Saudi Arabia needs to offer a unique tourism experience rather than replicating European or Asian tourism tropes if it is to deliver on its plan to grow to 150m visitors by 2030, according to the former Tourism Ireland director Niall Gibbons.
Now NEOM Head of Tourism, Mr Gibbons noted the importance of creating a unique Saudi experience rather than replicating European tourism models, emphasising local culture and traditions.
Mr Gibbons shared his experiences with local Bedouins during a recent glamping trip, highlighting the value of storytelling and personal connections to enrich the visitor experience.
The focus on delivering distinct, meaningful connections with local culture is seen as key to attracting and retaining visitors in the region.
Mr Gibbons was on a panel with Jassim Al Mahmoud, Director of Visit Qatar, Osamah Alnuaiser, Senior Vice Presiden of Riyadh Air, Lars Clasen, CEO of Cruise Saudi, and Dorothea Hohn.
Mr Gibbons shared: I think what we need to be very careful about in this region is that we’re not here to deliver a European experience. The Europeans deliver a European experience and do it extremely well. 600m people visit Europe every year, and you’ve got your rooms in your Paris, and your London, and your Dublin, and all those things offer a great tourism experience in their own right. I think what’s really important is that experiences in this part of the world speak to the local experience and give people a taste of what it is like here.
I was out in the desert, as I said, on a camping trip last week, or glamping trip, and I spent time with local Bedouins, and they told me their story. They told me where they grew up; many were born in tents in the desert, and I was fascinated to hear about their stories, about their families, where they’re from, the tribal system. I knew nothing about this, but this was something that me and the people I brought, who were from Europe, were enthralled by because we hear about it, but we don’t know about it. We came away feeling we learned something about the people and we learned something about the region. They were fantastic, and we learned about how they sourced their food, all these stories brought the destination to life. It was very simple, it wasn’t high-end, but it was most enjoyable and fulfilling. And that’s what makes the difference in tourism.
For these destinations, Qatar, Saudi, all the destinations in the region, how do you bring your story to life? That’s the key thing, and how do you make it special? So when people go home, they can say, yes, I felt the welcome. And, you know, I felt the welcome. It was distinct, it was different, and that’s why I encourage you to go.
On a recent visit I had a very bad cold when I got down. The concierge immediately noticed that; they went off to brew me a special tea with honey. There was a little note written by someone in the kitchen that made it. And it was just always little personal touches that went beyond the ordinary that made it extraordinary. And that’s why I would be confident about the future of this region because I think when you can bring on experiences like that, people will talk about it. Word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing, and it’s going to be a long journey, but it’s going to be really exciting.
