Statistics have shown that there were 33 percent more Saudi visitors come to the UK in 2011 compared with a year earlier, and 11 percent more from the UAE. For a five-year comparison, the fact is that there is a 60 percent increase in Saudi guests and 36 percent for UAE nationals.
On top of the increasing numbers of travelers, Saudi Arabia and UAE visitors' average spend was £1,770 per person last year compared with £600 average for all markets, from the first to third quarters. This rose in the first quarter this year to £2,626 for Saudis and £1,194 for UAE.
However, to keep having them coming back and staying and the same hotels, hoteliers have been really looking into cultural sensitivities and working to understand a new generation of Middle-Eastern visitors.
the hotel booking patterns appear to be changing for the Middle-East market, and hotels can no longer expect full-price rack rates to be picked up by their oil-rich guests.
Ahmed El Barkouki, international sales director of The Savoy, where 10 to 12 percent of bookings hail from the Gulf, argues that though younger Middle-Eastern travellers still book higher room categories, especially the royal and presidential suites, their behaviour differs from their parents' generation. "They are very savvy in comparing prices and getting the best deals, so rate integrity and constantly engaging this generation is very important." (Reuters.com) and "they will sit with their iPads with their mates in their palace and compare the rates on Bookings.com with the rates given by the hotel."
In addition, Hilton Park Lane's general manager Michael Shepherd stated that the ME guests "like to be comfortable and their requirements are usually to have rooms that are connecting as they often travel in large family groups." (Reuters.com)
Ahmed El Barkouki, the manager of a consultancy which seeks to help hotels attract high net worth clients from emerging markets, highlights the importance of a hotel's sales team understanding guests' "cultural background."
At the Savoy, culture training is given to all new staff, so they can better interact with guests from emerging markets, and El Barkouki argues one of the Britain's strongest assets is its tolerance and integration.
"This plays a huge part in making all the Middle East travellers always feel safe and comfortable travelling to the UK."
For example, the director of sales Stephen Fox at The Athenaeum thinks that smaller hotels like his are doing especially well from the Gulf because some guests want now to "let their hair down" when in London. Privacy and anonymity is therefore of paramount importance.
Having found that their Gulf guests like to experience specialised restaurants in the local area rather than frequent in-property venues, Hilton Park Lane are extending opening hours of food and beverage outlets, and adding 24-hour room service with Arabic menus to entice them to stay put.
(Source from The Reuters.com)
On top of the increasing numbers of travelers, Saudi Arabia and UAE visitors' average spend was £1,770 per person last year compared with £600 average for all markets, from the first to third quarters. This rose in the first quarter this year to £2,626 for Saudis and £1,194 for UAE.
However, to keep having them coming back and staying and the same hotels, hoteliers have been really looking into cultural sensitivities and working to understand a new generation of Middle-Eastern visitors.
the hotel booking patterns appear to be changing for the Middle-East market, and hotels can no longer expect full-price rack rates to be picked up by their oil-rich guests.
Ahmed El Barkouki, international sales director of The Savoy, where 10 to 12 percent of bookings hail from the Gulf, argues that though younger Middle-Eastern travellers still book higher room categories, especially the royal and presidential suites, their behaviour differs from their parents' generation. "They are very savvy in comparing prices and getting the best deals, so rate integrity and constantly engaging this generation is very important." (Reuters.com) and "they will sit with their iPads with their mates in their palace and compare the rates on Bookings.com with the rates given by the hotel."
In addition, Hilton Park Lane's general manager Michael Shepherd stated that the ME guests "like to be comfortable and their requirements are usually to have rooms that are connecting as they often travel in large family groups." (Reuters.com)
Ahmed El Barkouki, the manager of a consultancy which seeks to help hotels attract high net worth clients from emerging markets, highlights the importance of a hotel's sales team understanding guests' "cultural background."
At the Savoy, culture training is given to all new staff, so they can better interact with guests from emerging markets, and El Barkouki argues one of the Britain's strongest assets is its tolerance and integration.
"This plays a huge part in making all the Middle East travellers always feel safe and comfortable travelling to the UK."
For example, the director of sales Stephen Fox at The Athenaeum thinks that smaller hotels like his are doing especially well from the Gulf because some guests want now to "let their hair down" when in London. Privacy and anonymity is therefore of paramount importance.
Having found that their Gulf guests like to experience specialised restaurants in the local area rather than frequent in-property venues, Hilton Park Lane are extending opening hours of food and beverage outlets, and adding 24-hour room service with Arabic menus to entice them to stay put.
(Source from The Reuters.com)
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