Middle East in the spotlight @ FITUR

The 45th edition of Fitur witnessed an increased presence from the Middle East, bringing in major players from the region. Oman, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Iraq stood out in terms of main pavilions set up at the international trade tourism fair, whereas Atlantis made a vast difference as an iconic partner with many agents opting to meet the team.

Dr Shehara Fernando

Jose Sanchez, Commercial Manager – Middle East, Africa, Asia, IFEMA, said that they are looking at further enhancing the tourism ties between the United Arab Emirates and Spain in the next edition, and details regarding that would be released in due course. “Middle East is one of the most important markets for us and we are currently focusing on the United Arab Emirates, as we have seen the growth potential from the different emirates. Hence, we are in conversation with the teams to see how we can further partner with the United Arab Emirates,” Sanchez said.

The total number of GCC residents visiting Spain in 2023 reached 434,000, 33 per cent more than in 2022, with an average stay of 8.6 days. Specifically, visitors from the UAE totalled more than 140,000 and spending grew by 37.8 per cent, with an average spend of 2,668 euros, 26 per cent more than in 2022. According to sources in the industry, around 200,000 Spanish tourists visit Dubai every year.

This year, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Persia (Iran), Iraq, and Turkiye stood out in terms of pavilions. Israel and Palestine too had their presence. From the UAE, there were many iconic hotels and tour operators, such as dnata, desert adventures and Rida International, who showcased their offerings at the event. The recovery of the region has been quite impressive and stronger than any other market. One of the key attractions for the Middle East travellers were the halal food options available at the pavilions.

Growth of the Middle East economy has been more than the average growth of the countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), resulting in higher spending by the travellers from the region. If you take the GCC market in consideration, Spain witnessed an unprecedented growth in 2023 in terms of travellers and tourism expenditure. In 2023, tourists from the Gulf region spent more than ¤1.138 billion in Spain, 64.7 per cent more than in 2022, according to Turespaña estimates based on INE data (Frontur and Egatur). These travellers are considered as “large consumers”, with spending well above their European counterparts.