Indians hold key to Mideast tourism surge

New Delhi: The tourism industry in West Asia, hit by the nearly four-month conflict in the region, is laying strong hopes on India to play a key role for boosting its fortunes.

Towards this, countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman are launching fresh travel offers and promotions to attract tourists besides working with airlines to add flight capacity.

Industry executives noted that travel demand from India has remained resilient despite the US-Iran war which began February 28.


Phillipa Harrison, CEO at Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), said the long-term aim is to welcome 3.5 million visitors annually by 2030, with India playing a 'central role' in achieving that goal. "This year, our priority is to sustain India's double-digit growth," she said. "We continue to work closely with our airline partners to increase frequencies on existing routes and explore new ones where possible."

Harrison said visitor arrivals from India rose 27.5% in May from a year earlier. Throughout this summer, Ras Al Khaimah hotels rolled out deals to attract travellers.

Flight capacity to the Gulf has already returned to the pre-war levels, with flyadeal starting Hyderabad services on July 4, and newly launched Riyadh Air set to debut its India operations with a Riyadh-Mumbai flight from August 4, further strengthening connectivity alongside Saudia, flynas, Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and Akasa Air, said Alhasan Aldabbagh, president of APAC markets, Saudi Tourism Authority (STA).

"Through initiatives such as our recent 'Spectacular Saudi Beckons' webinar, we continue to engage the Indian market and spotlight attractions including Six Flags Qiddiya City and Aquarabia."

Arjun Chadha, India country manager for Oman, said the country continues to expand its tourism offerings with attractions that appeal to Indian travellers for families, adventure seekers, luxury, and leisure visitors.

Oman has strong air connectivity with India, with direct flights from more than 10 Indian cities to Muscat, alongside seasonal and regional connectivity to destinations such as Salalah, said Chadha.

Indian travellers flying long-haul through Doha can transform their transit time into a 'memorable mini-holiday', said Visit Qatar in a recent promotion. With packages starting from $14 per person per night, the programme allows visitors to step out of the airport and experience Qatar's cultural landmarks, desert adventures, dining scene, and vibrant districts if they have 24, 48, or 96 hours to spare.