Welcoming atmosphere, abundant beach resorts and generally pleasant temperatures are among the many other reasons why South East Asian is the top choice for UAE tourists.
Travel specialists said there has been a growing tourism demand for Asian destinations like Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka among expatriates and GCC nationals all over the region. Some of the eager holidaymakers looking to explore these places include Emiratis, Pakistanis, Indians, Syrians and Saudi nationals, reports from Gulf News said.
“Southeast Asia is a favorite destination for locals as well as expats from the Indian sub-continent throughout the year. Since inception, the numbers are only growing with many more European expats showing a keen interest in visiting Southeast Asian countries,” Digvijay Pratap, co-founder and managing director of HolidayMe told Gulf News.
“This has always been the trend. With every passing year, numbers are only rising. Although there was a slight dip overall for Southeast Asia travel during 2012 and 2013, it has been growing since at over 12 per cent every year.”
The report also stated that the Philippines attracted more than 65,000 visitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) between January and September 2015. Saudi Arabia topped the list of visitor numbers at 40,453, followed by travelers from the UAE and Kuwait.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand recorded more than 500,000 visitors from the Middle East last year, led by tourists from the UAE, followed by Oman, with an average stay of just under 12 days and daily spend of $171.
Malaysia, meanwhile, attracted 100,000 Saudi travelers and 15,769 visitors in 2015, according to the Malaysia Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
Singapore, which is considered a hub for both business and leisure travel, witnessed a 3.9 per cent growth in UAE visitors last year, with travelers reaching 78,693 in 2015.
