Middle Eastern visitors boosting UK hotel and hospitality economies
by Chris Dodd | 11 Feb 2014
Britain experienced 452,000 visits from Middle Eastern countries in the first three quarters of 2013 / Shutterstock.com/dotshock
The hotels and hospitably industries in the UK are benefiting from a boom in visits from affluent Middle Eastern visitors, according to figures published by VisitBritain.
Data shows that during the first three quarters of last year, Britain experienced 452,000 visits coming from the six Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC).
The increase in visitors from Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates is thought to measure a 10 per cent rise on figures recorded at the same point in 2012.
Visitors from the region have also increased their spending in the UK, with the latest data revealing an 11 per cent year-on-year increase, which now sees a spend totalling £1bn coming from GCC markets.
VisitBritain has also shown that Saudi Arabians are making a large contribution to such an increase in spend, with visitors from the Gulf state spending around £2,354 per stay in the UK.
This comes in stark contrast to the average of other visitors from the GCC, who are spending in the region of £600 per stay.
Predictions from the tourism agency show that contributions from Saudi Arabia are to become more prominent, as the value of visitors from the area will increase 181 per cent in the next 20 years.
It is thought that this hike in percentage will mark the highest projected growth of any of the twenty emerging markets marked by VisitBritain as it seeks to continue to boost British tourism.
When choosing how to spend their time, it has been revealed that shopping, visiting parks and gardens and going to museums and galleries are three of the most popular activities for visitors from Saudi Arabia when in Britain.
The agency is currently in the midst of promoting UK tourism in the GCC, with VisitBritain leading a GCC Sales Mission to the region this week.
The hotels and hospitably industries in the UK are benefiting from a boom in visits from affluent Middle Eastern visitors, according to figures published by VisitBritain. Data shows that during the first three quarters of last year, Britain experienced 452,000 visits coming from the six Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC). The increase in visitors from Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates is thought to measure a
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