Guest Experience in the Middle East

Transcription

1 Turn guests into ambassadors Guest Experience in the Middle East A report on the online reputation of hotels in the Middle East April - March April 24, 217

2 About Olery Olery captures content shared by travelers on accommodation booking sites and travel apps. Technologies such as Natural Language Processing help to analyze the millions of opinions written and published by guests. This way Olery extracts data about destinations, hospitality businesses and travelers worldwide. This data is used to monitor performance and reputation, improve services through feedback and to better understand visitors. The Olery data platform powers a suite of web applications, reports and developer APIs for the hospitality industry, tourism organizations and travel commerce companies. Visit or contact us directly to learn more. Disclaimer This report is based on information extracted from online guest reviews. All analyzed content is publicly available. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data, Olery makes no representation, warranty or guarantee in connection with this report and hereby expressly disclaims any liability or responsibility for loss or damage resulting from the use of this data. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under the Creative Commons License, Attribution Noncommercial-Share Alike 3. Netherlands. This license enables you to use, copy, spread, and build upon this work non-commercially, as long as you credit Olery, and license your new creations under the identical terms. Charts contained in this report may be reproduced for publication, however they may not be modified in any way without the prior written consent of Olery. The Creative Commons License is available for download at Cover image credit: Residence & Spa at One&Only Royal Mirage Dubai ranked no. 2 in the TripAdvisor 217 Travelers Choice Awards Top 25 Hotels of the Middle East

3 Table of Contents Introduction Bahrain Cyprus Egypt Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi Dubai Sharjah Methodology About Olery

4 Introduction With a strong worldwide growth rate of over 4%, estimated by the he United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), international tourism continues to outshine many other industries. It now represents more than 7% of the world s exports, ahead of iconic industries such as automotive or food production. While the Middle East could only secure 4,3% of this market in, the contribution of US$ 54 billion is quite significant for the goal of economic diversification pursued by many countries in the area. Travelers increasing hunger for exotic destinations and unique experiences combined with international events like the Expo in Dubai or the FIFA World Cup in Qatar provide a positive outlook. However, single-sided security measures as enacted by the US government constitute a new threat for tourism growth. When planning and booking trips modern, tech-savvy travelers increasingly turn to information digitally shared by their peers. An abundance of web and mobile platforms lets users publish opinions about destinations, hotels, restaurants, attractions and other businesses. Online reviews also provide excellent insights into the experiences of travelers. Businesses, associations and governments worldwide use this data to understand their visitors and make better investment decisions. This report provides a snapshot into the review data for all major destinations in the Middle East. Review Volume & Guest Experience of hotels in the Middle East

5 Guest Experience in the Middle East This map shows the average in the period from April 1, to March 31, 217 for all hotels in the destination. The (GEI) is a holistic measure of hotel performance through the eyes of the guests. It aggregates all data shared in online reviews for a hotel or other type of accommodation. At its core is a proprietary algorithm, developed in cooperation with the Free University of Amsterdam. This algorithm takes numeric ratings, the textual opinions stated in the review (sentiment analysis) and the trustworthiness of the reviews (based on the credibility of each reviewer and the review site) into account Cyprus Lebanon Israel 82 Syria 81.7 Jordan.5 Iraq Egypt Iran Saudi Arabia 76.3 Kuwait 77.9 Bahrain Qatar UAE Oman 79.3 Yemen Rank Country GEI 1 Change # of reviews 1 (1) Cyprus % 124,97 2 (3) Lebanon % 36,689 3 (6) Qatar %,859 4 (2) Israel % 172,381 The current rank is compared to the one of the previous period (number in brackets). The data might differ from last year s report due to the analysis of additional reviews. 5 (4) Egypt % 32,15 6 (5) Jordan.5 1.% 63,378 7 (-) UAE % 1,146,929 8 (-) Oman % 57,164 9 (-) Bahrain % 52,484 1 (-) Kuwait % 37,9 11 (-) Saudi Arabia % 471,522 5

6 Guest Experience in the United Arab Emirates Sharjah Dubai Abu Dhabi 82.8 Rank Emirate GEI Change # of reviews 1 (1) Abu Dhabi % 1,688 2 (2) Dubai % 2,655 3 (3) Sharjah 75.28% 43,372 Data from hotels in Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah and Umm al-quwain is included in the ratings for the United Arab Emirates. 6

7 This table shows the guests satisfaction with different aspects of their stay. The numbers represent the average ratings given in all reviews for hotels in the destination. This data helps to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the hospitality industry in each destination. Bahrain Cyprus Egypt Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia UAE Abu Dhabi Dubai Sharjah Overall Value Room Cleanliness Location Service This table shows the average rating for the overall experience by travelers from a specific group. These segments are deducted from the public profiles of the reviewers on the travel sites. Bahrain Cyprus Egypt Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia UAE Abu Dhabi Dubai Sharjah Business Couples Families Friends Solo Group

8 This table shows the average rating for the overall experience by travelers from different origins. The origins are deducted from the public profiles of the reviewers on the travel sites. destination \ traveler from Bahrain Cyprus Egypt Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia UAE Abu Dhabi Dubai Sharjah Australia Bahrain Canada Cyprus 81 Egypt France Germany India Israel Italy Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Netherlands Oman Pakistan Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Spain Switzerland Turkey UAE UK United States

9 Guest distribution per origin This table shows the percentage of reviews published by guests from the most common visitor countries. The origin is deducted from the public profiles of the reviewers on the travel sites. destination \ traveler from Bahrain Cyprus Egypt Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia UAE Abu Dhabi Dubai Sharjah Australia 1.8% 1.2% 1.4% 1.9% 1.6% 2.3% Bahrain 5.6% 1% 5.4% 1.8% 2.6% 1.1% 1.4% 1.2% Canada 1.5% 1.8% 1.8% 1.1% Cyprus 23.9% Egypt 4.4% 1.3% 8.3% 1.7% 1.1% 1.3% France 2.6% 1.4% 6% 4.5% 5.6% 4.3% 1% 2.1% 1.6% 2.5% Germany 3% 11.2% 4.8% 4.5% 2.8% 6.6% 1.1% 2.5% 3.7% 2.4% India 1.1% 1.4% 2.3% 1.2% 2.9% 1.2% Israel 5% 58.2% 4.7% Italy 2.2% 2.1% 2.3% 2.7% 1.9% 4.3% 1.5% 1.9% 2.1% 2.1% Jordan 19.1% 4.4%.6% Kuwait 8.1% 2.9% 3.3% 12.4% 5.2% 3.2% 4.3% 2.3% 3.8% 1.5% 5% 2.6% Lebanon 1.3% 1.2% 2.4% Netherlands 1.3% 1.1% 1.9% 1.9% 1.9% 1.1% Oman 2.3% 31% 1.4% 1.4% 6.2% 2.9% 5.1% 3.1% Pakistan 1.3% 1.7% Qatar 3.8% 1.1% 2.3% 4.3% 2.8% 2.7% 21.4% 1.6% 2.5% 1.5% 3.1% 1.7% Russia 15.4% 1.8% 7.7% 1.8% 1% 1.6% 1.6% 2.8% Saudi Arabia 67.7% 18.6% 19.4% 52% 12.2% 5.7% 45.1% 81.6% 19.7% 9% 25.1% 16.6% Spain 2.5% 1.7% Switzerland 2.2% 1.4% 1.7% 1.4% 1.5% 3% 1.2% 1.1% 1.3% Turkey 2.2% 1.4% 3.8% 1% 1% UAE 3.8% 3% 8.6% 15.4% 13.6% 19.3% 8.9% 4.3% 35.4%.6% 24.3% 34.7% UK 2.8% 34.3% 6.6% 4.1% 6.3% 1.6% 4.7% 7% 3.2% 1.6% 8.7% 5.8% 9.9% 2% United States 1.9% 1.4% 2.1% 8.6% 6% 1.3% 4% 1.9% 1.8% 1.2% 2.2% 1.6% 2.6% 9

10 Bahrain ,484 In the view of visitors, hotels in Bahrain still lag behind their competition in most other destinations in the Middle East. Nonetheless, Bahrain s hospitality industry seems committed to continuous quality improvements. A (GEI) of 77.9 and strong ratings for rooms, cleanliness and service are evidence of that. However, not all visitors are equally satisfied. As in previous years, solo and group travelers rate their experience much lower than other segments. Location 88.2 Cleanliness 87.7 Service 86.9 Room 86.8 Value 82.4 Overall 79.5 Friends 89.4 Business 86.1 Couples.6 Families.6 Solo 75.4 Group.8 Saudi Arabia 67.7% 77.4 Kuwait 8.1%.8 Bahrain 5.6% 81 UAE 3.8% 78.7 Qatar 3.8%.7 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Bahrain

11 Cyprus ,97 Once again Cyprus is able to occupy the top position among destinations in the Middle East. An excellent guest experience combined with a safe and stable environment make Cyprus one of the most attractive destinations for families and couples from Europe and Russia. However, the shows a slight decrease compared to the previous reporting period. A mediocre room rating indicates that hoteliers in Cyprus should not defer investments into their hotel property. Service 88 Location 87.9 Cleanliness 87.6 Value 85.1 Room 84.9 Overall 83.2 Couples 85.3 Families 84.4 Friends 83.8 Solo 83.1 Business 83.1 Group 81.8 UK 34.3% 85.5 Cyprus 23.9% 81 Russia 15.4% 83.9 Israel 5% 86 Germany 3% 81.5 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Cyprus

12 Egypt ,15 The political situation and safety concerns continue to hurt Egypt s hospitality industry. However, tourists who decided visit Egypt s beaches, bustling cities and historical sights have recorded a slightly higher guest experience compared to last year s numbers. Guests especially appreciate the value for money they currently receive in Egypt s hotels. While this is a positive sign for future tourism recovery, other destinations are improving their offerings even faster. Hence, Egypt drops to #5 in the overall ranking. Location.1 Service 89.7 Value 88.2 Room 87.9 Cleanliness 87.1 Overall 82.6 Friends.4 Couples 83.9 Business 83.6 Families 82.5 Solo 77.2 Group 74 Egypt 4.4% 77.8 Saudi Arabia 18.6% 75.3 Germany 11.2% 88.8 UK 6.6% 86.7 UAE 3% 73.2 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Egypt

13 Israel ,381 With cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem along with an abundance of cultural sites as well as leisure spots, the potential for tourism in Israel was always great but hindered by safety concerns. Travelers might be re-assessing this situation, because Israel is expecting 217 to be a record year for tourism. This cannot be explained by the guest experience. Although generally on a high level, it has stayed largely stagnant in the past year. This leads Israel to drop #3 in the overall ranking of destinations in the Middle East. Location 91.6 Cleanliness 86.8 Service 86.5 Room 85.6 Value 84 Overall.6 Friends 85.4 Families 84.4 Couples 84.1 Business 83.8 Solo 82.9 Group 73.9 Israel 58.2% 79.6 USA 8.6% 84.5 Russia 7.7% 79.5 France 6% 76.4 Germany 4.8% 78.6 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Israel

14 Jordan.5 63,378 Jordan is a popular destination among travelers from the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. For leisure tourists, it offers great spots such as the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. Meanwhile, Jordan s hotels are perceived as rather expensive and of mediocre quality. A solid increase in the in the past 12 months to.5 is not able to change this situation significantly. Location 89.4 Service 84.4 Room 84.4 Cleanliness 84.4 Value 82.1 Overall 79.9 Business 85.3 Friends 83.8 Couples Solo 79.1 Group 78.4 Families 78.3 Saudi Arabia 19.4% 76.7 Jordan 19.1% 77.1 UAE 8.6% 76.7 UK 6.3% 82.1 USA 6% 83.7 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Jordan a

15 Kuwait ,9 After a drop in the /, Kuwait is back on track to catch up with the more popular destinations in the Middle East. However, this will not happen quickly. Pricey rooms and and a low overall impression are still the main obstacles for a higher guest satisfaction. On the bright sight, business travelers and groups of friends seem satisfied with their stay in Kuwait. Cleanliness 86.8 Service 86.7 Room 86 Location 84.1 Value 81.7 Overall 76.8 Business 86.8 Friends 86.8 Families 76.6 Solo 76.2 Couples 76.2 Group 66.7 Saudi Arabia 52% 74.6 UAE 15.4% 77.4 Kuwait 12.4% 78.8 Bahrain 5.4% 74.9 Qatar 4.3% 78.3 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Kuwait

16 Lebanon 82 36,689 With an 1.26% improvement in the Lebanon has solidified its position at the top of the overall destination ranking, now just behind Cyprus. Culture, cuisine, landscape and good accommodation make for an attractive package. Most guest segments are very satisfied with their experience. However, group travelers might appreciate further service improvements. Location.6 Cleanliness 85.5 Service 84.6 Room 84.5 Value 83.4 Overall.7 Business 85.1 Friends 83.8 Couples 81.3 Solo.4 Families 78.9 Group Lebanon 2.4%.8 UAE 13.6% 79.2 Saudi Arabia 12.2% 79.9 Egypt 8.3% 81.6 France 5.6% 81.2 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Lebanon

17 Oman ,164 Oman recently intensified its efforts to become a more attractive tourist destination. While the country certainly offers a plethora of sights and activities, the hospitality industry is still not on par with popular destinations across the Middle East. However, with an increase of 2.51% in the Oman has made a significant step forward. Rooms, cleanliness and service are rated highly, while the value for money is below average. Cleanliness 88.4 Room 87.1 Service 87 Location 86 Overall.3 Value.2 Friends 83.5 Business 82.2 Couples 81.7 Families.8 Solo 77.8 Group 77.6 Oman 31% 76.2 UAE 19.3% 78.2 UK 7% 85.7 Germany 6.6% 83.1 Saudi Arabia 5.7% 79.7 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Oman

18 Qatar 81.7,859 Qatar continues its astonishingly fast ascend to the top-tier of tourist destinations in the Middle East. With an increase of 2.83% in the Qatar is able to rise to the 3rd place in the overall ranking. Local hotels have achieved great ratings throughout most categories and traveler segments. Shifting focus to families and solo travelers might yield further gains in guest satisfaction. Cleanliness 88.9 Location 88 Service 87.8 Room 87.6 Value 84.6 Overall 81.9 Friends 88.9 Business 86.2 Couples 83 Solo 81.2 Families.2 Group 75.5 Saudi Arabia 45.1% 79.6 Qatar 21.4% 82.9 UAE 8.9% 79.4 Kuwait 4.3% 81.3 UK 3.2% 84.1 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Qatar

19 Saudi Arabia ,522 With Mecca and Medina, two of the world s most important pilgrimage destinations are in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the country hosts massive numbers of travelers each year. However, many visitors leave the country disappointed with local hotels and apartments. While rooms and cleanliness are acceptable, service and price levels are not. Business travelers seem less bothered by these conditions, but leisure tourists ratings are among the lowest for hotels in the Middle East. Fortunately, Saudi Arabian hoteliers are willing to tackle the issues. In /217 the rose by over 3%. Location.4 Room 84 Cleanliness 83.7 Service 82.3 Value 79.4 Overall 76.2 Friends 84.5 Business 81.5 Couples 76.8 Families 75.4 Solo 75.3 Group 71.9 Saudi Arabia 81.6% 75.6 UAE 4.3% 75.8 Kuwait 2.3% 78 Egypt 1.7% 76.2 Qatar 1.6% 77.4 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Saudi Arabia

20 United Arab Emirates ,146,929 The Federation of the seven emirates Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-quwain offers tourists a wide range of experiences. However, the satisfactions with hotels and apartments differs significantly between the emirates. Therefore, the United Arab Emirates as a whole do not occupy a top position, even though they score top ratings in the categories room, cleanliness and service. Cleanliness 89.5 Room 88.3 Service 88.3 Location 88 Value 84.5 Overall 81.2 Friends 87.6 Business 84.7 Couples 82.8 Families 81.4 Solo 79.3 Group 77.6 UAE 35.4% 77.9 Saudi Arabia 19.7% 78.5 UK 8.7% 86.7 Oman 6.2% 75.6 Kuwait 3.8%.7 Review Volume & Guest Experience in United Arab Emirates

21 Abu Dhabi ,688 Abu Dhabi provides one of the best guest experiences in the Middle East. It takes the top spot in the UAE, clearly outranking its two popular neighbours Dubai and Sharjah. Ranked as a separate country it would occupy the 2nd place, behind only Cyprus. Abu Dhabi offers the best and cleanest rooms in the Middle East combined with great service and affordable prices. However, hotel managers should make sure they are prepared to defend their achievements. In /217 the was stagnant. Cleanliness 91 Room 89.4 Service 89.3 Location 88.6 Value 85.7 Overall 83.8 Friends 89.1 Business 86.2 Couples 84.4 Families 83 Group 82.9 Solo 81.9 UAE.6%.5 Saudi Arabia 9% 83 UK 5.8% 88.2 Germany 3.7% 89.1 Oman 2.9% Review Volume & Guest Experience in Abu Dhabi

22 Dubai ,655 Dubai is one of the most popular cities in the Middle East. With its marvels of modern architecture and endless shopping opportunities, it receives more visitors than any of the other emirates. Hotels and apartments have a high standard, but don t quite reach the level of its neighbor Abu Dhabi. Cleanliness 89.1 Location 88.1 Service 88 Room 87.9 Value 84.2 Overall 81.1 Friends 87.3 Business 84.1 Couples 82.9 Families 82 Solo 78.9 Group 77.8 Saudi Arabia 25.1% 78.2 UAE 24.3% 77.7 UK 9.9% 86 Oman 5.1% 75.8 Kuwait 5%.5 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Dubai

23 Sharjah 75 43,372 Sharjah is undeniably an upcoming tourist destination. Authorities recently announced an astonishing increase of 63% in Chinese tourists in. While the potential is great, the local hospitality industry has yet to pave the way for further growth. Many travelers, both leisure and business, are still unsatisfied with the overall experience in local accommodation. Ratings show below-average performances in all categories. The small quality improvement in /217 can only be start of a longer process. Location 85.6 Service 82.8 Value 82.7 Room 82.4 Cleanliness 81.3 Overall 75.9 Friends 83.8 Business 78.2 Solo 76.8 Couples 76.3 Families 75.7 Group.6 UAE 34.7% 74.6 Oman 3.1% 74.3 Saudi Arabia 16.6% 75.6 Russia 2.8% 81 Kuwait 2.6% 77.4 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Sharjah

24 Olery Publication - Guest Experience in the Middle East April - March 217 Methodology This report is based on reviews of hotels in the Middle East published between April 1, and March 31, ,553,623 reviews from 9,364 hotels were analyzed Multiple public travel websites were used as source The (GEI) per country constitutes an average of the GEIs for every individual hotel in the country Performance aspects are based on more than 538 rating categories of the review sites Guest segments are deducted from the public profiles of the reviewers Ratings and the GEI might vary from last year s report due to a change in the considered period and the analysis of additional reviews Syria, Yemen, Iran and Iraq are not included due to a lack of reviews 24

25 About Olery Olery captures content shared by travelers on accommodation booking sites and travel apps. Technologies such as Natural Language Processing help to analyze the millions of opinions published by guests. This way Olery extracts data about destinations, hospitality businesses and travelers worldwide. This data is used to monitor performance and reputation, improve services through feedback and to better understand visitors. The Olery data platform powers a suite of web applications, reports and developer APIs for the hospitality industry, tourism organizations and travel commerce companies. Industries Hotels & Hotel Groups Tools for reputation management & guest surveys Destinations Industry monitoring & marketing tools for DMOs, Tourism Boards & Authorities Online Travel Agencies Review content for booking sites & apps Hospitality Service Providers Performance tracking & prospecting tools for hotel-related providers Hotel Software Providers Data to build Online Reputation Management solutions Products Olery Web Tool Insights into the hospitality industry in different markets Hotel Review Data API Access to data from millions of guest Reviews Hotel Review Summaries Auto-generated summaries of review data for consumer sites/apps Reputation for Hotels Online tool to monitor, manage reviews and to benchmark against competitors Feedback for Hotels A simple survey tool to gather real insights from guests For enquiries please contact Kim van den Wijngaard Co-founder & CEO +31 () kimvandenwijngaard@olery.com Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, contact us or visit to learn more 25