Years ago, it was relatively easy to paint a picture of the Gulf tourist: a five-star hotel, shopping, restaurants, and a ready-made itinerary of the city's most famous landmarks. Today, this image is no longer sufficient, because the Gulf tourist himself has changed.

Frequent travel has made him more experienced, and social media has opened up options to him that he did not know, and he began comparing destinations, prices, and experiences before booking. A small village, a local restaurant, or a nature experience may attract him as much as a luxury hotel in the heart of the capital.

But this does not mean that his requirements have become less. On the contrary, he became more attentive to details. He wants an easy flight, clear entry procedures, good quality accommodation, safety, service that respects his privacy and culture, and family-friendly options. The language, the availability of halal food, and the ease of transportation and shopping are all details that may decide his choice between two close destinations.

What tempts Gulf tourists today is not the discount alone. A different experience has become an essential element: nature he has never seen before, a beautiful season, restaurants worth trying, events, shopping, or even content he saw on his phone that made him say: “I want to go here.”
Here comes the role of countries that want to win this market. Advertising in Arabic is important, but it alone is not enough. What is required is to understand the destination, how the Gulf person actually travels, and what he needs from the moment he searches for the trip until he leaves. And build his experience on this basis, and not be satisfied with a seasonal advertising campaign directed at him.

Interest in Gulf tourists is not a marketing compliment. It is an important market for many destinations due to spending on accommodation, restaurants, shopping and entertainment, in addition to family travel and repeat visits when he finds an experience that suits him.

Competition today is no longer just over who has the most beautiful nature or the most luxurious hotels. The destination that will win the Gulf tourist is the one that understands that his taste has changed, and that he has become more informed and has more options.

Gulf tourists have truly changed, and the question now is: Which destinations have understood this change?