Articles tagged “middle east”

The continued focus on tourism in the Middle East has helped the region navigate its way through the unchartered landscape of Covid. Qatar is leading the way on recovery.

As it prepares to host Middle East's first-ever FIFA World Cup, Qatar expects the event to offer unique marketing potential to place the destination firmly on the tourism map. But for a country whose pre-Covid arrivals stood at 2.1 million in 2019, a goal of 1.5 million tourists for the two months of the tournament sounds overly ambitious.

Although Qatari tourism officials are projecting a welcoming image for their country, it will take more than one more tournament to prove it. The answer would come with the treatment of LGBTQ visitors later on when Qatar is out of the spotlight.

Competition in Pakistani aviation is getting fierce, pressuring the profitability of every carrier.

Booking.com has a substantial presence in the Middle East, but there is a vacuum that Wego Group and homegrown players could begin to fill over the next few years.

Investing in the "last mile" of travel can help on a few fronts, such as climate protection, gender equality, and economic development, according to Victoria Grace, founder of blank check firm Queen's Gambit. Makes sense on several levels.

Accor's push into the Middle East is a needed shot in the arm for the region's tepid pace of hotel development. But success hinges on mega-projects and events in markets like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia actually panning out.

The pace of hotel development in the Middle East has fallen for more than a year, but companies aren't shying away from introducing new brands to the region. If it can sustain its winter travel appeal — and that's a big if — expect the development pendulum to swing in a positive direction.

In old-school business wisdom, the large eat the small. Today the truism is that the fast eat the slow. No wonder Almosafer is looking to outrun the regional and global competition in Saudi Arabia and a couple of its bordering countries.

Dubai has spent significant capital billing itself up as a progressive destination that offers uninterrupted tourism and entertainment, but now reality may have caught up to the emirate.