The travel industry in the Middle East is a strong sector and a main contributor to the total economy of the region. The increase in international visitors and increased investment in sports and entertainment, together with bold national visions, big developments, and enhanced connectivity, are the main contributors to the expansion of the industry.
In the heart of the Middle East, Dubai is becoming the global hub for travelers and influencers, with the tourism sector welcoming 18.72 million visitors every year. With its adaptation to the latest technologies, advanced policies, ambitious goals like the D33 Agenda, and long-term residency programs, Dubai is the preferred destination for travelers, creators, and businesses to visit, create, and invest in (Source: Bizify).
Most importantly, the Middle Eastern travel influencers are transforming the tourism scene in the region by exploring everything from iconic landmarks to local destinations and sharing their travel diaries, stays, itineraries, and tips with their audience.
For example, Dubai Tourism has partnered with 28 global creators for a multimarket campaign across the GCC. Influencers had created stories, reels, and vlogs sharing the culture, markets, safaris, and luxury experiences of the region. With more than 1600 content pieces, the campaign earned 4M+ engagements and 135.9M impressions.
With 61% of consumers in the Middle East relying on travel influencers for their travel destination choices, brands like tourism boards, hotels, hospitality, transportation, travel agencies, etc., are working with an established influencer marketing agency in Dubai to utilize their expertise in connecting with their potential customers and enhance their awareness, credibility, and conversions.
How are Travel Influencers transforming the travel industry in the Middle East?
Introducing people to new destinations
People today rely on social media platforms to find new places to visit and experience. Here, influencers share their travel journeys, tips, and stories with their audience in an engaging and immersive way. Reports show that 89% of people, especially Gen Z, depend on influencers to find their new travel destinations, and 40% book their trip after watching travel influencers’ content (Source: Influencermarketinghub).
Boosting Local Businesses
For local travel companies, partnering with these influencers has huge benefits, like expanding their brand name in the market, leading to increased engagement and conversions.
With immersive and detailed content, they introduce people to local tours, restaurants, homestays, etc., and boost the visibility of lesser-known businesses. Reports show that influencer content gives 49% more bookings to small businesses.
Partnering with the government and brands
Middle Eastern tourism boards and hospitality brands are collaborating with travel influencers to boost the growth of the industry and align with national tourism visions, like Dubai D33. The influencer travels around exploring various cultures. The UAE has attracted over 18.72 million visitors in recent years, which is credited to the impactful influencer campaigns.
Promoting cultural exchange
Travel influencers in the Middle East are sharing stories of different cultures, traditions, and lifestyles found across the Middle East. They travel to local villages, heritage sites, and community events and highlight them in their content, engaging their audience and inspiring them to set off on their journeys and experience them.
Studies have identified that the traditional travel destination recommendations of influencers are relied on by more than 50% of people in the Middle East for their travel decisions (Source: findyourinfluence).
Embracing sustainable travel
The travel influencers share eco-conscious stays, low-impact itineraries, and local experiences with their travel community that, in turn, supports responsible tourism. They share their adventures with nature hikes and village tours that show less environmental impact and support local communities.
Research shows that influencer-led campaigns that focus on mindful and sustainable travel are gaining more attention, as 93% of travelers now prefer sustainable travel options.
How Can Dubai Brands Partner Effectively with Travel Influencers?
Brands can effectively partner with travel influencers by partnering with the right travel influencers. For selecting the right travel influencer to create authentic and effective campaigns:
- Brands should look for the KPIs in influencers, like their engagement rate, audience geography, and the authenticity of their content.
- Influencers should match the brand’s values and objectives to create a successful and impactful campaign.
- By not just focusing on one campaign, brands should focus on maintaining a long-term partnership with the influencers, allowing them to share their experiences with the audience for a longer time, for sustained success.
For travel brands that are looking forward to connecting with top influencer marketing companies for creating high-performing campaigns, here, GIMA is recognized as the best influencer marketing company in Dubai and trusted for its best-in-class influencer marketing services.
The Future of Travel Marketing in the Middle East
- Role of AI, virtual tours, and immersive content
- Travel brands can use AI to create personalized travel itineraries based on clients’ interests and budget. With augmented reality filters, people can experience a 360° virtual tour of hotels and explore rooms and spaces before booking them.
- Rise of Micro- & Nano-Influencers
- Micro- and nano-influencers are influencers with a small follower count but a strong connection with their audience. In the GCC region, many brands are working with them because they are affordable and help brands enhance their engagement, awareness, and sales.
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Conclusion
In the Middle East, travel influencers have undoubtedly transformed the travel and tourism industry. Their authentic content encourages travelers to explore new places and cultures and helps them make better decisions for their next trip to the Middle East.
By showcasing the authentic and immersive experiences, travel influencers influence the perspectives of their community and help brands enhance their visibility, brand trust, and conversions. To maximize the impact, brands can team up with leading influencer marketing agencies in Dubai, which have built a strong reputation in the region with their industry expertise and continuous delivery of high-performing, successful campaigns for years.
