Revealed: Middle East Emerges as Top Travel Spot as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality Surges
The advancements in technology have played a pivotal role in facilitating travel plans to the Middle East.
The Middle East is rapidly emerging as a top travel destination globally, riding on artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR)-powered virtual tour promotions by tech-savvy travel platforms driving popularity of the region among digital nomads, industry insiders said.
Additionally, women tourists from various parts of the world are increasingly venturing to explore the Middle East, apparently demonstrating a growing desire to embrace new cultures, adding to the surge in the tourist inflow to the region.
The rising status of the region as a sought after tourist destination is also leading to flourishing of co-working spaces in favorite holiday hotspots and cities to cater to individual travellers who seek both work and adventure while on the go, the top executive of a travel management platform said.
The UAE and Israel share top travel deals to the Middle East in 2023, accounting for 27.9 percent and 23.8 percent of the total tourist inflows in the year till August this year, data compiled by Voyagu, the travel management platform, showed.
Egypt, however, posted the highest spike in the number of travellers this year over last year, with a 64 percent rise in the number of travel deals and 80 percent jump in the number of travellers compared to 2022.
Advanced Tech Tools Facilitating Travel Plans
Saprov said advancements in technology have played a pivotal role in facilitating travel plans to the Middle East of late.
“With the help of technology, travellers can create detailed itineraries that allow for smoother journeys. As a result, our clients have reported minimal negative experiences during their trips,” he said.
The Voyagu chief executive also said augmented reality (AR) has made a significant impact in popularising the region among international tourists, as it enables people to engage with and visualize the local culture, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of the region.
“For instance, the virtual tour segment is gaining high popularity in the US, generating increased interest in the Middle East as a travel destination,” he said.
Industry insiders said advertising for certain Middle Eastern destinations has begun to appear on US television, signaling a positive trend where these countries themselves actively promote their distinctive attractions.
“This shift expands travel options beyond the traditional cruise experience, rendering the Middle East as an alluring choice for a wide spectrum of travellers,” a senior executive with a Dubai-based travel firm said.
Tel Aviv, Dubai, Cairo most preferred Middle East cities
According to the Voyagu data, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Dubai, and Cairo are the top destination cities in the Middle East for international travellers, while Los Angeles, New York and Washington DC were the top departure cities this year.
For women tourists, Egypt (47 percent compared to men), Qatar (43 percent) and Morocco (43 percent) were the preferred travel destinations in the region.
Men far outstretched their female counterparts when it comes to travel to countries like Saudi Arabia (94 percent compared to women), Pakistan (85 percent) and Israel (75 percent), Voyagu said.
