of anniversaries set to last until the end of 2018, as countries across Europe, North America and beyond commemorate the centenary of the First World War. Turkey is looking to combine the expected spike in interest in historic events with a concerted drive to boost tourism revenue.

New visa regulations designed to allow foreign visitors undergoing medical treatment to stay for up to nine months are expected to reinforce Dubai’s appeal as a health tourism destination, and are part of a long-term plan to further build on the solid health care industry that has been developed.

It has been an uneven year for Jordan’s tourism industry, with rising earnings yet declining visitor numbers. Both are reflections of the kingdom’s growing market, but also of the hovering uncertainty in the region and the impact it is having on visitor confidence.