The Middle East is coming of age and this is being revealed by the region’s improved tourism offerings that range from luxury to majestic. From the Grand Prix to the Louvre in Abu Dhabi and from the Armani Hotel in Burj Khalifa, Dubai to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the region is working towards offering its visitors extraordinary experiences. Tourism today is not just about visiting a destination, seeing its popular attractions and collecting souvenirs. It is about experiences that appeal to the senses, which is intangible and unique. The coming years will witness a new scene in the Middle East with unique products and offerings being displayed in the super luxury space. The focus seems to be clearly that of attracting the best quality tourism movement into the region. Though few of these economies are yet to bounce back into business, there are the hopefuls who are placing their cards on the region. The Arabian Travel Market 2012, will be an interesting business zone this year as new products and offerings are scheduled to be lined up for the buyers.
The India outbound sector has been top of the radar for a plethora of tourism boards especially since the last seven years and it is only predicted to grow robust with time. The high-end Indian traveller is ready to experience the best offerings across the globe with the Middle East being no exception. Like the Middle East, which is working hard to recover from the economic downturn, Japan too on the other hand is working overtime to stand strong after disasters. The WTTC Global Summit left no stone unturned to help Japan recover from crisis. The focus was completely on recovery and the way forward. The next year’s Summit is scheduled to be held in Abu Dhabi, which is yet another indication that the Middle East is on the global radar for tourism development.
Tourism, especially in the high-end space, is definitely about refined quality and subtle tastes, the flavours appealing to different people at different times.
Reema Lokesh
Editor
