Middle East Tourism Tourism was once a thriving industry in the Middle East. Until the mid-1990 s, people from all over the world went to virtually any Middle Eastern country with abandon. The appeal of the region to tourists is easy to see. This part of the world is rife with history, being the cradle of human civilization. Ancient buildings, museums with priceless artifacts from the dawn of human history, incredible architecture of lost civilizations, and a cultural experience totally unique from anywhere else in the world all offer enticing reasons to tourists to come. Yet, the Middle East is suffering in terms of tourism numbers, and that has largely to do with the many high-profile terrorism incidents against tourists there in the past few decades, as Islamist extremists become more violent against anything perceived as not one of them. In spite of this setback in tourism, and the strong discouragement the governments of western nations give their citizens against going there, the Middle East is not totally devoid of tourists. There are always a few brave, hardy souls who will go to even the most dangerous war zones to see the splendors of this unique region of the world. Some countries even have relatively thriving tourist industries, in spite of the general slowdown in tourism in the rest of the region. This is because these countries have taken extra precautions to make sure their visitors are safe, their borders are secure, the extremists are kept at a distance, and that the tourism experience they offer is both cultural and luxurious. This way, these countries can attract visitors of all income levels and boost their economies. The countries in the Middle East that are doing the best when it comes to tourism right now are the UAE, Jordan, and Dubai. This is how they achieved their success, and what they can do to improve it. The State of Tourism in the UAE, Jordan, and Dubai Right now, the UAE is really the top tourist destination in the Middle East. There is a reason for its success in this area, even being in the middle of such an unstable region. In fact, in the forty-two years since the UAE consolidated from seven different emirates to one unified country, it has become one of the world s leading tourist destinations. The tourism money it brings in has allowed it to modernize in a big way. The UAE now has two national airline companies, a safe and popular public transportation system within the nation, a plethora of shopping malls with high end products, and plenty of gourmet restaurants and luxurious hotels. When people come to the UAE, they know they are coming for a luxury tourism experience, and they re more than happy to pay for it. According to the Dubai Chamber, the tourism industry in the UAE is projected to grow by at least 6.5 percent each year between 2011 and 2021. This is a country that is continuing to improve its status as a Middle Eastern tourism powerhouse, and shows no signs of that declining any time soon. In addition to its luxury attractions, the UAE attracts business travelers. It is a hub of conventions and other business trips for executives and employees from around the world. Sporting events also account for much of its tourism, with its world-renowned teams and state of the art stadiums. With the unique Middle Eastern cultural attractions the UAE also has to offer, and the money the country is continuing to pour into developing its tourism sector, it is no wonder that it is the king of the Middle East in the tourism industry.
Jordan is next on the list. A known safe country, Jordan depends on tourism money to bolster its own economy. It is doing well. There were more than 8 million tourists from every part of the planet to Jordan in 2010, and those tourists spent approximately $3.5 billion dollars. That is a lot of money to go into the Jordanian economy. And this was just from regular tourism. Another $1 billion came into the country through medical tourism, which is a new and strong part of the Jordanian tourist industry, and increasingly popular as more people discover the medical treatments available there that are cheaper than in their home countries. While a brief period of political instability in 2011 resulted in tourism dollars to go down by around $1 billion, it quickly picked up again. In fact, tourism was still strong that year, in spite of the instability, which shows the lengths Jordan goes to in order to keep its foreign visitors safe and protected while within its borders. While Jordan has a luxury tourism sector, its main draw for visitors is its heritage. Most famously, Jordan is the home of Petra, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, and was declared one of the New Seven Wonders of the World a few years ago. In addition to the ancient stone city of Petra, Jordan has numerous historical buildings dating to the middle ages, such as mosques and churches, and its natural landscape is second to none. It attracts nature lovers and adventurers in droves, who come to see such things as the Jordan River, Mount Nebo, and more. While medical tourism is definitely popular in Jordan, it also has a natural health tourism industry in the form of the Dead Sea. Long praised for its many health benefits, people come from all over the world to soak in its briny waters. Shopping and luxury hotels round out Jordan s plentiful offerings to tourists. While approximately half of the annual tourists to Jordan are from other Middle Eastern countries, the other half come from western nations, whose money the Jordanian government eagerly courts. Then, there is Dubai. This location is best known for its high end shopping in luxurious malls and boutique stores. The wealthy flock to Dubai. This is in spite of some of its more restrictive laws regarding tourists that other tourist hubs in the Middle East either do not have or have but do not enforce. Dubai requires all visitors to observe Muslim religious laws, whether or not they are Muslims themselves. This means that modest dress in public is required (such as no sleeveless tops and dresses of a moderate length for women), no kissing in public is allowed, and visitors must observe the fasting of Ramadan in public (though they are welcome to eat and drink in licensed businesses and private homes and hotels). In spite of these restrictions on visitors, they still come, and they come in large numbers to this most luxurious of Middle Eastern nations. The hotels there are expensive, as are most other things a tourist might want to do or buy. The nation has an international airport with many direct flights to it from lots of countries. Its roads are modern and well maintained, and it even has a national highway system, unlike most other Middle Eastern nations. The nation is always investing its tourist dollars, not just back into the local economy, but into improving the tourist sector to attract even more wealthy visitors. It is one of the most modern, nicely kept Middle Eastern nations, and its amenities appeal to those in western nations who are used to the very best in everything from accommodations to entertainment.
While more than half of Dubai s tourists are from other Middle Eastern countries, it attracts a healthy mix of tourists from other parts of the world who make up the other half of people who come. Those numbers of visitors from outside the Middle East are increasing as Dubai becomes better known in luxury tourism circles, and advertising among the wealthy world elite becomes a bigger priority for the nation. Improving Tourism in These Key Nations The UAE, Jordan, and Dubai are already doing remarkably well in the tourism industry. All of these countries have made tourism a priority, and it is reflected in the numbers of people who go there, and the dollars they spend while they are there. All three countries have made improvements to their border security and their militaries to keep the extremists out of their nations. Visitors feel safe visiting these places, because you don t hear of bad things happening there. These are essentially Middle Eastern safe zones. All three nations know the importance of tourism to their economies and do what they can to protect it. The money tourism has brought into these three nations has increased the standard of living for all the natives. It has even made these countries popular places for expats to move, particularly Dubai. When people from foreign countries willingly move to Middle Eastern nations for a better quality of life, it is obvious those nations are doing things correctly. Even with the requirement to follow Muslim law in public, Dubai still has a thriving expat community. That says a lot for the nation, both in terms of its safety and its amenities. The people who live in these nations do not want to give up the high standard of living to which they have become accustomed. Therefore, the government and the people all go out of their way to make sure tourists feel welcome, that they have the experience they were looking for when they came, that everything exceeds their expectations, and that they are likely to come back and recommend their friends come, too. It is a national priority among the government and citizens alike of these nations. As long as the tourism industry is thriving there, the local people will have jobs. The more money the tourists spend, the more money can be spent on wages and salaries for those who work there. Keeping tourism strong is a win-win for everyone in these countries. The things the UAE, Jordan, and Dubai can do to improve tourism in their nations are things they are already doing. Being somewhat of tourism experts, the governments of these nations know what their visitors want, and make savvy and strategic investments into the tourism sector to keep it up to expectations. This ensures more money is spent while tourists are there, and also secures more return visits and referral visits. Dubai, for example, is investing in building two underwater hotels, which are among the first of their kind in the world. Jordan is investing in its historical and cultural tourism with better accommodations, better roads, and more professional tour companies to take visitors in style and comfort to the places they most want to see on their visit there. The UAE is investing more in its medical tourism industry, which is just getting off the ground. It is already the leader in tourism in the Middle East in both business and pleasure tourism; now, it is focusing on becoming the leader in medical tourism, as well. While Dubai and Jordan both have medical tourism industries, it is the UAE that is investing the most dollars in this sector, so it can complete a perfect trifecta of leadership in every area of tourism in the Middle East.
Other Middle Eastern Nations and the Region s Tourism Leaders Most other Middle Eastern nations lost their status as high profile tourist destinations decades ago. Tourists rarely visit some anymore (except for the most daring), such as the war zones like Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and other such places. Even Egypt, which was once a powerhouse of Middle Eastern tourism, is suffering. While it still takes a high position as a top tourist destination in Africa, it has lost that position in the Middle East. Egypt has always walked between the two worlds of Africa and the Middle East, but recent terrorism incidents in which tourists were killed or injured have taken its toll on the tourism industry of this historically rich nation. The political instability it experienced a few years ago, with well-publicized protests and violence against the government and government buildings (including museums) have kept the tourists away in the large numbers in which they once came. Egypt may still be an important tourism country for Africa, but the stars of tourism in the Middle East are leaving it far behind in terms of visitors and tourist dollars being brought into the country. When it comes to Middle Eastern tourism, it is clear that visitors want both cultural/historical and luxury experiences. Other Middle Eastern nations that want to take a piece of the large amount of tourism money available for the region for themselves will have to invest more money in creating these experiences for visitors. The UAE, Jordan, and Dubai can all serve as models of tourism success to other Middle Eastern nations. Increasing tourism means investing money in improving the infrastructure, as so many Middle Easter nations lack even basic maintained roads, which makes travel through those nations difficult and too daunting for a lot of people. Modernizing these nations and bringing in the luxury western amenities the visitors expect will also encourage more of them to come. Better accommodations, shopping and food establishments are required. Internet and mobile phone access that is reliable is a must. Encouraging luxury tourism companies to set up in these countries, and even providing government subsidies for them to do so will be a smart investment, particularly for those nations with lots of historical and cultural attractions that visitors want to see. Most of all, however, these nations have to make themselves safe. The UAE, Jordan, and Dubai have done this with wonderful success. Investing in security, making partnerships with foreign nations to improve security for visitors, and looking into shoring up their militaries, their borders, and hiring foreign security firms to ensure protection to anyone who visits is a large factor, and the most important one, in bringing back the tourists to other Middle Eastern nations. Some nations are in a position to do this now. Others are so war torn and full of extremists, even being hubs for them, that it may take decades, or even generations, for these nations to be in positions for the tourists to return. The UAE, Jordan, and Dubai: The Jewels of Middle Eastern Tourism Even if the UAE, Jordan, and Dubai weren t already popular tourist attractions, they would still have lots to offer in terms of history and culture, as well as stunningly beautiful landscapes and opportunities for amazing outdoor experiences. That these nations have put a large importance on their tourism sector and have invested heavily in it (and continue to do so) makes them unique jewels in a region that is largely known for violence these days. Yet, visitors can go to these countries and know that not only will they be safe; they will also have an exceptional travel experience. These nations are already getting to the point where they don t need foreign investors to make their tourism sectors shining examples to other nations anymore. They have built up this part of their economy and don t need as much foreign aid in doing it anymore. Because the UAE, Jordan, and Dubai have done so well in designing the perfect environments for tourists, they are now the examples for other Middle Eastern nations to follow. As
tourism is expected to increase in these nations in the coming years, as they make more improvements and continue to modernize and invest in luxury, they will be examples well into the future. Any Middle Eastern nation that wants to improve its economy and quality of life/standard of living for its citizens can use the model these nations have provided. It s there, it works, and it is amazing. Source http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/nov/24/can-middle-east-tourism-ever-recover-terroristattacks-egypt-tunisia http://gulfnews.com/business/sectors/tourism/why-the-uae-is-a-leading-tourism-destination-in-theregion-1.1261536 http://na.visitjordan.com/ https://globalvoices.org/2012/06/24/uae-online-dress-code-campaign-urges-extra-inches-of-clothing/