·
2.8
million UK residents will travel to the GCC in 2024, an additional 500,000
travellers when compared with 2018
·
The
number of ATM delegates, exhibitors and attendees interested in doing business
with the UK increased 5% between 2018 and 2019
Arrivals
from the UK to the GCC will increase 22% over the period 2018 to 2024, driven
by new and direct flight routes, competitive air fares and a growing number of
leisure travellers, according to the latest data released ahead of Arabian
Travel Market (ATM) 2020, which takes place at Dubai World Trade
Centre from Sunday 19 – Wednesday 22 April 2020.
According
to research carried out by Colliers International, on behalf of ATM, as many as 2.8 million UK residents will travel to the GCC in 2024, an
additional 500,000 travellers when compared to 2018 arrival figures.
Adding to this, figures
from ATM 2019 show the number of delegates, exhibitors and attendees interested
in doing business with the UK increased by 5%.
Danielle
Curtis, Exhibition Director ME,
Arabian Travel Market, said: “Historically, the UK and the GCC have enjoyed
excellent travel and tourism links and this trend is set to continue over the
next four years despite the economic uncertainty surrounding Brexit and the bleak
pound to dollar exchange rate, in which sterling has declined 18.9% since 19th
June 2015.
“However, the UAE is
expected to continue to be the preferred GCC destination for British tourists,
welcoming a projected 2.23 million visitors by 2023. Saudi Arabia will follow
with 251,000 visitors, while Oman will welcome 165,000, Bahrain 159,000 and
Kuwait 5,000.”
UK tourists travelling to the GCC are expected
to generate an estimated US$6.3 billion in travel and tourism revenue by 2024,
an increase of 34% when compared with figures from 2018, according to the research
data.
Building on this, total tourism spend in the
GCC, reached US$70.2 billion last year, with the UK travellers average spend
during trips to the region, 27% higher than the average spend of any other
visitor.
In
2018 Bahrain witnessed the highest average spend per visit at US$3,298. Saudi
Arabia followed with an average UK tourist spend per trip reaching US$2,047,
very closely followed by the UAE at US$2,020 and Kuwait and Oman reaching
$US1,077 and US$945 respectively.
“The
UK, as a consistent and key top source market for the GCC, continues to present
significant growth potential for travel and tourism revenue across the region.
In return the GCC, UAE and Dubai in particular, besides being a commercial hub,
offers year-round sunshine, unique travel experiences, world-class hotels and
resorts and fast-paced leisure facilities and amenities,” added Curtis.
ATM 2020 will welcome an array of UK exhibitors
to the show, with names such as Visit Britain Shop, Warner Bros Studio Tour
London – The Making of Harry Potter, Chelsea FC, Lancaster Landmark Hotel
Group, Blenheim Palace and Historic Royal Palaces, to name a few.
“But it is not just about inbound tourism to the GCC, ATM
provides a perfect platform for UK destinations, hotels, attractions, tour
operators and travel agents, to market their proposition to Middle East’s
outbound operators and travel professionals, who continue to play a key role in
the UK’s tourism industry,” said Curtis.
ATM, considered by industry professionals as a barometer
for the Middle East and North Africa tourism sector, welcomed almost 40,000
people to its 2019 event with representation from 150 countries. With over 100
exhibitors making their debut, ATM 2019 showcased the largest ever exhibition
from Asia.
Adopting Events for Tourism Growth as the
official show theme, ATM 2020 will build on the success of this year’s edition
with a host of seminar sessions discussing the impact events have on tourism
growth in the region while inspiring the travel and hospitality industry about
the next generation of events.
