Turn guests into ambassadors Guest Experience in the Middle East Based on Hotel Guest Reviews Published April - March www.olery.com April 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. Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, contact us or visit www.olery.com 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 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3./nl/. Cover image credit: Francisco Anzola (www.flickr.com/photos/fran1/)
Table of Contents Introduction................................ 4 Bahrain.................................. 1 Cyprus................................... 11 Egypt................................... 12 Israel................................... 13 Jordan...................................14 Kuwait.................................. 15 Lebanon..................................16 Oman................................... 17 Qatar................................... 18 Saudi Arabia................................19 United Arab Emirates............................ 2 Abu Dhabi.................................21 Dubai.................................. 22 Sharjah.................................. 23 Methodology............................... 24 About Olery................................ 25 3
Introduction In a world of slowed economic progress, tourism continues to be a major driver for growth. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) reports that international arrivals grew by 4.4% in alone. While this constitutes an above-average increase in tourism, the Middle East region is struggling to fully participate. Conflicts, terrorism and political instability are taking their toll. Nonetheless, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) calculates that tourism sustains more than 5.5 million jobs in the region. With Iran becoming a travel destination once again and international events like the Expo in Dubai and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar lined up, the expectations for the coming years are high. 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 3 2 2 1 7 29 21 211 212 213 4
Guest Experience in the Middle East This map shows the average in the period from April 1, to March 31, 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. At its core is a proprietary algorithm, developed in cooperation with the VU University of Amsterdam. This algorithm takes ratings, the opinions stated in the review (sentiment analysis) and the trustworthiness of the reviews (based on credibility of the reviewer and the review site) into account. 84.4 Cyprus Lebanon Israel 81.1 Jordan 82 79.5 Syria Iraq Egypt.7 75.8 Iran Saudi Arabia 73.5 Kuwait 76.9 Bahrain Qatar 79.2 78.8 UAE Oman 77.5 Yemen Rank Country GEI 1 Change # of reviews 1 (1) Cyprus 84.4 1.91% 113,631 2 (3) Israel 82. 2.22% 163,37 3 (2) Lebanon 81.1.25% 24,614 4 (4) Egypt.7 1.35% 282,272 5 (5) Jordan 79.5.28%,6 The current rank is compared to the one of the previous period (number in brackets). The data differs from last year s report due to a change in the reporting period and analysis of additional reviews. 6 (7) Qatar 79.2 1.95% 63,83 7 (6) UAE 78.8.5% 983,71 8 (8) Oman 77.5.62% 45,541 9 (11) Bahrain 76.9 2.74%,288 1 (9) Kuwait 75.8.14% 32,316 11 (1) Saudi Arabia 73.5-1.98% 335,842 5
Guest Experience in the United Arab Emirates Sharjah Dubai 78.2 74.9 Abu Dhabi 82.2 Rank Emirate GEI Change # of reviews 1 (1) Abu Dhabi 82.2.96% 145,485 2 (2) Dubai 78.2.2% 3,997 3 (3) Sharjah 74.9.1% 37,22 Data from hotels in Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah and Umm al-quwain is included in the ratings for the United Arab Emirates. 6
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 78.5 83.8 82.2 81 79.3 76.5 78.7 79.7 74.3.4 83.4 79.9 75.5 Value 82.8 85.5 85.5 83.6 81.8.8 82.9 78.5 81.8 75.5 84.2 86.9 83.3 83.1 Room 84.8 85.1 87 85.2 83 84.7 83.8 85.2 85.7.4 88.4.5 87.2 82.1 Cleanliness 86.7 88.6 86.3 86.5 83.5 85.7 84.9 87 87.2.3 89.6 91.4 88.6 81.2 Location 86.6 87.4 86.8 91.1 88.4 86.5 89.5 82.3 86.2 88.2 87.1 87.9 87.4 83 Service 85.7 88.8 87.4 86.6 83.9 85.7 83.9 84.6 85.7 77.4 88 89.5 87.2 81.8 This table shows the average rating for the overall experience per guest segment. The 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 83.7 82.5 82 83.8 84.2 85.8 85.7 78.7 83.8 76.3 84.2 87.2 83.1 76.8 Couples 84.2 83 81.1 79.5 75.9.9 79.6 81.1 75.2 81.5 83.6 81.3 75.8 Families 79.5 83.5 81.7 81.5 78.4 75.9 79.5 78.5 78.8 74.2 82.7.3 75.7 Friends 85 84.4 87.5 87.1 82.7 84.8 81.5 81 87.5 79.1 86.6 88.7 86 81.5 Solo 75.4 82 76.8 79.6 78.2 74.4.3 75 77.9 73.5 77.6 81.2 76.7 75 Group 69.1 77.8 71.4 69.4 76 67.8 73.7 77.4 73.4 75.3 75.9 79.2 76.6 68.2 7
This table shows the average rating for the overall experience. The nationalities 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 UAE 78.4 81 73.8 76.7 76.4.1 76.1 77.6 74.9 77.7.5 76.9 74 Bahrain 81.5 78.6 74.4 82 79.6 78.5 78.7 78.1 76.5 Cyprus.9 Germany 82.7 84.7 78.5 81.7 79.7.1 79 84.2 88.5 82.4 75.3 Egypt 76.6 77.5 82.9 75.8 78.9 78 France 81.2 79.8 76.5.4.1 79.5 79.3 81.3 86 UK 81.7 86.6 86.2 82.8 81.6.3 83.1 84.9 82.5 74.6 86.5 88.6 85.8 78.1 Greece 79.1 Israel 87.3.7 82.2 Jordan 77.9 81.3 Kuwait.3 75.1 78.3 77.8 81.1 81.6.4 76.9.7 85.5.4 77.4 Lebanon 82.1 78.6.6 Oman 74.8 78.6 76.1 74.7 75.4 75.2 75.6.6 75.3 74.6 Qatar 79.3 77.3 79.4 79.8 79.3 81.2 75.7 78.5 82.7 78 75 Russian 84.5 86.2 78.8 82.4 79.3 83.8 83.3 81.3 Saudi Arabia 77.5 74.6 75.9 74.4 79.2 78.6 74 78.3 83.7 77.7 76.4 United States 81 84.6 83 84.1 82.9 81.5 83.8 83.4 81.7 75.2 84 87.8 83.1 8
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 UAE 3.9% 1.1% 2.8% 9.9% 15.6% 16.% 26.1% 9.3% 5.% 37.7% 64.8% 26.1% 33.4% Bahrain 5.3% 1.2% 5.% 1.3% 2.5% 2.6% 1.4% 1.7% 1.4% Cyprus 29.3% Germany 3.6% 12.4% 6.2% 4.9% 2.5% 7.3% 1.2% 2.8% 3.7% 2.7% 1.1% Egypt 31.8% 1.5% 9.1% 1.7% 1.2% 1.4% France 3.1% 1.7% 8.3% 5.2% 6.% 5.% 1.1% 2.2% 1.8% 2.6% UK 2.8% 37.% 18.9% 6.6% 7.6% 1.5% 5.% 8.8% 3.6% 1.6% 8.9% 6.1% 1.6% 1.9% Greece 3.8% Israel 3.8% 56.8% 4.7% Jordan 2.6% 4.5% Kuwait 8.3% 2.6% 3.6% 12.2% 6.8% 4.% 4.9% 2.4% 4.8% 1.7% 6.2% 3.5% Lebanon 1.3% 1.7% 22.5% Oman 1.2% 1.1% 2.2% 32.4% 1.4% 1.4% 6.5% 3.3% 5.6% 29.2% Qatar 4.% 2.9% 4.% 3.5% 3.3% 19.4% 1.7% 3.% 1.9% 3.7% 1.9% Russian 13.5% 9.6% 11.4% 2.2% 1.1% 1.5% 1.7% 2.7% Saudi Arabia 7.% 14.8% 25.1% 55.8% 14.8% 6.2% 52.8% 83.1% 26.% 11.% 32.7% 21.7% US 1.9% 1.4% 2.1% 9.7% 7.2% 1.4% 4.4% 2.3% 1.8% 1.2% 2.5% 2.1% 3.% 9
Bahrain 76.9,288 Hotels in Bahrain continue to improve their quality in the eyes of travelers. The Guest Experience Index (GEI) rose to 76.9 in. While this is still below the GEI of the top ranking countries, the increase of 2.74% is extraordinary. Together with competitive ratings in most categories this demonstrates a strong commitment of the local hospitality industry. However, not all visitors are equally satisfied. Solo travelers rate their experience much lower than other segments. Cleanliness 86.7 Location 86.6 Service 85.7 Room 84.8 Value 82.8 Overall 78.5 Friends 85. Business 83.7 Couples Families 79.5 Solo 75.4 Group 69.1 Saudi Arabia 7.% 77.5 Kuwait 8.3%.3 Bahrain 5.3% 81.5 Qatar 4.% 79.3 UAE 3.9% 78.4 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Bahrain 7 4 3 2 7 29 21 211 212 213 1
Cyprus 84.4 113,631 As in previous years, travelers give their stay in Cyprus top ratings. With a Guest Experience Index of 84.4 the island ranks first among all countries in the Middle East. This likely contributed to the record high in the tourist arrivals last year. All kinds of travelers enjoy their time in Cyprus, with visitors from the United Kingdom and Israel being especially satisfied. Service 88.8 Cleanliness 88.6 Location 87.4 Value 85.5 Room 85.1 Overall 83.8 Friends 84.4 Couples 84.2 Families 83.5 Business 82.5 Solo 82 Group 77.8 UK 37.% 86.6 Cyprus 29.3%.9 Russian 13.5% 84.5 Greece 3.8% 79.1 Israel 3.8% 87.3 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Cyprus 1 12 3 7 29 21 211 212 213 11
Egypt.7 282,272 Political disputes and terror attacks continue to harm tourism in Egypt. While the number of visitors may be lower than in previous years, the guest experience has not suffered. In fact, Egypt was able to improve by 1.35%. Russian, German and British guests continue to value beaches and historical sights in the culturerich country. This, however, presents a stark contrast to guests from the Middle Eastern countries like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar who rate their experiences below average. Service 87.4 Room 87 Location 86.8 Cleanliness 86.3 Value 85.5 Overall 82.2 Friends 87.5 Couples 83 Business 82 Families 81.7 Solo 76.8 Group 71.4 Egypt 31.8% 76.6 UK 18.9% 86.2 Saudi Arabia 14.8% 74.6 Germany 12.4% 84.7 Russian 9.6% 86.2 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Egypt 4 3 2 7 29 21 211 212 213 12
Israel 82. 163,37 With a plethora of historical sites, bustling cities and beautiful beaches, Israel is a major tourist destination in the Middle East and attracts millions of visitors every year. The local hospitality industry is doing its part to make guests comfortable. An excellent Guest Experience Index and high ratings in all categories but value for money are proof of that. While visitors from the US exhibit an especially high satisfaction, Europeans are more critical. Location 91.1 Service 86.6 Cleanliness 86.5 Room 85.2 Value 83.6 Overall 81. Friends 87.1 Business 83.8 Families 81.5 Couples 81.1 Solo 79.6 Group 69.4 Israel 56.8%.7 Russian 11.4% 78.8 US 9.7% 84.1 France 8.3% 76.5 UK 6.6% 82.8 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Israel 2 2 1 7 29 21 211 212 213 13
Jordan 79.5,6 Jordan is a popular destination among tourists from the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. However, exactly those guests find their experiences in local hotels often underwhelming. Value, rooms, cleanliness and service receive below average ratings. Everything considered, Jordan s hospitality industry still operates on a high level and secures the fifth place in the overall ranking. Location 88.4 Service 83.9 Cleanliness 83.5 Room 83. Value 81.8 Overall 79.3 Business 84.2 Friends 82.7 Couples 79.5 Families 78.4 Solo 78.2 Group 76 Saudi Arabia 25.1% 75.9 Jordan 2.6% 77.9 UAE 9.9% 76.7 UK 7.6% 81.6 US 7.2% 82.9 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Jordan 4 3 2 7 29 21 211 212 213 14
Kuwait 75.8 32,316 After improvements in previous years, Kuwait was not able to further increase the Guest Experience Index. Leisure travelers, especially families, couples and solo travelers, were disappointed with the local hotels compared to those of other destinations in the Middle East. Saudi Arabian visitors are among the travelers who give the lowest ratings. The overall impression and the value for money are identified as downsides by guests. On the other hand, business travelers seem satisfied with their stay in Kuwait. Location 86.5 Service 85.7 Cleanliness 85.7 Room 84.7 Value.8 Overall 76. Business 85.8 Friends 84.8 Couples 75.9 Families 75.9 Solo 74.4 Group 67.8 Saudi Arabia 55.8% 74.4 UAE 15.6% 76.4 Kuwait 12.2% 77.8 Bahrain 5.% 74.4 Qatar 4.% 79.4 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Kuwait 4 3 2 7 29 21 211 212 213 15
Lebanon 81.1 24,614 Once being called the Switzerland of the Middle East, Lebanon has a long history as tourism destination. Despite an uncertain security situation, the capital Beirut still draws tourists from all over the world. With solid ratings and a of 81.1, local hotels show a strong performance and secure Lebanon - down one place from last year - a spot in the top 3. Business travelers also enjoy staying here, as indicated by the above average rating of 85.7. Location 89.5 Cleanliness 84.9 Service 83.9 Room 83.8 Value 82.9 Overall.5 Business 85.7 Friends 81.5 Couples.9 Solo.3 Families 79.5 Group 73.7 Lebanon 22.5%.6 UAE 16.%.1 Saudi Arabia 14.8% Egypt 9.1% 82.9 Kuwait 6.8% 81.1 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Lebanon 3 3 2 2 1 7 29 21 211 212 213 16
Oman 77.5 45,541 Hotels in Oman were not able to improve the guest experience by much in the last year. While guests find the rooms and cleanliness to be adequate, they are not satisfied with the value compared to price. Another reason for concern are the low ratings by business travelers which tend to rate more favorable in most Middle Eastern destinations. Cleanliness 87 Room 85.2 Service 84.6 Location 82.3 Overall 78.7 Value 78.5 Friends 81 Couples 79.6 Business 78.7 Families 78.5 Group 77.4 Solo 75 Oman 32.4% 74.7 UAE 26.1% 76.1 UK 8.8% 84.9 Germany 7.3%.1 Saudi Arabia 6.2% 79.2 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Oman 7 4 3 2 7 29 21 211 212 213 17
Qatar 79.2 63,83 With an increase of almost 2% of the Qatar climbed one place to the 6th in the ranking. Business travelers, couples and groups of friends are particularly satisfied with what the local hospitality industry has to offer. The rooms and cleanliness are rated highly, as both of these ratings place Qatar in the 2nd and 3rd place in their respective categories. The value rating, however, is still below average. Cleanliness 87.2 Location 86.2 Room 85.7 Service 85.7 Value 81.8 Overall 79.7 Friends 87.5 Business 83.8 Couples 81.1 Families 78.8 Solo 77.9 Group 73.4 Saudi Arabia 52.8% 78.6 Qatar 19.4% 81.2 UAE 9.3% 77.6 Kuwait 4.9%.4 UK 3.6% 82.5 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Qatar 4 2 7 29 21 211 212 213 18
Saudi Arabia 73.5 335,842 With Mecca and Medina, two of the world s most important pilgrimage destinations are in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the country hosts massive number of travelers each year. However, this cultural significance is not reflected by the guest experience. As the only country with a decrease in the, Saudi Arabia occupies the last place in this year s ranking. In the eyes of the guests local hotels fail to price their offerings appropriately. Not only that, service, rooms and cleanliness are all lacking. The low ratings are consistent among all tourist groups. Location 88.2 Room.4 Cleanliness.3 Service 77.4 Value 75.5 Overall 74.3 Friends 79.1 Business 76.3 Group 75.3 Couples 75.2 Families 74 Solo 73.5 Saudi Arabia 83.1% 74 UAE 5.% 74.9 Kuwait 2.4% 76.9 Qatar 1.7% 75.7 Egypt 1.7% 75.8 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Saudi Arabia 4 3 2 7 29 21 211 212 213 19
United Arab Emirates 78.8 983,71 The guests experience differs significantly between the seven emirates part of the UAE. Therefore, the United Arab Emirates as a whole do not occupy a top position, even though it scores top ratings in the categories room, cleanliness and service. Cleanliness 89.6 Room 88.4 Service 88 Location 87.1 Value 84.2 Overall.4 Friends 86.6 Business 84.2 Couples 81.5 Families.2 Solo 77.6 Group 75.9 UAE 37.7% 77.7 Saudi Arabia 26.% 78.3 UK 8.9% 86.5 Oman 6.5% 75.6 Kuwait 4.8%.7 Review Volume & Guest Experience in United Arab Emirates 1 12 3 7 29 21 211 212 213 2
Abu Dhabi 82.2 145,485 With an exceptional of 82.2, Abu Dhabi clearly takes the top spot in the UAE, outranking the two other popular destinations of the country, Dubai and Sharjah. This constitutes a respectable increase by almost 1%. If compared to the GEIs of the Middle East countries, Abu Dhabi would place 2nd. All traveler types are very satisfied with their stay in the emirate. The ratings for room, cleanliness, service and value are the highest among all probed destinations. Cleanliness 91.4 Room.5 Service 89.5 Location 87.9 Value 86.9 Overall 83.4 Friends 88.7 Business 87.2 Couples 83.6 Families 82.7 Solo 81.2 Group 79.2 UAE 64.8%.5 Saudi Arabia 11.% 83.7 UK 6.1% 88.6 Germany 3.7% 88.5 Oman 3.3%.6 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Abu Dhabi 2 1 7 29 21 211 212 213 21
Dubai 78.2 3,997 While the quantity of hotels in Dubai is higher than in Abu Dhabi, the quality is not. Dubai received a mediocre of 78.2 and the gap is widening, since satisfaction levels have barely risen in the past year. Nonetheless, Dubai still enjoys high ratings in all categories. Cleanliness 88.6 Location 87.4 Service 87.2 Room 87.2 Value 83.3 Overall 79.9 Friends 86 Business 83.1 Couples 81.3 Families.3 Solo 76.7 Group 76.6 Saudi Arabia 32.7% 77.7 UAE 26.1% 76.9 UK 1.6% 85.8 Kuwait 6.2%.4 Oman 5.6% 75.3 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Dubai 7 4 3 2 7 29 21 211 212 213 22
Sharjah 74.9 37,22 Sharjah attempts to mirror the success in tourism displayed by Abu Dhabi and Dubai with its cultural attractions. While some progress was made, the Guest Experience Index has not significantly increased in the last year. Especially the overall impression of local hotels leaves much to be desired. The hotels in Sharjah have one of the lowest ratings in the categories cleanliness and service. Value 83.1 Location 83 Room 82.1 Service 81.8 Cleanliness 81.2 Overall 75.5 Friends 81.5 Business 76.8 Couples 75.8 Families 75.7 Solo 75 Group 68.2 UAE 33.4% 74 Oman 29.2% 74.6 Saudi Arabia 21.7% 76.4 Kuwait 3.5% 77.4 Russian 2.7% 81.3 Review Volume & Guest Experience in Sharjah 4 3 2 7 29 21 211 212 213 23
Olery Publication - Guest Experience in the Middle East April - March Methodology This report is based on reviews of hotels in the Middle East published between April 1, and March 31,. 2,145,294 reviews from 8294 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 All GEI charts are based on yearly values and can therefore differ from the April to March reporting period of the report per 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
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 ()6 141 33 151 kimvandenwijngaard@olery.com http://nl.linkedin.com/in/kvandenwijngaard Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, contact us or visit www.olery.com to learn more 25