The New Face of Middle Eastern Tourism

Middle Eastern nations are known for their abundant oil reserves. But in recent years, a gradual shift has been noticed in these countries. These nations have now begun promoting themselves as apt tourist spots. From offering exquisite dessert safaris in empty Qatar to stargazing in the valley of the moon, from spelunking in the Shouf caves to learning carpet weaving in morocco, the Middle East is becoming more and more accessible to tourists with each passing day.

Every year, millions of tourists visit the Middle East and pump around $12 billion in revenue into these economies. In 2023 alone, the inbound visitor numbers grew by 40%, and in 2022, the growth rate stood at 159%, driven by eased pandemic restrictions (refer image).

Go through the article to find out why Middle East is shredding its one industry image and embracing tourism with open arms.

The History of Tourism in Middle East:

The Middle East comprises of Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait), Levant, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and often Iran and Turkey. The traditional tourism in these nations was majorly driven by the religious sentiments of the tourists. The city of Jerusalem, mecca’s Kaaba and Nazareth's Church of the Nativity are the main attractions for Jews, Christians and Muslim pilgrims from around the world.

The Hajj pilgrimage, a mandatory duty for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime, brings over 2.5 million faithful to Mecca annually. The city of Jerusalem holds significant religious and cultural significance for Christians and Jews alike. Christians believe that Jesus walked, was crucified, and ultimately rose from the dead in this city. For Jews, the holiest ground lies in Jerusalem at the Western Wall of the second temple, which was partially destroyed in 70AD. Since then, the site has gained abundant religious and cultural significance.

After the religious travel, the Middle East boomed as trade Centre. Merchants and traders from Asia, Europe, and even Africa visited Middle East for silk, porcelain, and spices. Although tourism was limited in 19th and 20th century due to colonial reign, but after oil discovery in 1908 in Persia (now Iran), tourism and trade blossomed again.

In 1938, an American Company in Dhahran found oil reserves in Saudi Arabia, which later became the largest oil field in the world. After the discovery of Black Gold, there was no going back. Similar reserves were found in other nations (Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar) as well, which made The Middle East synonymous with vast oil reserves.

Diversification of the Economies:

Many Middle Eastern countries are heavily reliant on oil revenue. However, today, there is a fascinating transformation. Middle East is being advertised as the holistic cultural experiences, which offer historic exploration, breathtaking landscapes, cultural experiences, and a glimpse of royalty. This is due to limited availability of the oil and its fluctuating prices. The global oil market is subjected to boom-and-bust cycles. When prices of oil plummeted, as noted in 2014 and 2020, these economies suffered heavily. Moving to tourism industry not only reduces this dependence but also creates new jobs and develops hospitality, transportation, education and local crafts industries. This leads to more balanced and resilient economic growth, as noted in The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.

The Untapped Potential:

The Middle East has some of the most marvelous architectural wonders, which haven’t been fully explored for tourism purposes. The cognitive city to be built in NEOM, Saudi Arabia, is called “one part city, one part nature reserve.” This 170-kilometer-long wonderland of mountains, desert valleys, and the Red Sea defies the concept of regular cities. It is not a sprawling field of roads and traffic but a two-minute walk from living nature and a zero-carbon-operation facility. The Line city is still a concept, but the living proof of technology meeting sustainability is the city of Masdar in Abu Dhabi. It is a future-ready ecocity which has a vision for sustainable, carbon-neutral urban living. Wind towers, solar panels, and driverless pods are some of the attributes of the tech-savvy city.

Burj Khalifa in UAE is another such architectural marvel, which attracts millions of tourists every year. Standing tall at the highest building in the world, Burj Khalifa offers breathtaking views from its observation decks.

Apart from this, Adventure seekers can camp under starry skies in Jordan’s Wadi Rum, hike the verdant slopes of Oman’s Jebel Akhdar, or take a Cultural dip in the vibrant coral reefs.

Conclusion:

Over the past few years, the sands are shifting in the Middle East. The region, which was once looked as completely oil-reliant, is now diversifying its economy. The change is driven by the depleting oil reserves and fluctuating oil prices. Although religious tourism has long played an important role in Arabian economy, there is greater potential in the broader tourism experiences, which is completely understood by these nations. So, these nations are migrating towards tourism to create better jobs and improve the overall condition of their lives.