Culture, nature and authentic experiences reshape travel preferences across the Gulf, while affordability and accessibility remain key considerations

By a Tourism and Travel Correspondent

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — October 2026

Travellers across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are increasingly exploring a wider range of international destinations, reflecting changing holiday preferences, growing interest in cultural experiences and a search for alternatives to familiar tourist hotspots. From the historic streets of the Caucasus to emerging Asian cities and nature-based retreats, the region’s travel market is showing signs of a broader shift in how people choose where to spend their holidays.

The change does not mean that established destinations have lost their appeal. Rather, recent travel data and industry research suggest that Gulf travellers are expanding their options, balancing traditional favourites with destinations offering distinctive experiences, competitive prices and convenient travel arrangements.

Data published by travel platform Wego in July 2025 showed that flight searches originating in the GCC increased by 14 per cent in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier. The company’s findings also highlighted growing interest in destinations such as Tbilisi, Baku, Sarajevo and Damascus, alongside established travel centres including Cairo, Istanbul and London. These figures measure searches rather than completed bookings, but they provide an indication of changing travel interest. (Source: Wego’s Mid-Year Travel Report, July 2025.)

A New Generation of Travel Preferences

Tourism specialists say the search for new destinations is closely connected to changing expectations. For many travellers, a successful holiday is no longer defined exclusively by luxury hotels, shopping centres or famous landmarks. Cultural discovery, local cuisine, outdoor activities and opportunities to experience everyday life in another country are becoming important considerations in destination selection.

Research published by PwC Middle East in partnership with Mabrian Technologies in July 2025 found that arts and culture ranked as the leading visitor motivator in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The reported figures were 28.5 per cent in Qatar, 26.6 per cent in the UAE and 24.5 per cent in Saudi Arabia.

The findings suggest that destinations with museums, historic neighbourhoods, traditional markets, festivals and distinctive local identities have opportunities to appeal to travellers from the Gulf.

This development also creates opportunities for countries that have historically received less international tourism attention than major European capitals or established resort destinations. Smaller cities and secondary destinations can attract visitors by offering more personal experiences, less crowded attractions and access to landscapes or traditions that are difficult to find elsewhere.

The Caucasus Gains Attention

Countries in the Caucasus have emerged as attractive options for travellers seeking a combination of natural scenery, cultural heritage and relatively convenient access from the Gulf.

Georgia, particularly its capital Tbilisi, offers historic architecture, traditional cuisine, mountain landscapes and opportunities for excursions beyond the city. Azerbaijan, meanwhile, combines the modern urban environment of Baku with historic sites and landscapes extending beyond the capital.

Wego’s 2025 mid-year analysis placed Baku at the top of its European destination category for GCC-originating flight searches, while Tbilisi remained among the leading destinations. The report associated interest in these cities with factors including affordability, scenery, cultural attractions and accessibility.

For families and groups, such destinations may offer a practical alternative to more expensive long-haul holidays, although the overall cost depends on the season, accommodation, airline fares, visa requirements and individual travel arrangements.

The appeal of these countries also demonstrates how destination marketing can influence demand. Promoting regional cuisine, mountain experiences, cultural festivals and family-friendly itineraries can help destinations distinguish themselves in a competitive international market.

Asia Offers More Than Shopping and City Breaks

Asia continues to play an important role in the travel choices of Gulf residents, with established destinations such as Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur competing alongside a growing range of cultural, urban and nature-focused experiences.

Thailand remains attractive for its hospitality, wellness services, food and leisure activities. Malaysia offers a combination of urban tourism, multicultural heritage, shopping and access to natural attractions. Other destinations, including Indonesia and Japan, provide opportunities for travellers interested in distinctive food cultures, traditional architecture, landscapes and different ways of life.

The wider trend is also visible in research on Gulf consumer spending. A November 2025 analysis by the Mastercard Economics Institute, drawing on aggregated payment information and Tripadvisor hotel-booking data, identified increasing interest among Gulf travellers in destinations beyond their traditional choices, including Japan and Thailand.

However, travel demand must be interpreted carefully. Some international journeys from the Gulf involve expatriates visiting family and friends rather than leisure tourists discovering a new destination. Flight searches and payment data therefore provide useful but different perspectives on travel behaviour.

For tourism authorities, understanding these distinctions is essential when developing campaigns aimed specifically at holidaymakers.

Affordability Remains a Decisive Factor

Despite growing interest in new experiences, price continues to influence destination selection.

Airfares, accommodation costs, exchange rates, food prices and local transportation can determine whether a destination is suitable for a short family holiday or a longer international trip. Travellers may be willing to explore unfamiliar places, but they generally need clear information about costs, accessibility and the quality of available services.

The expansion of online booking platforms has made it easier to compare destinations and assess travel arrangements before making a decision. Social media and travel-review websites also allow potential visitors to evaluate accommodation, restaurants and attractions through other travellers’ experiences.

As a result, destinations seeking to attract Gulf visitors need to communicate more than scenic photographs and promotional slogans. They must provide reliable information about transport connections, entry requirements, accommodation choices, local customs and activities suitable for different age groups.

For families, practical considerations may include the availability of suitable accommodation, dietary preferences, convenient transport and activities that appeal to several generations. For younger travellers, distinctive cultural experiences, outdoor recreation and opportunities to discover less familiar places may carry greater weight.

The most effective tourism strategies recognise that these groups do not necessarily respond to the same messages.

Digital Platforms Change How Destinations Compete

Digital marketing has become an important element in the competition for Gulf travellers.

A destination can gain international visibility through travel videos, independent reviews, social media creators and carefully targeted advertising. A lesser-known city may attract attention when travellers share photographs of its architecture, natural scenery or food culture, encouraging others to investigate the destination.

Yet online visibility does not automatically translate into arrivals. A successful campaign must connect initial interest with practical arrangements, including accessible flights, transparent pricing, dependable accommodation and straightforward booking options.

Tourism authorities are therefore increasingly encouraged to coordinate promotional activity with airlines, hotels, tour operators and local businesses. Cooperation can help create complete travel packages rather than isolated attractions that visitors struggle to access.

The approach is particularly important for emerging destinations. If a country attracts attention before developing sufficient transport capacity, visitor services or accurate travel information, disappointing experiences may undermine its reputation.

For destinations seeking Gulf visitors, Arabic-language information, culturally relevant itineraries and clear communication about facilities can help reduce uncertainty and strengthen consumer confidence.

Regional Tourism Also Creates New Opportunities

The shift towards new destinations is not limited to long-haul travel. Tourism within the Gulf itself offers opportunities for shorter holidays, weekend breaks and multi-country itineraries.

Saudi Arabia’s expanding cultural and entertainment attractions, Oman’s mountains and coastal landscapes, Qatar’s museums and events, and the UAE’s established hospitality infrastructure provide different experiences within relatively accessible regional travel networks.

Bahrain and Kuwait also have opportunities to strengthen their tourism profiles through heritage, food, cultural events, coastal activities and distinctive local experiences.

A more integrated regional tourism market could encourage visitors to combine several destinations in one journey, provided that transport connections, entry arrangements and travel packages make such trips convenient.

However, regional cooperation must be supported by accurate visitor data, coordinated marketing and sustained investment in service quality. The existence of attractions alone does not guarantee that travellers will choose a destination.

A Competitive Future for Emerging Destinations

The growing interest in alternative destinations presents opportunities as well as challenges.

Countries seeking to attract Gulf travellers must identify their strongest competitive advantages and develop products that match genuine visitor interests. They also need to protect cultural heritage, manage environmental pressures and ensure that tourism generates meaningful benefits for local communities.

Industry analysts increasingly emphasise the importance of measuring tourism performance through more than arrival figures. Visitor spending, length of stay, repeat bookings, customer satisfaction and local employment can provide a more complete picture of tourism’s economic contribution.

The distinction matters because a destination attracting large numbers of short-stay visitors may generate different economic outcomes from one attracting travellers who remain longer and spend money with locally owned businesses.

Emerging destinations must also consider seasonality, infrastructure capacity and the risk of relying too heavily on a single source market.

Conclusion: The Search for Something Different

The evolving travel choices of Gulf residents point towards a more diverse and experience-oriented tourism market. Established destinations remain important, but places offering cultural depth, natural beauty, convenient access and competitive value are gaining opportunities to attract attention.

Evidence from Wego, PwC Middle East, Mabrian Technologies and the Mastercard Economics Institute suggests that destination discovery, cultural interests and changing travel preferences are important elements of this evolving landscape.

The challenge for tourism authorities and travel businesses is to turn that interest into sustainable demand. This requires credible destination branding, reliable infrastructure, effective digital communication and experiences that deliver on their promises.

For travellers, the result may be a wider choice of holiday possibilities. For emerging destinations, it offers an opportunity to move beyond the margins of the international tourism market and establish a lasting place on the Gulf traveller’s map.

The next phase of competition may therefore depend not simply on which destination is most famous, but on which destination can offer the right experience, at the right price, with the confidence and convenience travellers expect.

Sources and further reading

1. PwC Middle East and Mabrian Technologies — Research on changing visitor expectations across the Gulf, 2 July 2025⁠

2. Wego — Mid-Year Travel Report: Most Popular Destinations for GCC Travelers in 2025⁠

3. Mastercard Economics Institute — Holiday travel trends, November 2025⁠