UAE
UAE
Market & Trade Profile
Updated May 2010
Contents 1 - the Market 8.travel to Britain
• Current Volume/Value Statistics and Historic Trends
1. Market snapshot • Trip Characteristics
• Type of Accommodation
2. General Market Conditions • Visiting the UK as Part of a Multi-Country Trip
• Population / Languages
• Economics / Politics
• Exchange Rate 9. Who is the Uae Visitor to Britain?
• Interest in UK University Education • Demographics
• Annual Leave • Travelling Companions and Travelling Group Types
• Consumer and Travel Trends • Interest in Britain/Key Market Segments
• 1st Timer/Repeat Markets
3. Motivations and attitudes to holidays
• Attitudes Towards Holidays 10.activities Undertaken in the Uk
• Motivation to Travel • What did Visitors Do on their Visit?
• Understanding Travel Needs and Behaviour
• Attitudes Towards Destinations 11.Caring for Uae Consumers
• Understanding Middle Eastern Culture
4. reaching Uae Consumers • Language and Information Provision
• Deciding and Planning Patterns • Accommodation and Food
• Booking Behaviour • Interests and Etiquette
• Online Environment
• Media Habits Contents 2 – the trade/B2B
5. Perceptions of Britain 12. the trade
• Motivators and Barriers to Visit • Overview of Trade Structure
• Products/Experiences Identified as Attractive • Reaching the Travel Trade
6. Market size, share and Forecasts for Growth 13.Business Visits and events
• World Regions Visited and Forecasts for Growth • Statistics and Trends
• The UK’s Market Share and Forecasts for Growth
14. VisitBritain in Uae
7.access to Britain • Working in Partnership with VisitBritain
• Political Situation • Overseas Contacts
• Passport and Visa Issues • London Contacts / Further Information
• Gateways and Access to Britain • Information Sources Used to Compile this Report
www.visitbritain.org
1
1) Market Snapshot
UAE
Uae
s
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82% fall ale. 58% British
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Total Visit
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nd 2009 246,000 (u
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Market shape
pend per £312m (u
Visit (AEV p 8%, ran
Average L ) 2009 k 13th) Purpose of Visit
ength of S £1,267 (u
tay (ALS) p 2%) 44% VFR, 27% Holiday, 20%
Market P 2009 Bu siness (2009)
opulation 12 nights
2008
Outboun
d Market 4.6 millio Length of stay
Size 2009 n
UK’s Mark 32% stayed for 4-7 nights
et Share 2 3.9 millio and a further 27% for 1-3
009 n
nights. Business visits we
6.3% re shorter than Holiday and
VFR visits (2009).
Quarter of visit
37% visited in July-Sept (20
09)
73% visited the UK only
and 27% stayed in anothe
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www.visitbritain.org/research
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2
2) General Market Conditions
UAE
Population economics / Politics
The US Census Bureau puts the population of UAE at 4.6 million in 2008. The UAE is a political federation, with a president elected by the rulers of
This is forecast to increase to 6.2 million by 2018 and will keep on the seven emirates. Indirect legislative elections are due in 2010.
growing reaching a peak of 8.03 million by 2047 before it starts to
decline. The UAE is more than just Dubai which is important to recognise when
considering the recent bursting of Dubai’s financial bubble. There is also
Long-term, increases will occur across all age groups but a renewed sense of optimism now that agreement appears to have been
growth rates are higher for the oldest. However, unlike in many markets, reached regarding the restructuring of Dubai World’s debt. Ahead of
the older age groups will not start to dominate the population. By 2047, global stock market jitters brought on by the perilous situation for Greek
25-39 year olds will still make up around the 40% that they currently do. finances local stock markets had enjoyed a strong rebound from the
gloom of a few months ago. The risk of ‘contagion’ causing difficulties
According to the Emirate’s statistical body the population of Dubai for the banking sector in other of the Emirates would appear to have
increased by 7.6 per cent last year. The population grew from 1.6 million been averted.
in 2008 to 1.7 million by the last quarter of 2009. The figure runs
counter to widespread estimates by banks and consultancies that Dubai’s But a note of caution still needs to be struck, with an anticipated 6%
population shrank by as much as 17 % last year due the cancelling of reduction in spending by the Dubai government over the coming
work visas between the end of 2008 and early last year. The figures months. According to Oxford Economics UAE Gross Domestic Product
showed that Dubai is largely a male society with 1.4 million men and is set to increase by 2.7% in 2010 on the back of a modest 1.3% growth in
slightly over 400,000 women. The federal government estimated in 2009.
January that the country’s population would reach 7.55 million this year,
a significant increase from 5.6 million in 2006. The National Human Dubai and increasingly Abu Dhabi have been diversifying economically
Resources Development and Employment Authority also stated that the with tourism having become increasingly important, as is Dubai’s role as
country’s population doubles every 8.7 years. By comparison the world a key hub for the global aviation sector. Nevertheless, the UAE remains
population doubles every 55 years. Emirati citizens are estimated to the fifth largest oil produce among OPEC nations.
represent 13% of the country.
According to the International Monetary Fund, the standard of living in
Gulf News (2007) commented on a deep demographic imbalance in the the UAE remains very high. The average income per head in purchasing
UAE. According to the 2005 population census, 8 out of 10 people living power parity terms is estimated to be around $39,000, just about the
in the UAE were born abroad. If the current double digit annual same as the figure for the UK. However, there is a definite polarity
economic growth continues, the percentage of non-citizens will reach 90 between the living standards of the three broad demographic groups
per cent by 2015. Gulf News identified that this imbalance is likely to based on nationality (Emirates, Westerners and those from the Indian
raise serious issues regarding national identity, citizenship, residency, sub-continent working in the construction sector).
multiculturalism, sustainability and, ultimately, the question as to who is
going to be in the driving seat of this rapidly globalising society? In 2009 the UAE was the UK’s 36th most valuable trading partner in
terms of imports and 13th most valuable in terms of exports value.
Languages
Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi and Urdu. UAE is regionally distinct in the Middle East in terms of its religious and
political tolerance. This may be due to the large proportion of the
Arabic is the official language of the UAE. English is used as the favourite resident population who are not native to the UAE (estimated at more
medium of communication in the majority of trade and commerce than 75%), with substantial Indian, Bangladeshi and Western
activities, along with Arabic. English is widely spoken and understood in communities in addition to nationals from many other countries.
major cities of the UAE like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah etc. Urdu,
Hindi, and Farsi are other major languages in the UAE. As a large number
of expatriates are from the Indian sub-continent, South East Asia, Africa
and several other regions, you will find people here speaking Bengali,
Malayam, Punjabi, and Tagalog too.
www.visitbritain.org/research
3
2) General Market Conditions (continued)
UAE
Exchange Rate holidays / annual Leave
Since 2001, the Dirham has somewhat fluctuated against Sterling. In According to Labour laws, people are entitled to thirty days annual leave
January 2001, £1 = 5.40 however it steadily rose to a peak of 7.45 in if service exceeds one year. From the end of June until the beginning of
March 2008. However since mid 2008 the Dirham has slowly decreased September, the vast majority of the Arabic community leave Dubai to
and now has virtually reached 2001 levels. In March 2010 £1 = 5.53 escape the harsh summer temperatures. There are also two short Eid
which once again makes Britain an affordable destination for Arab holidays. These are linked to Ramadan so the dates vary.
travellers.
The trade offer Eid packages to Britain, although these are currently not
popular given that they are more expensive than competitor
destinations.
• In 2010 Ramadan is expected to begin on 11 August
• Eid ul-Fitr: 10 September
• Eid ul-Adha: 16 November
The school year runs September to September and the main school
summer holiday being mid June to mid September. School Winter
holidays take place between mid December to early January and schools
break for two weeks towards the end of February, May and over
Ramadan.
Consumer trends
Uae as a source of pride for many arabs
Interest in Uk University education VisitBritain’s 2007 research amongst young Arab nationals in the UAE
The reputation of UK education is increasing in UAE market. UCAS found a real sense of pride in their nation’s progress from undeveloped
received 3,024 applicants from UAE in 2009 to study at a British desert to booming ultra-modern state. There is great admiration for their
university. Of these, 435 of these were accepted, which represents a nation’s growing global status.
14% acceptance rate.
There is a feeling that UAE offers a great standard of living and is leading
Business and Administrative Studies, Engineering and Technology and the world in hospitality along with thriving creative and media industries.
Computer Science are the most popular subjects studied by students
from the UAE . Due to cultural and traditional reasons these subjects It’s an exciting place to be at the minute, so weaning young Arabs away
have tended to be more male orientated. However, things are changing from their very own playground is a challenge to all tourist destinations!
and increasingly more females are studying in the UK. Popular subjects Living up to their understandably high hospitality expectations is another.
are education, medicine related studies and social studies.
London is the most preferred city by students from UAE followed by the
North of England and third is the South of England.
www.visitbritain.org/research
4
2) General Market Conditions (continued)
UAE
Work hard, play harder travel trends
VisitBritain’s research found that daily life for young UAE nationals is Online Booking
characterised by fast-paced hard work plus an overarching sense of Online booking continues to grow however the local Emirati population
opportunity, pleasure and possibility. They are spoilt for choice but not still prefers the face to face contact with a travel agency who will have
for time! Most are prosperous, with money to spend on luxury goods, responsibility for their travel plans. Local Emiratis also prefer dealing in
education and travel. Women are an active part of the workforce and can cash and are mistrustful of credit card payments over the internet.
drive.
Travel Volumes
safe freedom Travel volumes remain stable however there has been a tightening of
Young people enjoy freedom, fun and adventure, within safe, belts and a shift from long haul to short haul travel. Visits home and to
comfortable confines. It is a luxurious world, with family at the heart of it. family and friends have become even more popular as cost is an issue
One drawback of the safety is perhaps a relative lack of truly with job security at the forefront of UAE residents minds due to the
spontaneous fun... effect of the recession, in Dubai especially.
Life is busy and full of diversity. Those surveyed by VisitBritain (2007) Value for Money
were ambitious and optimistic about their future. Price and value for money are becoming increasingly important when
choosing an airline or hotel with more economy class travel and low cost
Young people are worldly wise from an early age - able to have platonic carriers selected for business and leisure. Staying in budget hotels and
relationships with the opposite sex and mix within a diverse expatriate or family/friends houses has also become more popular. Promotions and
community. deals are currently the strongest drivers when choosing a holiday with
last minute bookings increasing to wait for best price. Travellers are
the mouthpiece of the arab world asking for special offers and added value to their stay plus expecting
Dubai is a true “internet” city and a hub for local and global media. It is more amenities from hotels.
apparently an oasis of freedom from censorship (but debate rages
around this), publicly embracing media freedom. Low Cost Carriers
The majority of travellers from the UAE have flown a low cost carrier in
Middle East and Levant Consumer Purchasing Priorities the last year, and the main reason not to have is a lack of opportunity.
Consumers are expecting to maintain their spend on discretionary items More travelers are likely to try them in the next year due mainly to an
such as dining out, trips abroad and consumer electronics for the next six increasing need to get value for money.
months, according to the latest MasterCard Worldwide Survey of
Consumer Purchasing Priorities (December 2009). VFR
Going on home visits and visiting friends/family are still the most popular
It appears that many UAE residents love to wine, dine and enjoy types of holiday from the UAE although luxurious holidays, like beach,
themselves and home is where the heart (and discretionary spend) is. resorts, cruises and romantic trips are expected to be more popular in the
future.
Similar to the previous survey released in July 2009, dining and
entertainment (52%) as well as fashion and accessories (47%) remain the Sustainability
top two spending priorities across MEL for the next six months. The A survey conducted by YouGov in late September 2009 shows that
purchase of consumer electronics has however slipped two notches, environmental issues are not at the forefront of consumers minds and
with buying or upgrading/renovating ones home (38%) now in third UAE travellers have a distinct lack of knowledge about it and what they
place. can do.
Shopping in the stores continue to be more popular with consumers in Destinations three to four hours away such as Seychelles, Maldives,
the Middle East, with 83% of consumers stating that they do not shop Lebanon and Sri Lanka are becoming increasingly popular.
online at all for their discretionary spend items.
Holiday Trends
Personal travel is in the number two spot in UAE. Auto purchases, used ‘Experimental’ holidays such as swimming with the dolphins and deep
to be among the top priorities, dropped to the number nine spot in UAE. sea fishing in Mauritius and festivals in countries like Vietnam are being
asked for by UAE based travellers.
Source: Consumers Maintaining Levels of Discretionary Spend Going
into 2010: MasterCard Survey Short lead in times as clients are booking holidays and breaks at the last
minute to get good deals.
Kids clubs are important to families – clients are seeking out facilities with
professional staff and daily activities for tots through to teens. Sporting
holidays are of interest with travellers looking for something to do such
as golf or skiing.
www.visitbritain.org/research
Wellbeing and health is a strong trend for both men and women with
Chiva Som in Thailand a favourite destination.
There is an increasing demand for all exclusive packages at all price
points.
5
3) Motivations and Attitudes to Holidays
uae
attitudes towards holidays Understanding travel needs and travel Behaviour
Various research projects conducted by VisitBritain over the past few Emiratis and expat Arabs have differing getaway preferences. Expat
years show that travel is all about: relaxation, having fun/breaking away Arabs would most like to take beach holidays followed by visiting friends
from routine, exploring and discovering, improvement, reflection and and relatives and resort holidays. Emiratis would most like to take
escaping the heat/changing atmospheres. Interestingly, all travel needs shopping trips followed by general sightseeing holidays and fly drives.
centre around a key theme of connectivity. Emiratis also prefer spa holidays and visiting national parks and
wilderness areas more than expat Arabs.The perfect holiday would offer
On an individual level connnectivity is: a variety of experiences as well as the feeling of freedom from judgment.
• Taking a break from routine, a change in climate, something new and
different However, Arabs are not very interested in hotel spas as hotels are not
• Physical and mental revival and rejuvenation, stress relief viewed as “specialists” in this area and their spas are simply considered
• Self-discovery in a new environment, with new people something offered by all hotels. As the holidays get longer, there is an
• Intellectual stimulation, education, discovering something new increased preference for serviced apartments and other less expensive
• Time to take stock of life, goals and aspirations, time to reflect and re- alternatives. Expat Arabs stay with friends and family where possible on
invigorate the spirit longer trips while locals likes serviced apartments so they have service
• Escaping from problems and reality and flexibility, which suit the needs of longer stays. Also staying with
family and friends is considered to be more cost affective and knowledge
At a family level connnectivity is: that they will be looked after and shown around; however, restrictions
• Spending quality time with the family and an opportunity to express and lack of freedom are felt.
love and care towards the family. An opportunity to indulge the family
• Relaxation: An opportunity to create, maintain and enhance family attitudes towards destinations
dynamics Accordingly to VisitBritain research conducted in 2008, 92% of Arabs
• Re-uniting with family members abroad said that they take comfort in going back to places they have enjoyed
• Spending quality time with the family, away from every day life before and 4/5 say they are adventurous and like to explore new places.
• Fulfilment of parent’s role as educator and transferral of cultural values
India is still the main leisure destination and this is not surprising due to
At a social level connnectivity is: the large Non Resident Indian (NRI) population in UAE, though travel
• Meeting new people, spending time in a like-minded community there is slowing down. Travel to Egypt, Syria and Jordan has risen and
• Deserving and rewarding accomplishments in front of others longer haul leisure destinations are expected to make a comeback with
• Showing wealth- boosting the ego in the eyes of others Malaysia, Turkey and Canada citied as the main contenders for summer
• ‘Keeping up with the Jones’- visiting countries due to traffic. (Source: Yougovsiraj travel tracker February 2010)
recommendations from friends
• Improvement: Education from abroad, showing prestige and self- France and Italy are Britain’s key European competitors however other
development to the home social circle GCC countries are arguably Britain’s fiercest competition. Arabs are
comfortable in other Islamic countries as they understand the culture and
Similarly VisitBritain’s research amongst under 25s in the UAE (2007) customs and consider them a “home away from home”. Beirut is a strong
found that travel is a key part of experiencing new things and learning destination this summer for Arab travelers.
about the world. As travellers, young UAE nationals are savvy, discerning
and hard to please. They live a life of high octane, luxurious and fast- On the other hand, whilst on holiday UAE nationals and expats want
paced experience gathering. some time away from Arabs from other GCC countries. They want to
experience personal freedom and not feel as if they are being judged by
Motivation to travel other Arabs. As Arabs tend to speak English, Britain is seen to be more
The family is central to all that Emiratis do and therefore spending quality accessible in communication and visitors also say they like the fact that
time with family is very important. Fathers spend most of their weekdays Britain is easy to get around and there is lots to do.
at work, but on weekends and holidays they try to spend as much time as
possible with their families. Therefore a destination has to meet the France and Italy are seen to be exciting destinations and ones where
needs the whole family when deciding where to go. consumers would like to visit again. This is because both France and Italy
have strong regional brands which gives people a different experience
Parents are heavily involved in decision making about travel and are likely every time they visit and thus gives them a reason to come back time and
to be until the children are married. However amongst some of the older time again.
male youths there are signs that the parents are starting to act as advisors
rather than the rule makers. Some of the older male youths are able to In terms of Arab youths, the Middle East is a frequently visited region by
travel with older siblings, cousins, friends and class mates rather being however Spain, Italy, France and Britain had also been visited. The Far
only allowed to go on holiday with their family. Travelling with friends is East and Australasia are emerging as key destinations for the UAE. North
far more alluring than ‘traveling with en-families’ and provides a sense of America seems to be a common study consideration for all but has little
security in shared customs, beliefs, language, values, way of life etc. to attract in terms of holidays. Europe is seen to be an aspirational
Arab youths tend to travel when the schools and universities are closed destination as it offers history, culture, learning, art, beautiful cities,
www.visitbritain.org/research
but also during the summer period to avoid the overwhelming heat. greenery, temperate climate, variety and no borders.
(VisitBritain Arab Youth research 2007)
The UAE holiday season peaks between June and August across the Gulf
with large number of both citizens and expatriate heading for cooler
climates to escape the region’s sweltering summer when temperatures
cross around 45 degrees Celsius.
6
4) Reaching UAE Consumers
UAE
The final decision goes to husbands as they are the main decision makers
of the family. They have seen more countries when travelling on business
trips and therefore have a better idea of where to take the family.
Peace of mind is the most important factor for Arabs when choosing a
destination, it is also important when choosing accommodation. Location
is the most important accommodation factor as it needs to be in a safe
and accessible place (close to transportation and things to do). Overall,
luxury accommodation was the preferred choice and most common
amongst those in higher income brackets. They are seen to be
comfortable and relaxing, which means less worry.
Shopping plays a role in the type of trip and destination chosen. It tends
to play a more significant role when the holiday is more likely to be
shorter. Shopping is important when brands at home are seen to be more
expensive and less readily available.
Planning Process
A Mastercard survey (2007) backs up the importance of Word of Mouth
recommendation, also suggesting that familiarity with a country via a
previous visit or web research also plays a role in decision making.
In general, families plan for their main holidays two months in advance to
ensure everything is just how they want it to be. Planning for business
trips and short getaways is much more sporadic.
deciding and Planning Patterns
VisitBritain research conducted in 2008 shows that the time of year is an Excitement around planning is fueled by the approach of summer and
important aspect when considering a holiday. Generally, the family will the end of the school year and all the family members, especially children
want to travel together so trips are planned to coincide with the longest start developing ideas for destinations and travel brochures and TV
breaks their children have from school/university i.e. in summer and influence ideas.
winter. Summer breaks are longest and holidays in the summer also allow
families to escape the heat. Families also need to decide on the length of
the trip before deciding on other things as this will have an influence on
where they can travel and how much money they will need to spend.
The whole family plays a role in deciding where to go - including friends
and family (which is important for targeting purposes). The length of the
trip also influences where they go and how much money they need.
Most Arabs go on holiday for between 2-4 weeks. It is quite rare for them
to go away for longer than one month. Overnight trips are quite rare for
Arabs. Most common are three to four night stays, with Emiratis being
more likely than expat Arabs to take longer trips.
In terms of Arab youths, researching holidays tends to be a joint effort
between youths and parents. As Arab youths are so familiar with the
Internet they do a lot of the ground work online and then their parents
make the final decision.
Children play a major role in the decision making as many parents believe
that they live for their children and therefore take their opinions into
serious consideration. However, the parents’ role in the decision-making
process is stronger than the children’s from the “peace of mind” stage.
Destination Decision
Making the destination decision is based on a whole hosts of factors such
as the overall setting of the destination, exploration opportunities, culture
and heritage (a plus for Britain), nature, ease of communication, ease of
www.visitbritain.org/research
transport, visa processing, cultural compliance, entertainment for the
whole family and quality of accommodation.
Word of mouth from friends and family also plays a crucial role in
deciding where to go. Before going to visit any country which they have
never been to, families make sure to ask friends and family about
destinations. Families feel a sense of comfort when they know more
about the country they are going to and have “buy-in” from those close
to them.
7
4) Reaching UAE Consumers (continued)
UAE
Information sources Booking Patterns
The internet is the preferred tool for research. Word of mouth is also Traditionally, travel agents are the most commonly used means for
very important whilst travel agents, promotions and brochures act as booking however things are slowly starting to change. Arabs have not
secondary sources of information. wanted to book online in the past as they take comfort in the familiarity
and trust they have with travel agents. They have appreciated the face to
Friends that have been to a particular destination are a highly important face contact and communication In particular travel agents are perceived
source of recommendation, being used for information. They are seen to to be of particular benefit when booking tours or a holiday when visiting
know about countries that have been visited and the people that live multiple destinations but also when the chosen destination is somewhere
there, the cost of being there, names of hotels, shopping opportunities, completely new.
the weather, scenery and sights that should be visiting and the availability
of halal food. Internet booking is becoming a more popular choice over the past couple
of years. It is seen to offer numerous benefits in that it is easy,
Whilst travel agents are a key booking source and are used an economical, you are able to find good promotions and discounts, gives
information source too, their advice is not seen to be as credible as independence, is speedy and convenient.
personal recommendation.
decision to travel Lead times
Travel agents and travel information centres are used to obtain travel In 2005, 53% of visits to the UK from the UAE were decided between
brochures and booklets as well as maps and tour information. However one week and three months before travelling to the UK. (IPS).
interestingly, whilst tourist information centre staff are regarded as
pleasant they are not seen in the same light as travel agents. Travel
% of Visits
information centres are seen to focus entirely on information sourcing
and are not considered an option for the actual booking of travel. Day of/day before departure 2
Respondents say “ they ask you what you think, they show you options 2 days, less than a week 10
of hotels and places to go to, and they save you time and give you a lot of 1 week, less than a month 25
information”. 1 month, less than 3 months 28
3 months, less than 6 months 18
The internet is used to for sourcing information about countries.
Research respondents mention often using “Google” to be directed to 6 months, less than a year 11
sites of relevance (i.e country information, accommodation, transport 1 year or more 6
etc).
VisitBritain’s research into Arab families (June & July 2008) compliments
“Currently everything is available online nowadays, you find different the IPS findings, where in general the planning process of the main
people’s experiences and they give you reviews” holidays takes two months.
Travel programs are appreciated and viewed however, whilst they are Qualitative research also shows the trend for booking travel by Arab
seen to be attractive, entertaining and aspirational they are less widely nationals tends be quite last minute.
used for specific information sourcing and other media sources are
reported to be rarely used e.g. magazines or newspapers.
Consulates are visited purely for information and advice, specifically
with regards to visa information and applications. They are also used for
more general information and are appreciated for their professionalism
and credibility.
www.visitbritain.org/research
8
4) Reaching UAE Consumers (continued)
UAE
online environment
ETC New Media Review www.etcnewmediatrendwatch.com has a
wealth of further facts and figures on the Online Market in UAE.
Some highlights from that and other sources are included here:
There were 2.9 million Internet users in the United Arab Emirates
(representing 61% of the population) in September 2009, according to
Internet World Stats. It is the 2nd highest online population in the Middle
East - although this will be mainly due to expatriates.
The majority of Arabs with access to the internet would use it as a source
of information when planning to go on holiday. However, research has
shown that although the Internet is used as a source of information when
planning to go on holiday, they ultimately book their travel through a
travel agent or airline’s holiday department. VisitBritain’s research into
Arab families in June and July 2008 reflects this. It showed that although
online shopping is growing in popularity with 45% of respondents saying
that they do some of their shopping online, this tends to be for low risk
purchases as they are still reluctant to buy flights or book a holiday online.
Amongst UAE users, the internet is the ‘information tool’ used most often
when researching possible purchases across a range of categories
including hotel reservations. Search engines are the most used source of
online research information (81%) used most to research technology
(67%) and travel (48%) products. Google is the preferred search engine in
the UAE with (58% preferring google.com and 38% preferring google.ae)
780,000 people have set up a Facebook account in the UAE of which
75,000 use the site in Arabic. The ‘walled garden’ appeal provided by
Facebook clearly has an appeal. A note posted on your personal
Facebook profile can be viewed only by the people you list as friends and
is kept away from the prying eyes and permanent public archives of
Google. Cultural traits of the region, such as an emphasis on protecting arab Youth and the online World
the family name play a part. In 2007, VisitBritain undertook some qualitative research amongst the
youth segment in the Middle East.
The three biggest communities of Twitter users in the Middle East are the
UAE (4,952), Egypt (1,741) and Saudi Arabia (1,405). The numbers have The main objectives of the study were to understand Arab youths and
grown by 300% since the last count in April 2009. Middle Eastern internet learn more about their lifestyles, hobbies and attitudes. As this generation
users have taken to watching and sharing online video and multi-player has grown up with the Internet and technology as an important part of
games, but blogs and twitter remain a niche pursuit. their lives this had to be an integral part of the research methodology.
Arab youths also tend to be articulate and intelligent and have a natural
curiosity that drives them to comment on their world. For them, the
Internet is not only a source of information and entertainment, but also
provides a community and a forum for social networking.
Blogs and online discussion forums were used to explore Arab youth
attitudes through a variety of assignments and this was followed by
depth interviews between groups of friends.
This approach enabled respondents to be more open and expressive than is
possible in their everyday lives and this is especially so for female participants.
Certain constraints in their lifestyles have led Arab youth to view online as a
more liberated and exciting environment than their normal environment.
www.visitbritain.org/research
9
4) Reaching UAE Consumers (continued)
UAE
Media habits
Dubai has become the media hub for the Middle East. There are
hundreds of titles registered in Dubai Media City including daily, weekly
and monthly publications with a very good Pan-Arab distribution. There
are also a number of key Arabic satellite channels attracting a large Arab
audience with a variety of programmes covering live entertainment,
sports and lifestyle.
The consumer media is dominated by the Arabic publications with a
growing number containing specific travel sections. VisitBritain has very
strong links with the media and cannot over-emphasise the importance
of obtaining media coverage as part of one’s overall marketing strategy.
According to MediaSource, more than 70 magazines launched across the
Middle East in 2008, over half of which were consumer titles. The UAE is
widely regarded as the centre of the region’s publishing industry, largely
due to the success of Dubai Media City, with around 400 magazines
published from Dubai alone.
With Middle Eastern airlines dominating the world skies, in-flight titles
have grown to become among the region’s highly regarded media.
Emirates’Open Skies, Etihad in-flight, and Qatar Airways’ Oryx magazine
are among the highest-circulated airline magazines.
Newspapers are the dominant force in the Middle East for both Arabic
and English audiences, and still the ideal media outlet to reach a pan-arab
audience. The Middle East will see a tremendous growth in online media,
including blogs and social media, with information online becoming more
important and influential. Magazines are still a good source for securing
coverage and targeting specific audiences in the region. TV is set to
remain a popular medium but due to poor viewership calculations, ROI is
difficult to determine. Radio has seen a growth in popularity thanks to a
number of solid campaign and listener promotions and we expect to see
radio continue to build momentum. Radio is also a good outlet to target
the local expat population. Online blogs and networking sites will be the
main focus in reaching specified markets and people, making it a solid
media segment for VisitBritain looking into 2010.
Magazines
It has been reported that consumer magazines account for around 70%
of the region’s magazines, a sizeable proportion of which have pan-arab Consumer Publications (english) Emirates Woman, Arabian Woman,
distribution. ITP, Motivate, Saudi Research and Publishing Group and Al Arabian Man, TimeOut Dubai, What’s On, Aquarius, Arabian Knight,
Sada Press make up some of the region’s biggest publishing houses. Viva, Hello, OK, 4Men, IQ, Insider, Esquire
In July 2009, Mediaweek reported that around 10 percent of magazine Zahrat Al Khaleej has the highest regional reach with a total weekly
titles in the region closed since the onset of the global financial crisis, readership of 198,375 followed by Sayidaty, reaching 138,907 readers a
with more than 100 magazines being suspended since the beginning on week. For English titles, Ahlan (Eng and Arb combines circulation of
2009. The majority of magazine closures reported were from the UAE 50,000 weekly), Time Out Dubai, and What’s On remain highly
and dwindling advertising revenues have been blamed for this. circulated titled.
Consumer and lifestyle titles still remain the strongest selling magazines
in both English and Arabic, with titles like Ahlan, What’s On, Sayidaty Business MICE Middle East, MEED Middle East, Arabian Business, Al
and Time Out, seeing the highest sales. Iktisad Wal A’amal (Business & Economy)
travel trade (arabic) Assiyaha (Tourism), Asfar (Travel) Some business titles remain very popular both locally and internationally
and growing in demand. In the Middle East, the most widely read Arabic
travel trade (english) Travel & Tourism News (TTN), Travel Trade business magazine is Al Iktisaad Wal Amal, while Arabian Business
Gazette (TTG) , Middle East, Concierge, Middle East Traveller, Travel remains the top English business magazine.
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Daily News Middle East
sports Super, Al Riyadah Washabab (Sports & Youth), Al Rriyadhi (the
For trade press, Arabian Travel News, TTN, and TTG MENA, remain the Sportsman), Golf Digest, Middle East Golfer, Cars
top choices and well established titles for the travel and hospitality
industries.
Consumer Publications (arabic) The consumer media is dominated
by Arabic publications with a prominent number containing travel
specific sections. The main list includes: Kul Al Osrah (All Family), Zahrat
Al Khaleej (the Gulf Flower), Al Sada (The Echo), Fairuz - Sayyidati (My
Fair Lady), Al Hasna (The Beautiful Lady), Al Rajul (The Man)
10
4) Reaching UAE Consumers (continued)
UAE
Newspapers Online media
in the Middle East still remain the most trusted and read media segment Most newspapers in the region have their own online edition. Gulf News
by both the local and expat market. However, with a majority of the and The National both have interactive portals that are very good to
population in the Middle East under the age of 30, the internet has been excellent in rating. In 2009, many new trade-specific portals came online,
a growing medium to reach key target markets, particularly through including www.hoteliermiddleeast.com, which has quickly gained
social media. popularity for reporting breaking travel and tourism news before
appearing in its monthly publications.
There is still a large distinction between Arabic and English daily
newspapers, with the latter regarded as more advanced in production Due to restrictions in print press and a large youth population in the
and content, while the former more isolated to producing local news or Middle East, there is enormous scope for online resources like blogs and
using wire service content. There are two pan-arab, Arabic-language social media, which has seen an exponential growth in recent years. We
newspapers – Al Hayat and Al Sharq Alawsat – (both of which are are yet to see travel-specific and lifestyle blogs and predict that blogs and
published in the UK) which have strong influence in the wider Arab online sources will cover political and cultural issues.
world, and regarded for its high-standard reporting and features on Arab
issues. Currently, there are no pan-arab English newspapers; however Twitter is also gaining huge momentum in the Middle East, with the UAE
the UAE’s English dailies are available in most Middle East countries and showing the largest number of users. Already a necessary tool for most
its content considered among the most reputable in the region. journalists, companies and everyday internet users are catching on fast to
this networking site.
Overall, newspaper titles in the region are growing in circulation figures,
and reporting is becoming more developed. Twitter media celebrities like Sheikh Mohammed and Catboy (Dubai 92
FM DJ) are helping to grow the number of Twitter users in the UAE.
(arabic) Al Ittihad, Al Bayan, Al Khaleej, Al Sharq Al Awasat, Akbar Al
Ara, Al Hayet, Okaz, Al Riyadh VisitBritain Arab families research (2007) shows that the Internet is also
very popular and just under 3/4 of people said they said they spent a lot
(english) Gulf News, Khaleej Times, Gulf Today, 7 Days, Saudi Gazette, of time surfing the Internet. It is used for the same reasons as TV. Women
The National, Arab News stay up to date with their hobbies and the news, men for factual reasons
and to pay bills and children for entertainment.
Online shopping is growing in popularity with 45% of respondents saying
Television that they do some of their shopping online. However this tends to be for
There are over 400 free-to-air satellite channels in the Arab world, with low risk purchases as both expat Arabs and Emiratis are still reluctant to
predictions that this number could rise to 1,200 channels by 2015. buy flights or book a holiday online.
Monitoring of television viewerships in the Middle East is still in its
infancy with no form of regulated measurement however programmes Radio
under the MBC Group, Abu Dhabi Media Company, and Dubai Media The UAE’s radio stations remain popular and are a significant outlet for
Inc are among the most viewed and trusted programmes in the Arab specific media campaigns. Stations like 92 FM, Virgin and Dubai Eye
World. 103.8 all target a majority of the expat market in the UAE and
programmes like ‘business breakfast’ and ‘the travel show’ on 103.8 are
Among the many TV channels in the Middle East, MBC group is the most popular among older audiences.With a big percent of the UAE
popular for chanels like Al Arabiya news channel and shows that include population being Indian nationals, Hindu radio stations are among the
Sabah Al Khear Ya Arab, reaching 45 million viewers daily. Dubai Media biggest in the region.
Inc, owners of Dubai One and Sama Dubai, are also a top choice for
locals and the GCC market. Due to the accessible cable options in the Television
region, most expats prefer international TV channels like Sky, BBC, and Televison is extremely popular and 83% of respondents agreed with the
CNN. statement “I like watching TV during my spare time”. As women have
more time at home they tend to watch more television than men. They
satellite tV Channels City 7 TV, Dubai TV, Dubai Sports, Abu Dhabi use it to stay up to date with their hobbies and interests (such as fashion,
TV, Emirates TV, MBC, LBC, Channel 2, Rotana decor, entertainment etc). Men on the other hand use TV as an
information source. They watch it to keep abreast of news in other GCC
countries and the world around them. Children use it purely as an
entertainment medium. Older children watch movies, sport and series
whilst younger children tend to watch cartoons. (VisitBritain Arab
Families research 2008).
www.visitbritain.org/research
11
4) Reaching UAE Consumers (continued)
UAE
reaching Visitors from the Uae in the Uk 65% of visitors from the UAE watched British TV and 61% used the
In 2008 VisitBritain sponsored a question on the IPS to understand what internet. 56% read British newspapers, and 37% listened to the radio.
proportion of visitors from each country engaged with different forms of
media when actually in the UK. When just looking at Holiday visitors, 59% used the internet, 56%
watched British TV, 56% read British newspapers, and 37% listened to the
radio.
VFR visitors (typically British ex-pats) were more likely to engage, with
74% watching British TV, 67% using the internet, 64% reading British
newspapers, and 49% listening to the radio.
Business visitors were likely to use the internet (62%), but a high
proportion also watched British TV (57%). 47% read British newspapers
and 31% listened to the radio.
www.visitbritain.org/research
12
5) Perceptions of Britain
UAE
Perceptions of Britain Motivators to Visit Britain
VisitBritain has conducted several research projects in the UAE to gain The main drivers to visit Britain are:
further insight into their perceptions of Britain.
• The people - considered to be kind, generous, open minded, polite,
Britain is seen to be a great location for holidays and as a medical educated, honest, respectful, not racist or rude, conservative,
destination. It is also seen to be a great destination for shopping, democratic, positive, laid back
sightseeing or simply to relax. Britain is known for its heritage, places, the • The environment and outdoor lifestyle - safe and secure, clean,
Royal family, football, the weather, language, ‘Arabic’, freedom and environmentally friendly, a sense of freedom and outdoor life – parks
diversity. Interestingly, 63% of Arabs say they would recommend Britain and pavements
as a holiday destination to their friends. • The weather - Four seasons is a novelty
• Quality of the offer - quality, service, class in terms of both service and
Perceptions of Britain sit more on the traditional and stereotypical side. also brands and products
Big Ben is the most recognised icon, closely followed by Hyde Park, The • Entertainment - shopping, fashion, restaurants, sports (including
Royal family, The London Eye and the changing of the Guard. It is seen to football, tennis, horse racing, cricket, rugby)
offer historical and cultural holidays but not quite as strongly as Italy and • The history - heritage, culture, architecture and tradition
Turkey. Although Britain is suitable as a family destination in terms of its • Travel and transportation - not too long a flight to get there. Applauded
product offering, concerns with safety stop it from being strongly for the excellent internal transport in terms of buses, tubes, trains
associated with family holidays and one that needs to be addressed if it is • Shopping
to be marketed to an Arab family market. • English language
• Reputation - it is also seen to be structured, organised and clean,
VisitBritain’s pioneering 2007 research amongst web-savvy young arab which is appreciated
nationals found that Britain had many positive qualities and was a highly • Safe
attractive destination but somewhat hampered by negative perceptions
around British people (particularly with regard to attitude towards Many people are unaware of other places within Britain to visit as to them
foreigners and sense of welcome - or lack of it). London IS Britain. London is seen to be the hub and the focal point of
visiting Britain. However they are genuinely interested in finding out
Product perceptions of Britain were very much anchored in a 1980s more information about the different regions in Britain (especially those
timewarp, with an almost exclusive focus on London cliches. Research that have never been) as there is a sense the regions are calmer, scenic
recommended that Britain upweight our politeness, efficiency, sense of and rural. In terms of emotional needs Britain delivers in terms of
humour, multicultural society, natural beauty and diversity and downplay connectivity:
factors related to a dislike of tourists, sense of cultural superiority, tourist
cliches and passive observation (versus active experiences). Connecting at an individual level - Britain is considered to be an excellent
self-discovery destination, education in particular is associated with
Britain and the self-improvement aspect is high.
Connecting at a family level - Britain is seen to provide a family-friendly
environment- something for everyone.
Connecting at a social level - Travelling to Britain is very highly regarded
socially- particularly with regards to showing wealth and prestige.
Connecting at a global level - Britain is actually seen to be close enough
to the Arab culture so as not to alienate travellers, however, there is also
plenty to discover.
www.visitbritain.org/research
13
UAE
5) Perceptions of Britain (continued)
Is Britain expensive?
Research conducted in 2008 showed that Britain is perceived to be
expensive (89% of Arabs agreeing with the statement “Britain is an
expensive destination” and 55% agreeing strongly).
Britain is also thought of as a luxurious destination which therefore has
expensive connotations. Although price is always an issue to Arab
nationals, research shows that value for money is more of an issue to
them than actual price and interestingly, Britain is seen to offer fairly
good value. As one might expect, Britain is perceived to offer less value
for money than cheaper destinations such as the Far East, the Levant and
Turkey BUT encouragingly is seen to represent better value for money
than other Europe destinations such as France, Switzerland, Italy and
Germany.
Research conducted in 2010 shows that Britain is seen to be the most
expensive place in Europe but this is also somewhat aspirational- being
associated with richness and showing-off.
The Weather
The weather is another important barrier that needs to be tackled in order
to attract Arab families to Britain. Although they want to escape the heat
of the Middle East, clouds and rain are viewed as depressing and gloomy.
Arabs like the outdoors and it is important that marketing materials show
Britain to have nice weather to inspire people to visit.
Visas
The ease of obtaining Visas to travel to Britain received some negative
response when benchmarked against other countries in terms of:
• Strict and difficult procedures
• Taking time for applications and processing
• Overall a complicated country to for visa application
• Albeit appreciated for the relatively low cost compared to some other
countries
Barriers to Visit Britain
As discussed previously Britain is a desirable destination to Arab
travellers, however, there are several things (listed below) that could
hinder Emirates visiting Britain. Additionally there is an overall lack of
awareness of all the things to do in Britain which needs to be addressed if
Britain is to remain competitive in this market.
People and the British Welcome
Although British people are seen to be a kind and curtius, in contrast
they are also perceived somewhat negatively. They can be seen to be
rude, stingy and arrogant, however, are helpful and friendly when asked.
Much of this is likely to be due to a confusion between arrogance and
‘British reservedness’. We need to educate our consumers that British
people are in fact warm and friendly people but just act in a gentler, less
in your face manner. Encouragingly, 48% of Emiratis agreed that Britain is
a welcoming destination whereas only 37% of expat Arabs felt this way.
Other GCC countries are considered to be the most welcoming but
France and Italy do well in this arena as well. There also seems to be an
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opinion that Arabs felt more welcome than they felt now and sadly much
of this is likely to be due to terrorist implications.
Similarly, although Britain is associated with many celebrities and popular
culture, the Arab youth research showed that these may not appeal to
potential travellers. Resarch respondents commented that British celebs
and popular icons did not necessarily conform to the same ethical codes
as Arabs and in fact they looked up to their own popular and cultural
icons.
14
Perceptions of Britain (continued)
UAE
City Breaks / Culture / sightseeing
Products / experiences Identified as attractive The majority of visitors come to London. Families are looking mainly
Middle East Outbound Travel Survey research carried out in the UAE and for city-based entertainment, shopping, sightseeing and leisure
Saudi Arabia in 2002 has given us some interesting insights into the pursuits. Top attractions for those who have visited Britain tend to
Middle Eastern market as a whole. (Findings refer to both markets.) be London based and include: Madame Tussauds (15%),
Hyde Park (15%) and Big Ben (6%).
shopping
In keeping with the IPS figures, other research has shown that shopping is Landscape / Countryside
a key leisure activity for the Middle Eastern visitor. 74% of visitors from An aspect that respondents said they really liked about their holiday in
Saudi Arabia and UAE named shopping as their most popular activity when Britain was the landscape / countryside (13%). Emirati families enjoy
visiting Britain. Among respondents who had been to Britain, Oxford greenery and gardens, from parks, to farms, to historic rose gardens.
Street (11%) and Harrods (6%) feature on the list of top attractions, as well The British countryside has a great deal of appeal.
as shopping generally (7%). Culturally, travelling Emiratis are expected to
purchase gifts for members of their close and extended family. the Weather
Surprisingly the weather is an aspect of Britain that 14% of respondents
A Mastercard survey (2008) also found that Shopping tops the list of singled out for a particularly positive mention. This may be because many
travel activities for the UAE market - especially for luxury goods. Middle Eastern visitors will travel to Britain in the summer months when
VisitBritain’s research conducted over the past couple of years, also the temperature becomes too hot in the Middle East.
highlights the importance of brands to Arab families residing in UAE and
London is perceived to be important brand by this group as well. spa / health
There is a growing focus on health and wellbeing, spas and relaxation
A new poll by AC Nielsen has found that a third of respondents in the especially within the Arab community. In recent years this area of
UAE claim to buy luxury goods, whilst over half also claim that they know business has grown from a small niche opportunity to generating major
someone else who does. Products by Armani were found to be the incremental revenue for our competitors.
nation’s favourite with 46% of consumers aspiring to own this label,
closely followed by Dior (42%) and Chanel (32%), with Gucci, Givenchy British Brands
and Versace all receiving 31%. One AC Nielsen director commented on British brands focus around high quality, style and modernity. Whilst in
the results by saying brands such as Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel the greater scheme of things are considered expensive but at the same
have performed well by promoting themselves as brands with historical, time are considered to be good value for money importantly when
classical and conservative values that resonate with the UAE luxury compared to other European cities e.g. Paris, Milan
consumer. This compares to brands such as Prada, Max Mara, Fendi and
DKNY which promote a more modern, youthful and glamorous image Spontaneous brands focused on fashion and designer labels.
and as a consequence only 15% of UAE consumers aspire to own such
brands. Football
There are high level of awareness of the Premier League football
62% of respondents felt that designer brands are strongly associated regardless of gender and not surprisingly, males are highly involved in
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with a higher social status, whilst 45% believed that designer brands the league and females often mention they have husbands who support
are of a better quality. one of the top teams. Many top teams were spontaneously recalled and
the skills of the players were appreciated and respected.
The greatest potential for the luxury goods industry was found to be in
designer accessories, as UAE consumers were said to lead the world in
the purchase of luxury sunglasses (67% of respondents own a pair) and
designer luggage bags (25% own such an item) (AC Nielsen).
Interestingly, there is a sense even if people are able to buy things locally,
when shopping on holiday offers a sense of decadence which is integral
to the mood of being on holiday.
15
6) Market Size, Share, and Forecasts for Growth
UAE
travel from the Uae to different World regions Forecast Visits to World regions 2009-2014
Tourism Decision Metrics estimates there were 2.2 million outbound trips The chart below shows forecasts from Tourism Decision Metrics for
from the UAE in 2008. There are forecast to be 2.4 million such trips by travel from the UAE to each region of the world over the coming years.
2014 (an 11% increase). The number of forecast visits relative to 2008 are shown.
Contrary to many other markets, outbound travel from the UAE is
As is the case for the vast majority of countries, outbound travel from the
forecast to grow in 2009, with journeys to Western European
UAE is largely intra-regional, with almost 70% of outbound travel going to
destinations and other Middle Eastern countries seeing the largest
its neighbouring countries in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia easily
absolute increases in visitor numbers.
the top destination.
Western Europe is the next most visited region, accounting for 11% of In 2010, visits to Western Europe are forecast to fall slightly, but still
arrivals in 2008. remain above 2008 levels. Slow growth is then expected through to
2014, when 45,000 additional trips are forecast (compred to 2008).
Visits to other countries in the Middle East are forecast to fall back down
to 2008 levels in 2010, but then show steady growth, with an additonal
200,000 trips by 2014.
The UK’s Market Share and Forecasts for Growth
top ten destinations Visited in 2008 (key competitors) Forecast top ten destinations in 2014
Saudi Arabia is easily the most frequently visited destination from the According to Tourism Decision Metrics, the top three destinations are
UAE, accounting for 54% of outbound journeys. The UK (11%) was the forecast to remain the same in 2014, with no change in their order either.
2nd most visited destination in 2008, with a comfortable lead over Oman
in 3rd.
1 Saudi Arabia 6 Malaysia
2 United Kingdom 7 Syria
3 Oman 8 United States
4 Bahrain 9 Egypt
5 Thailand 10 Australia
Visits to the UK are forecast to grow by 19% relative to 2008, with over
40,000 additional visits by 2014 (representing an 11.5% share of the
market for the UK).
Syria is expected to establish itself in the UAE’s top ten destinations,
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replacing Iran.
All data is taken from Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics
Thanks to the UAE’s emergence as an international hub, Thailand,
company. The Tourism Decision Metrics (TDM) model forecasts
Malaysia, the USA, and Australia also feature as long-haul destinations.
future international tourism flows, based on historic
economic/tourism data and future economic forecasts. It assumes
that there are no barriers to tourism growth (eg no limit to
route/airport capacity, no new visa regulations) and, as a forecast, it is
clearly subject to external shocks which may be natural or man-made,
so should be taken as a guide only.
16
7) Access to Britain
UAE
Political situation Main Gateways Servicing UAE
Arab nationals travelling from the UAE to Britain remain concerned (and
need reassurance) about Anti-Arab/Muslim feeling following the events
of 9/11, the war in Iraq and terrorism events in London. A recent
Mastercard survey found that “safety and security” was of concern when
travelling for three quarters of UAE participants.
GLa - Daily flights
from Dubai
Passport and Visa Issues
The British Embassy opened a Visa Application Centre in Dubai in
September 2007 and there is a second centre in Abu Dhabi. The
establishment of the centres is part of their global plan to move Britain’s
Visa Operations into more comfortable, conveniently located centres.
The move is accompanied by important changes to the application
process. All applicants over the age of 5 now need to give biometric data Man - Daily flights
in the form of a digital photograph and electronic scanning of their from Dubai
fingerprints as part of the visa application process. The process is quick,
discreet and entirely safe. neW - Daily flights from
Dubai and Abu Dhabi
The UK Border Agency Visa Statistics 2007/08 showed that of 52,150
visas issued, the majority (85%) were for visitors. BhX - Daily flights
from Dubai
The UAE travel trade have always been complimentary about the
professionalism and speedy service of the visa section at the British
Embassy in Dubai, where over 90% of straightforward applications are
Family Work Working
Visitors Visit Permit students holiday total
Makers Lhr - Daily flights
Post Issued Issued Issued Issued Issued Issued from Abu Dhabi
and Dubai
abu dhabi 14,000 1,160 150 1,220 5 16,535
dubai 30,840 2,770 800 1,180 25 35,615
total 44,840 3930 950 2,400 30 52,150
processed in 24 hours. This is important as UAE is a very late booking
market and is one of the reasons that Britain is so popular. Schengen
visas for Europe take up to three weeks while a British visa can be issued LGW - Daily flights
within 24 hours. Britain now has in place a ten-year multiple visa for from Abu Dhabi
nationalities in this region to ensure maximum value and convenience for and Dubai
GCC visitors.
BA offers 5 flights a week each from Riyadh and Jeddah to Heathrow
Gateways / access to Britain BA offers daily flights from Kuwait / Bahrain / Doha to Heathrow
In 2009, 98% of visitors from the UAE arrived in Britain by air and 2% via Gulf Air daily flight from Muscat, Oman to Heathrow (Via Bahrain)
the Channel Tunnel (IPS). Dubai has positioned itself as a key aviation Qatar Airways offers 3 flights daily to LHR, and daily flights to LGW from
hub between Europe, Asia and Australasia. In total there are more than Doha (Qatar)
125 weekly flights from Dubai to the UK and increasing number of flights Kuwait Airways offers 4 flights a week to London Heathrow
from Abu Dhabi. British Midland offer 3 flights a week each from Jeddah and Dammam to
Heathrow
routes to the Uk from dubai Saudi Airlines offers daily flights from Jeddah and Riyadh and twice a
emirates flies 14 times per day to 6 UK destinations (London Heathrow week from Dammam to Heathrow
and Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow) Oman Air offers daily flights from Muscat to London Heathrow
Ba offer 14 flights per week to Heathrow
Virgin atlantic offer daily flights to Heathrow
royal Brunei airlines offer daily flights to Heathrow
routes to the Uk from abu dhabi
Gulf air offers a double daily service to Heathrow via Bahrain
Etihad Airways offer 3 daily flights to Heathrow and daily flights to
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Manchester
Ba offers 7 flights a week to Heathrow
Routes to the UK from other Middle East Points
17
8) Travel to Britain
UAE
Current Volume and Value statistics / trends historic trends (Volume and Value of travel to the Uk)
2009 was the best ever-recorded year for visits (246,260) and spend The UAE has shown strong growth in visits and spend from 2003
(£312m) from the UAE. onwards.
Change year
IPs 2008 2009
on year
total Visits 231,735 246,260 6%
Visits rank (League table
24 21 up 3 places
no. Visitors to Uk)
total spend £289m £312m 8%
spend rank
14 13 up 1 place
(League table £ spend in Uk)
average spend per Visit
£1243 £1267 2%
(aeV)
average spend per day
£120 £109 -9%
(aed)
average Length of stay (aLs)
10.4 11.6 12%
- nights
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18
8) Travel to Britain (continued)
UAE
Purpose of Visit seasonal spread
The biggest proportion of visitors from the UAE to the UK came for the A clear high summer market - in 2009, 37% of UAE visits fell between July-
purpose of visiting friends and relatives / VFR (43%) in 2009 and this Sept and this period was even more popular for holiday visitors (45%).
proportion has steadily increased over time, whilst the number of holiday
visits has shown less growth. 58% all visits from the UAE were actually
from British expatriates in 2009 - so this skew is unsurprising.
In 2009 27% came for a holiday and 20% came for business.
accommodation type
Unsurprisingly, due to the high numbers of VFR visitors, 55% of UAE
visitors overall stayed as a free guest with friends and family when they
visited the UK in 2009. This accounted for 57% of nights spent.
Length of stay
33% of visitors stayed for 4-7 nights and a further 33% for 4-7 nights. As
you would expect, Business visits tend to be relatively shorter than
Holiday and VFR. On average, Business visitors stayed for 5 nights,
Holiday visitors for 11 nights, and VFR visitors for 14 nights in 2009.
regional spread
89% of UAE visitors stayed in England, 50% in London, 11% in Scotland
and 4% in Wales in 2009 (IPS).
Visitors from Visitors from Hotel / guesthouse was the next most likely accommodation category
Uae all countries overall - involving 37% of visits (and representing 19% of nights).
totaL enGLand 89% 90%
*London 50% 50% Visiting the Uk as part of a multi-country trip
*rest oF enGLand 47% 46% Uae % of visitors
ENGLAND'S NORTH COUNTRY 14% 12%
Visited Uk only 73%
CENTRAL ENGLAND 17% 16%
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SOUTHERN ENGLAND 22% 22% Visited another country before the Uk 8%
sCotLand 11% 9%
Visited another country after the Uk 13%
WaLes 4% 4%
Visited another country before & after the Uk 6%
In 2007, a question was included on the IPS to understand whether
visitors to the UK had stayed a night in another country before or after
coming to the UK. The results are shown in the table below, with 73%
visiting the UK only on this trip.
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9) Who is the UAE Visitor?
UAE
demographics key travelling Group types
To overcome the fact that a mix of different travel companions could be
in each group, five mutually exclusive “group types” have been created.
In the UAE, the proportion of visitors in each type are as follows:
Traditional Family Of Spouse / Partner & Children 10%
Spouse / Partner But No Children In Travel Group 14%
Children In Group But No Spouse / Partner 7%
Not Alone, But No Children Or Partner In Group 8%
travelling alone 60%
Six in ten visitors from the UAE travelled alone to UK in 2009, which is by
far the largest group.
83% of Business visits and 59% of VFR visits were undertaken alone.
82% of UAE visitors fall into the age band of 25-54 years (IPS 2009). A Holiday visits are less likely to be unaccompanied (although 46% were) -
further 6% are under 24 and 11% over 55. 13% of these were traditional family groups and 21% were with the
spouse/partner but no children. 13% were with other adults.
Male % Female %
0 -15 1 5 1st timers and repeat Visitors
16-24 3 5 In 2009, 92% of UAE visitors (and 91% of Holiday visitors) had visited the
UK previously within the last ten years (IPS).
25-34 23 39
35-44 35 32 Interest in Britain/key Market segments
45-54 24 11 Families
The Arabic families segment is a very lucrative one. Gulf Arab families are
55-64 10 9 large and an extended family travelling can total up to 30 people. They
65+ 3 0 also tend to take long holidays. VisitBritain’s Arab families research in
June and July 2008 also highlights the strong sense of family - 83% say
Overall, 66% of visitors were male and 34% female (IPS 2009), with males that they like to spend a lot of time with their family.
having an older age profile.
They also tend to have high disposable incomes and are city based.
travelling Companions Britain is seen as a second home; seeking shopping, entertainment and
In the IPS 2009, we asked visitors to tell us more about their travelling attractions for children.
companions. We asked who accompanied them on their visit, excluding
UK residents they may have visited during the trip.
The chart below shows the percentage of visits which included each
category of travel companion (multiple responses allowed as the
categories are NOT mutually exclusive). The profile for the UAE is
compared to that of the Total World i.e. the average overseas visit to UK.
www.visitbritain.org/research
Compared to the average overseas visitor, those coming from the UAE
are more likely to either travel alone or be accompanied by young
children.
CAUTION: The results do need to be treated with some caution, as even
if a respondent says they are travelling with “Spouse/Partner” and
“Child(ren) aged 5-11”, we don’t know from this how many children
were in the group, or even that the children were those of the
respondent (e.g. they could be grandchildren, nieces / nephews, or
even no blood relation at all)...
20
10) Activities Undertaken in the UK
UAE
What did Visitors from the Uae actually do
during their visit to Uk?
In the IPS 2006, 2007, and 2008, visitors were asked if they had taken
part in certain activities during their visit to the UK. The chart below
shows the percentage of visitors from the UAE who said they did each of
the listed activities, compared to the average inbound visitor to the UK.
The most common activity for visitors from the UAE was eating in
restaurants (69%), and a significant proportion went to the pub (41%).
Shopping was also very popular, with shopping for clothes/accessories
more popular (56%) than shopping for souvenirs (28%).
Traditional tourism activities were less popular for visitors for the UAE
than for many visitors from elsewhere; just 22% went sightseeing famous
buildings/monuments, 19% visited castles, churches, monuments, and
historic houses, and 14% visited museums/art galleries.
20% visited parks/gardens, 26% walked in the countryside, and 18%
explored towns, villages, and other locations away from where they were
staying. 7% went on a guided tour.
14% went to nightclubs and 11% went to see the performing arts (eg
theatre).
However, the UAE is a complex market, with a diverse mix of
www.visitbritain.org/research
nationalities and reasons to visit the UK.
The following pages show the proportion of Holiday, VFR, and Business
visitors undertaking each activity, to give a more complete understanding
of what each get up to when they visit the UK.
21
10) Activities Undertaken in the UK (continued)
UAE
What did holiday Visitors from the Uae actually do
during their visit to the Uk?
In the IPS 2006, 2007, and 2008, visitors were asked if they had taken
part in certain activities during their visit to the UK. The chart below
shows the percentage of Holiday visitors from the UAE who said they did
each of the listed activities, compared to the average inbound Holiday
visitor to the UK.
Holiday visitors’ most common activity was eating in restaurants (74% did
so), and going to the pub was surprisingly popular (43%).
Shopping for clothes/accessories was a very common activity (72%), as
was shopping for souvenirs (52%).
Traditional tourism activities were far less popular amongst Holiday
visitors from the UAE than amongst the average Holiday visitor from
elsewhere; 38% went sightseeing famous monuments/buildings (vs. 59%
for the average inbound visitor), 28% visited castles, churches,
monuments, or historic houses (vs. 54% for the average inbound visitor),
and 22% went to museums/galleries (vs. 41% for the average inbound
visitor).
34% visited parks/gardens and 39% went walking in the countryside.
20% explored towns or villages away from where they were staying, a
low proportion compared to the world average (33%).
www.visitbritain.org/research
In the evening 10% ended up in a nightclub and just 5% at the
theatre/ballet/opera/concert (well below the world average of 18%).
22
10) Activities Undertaken in the UK (continued)
UAE
What did VFr Visitors from the Uae actually do
during their visit to the Uk?
In the IPS 2006, 2007, and 2008, visitors were asked if they had taken
part in certain activities during their visit to the UK. The chart below
shows the percentage of VFR visitors from the UAE who said they did
each of the listed activities, compared to the average inbound VFR visitor
to the UK.
In 2008, 72% of VFR visitors from the UAE were British ex-pats. VFR
visitors can often be found in restaurants (71%) or pubs (52%). Shopping
for clothes/accessories was also a popular option for many (65%).
Sports featured highly for many VFR visitors, with 27% undertaking some
sort of sports activity. 13% watched a sport event, with 7% watching
football. 4% played golf and 5% went cycling.
31% walked in the countryside, 19% visited parks/gardens, and 21%
explored towns, villages, and other locations away from where they were
staying.
Some VFR visitors also undertook traditional tourism activities, with 20%
sightseeing famous buildings/monuments and 21% visiting castles,
churches, monuments, or historic houses. A fairly small proportion went
to Museums/art galleries (15%).
www.visitbritain.org/research
23
10) Activities Undertaken in the UK (continued)
UAE
What did Business Visitors from the Uae actually do
during their visit to the Uk?
In the IPS 2006, 2007, and 2008, visitors were asked if they had taken
part in certain activities during their visit to the UK. The chart below
shows the percentage of Business visitors from the UAE who said they
did each of the listed activities, compared to the average inbound
Business visitor to the UK.
A large proportion of UAE Business visitors enjoyed eating in restaurants
(68%) and 3 in 10 went to the pub.
29% went shopping for clothes/accessories and 12% went sightseeing
famous monuments/buildings. In general, Business visitors often found
time to fit in some activities on their trip.
www.visitbritain.org/research
24
11) Understanding UAE / Middle Eastern Consumers
UAE
Understanding Uae/Middle eastern Culture key Lifestyle Values of Young arab nationals
Religion Recent VisitBritain research (Flamingo 2007), gave us an insight into the
Religion has played an important and influential role in shaping the core attitudes of young (under 25 years) Arab nationals in UAE (and
society and culture of the UAE. Islam is the official and majority religion Saudi Arabia).
and pervades almost every aspect of life. Laws, education, food, clothes,
daily routines and even conversations are all strongly influenced by Collectivism - ‘We’ not ‘I’ - belonging to family, friendship group, and
Islam. The Islamic faith places great emphasis on behaviours such as wider community are very important. The best times are to be had with
generosity, respect and modesty which most Emiratis will display. friends, things are best done as a group.
Family Belonging - linked to collectivism - a need to belong, to conform to the
Family and tribal connections form the basis of Emirati social structure. group, a desire for consensus, a dislike of standing out, of being too
The family and tribe are highly influential and play a role in shaping a individual
person’s values and behaviour. It serves to support its members both
financially and emotionally and as such, the family comes before Living an Islamic life: Following the key tenets of the faith, abiding by
anything else and its honour is protected by doing whatever necessary. its principles
Loyalty between family and tribe members carries over into business
where it is not uncommon for companies to be run by and employ honouring the family/parents: Parents are revered, and are hugely
several members of one family or tribe. influential to our target. All will expect to marry and bring up children.
Family wise, UAE National families are large, with families citing Allah's a law abiding life - although adventure, excitement and overcoming
will for one to procreate. So, the larger the better, giving economic and obstacles are all part of our target’s lives, outright transgression, or
spiritual benefit. The children, when they get older, are expected to look inappropriate behaviour is not.
after the parents, especially in the case of the sons who much bear the
financial burden, if necessary. Some say that the larger families Interaction tips
demonstrates the virility of the father. Travellers from the Middle East (in particular Arabs), demand a very high
level of service. It is likely that during their stay, particularly if they are on
There is also a strong loyalty to the royal families. Demonstration of this holiday, they will ask for alterations to be made. If this is going to be a
includes photos of the leaders in all areas of life. The UAE Nationals problem, particularly during the high season, you will need to be very
loved their founding father, Sheikh Zayed, and there was massive firm with them. Arabs can take offence very easily and are not used to
outpouring of grief on his passing. The people still remark on his being told what they can’t do. Arab nationals of the UAE also fear that
generosity for what he did for them and for building the UAE. they may be discriminated against and exploited, particularly in London,
which is a primary overseas travel destination.
Women
Women are respected in UAE society, as they are the ones who bring life Although the younger UAE national traveller is not likely to be greatly
into the world, and raise the children. There is a perception in the West offended by a cross-cultural faux pas in Britain, they are more likely to
that they are subordinate, but increasingly, they are more prominent in value and to promote, by word of mouth, accommodation where staff
the workplace. Males should not talk in public to professional UAE have been trained to be sensitive to Arab culture. For example, it is
National women, unless it is business related. Do not shake hands with a culturally insensitive to ask an Emirati whether they want bacon with their
UAE National female, unless prompted to. Do not stare at women or eggs, or include a half bottle of wine with the table d’hote menu.
maintain eye contact. Do not ask an Arab about his wife or female
members of his family. Value for Money
Although price is always an issue, Decision Making Process Research
Hospitality conducted in 2004 amongst UAE nationals, showed that, in general,
Hospitality is an essential part of Emirati culture and applies to both social Emirati families who travel to the UK are more focussed on quality of the
and professional contexts. Guests will be received with enormous experience rather than price.
generosity. In the home this usually comes in the form of a feast of
traditional Emirati food, especially during the holidays, while in a
business context, meetings are almost always accompanied by traditional
Arab coffee and pastries. The emphasis placed on hospitality is closely
connected to the importance of relationships. Foreigners should show
their gratitude and dedicate time to cultivating relationships with their
Emirati counterparts.
www.visitbritain.org/research
25
11) Understanding Middle Eastern Culture (cont.)
UAE
accommodation Interests
As far as accommodation is concerned (particularly hotels), Arab The sport of falconry is among the many traditional pastimes still
travellers prefer suites or inter-connecting rooms which allow parents practiced in the UAE. The Locals consider it as a unique partnership
easy access to their children. between man and bird and it is not unusual to see a hooded falcon being
trained on an owner's gloved wrist. Originally, falcons were used for
Apartments are very popular and in high demand during the summer. Air hunting, as they assisted in providing extra food to core dates, milk and
conditioning in London hotels during the summer is a big selling point. bread.
City centre locations are the most popular; the more adventurous will be With a love of camels, it is no surprise that camel racing exists in the
prepared to stay in alternative forms of accommodation such as cottages UAE. In recent years, it has been revived formally and although there
and castles in the country, although preferably with easy access to city was some controversy regarding the the under age camel jockeys, the
centre facilities. Entertainment for the children is important and there is a introduction of robot jockeys (!), seems to have solved this problem.
growing demand and interest in holiday resorts such as Oasis, Centre
Parcs and Butlins. Throughout history, the Arabs have maintained a great love of horses
and the tradition lives on with the rapid growth of horse racing. This
Arab travellers have a preference for five-star hotels and high quality includes the Dubai World Cup, the world's richest horse race.
serviced apartments. Even amongst young people (under 25),
VisitBritain’s 2007 research found that 5 star hotels are preferred Body Language/ etiquette
accommodation and that the service / quality bar is extremely high when Body language in the UAE and amongst Arabs is completely different to
visitors make comparisons with what is available back home. that in the West.
• Friends kissing each other on the cheek is considered normal and not
It is important to provide separate male and female areas or timings in linked to homosexuality. It is a sign of friendship, and it is common
recreational areas - for example a two hour window at 10:00 which is amongst male friends.
available for females only. This is necessary as Arab females usually wear • Kissing the shoulder is another greeting and usually one of respect.
a headscarf and a cloak when in the presence of males - not appropriate • Holding hands even for a long period after shaking hands is common
attire for a gym, swimming pool or spa. place and a sign of friendship.
• If a hug is initiated by an Arab, then it is a sign that you are considered
It is an advantage to have concierges who are aware of what interests a trustworthy friend.
Arab travellers have, and who are able to suggest tours which suit Arab • If an Arab refuses to touch you, it may be an indication that he
preferences rather than that of the typical Western tourist (for example considers you untrustworthy or unclean.
interactive attractions such as London Dungeon, musicals as opposed to • If an Arab stares you in the eye as you speak, it means that he is giving
plays, big bus tours). you his full attention. If he doesn't, it means that he may not care what
you are saying. Bear this in mind and reciprocate giving eye contact.
Provide non-alcoholic mini-bars on request. • If an Arab bites their right finger, it is a sign of contempt and that you
are not liked, and this will usually be accompanied by muttering.
Provide the type of bathroom fittings which Arabs are comfortable with - • Snapping of the head upwards while tutting means “No” or an
this includes a spray hose in the toilet. indication that you are wrong or that what you are saying is untrue.
• A clawing action with the right hand is usually indicative of a
Arab tourists appreciate it if hotels are also able to indicate the direction beckoning to move closer or to come into a room. This is probably
of Mecca in their rooms. It would also be useful if they were able to equivalent to a beckoning with the one finger, used in the West, but
provide a list of local prayer times. These are small gestures, easily this would be considered rude, if used in the Middle East.
implemented, that would be very welcoming to the Arab visitor and • The hand signal of putting all your fingers and thumb together, sort of
indicate cultural respect. cup like, means 'Wait just one minute' or 'Slow down'. This sometimes
may be used to indicate that the person is getting impatient at your
Food and drink speed.
Eating out is an important aspect of a holiday. During meals, Arabs will
eat meat dishes as well as drink water or fruit juices.
Specify which foods contain pork, or alternatively offer Halal options, just
as you would offer vegetarian options on a menu.
UAE nationals eat a great variety of food, not just Arabic. Indian,
Chinese, Italian and Thai are very popular. However, they are often
reluctant to try out dishes when travelling, unless they are sure they are
Halal.
Availability of Asian and Arabic (Halal) food in the destination is
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important and promoting this supports the multi-cultural/racial
experience of Britain.
In their own countries, Arabs are unlikely to drink alcohol. Tea and coffee
are prominent features of Arabian life. It is considered rude to decline a
coffee since the tradition of offering coffee is symbolic of hospitality.
Coffee is made completely differently to other methods. It is not filtered,
not percolated but is boiled. Arabs expect sugar in their tea. When
asking for tea, they usually get a clear cup with saucer so that they can
see their brew. This is usually Lipton/mint tea and the tea bag/leaves are
left inside for the drinker to decide on the strength. When they have had
enough and don't wish for a refill, they will turn the cup upside down.
26
12) The Trade
UAE
overview of trade structure representatives
Middle Eastern travel agents have limited product knowledge and the A number of the prominent travel agencies in the UAE are general
majority act purely as ticketing agents. sales agents for British products (for example Woods Car Rental,
Britrail, Virgin Holidays and Travalger).
The majority of travel agents in the UAE offer and provide air-ticketing
services only. VisitBritain can provide a list of key agents who are reaching the Uae travel trade
developing tours for their customers as well as ancillary travel services. Sales Calls
Agents in the region operate on high volume and low margins. The Speak to VisitBritain in London before your visit for the latest information
market tends to be highly competitive with customers very rarely being about the UAE. Key times for promotional visits to the region are
loyal to any one agency. They can be influenced by a marginal difference February through to late May/early June and September through
on the price of a holiday, which often results in local price wars. November. Avoid Ramadan, Eid holidays and the summer period
beginning end of June through to the middle of September. The key
Travel tends to be orientated towards families with a high emphasis on cities to visit in the UAE are Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. If you are
individual tailored arrangements. However, airline packages/holiday planning sales calls to the UAE, please ask VisitBritain London and
packages are emerging as a desirable alternative allowing customers to VisitBritain Dubai for their advice. The best time to visit travel agents in
obtain better value. The travel trade must not ignore the impact of the the UAE is between 0900 and 1700 hours, although it is advisable to
Internet in destination and product promotion. The impact of the Internet make appointments as some agencies close between 1300 and 1600 for
could be significant in the years to come in the Middle East although lunch.
right now it is a novelty.
The working week for government offices, departments and schools in
Uae tour operators the UAE is Sunday through to Thursday. The majority of the travel trade
Emirates Holidays have the monopoly where tour operators are are Asian and as English is widely spoken so it is not necessary to be able
concerned. There are a few other tour operators but EKH gets the to speak Arabic.
majority of the business.
Travellers holding passports from the following countries do not require a
Their main planning cycle happens from September to November when visa: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belguim, Brunei, Canada, Denmark,
they start pulling new product content together for their brochure which Finland, France, GCC Countries, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hong
is launched at the Emirates Holidays Fair at the end of April. Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia,
Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino,
They are based on Sheikh Zayed Road in a purpose built building next to Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Vatican City.
the Dubai Airline Centre. Their current ground handler in the UK is Compared with certain parts of the Middle East, Dubai has a very relaxed
hotelbeds (formerly Trina Tours). dress code. However, care should be taken not to offend by wearing
clothing which may be revealing, for example low-cut dresses, very short
Uae travel agencies skirts or tight jeans. Men should always wear a shirt or top in public. For
There are approximately 1,000 agents in the UAE although VisitBritain are meetings, a business suit is the appropriate attire.
working with approximately twenty who get the majority of the business.
Most of the travel trade are Asian and always entrepreneurial and looking arabian travel Market (atM)
for opportunities to make their agency stand out from the rest. ATM is universally recognised as the travel industry event for the Middle
East and the Pan-Arab world. Serving the whole region, including GCC
The Middle East is a very late booking market so its always advantageous states, Arabian Travel Market is the premier regional forum for outbound
to keep in touch with the agents and update them on any special offers tourism that cannot be missed. It is an ideal platform to generate new
which they can include in a tactical promotion. business leads, raise your company awareness and capitalise on
extensive business, networking and educational opportunities.
With the development of a Key Account System for the travel trade,
VisitBritain have nurtured a very good relationship with the prominent top tips
agencies in the UAE. Some activities that work well with the trade in developing brand and
product awareness are:
Most of the carriers in the UAE have gone to 0% commission. Travel
Management Companies see this as a benefit to their business where as • Spend time to build a relationship
a section of the travel trade that are purely ticketing agents see this as an • Offer Familiarization trips
deterrent. Since the global recession, Travel agents are finding • Product updates through presentations
it difficult to retain customers due to cost cutting drives from the end- • Get together with them by arranging networking events
consumer service, resulting in a considerable amount of business being • Sporting events (Bowling, Cricket)
diverted to Airline websites, therefore agents are now focusing on • Front line incentives
competence, creativity and providing a good customer service as well as
developing a strong online offering.
www.visitbritain.org/research
Wholesalers
There are very few wholesalers in the marketplace. Airlines and holiday
divisions of airlines tend to offer this service, with the exception of
approximately ten major operators in the Middle East. These operators
tend to be based in the Gulf region i.e. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and
Saudi Arabia.
The wholesalers are disguising entering into a price war by offering
value-added inducements into their current holiday packages.
27
12) The Trade (continued)
UAE
Conducting Business in Uae Office hours tend to be 0800-1900 with some agencies still doing a split
Today, the UAE is a thriving business centre with immense opportunities shift with a break between 1300 and 1600 hours.
for foreign investment and continued economic growth. For those
wishing to become involved in this lucrative market, the key to success is Attitudes to time in the UAE are much more relaxed than in many
first understanding Emirati culture and business etiquette. Western cultures. People and relationships are more important than
schedules and punctuality. It is not uncommon, therefore, for your
The Emirates are a considerably modern state in relation to the rest of the Emirati counterparts to arrive late but foreigners are expected to arrive
Middle East. As such, many traditional attitudes and business practices on time.
are evolving towards a more Westernised approach. Nevertheless, it is
still important to be aware and respectful of some of the differences that During Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, Muslims are not
might exist. permitted to eat, drink or smoke between sunrise and sunset. Muslim
hospitality allows that non-Muslims may be invited to eat and drink by
Getting Around their hosts, but this must take place sensitively, and strictly away from
Signs in Dubai are generally in both Arabic and English, as well as the public gaze. Bottled-water swiggers be aware: this includes you. Re-
telephone automation system allow you to choose between the two. So hydrate away from the public gaze and with respect for your hosts.
knowing English is certainly an advantage in the UAE. But once you are
outside the cities, you will find that English is not easily understood by
rural people. As the UAE population constitutes over 75% expatriates, Meetings
mainly from the South Asian countries, knowledge of Hindi, Urdu, Meetings should be scheduled in advance with extra time allocated in
Malayalam, Bengali and Tamil can be quite useful. case it should go on longer or start later than anticipated. Often meetings
are cancelled at the last minute, so it is important to be flexible and come
Some Helpful Phrases prepared with either a business card or letter to let them know you were
Marhaba - Hello there.
As-salam àlaykum - Peace be with you (common Islamic greetings)
Wa àlaykum as-salam - And to you peace Business meetings with Arab clients or colleagues can seem to begin in a
Shukran - Thank you very informal fashion and can often take place in eateries. In the usual
Àfwan - You're welcome extended preamble it is common to ask after family and to make polite
Na'am - Yes chit chat. The true business portion of the meeting can sometimes arrive
La'a - No quickly and unexpectedly and be resolved in a very short time in
Ma'assalama - Goodbye comparison with Western business practices. They are generally long in
duration and discussions are conducted at a leisurely pace. Time should
timings be allocated for such business meetings, as they are an essential part of
The working week traditionally starts on Sunday and ends on Thursday. Emirati business culture.
Friday and Saturday are the official days of rest, though in the travel trade
industry agencies will do do shift work so 6 days a week are covered for
booking purposes.
Friday is the Muslim day of prayer and rest and so scheduling meetings
or making phone calls to Muslim colleagues or clients on this day should
be avoided.
www.visitbritain.org/research
28
12) The Trade (continued)
UAE
Conducting Business with the with arabs/Uae • DON’T assume that the person who asks the most questions in
There is a strong vertical hierarchy in most Emirati companies. Many are meetings holds the most responsibility. In the UAE, this person is
owned and run by one powerful person who makes all of the decisions. considered to be the least respected or least important. The decision
This person must be treated with respect and deference, particularly if maker is usually a silent observer and will only speak when discussions
you hope to have a successful business relationship. Age, money and come to a close.
family connections are all key determining factors of a person’s status. • DON’T ask about a person’s wife or daughters. It is polite to enquire
Who you are is usually more important than what you have achieved. It is about a person’s family or health, but never ask specifically about any
not uncommon to therefore find many members of one family working female members. Family life which involves female members is kept
for the same company. extremely private.
• Never sit in a way that will cause the soles of your feet to point directly
Greeting at someone else. Pointing the sole of your foot at someone, even by
The customary greeting is “As-salam alaikum,” (peace be upon you) to accident is considered extremely offensive in Arab culture.
which the reply is “Wa alaikum as-salam,” (and upon you be peace).
When entering a meeting, general introductions will begin with a Public holidays 2010
handshake. You should greet each of your Emirati counterparts
individually. In line with Muslim customs, avoid shaking hands with a 26 Feb Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet)
woman unless they extend their hand first. 9 Jul Leilat al-Meiraj (Ascension of the Prophet)
11 sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
17 nov Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
Business Cards
2 dec National Day
Business cards are common but not essential to Emirati business culture.
7 dec Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year)
If you do intend to use business cards whilst in the UAE, ensure that the
16 dec Ashoura
information is printed in both English and Arabic
Public holidays 2011
Communication
People in the UAE prefer to do business in person. Relationships and 1 Jan New Year's Day
mutual trust are paramount for any successful business interaction and 26 Feb Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet)
can only be developed through face-to-face meetings. It is important to 28 Jun Leilat al-Meiraj (Ascension of the Prophet)
spend time with your Emirati business counterparts and ensure future 30/31 aug Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
meetings take place to continue cultivating the relationship. 6 /7 nov Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
26 nov Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year)
2 dec National Day
It is important to have connections to someone in the UAE who can
5 dec Ashoura
introduce you before attempting to do business there on your own.
Emirati people prefer to do business with those they know, so having
someone to introduce you will be of immense benefit to your business
relationship. Family and friends come before anything else. As a result, it
is not uncommon for an Emirati to reschedule or cancel something to
accommodate their needs or wishes. Take the time to get to know your
business counterparts on a personal level so that you can develop a
friendship with that person and therefore be in a better position of
priority for business dealings.
emirati Business etiquette (do's and don'ts)
• DO address your Emirati counterparts with the appropriate titles
followed by his or her first name. If unsure, it is best to get the names
and correct form of address of those you will be doing business with
before hand.
• DO dress conservatively. While the UAE is more Westernised than
many other Middle Eastern countries and therefore home to many
Western style clothes, it is still important to dress modestly. As a sign of
respect, men should wear a conservative suit and women should
ensure their clothing covers their legs and arms.
• DO accept an invitation to a meal or social event. Relationships are an
integral part of doing business in the Emirates. Spending time with
your Emirati counterparts is the best way to build trust and mutual
www.visitbritain.org/research
understanding.
• DON’T schedule business meetings during prayer times or any of the
major Islamic holidays such as Ramadan or Eid. These are extremely
important periods for the majority of native Emiratis who are Muslims.
Business is usually put on hold during these occasions as it is a time for
reflection and celebration.
• DON’T expect a one-on-one meeting to only include yourself and the
other person. Often there will be other people present in the office or
meeting room waiting their turn to meet with that person. When you
arrive, it is polite to greet the person, take a seat and accept any coffee
served until it is your turn.
29
13) Business Visits & Events
UAE
Business Visits statistics
In 2009, 20% of travel from UAE to UK was for business purposes, and
this accounted for 31% of spend (IPS). UAE business visits consisted of
16% Conferences, Large meetings, Trade Fairs or Exhibitions and 84%
individual business travel. It is impossible to estimate from IPS the
proportion of business travel that is incentive travel.
Business Visitors Uae Visits 2009 (000) Business Visits (%) spend 2009 (£m) Business spend (%)
Trade Fair / Exhibition* 0 0% 0 0%
Conference / Large Meeting* 8 16% 14 27%
Other Business* 42 84% 39 73%
All Business Visits 50 100% 53 100%
Business Visitors Uae aeV (£) aed (£) aLs (nights)
Trade Fair / Exhibition* - - -
Source: IPS
Conference / Large Meeting* 1783 364 4.9
Other Business* 924 185 5.0
All Business Visits 1060 213 5.0
*CAUTION - low sample sizes for types of business visitor mean that AEV According to research conducted by YouGovSiraj, business travel in the
/ AED / ALS figures should be taken with extreme caution. Middle East is set to increase over the next 12 months despite the
economic downturn, with 80 per cent of respondents expecting the
Business Visits trends increase to be big. Conferences and exhibitions, followed by visits to
The AME Info Online Business Travel Survey 2003 conducted research clients and branch offices were cited as the main reason for travel. The
among business travellers in the Middle East (54% of the sample were main class of travel is business, with 25 per cent booking economy, 10
from UAE) and highlighted that London was the most visited city for per cent premium economy and a quarter booking a mixture of business
business (15.9%), followed by Bombay (6.1%) and Dubai (5.9%). and economy. The business class ethos is also carried to
accommodation, with most travelers booking four and five star hotels.
75% of respondents said that they would extend their business trip for Sustainability and environmental concerns appear to be unimportant to
leisure purposes and 57% of those would extend their trip by two to the region’s travel bookers with less than one in five respondents saying
three days. Top reasons for extending a business trip were to visit they would go out of their way to use suppliers that minimize carbon
relatives and friends (20%), relax (14%) and shop (13%). Almost a third of footprints, regardless of cost.
Business visits to UK in 2006 involved some shopping (IPS).
A survey conducted by YouGov in February 2010 shows that 46% of
respondents expect their business travel to increase (15% indicated it
would increase a lot) marking a rise of 22 percentage points compared
with figures of the same period in 2009 (24%). A smaller proportion
(16%) expects their travel to drop over the next 12 months.
Looking at actual flying figures compared to a year ago, people are still
flying economy more and business class less. First or business class travel
in January 2010 was higher than in January 2009. In January 2010 24%
said they flew first or business compared with 31% in January 2009.
Economy travel (53%) is up by 4 points and premium (23%) increased by
3 points, compared to the same period last year.
www.visitbritain.org
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14) VisitBritain in UAE
UAE
Working in Partnership with VisitBritain
There are many ways of working in partnership with VisitBritain. In
London Contacts / Further Information
For any further information relating to the UAE market, please contact:
agreement with our strategic partners – VisitScotland, Visit Wales,
VisitEngland and Visit London, we operate the Overseas Network as a Louise Bryce
platform for the five brands and will continue to deliver the following Head of Partnerships
activity in all these markets on behalf of these brands and the travel VisitBritain
industry: T: 44 (0)207 578 1129
E: louise.bryce@visitbritain.org
travel trade:
• Account management of key carriers and major tour operators Alternatively, visit VisitBritain’s dedicated website for the UK tourism
• Management of a travel trade e-crm programme industry and a searchable database of all VisitBritain’s Marketing
• Staging of B2B missions and events Opportunities:
• Familiarisation visits to major trade shows in Britain www.visitbritain.org/opportunitiesadvice/index.aspx
Why not sign up to our Industry E-Newsletter, or register with VisitBritain
Media relations: to be kept up to date with all that’s new in the UAE and other markets
• Account management of key contacts in print, broadcast and online worldwide?www.visitbritain.org/aboutus/newsletter.aspx
media
• Database of publications and journalists Information sources Used to Compile this report
• Media briefs and press releases • International Passenger Survey figures (IPS) (Office for National
• Distribution of Britain Calling Statistics)
• Assisted press visits programme
nB: Data from International Passenger Survey has been made available
Provision of Insights and Market Intelligence: by the Office for National Statistics and has been used by permission.
• Market profiles The ONS do not bear any responsibility for the analysis or interpretation
• Market insight reports of the data reported here.
Public diplomacy Management: • VisitBritain Arab Youth Research by Flamingo 2007 (Qualitative)
• British Council • VisitBritain Arab Families Research by YouGovSiraj 2008 (Qualitative
• FCO and Quantitative)
• Mastercard Consumer Lifestyles Survey 2007 (UAE, Kuwait, Egypt,
Britain marketing will be delivered as specified: Lebanon, Saudi Arabia) (Quantitative)
VisitBritain leads on marketing Britain and signposts strategic partner • Merrill Lynch World Wealth Report 2005
brands. There is a strong focus on building the long term value of the
• The UAE National Decision Making Process Research - 2004
Britain brand and educating consumers about the constituent brands.
(Quantitative)
• AME Info Online Business Travel Survey 2003 (Quantitative)
For more details on these and other diverse opportunities in markets of
• VisitBritain Middle East Outbound Travel Survey (UAE & Saudi Arabia)
interest to you, please visit our UK Industry Website and read our
- 2002 (Quantitative)
worldwide marketing prospectus, or contact your VisitBritain
representative in London or overseas. • VisitBritain Foresight - June 2006 & December 2004
• IMF / Economist / US Census Bureau
www.visitbritain.org • CIA World Fact Book https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-
world-factbook/index.html
overseas Contacts • BBC Websites
VisitBritain UAE • Tourism Decision Metrics, Tourism Economics
PO. Box 33342 • UNWTO (World Tourism Organisation)
2nd Floor, Sharaf Building • FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office)
Khalid Bin Waleed Road • UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)
Dubai http://www.ucas.com/
• ETC (European Travel Commission)
Carol Maddison •ETC New Media Trend Watch 2009
Manager United Arab Emirates • Internet World Stats 2008 http://www.internetworldstats.com/
T: 009714 3960809 • VisitBritain UAE Business Plans Insights and Intelligence Reports
Fax: 009714 3961884 • Gulf News
E: carol.maddison@visitbritain.org • British Embassy
• UK Border Agency Visa Statistics 2008/09
British Council - www.britishcouncil.org • AC Nielsen
• Oxford Economics Brief 2010
United arab emirates embassy • VVisitBritain research - Understanding and exploring Britain as a
30 Princes Gate London SW7 1PT Travel Destination for GCC Nationals
Tel: 0870 005 6984 • YouGov Travel Tracker 2009
Consular/Visa sector
www.visitbritain.org
48 Princes Gate London SW7
Tel: 0870 05 6984
Middle east Lifestyle
(UK Online Middle East Lifestyle Magazine)
www.middleeastuk.com
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