ME Vacationers Spend Dhs12,443 Per Head On London Hotel Stay

Middle Eastern travellers in European countries spend more on hotel bookings than their global counterparts, revealed a study by price comparison website HotelsCombined.

An average stay value for a Middle Eastern traveller in London is Dhs12,443, which is 71 per cent higher than the global average spend of Dhs3,609. Paris came second in terms of expenditure among the Middle Eastern travellers with an average stay value of Dhs6,614 followed by Dubai at Dhs4,962.

According to the survey, the demand for European destinations among Middle Eastern travellers rose by 45 per cent this summer compared to last year.

In terms of popularity, London’s Marylebone neighbourhood was the ‘most searched area’ online among the Middle Eastern travellers for the second year in a row. The increased preference for the neighbourhood was attributed to its proximity to landmarks like Hyde Park and a good supply of high-end hotels.

Hotels along the Champs-Elysees strip in Paris attracted the majority of Middle East travellers browsing online.

“Europe’s growing popularity among Middle Eastern travellers can be attributed to a number of different factors including the milder summer climate and the diverse retail and cultural experiences on offer,” said Amer Al Halabi, regional manager of MENA for HotelsCombined.

“It is also interesting to note just how much more Middle Eastern travellers are willing to spend on European accommodation compared to travellers from across the globe, a sign that Middle Eastern visitors are more apt to book longer-term and higher-end stays.”

London, Paris, Frankfurt, Kuala Lampur and Dubai were the top five destinations of choice among Middle Eastern travellers this summer, the survey revealed.