SOME people say that ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ and certainly in the past 15 years since the first Arabian Travel Market, it has been essential for the Gulf countries to re-invent themselves as vacation lands in order to compete with some of the top travel destinations around the world.
Fortunately, at the same time three new airlines have been created to join Gulf Air and Emirates Airline and all of them are vigorously promoting the Gulf states, admittedly often just their own country of origin, but at least it is a start in getting the GCC and its neighbours on the global map.
Who would have thought in 1994, when the first Arabian Travel Market was established, that the region would be attracting millions of tourists to the Gulf to attend a bewildering range of activities ranging from cultural events to world sports competitions.
Over the years, Emirates Airline has become famous for sponsoring events like the Dubai World Cup, the richest horse race in the world and the Dubai Rugby Sevens. Then came Gulf Air sponsorship of the first Formula One race in the region, in Bahrain, a major investment in a race track and associated facilities, which is already paying dividends with incremental income flowing into the Kingdom of Bahrain and now Qatar Airways is involved in the golf and tennis international tournaments. Not to be outdone, Etihad has gone into Formula One in a big way and Abu Dhabi is currently building its own race track with the first Formula One race arranged for November this year.
Several Gulf governments deserve a big pat on the back for ensuring the flow of visitors has changed into a cascade. In Abu Dhabi, a Louvre Museum as well as a Guggenheim Museum are planned to open on Saadiyat Island. Both museums will offer unique treasures from the ‘parent’ museums never before seen in the Middle East.
They will be part of the ambitious $21 billion cultural quarter, which will have three other museums, luxury hotels and golf courses.
In Qatar, a Museum of Islamic Art has been designed by the famous architect, IM Pei, and is located on a man made island with treasures from the 9th century to the present day.
Dubailand in Dubai when finished will be as large as Monaco, offering attractions varying from a Dinosaur Park to Legoland and a gigantic Sports City, the latter has already been completed.
However, what did not need reinventing were the miles and miles of white sandy beaches, though Dubai did extend its shoreline by building the Palm Islands with their resorts as well as The World project, thus actually adding hundreds of kilometres of beaches to its shoreline.
Judging by the variety of MICE gatherings in the Gulf, the last decade of building the architectural wonders like the Burj Dubai in the centre of the emirate and Shams Abu Dhabi project on Reem Island with its planned massive Central Park destined to be home to 70,000 people by 2011, are attracting town planners, architects, engineers and the like to conferences and seminars.
Yet another source of income for the inbound tourism agencies.
And what about Oman? This southernmost Gulf country is probably the luckiest of all, when it comes to tourism, because it does not have to invent anything … the beauty of its mountains, its historic towns and age old traditions plus the friendliness of its gentle people, present an unbeatable mixture of exotic Arabian temptation for any visitor.
The drive to link Oman with other centres such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai has paid off during the past few years and the twin city holiday concept has helped Oman to increase its travel trade business.
The fjords of Musandam, the tiny hidden away hamlets in the Hajar Mountains, the ancient forts and souks, Oman’s attractions are as popular today as its ubiquitous khanjas have always been.
Some people say that the Gulf countries ought to sell themselves as one entity. Perhaps, but I believe that this might never occur due to the sensitivities and patriotism of the main stakeholders. However, at least the annual Arabian Travel Market exhibition brings together all these countries under one roof, so that it is quite possible to taste the delights of the Gulf in one afternoon stroll around the exhibition halls in Dubai.
SPEAKING OUT by Jonna Simon
