General – Page 3 – Gulf Reps Ltd

Tourism Influencers: An Introduction to the Field and How it Works

July 31, 2022/in General /by Sammy Musa

Tourism influencers vary in their effectiveness for destination marketing, and Gulf Reps can help you navigate this minefield. In the digital world, we are constantly exposed to an abundance of information. Whether it’s about a new brand or product, or an untapped market for potential expansion, there is always something that can be learned from another source. That is where influencers come in. A tourist influencer is one who actively promotes and markets a destination through social media so that more people will want to visit. This can be done by posting pictures and videos of their experience at a location, tagging it with relevant keywords to help others find it as well as engaging with other users about the same thing on different platforms at the same time. They are people who hold considerable social capital (followers) within their niche field and use this in conjunction with their knowledge base to promote locations they enjoy visiting. Their ideas may not necessarily be original but they do have a network of followers willing to spread the word about their experiences so that others will follow suit and travel there too.

What does a tourism influencer do?

An influencer is an individual with a large social media following who is hired by brands and travel destinations to promote their product. They can help drive tourism and make a city or country more well-known. As with any kind of marketing, it is important to select the right influencers that will best suit your needs. There are a few things to keep in mind when looking to hire an influencer. First, you need to determine what type of audience you’re trying to reach. For example, if your goal is to target millennials, not all influencers will be the best fit for you. It’s important that the influencer’s audience is a match for your target audience. Next, identify your target market’s interests and find influencers who cater to these interests.

How to find the right tourism influencers

Digging through thousands of Instagram profiles can be tough work. It can also be relatively fruitless, as actually contacting influencers isn’t an easy task. At Gulf Reps, we have hand-selected a number of travel and tourism influencers who have an impact on our clients’ destination marketing. We do this through consultation with the influencers to truly understand their motivations and ensure that they are a match for our clients.

Tips for finding good content from Influencers

Once you’ve got the right influencer for your destination, then it’s all about the content. It’s ok to get content inspiration from other influencers, but there has to be an agreement between the destination and the influencer as to the types of content that will be produced. Here are a few tips to find good tourism influencer content that you can use as inspiration:

– Follow travel influencer accounts that have at least 1,000 followers and are active.

– Follow accounts that have a good amount of engagement.

– Find accounts that are posting original content and aren’t reposting posts from other accounts.

– Look for accounts that post photos, videos, or blog posts on a regular basis.

– Look for accounts that have a consistent following of a certain demographic.

Conclusion

Influencers are people with a large social media following who are hired by brands and travel destinations to promote their products. They can help drive tourism and make a city or country more well-known. They are people who hold considerable social capital (followers) within their niche field and use this in conjunction with their knowledge base to promote locations they enjoy visiting.

Gulf Reps and Tourism Influencers

At Gulf Reps we work with a select few Tourism Influencers to ensure that they match our client’s strategic objectives. Gulf Reps is the leading travel and tourism representation company in the Middle East, with over 60 years of regional and industry experience. We have served clients on six continents, delivering transformative results to everyone from hoteliers to tourism boards. Our mix of world-class marketing expertise, PR specialists, unparalleled connections and relationships, and an eclectic mix of marketing channels makes working with Gulf Reps the only sure way to drive Middle Eastern tourists to your destination.

To find out more about our services, you can call us at +971 (0)4 703 6333 or write to us at sammy@gulfreps.com

The 4 Types of Tourism: What is the Difference?

July 31, 2022/in General /by Sammy Musa

The tourism industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in today’s economy. The rise of this industry can be attributed to its versatility and potential for expansion within numerous markets. There are many different types of tourism. There are several branches of tourism but they all fall into one of 4 main types: leisure or vacation; convention or business; cultural or heritage; and medical or spa tourism. Let’s take a look at what each subcategory entails by exploring their similarities and differences.

The 4 Types of Tourism: Leisure or Vacation Tourism

Leisure or vacation tourism is often referred to as “mass tourism”. This type of tourism is characterized by the large number of travellers visiting one destination at the same time. Its main objective is to provide a break from everyday life and allow people to enjoy themselves. While vacationers often seek relaxation and a chance to unwind, they may also want to be active and engage in new or different experiences. Vacationers may go to a beach, visit historical sites, attend theme parks, trek through wilderness areas, or even travel to another country.

The 4 Types of Tourism: Convention or Business Tourism

Convention or business tourism is related to the hosting of large gatherings of people in a particular location. These gatherings are often referred to as conventions or conferences. Business tourism is often an important source of revenue for vacation destinations, such as resort towns and cities with large convention centres, or cities with a large number of businesses residing there. Differentiating between leisure travellers and business travellers is a critical element in any tourism or destination marketing campaign. The traveller type and their personas are vastly different.

The 4 Types of Tourism: Cultural or Heritage Tourism

Cultural or heritage tourism is often referred to as “intelligent tourism”. This type of tourism is focused on gaining a deeper insight into the places you visit through an informed understanding of their cultures. It may also involve immersing yourself in another society to visit a country as a guest in order to learn more about its people and their way of life. Cultural tourism allows you to learn more about history, art, architecture, and a culture’s daily life through interaction with the people who live there. Tourists can gain a deeper appreciation for different cultures by observing their customs and traditions, visiting museums, and exploring monuments and historical places. Cultural tourism can often be a part of leisure tourism with different family members each seeking different experiences from a destination.

The 4 Types of Tourism: Medical or Spa Tourism

Medical or spa tourism occurs when people travel to a particular place for medical treatment, therapy, and/or aesthetic services. This is a fast-growing part of the tourism mix. This type of tourism may be an option for those who need special medical attention that’s not available in their home country. Some people may also travel to a particular destination in order to receive aesthetic treatments, such as plastic surgery, dental work, acupuncture, and natural healing. Often this type of tourism is related to price differences between medical treatment at the traveller’s home and destination.

Conclusion

Tourism is an industry with a wide scope, and these four main types of tourism are just a small portion of what it can offer. While most people associate tourism with pleasure, there are many types of tourists as well. The important thing to remember is that if you are in the tourism industry, you need to know which type of tourist you are.

Gulf Reps and Tourism Influencers

At Gulf Reps we understand the importance of delivering marketing solutions to different traveller types. Starting with market research and ending with execution and reporting, we build campaigns that make an impact. Gulf Reps is the leading travel and tourism representation company in the Middle East, with over 60 years of regional and industry experience. We have served clients on six continents, delivering transformative results to everyone from hoteliers to tourism boards. Our mix of world-class marketing expertise, PR specialists, unparalleled connections and relationships, and an eclectic mix of marketing channels makes working with Gulf Reps the only sure way to drive Middle Eastern tourists to your destination.

To find out more about our services, you can call us at +971 (0)4 703 6333 or write to us at sammy@gulfreps.com

All You Need to Know About the 4 A’s of Tourism

June 30, 2022/in General /by Sammy Musa

According to social scientists Nyoman Sudiarta and Wayan Suardana, the product of tourism starts from the second a tourist lands at the airport of their travel destination and ends the when they land back in their country. There are many elements with which one can gauge or analyze a tourist destination. Some frameworks (such as the ones concocted by tourism academics J.R. Brent Ritchie and Geoffrey Crouch) are dense and complicated. These frameworks go as far as considering the area’s climate and history. In contrast, others dwell on more controllable factors such as accommodation, services, and the attractions found in destinations. This simple framework is known as the 4 A’s of tourism, and it was coined in 1993 by Christopher Cooper and his colleagues. This blog summarizes the 4 A’s with the intention of helping you improve your destination.

The 4 A’s of Tourism

The 4 A’s are four components of a destination that the tourism marketer should ensure the existence of and maximization in order to provide visitors with the best experience. They are Attraction, Accessibility, Amenity, and Ancillary Services.

Since Christopher Cooper and his colleagues gave birth to the concept, there have been new versions of the concept that revolve around 5 A’s, 6 A’s, and even eight. In this blog, we will focus on the original four with the added dimension of accommodation towards the end.

Attractions: The Main Component of the 4 A’s of Tourism

Attractions are the activities and/or landmarks that travelers can explore or engage with in a destination. Whether it’s a cave that is reached through a hike. A museum that can be explored, or even a famous tree or statue that can be visited. The attraction component of tourism is generally what a person’s mind goes to when thinking of tourism. It is the bread and butter of the destination.

Attractions can be divided into three categories: Natural attractions, cultural attractions, and special-interest attractions.

Cultural Attractions

These are attractions that revolve around the local people’s way of life and/or historical objects and landmarks. A museum can be a cultural attraction if it revolves around the country and its cultures, traditions and history. On the other hand, other museums can be special-interest attractions.

Natural Attractions

Attractions that revolve around natural landmarks such as forests, hills, beaches, or caves are termed natural attractions. Some categorize non-natural attractions as artificial attractions, and these are usually man-made buildings and landmarks.

Special Interest Attractions

These are attractions revolving around a special-interest group’s activities or lifestyle. Examples include religious attractions, art and entertainment attractions, and health and wellness attractions.

Access

Access or accessibility is the ease with which one can reach a destination. This can mean three separate things:

1) The logistical operation of arriving at the location, whether there are flights are buses that frequently travel to said location.

2) Whether individuals are readily granted access to attractions. i.e., some places have a maximum capacity, especially since the pandemic. While other attractions may be off-limit, to begin with, for example, Mecca is off-limits to non-Muslims.

3) Accessibility to individuals regardless of physical or intellectual limitations.

Accommodation (Not Included in Cooper’s 4 A’s of Tourism)

Although travelers will ideally be spending all their time away from their accommodation, having a comfortable and alluring room or suite to come back to at the end of a long day out touring (or shopping) is absolutely essential.

Accommodation entails the living space the traveler will be occupying, whether that be a lodge, guesthouse, suite, or motel room. Accommodation also entails the accessibility to food and drinks.

Accommodations can be divided into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary accommodations are higher-end places such as hotels and resorts, while secondary accommodations include hostels, motels, and other budget options.

Apart from ensuring hygienic room standards and comfortable furniture, lighting and interior design play a huge role in the perceived quality of accommodation.

Furthermore, the availability of food with accommodation packages is a big deal. For the German traveler, for example, an extensive morning buffet where they can get multiple helpings is an absolute must.

Once you have all of the ambient conditions for your accommodation settled, it’s best to upload some pictures of it online. This can be done through social media, your website, and Google locations. Search Engine Optimization (or SEO) is absolutely pivotal at this stage. It is what will get your accommodations images in front of potential travelers when they search terms related to your business on Google (or any other search engine).

For more on SEO in tourism, click on the previous link to read our blog on the matter.

Google My Business is a free portal where business owners can register their business details, equipping their website and Google maps location a bigger chance of appearing in front of more users.

Ancillary Services

Services that aim to improve traveler satisfaction by providing more value to the said traveler are known as ancillary services. Things such as giving travelers with car rental options, direct transfer services, or even the possibility of opting for custom tours are all ancillary services. They are not essential to the core tourism product, but they enhance the traveler’s experience while they are in your hospitality.

Amenities

This component is essential for destinations and attractions that aim to attract high-quality tourists, such as Arab travelers. Amenities are essentially add-ons to an attraction/destination and facilitate a better tourist experience. Amenities include everything from good asphalt roads, and clean environments, to good internet connectivity, the availability of fast access digital services such as smartphone hotel check-ins, and the reservation and payment for shopping goods before arriving at a seller’s location.

Gulf Reps and the Arab Traveler

Our mix of world-class marketing expertise, PR specialists, unparalleled connections and relationships, plus our eclectic mix of marketing channels makes working with Gulf Reps the only sure way to drive Middle Eastern tourists to your destination.

To find out more about our services, you can call us at +971 (0)4 703 6333 or write to us at sammy@gulfreps.com

The Importance of EQ When Providing Custom Tours

June 29, 2022/in General /by Sammy Musa

Custom Tours or Curated Tours are where a travel agency or a travel service provider puts together a vacation experience based on particular traveler desires. For example, instead of the usual Eiffel Tower experience of viewing the structure from the inside, a traveler may want to consider the landmark from a hot air balloon. Furthermore, they may want to make a stop at the Arc de Triumph right after. The travel agent’s job is to make such an experience possible.

Not only do custom tour providers need to have a high IQ to be able to absorb, compartmentalize, and deliver at the right time the necessary information to their clients, but they also have to have a high EQ (Emotional quotient or emotional intelligence). High EQ enables tour operators or contacts people to dazzle clients with a heavenly experience and be able to read between the lines when necessary.

What is EQ?

Emotional intelligence is the degree to which one can skillfully perceive, use, understand, and manage emotions within oneself and in others.

What Are the Four Components of EQ and How Do They Relate to Custom Tours?

According to EQ experts Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves, EQ is divided into two categories (personal competencies and social competencies) with four main components. They are 1) Self-Awareness, 2) Self-Management, 3) Social Awareness, and 4) Relationship Management. People will naturally be good at a few of these and lag in others.

Contact people operating in custom tours need to maximize all four of these. However, the process doesn’t need to be daunting. We will discuss each component and outline a few strategies to improve each one of them.

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is one’s ability to understand themself accurately. This includes an understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses, what they enjoy, what motivates them, as well as what pushes their buttons and drains them.

Strategies to Improve Your Self-Awareness Skills

Turn your inner eye towards the effects your emotions have on you. What sequence of events usually occurs after every emotion? Is there a pattern?

Ask people that know you well for feedback about yourself. Is what they describe you as consistent with how you perceive yourself? Only approach people that you know will be honest and direct with you for this.

Observe yourself under stress and pressure. Make a habit of journaling about challenging situations. Was your response to the situation justified in hindsight?

Self-Management

This skill builds on the previous skill of self-awareness and is concerned with how you use the insights from your self-awareness skill to produce positive outcomes and be flexible. It is how you manage your personality to guide your day-to-day actions. Self-management relies to a large extent on not giving in to your primal urges, whether it be short-term gratification or engaging in a conflict, and instead pursuing long-term goals and maintaining peace. This may sometimes come in the form of putting your immediate needs aside.

Strategies to Improve Your Self-Management Skills

Breathe properly at all times. Breathing right provides you with the necessary oxygen that many people forget and do without in stressful situations. That way, the mind can make more appropriate decisions, and negative emotions are quickly eliminated.

Weigh your emotions against your logical reason. Are your emotions in a particular situation justified? What are some of the facts? What are some other less turbulent explanations for the situation?

Delay acting on an emotion until you’ve adequately assessed the situation. Sometimes it’s just wise to sleep on it and give yourself the chance to gather all the details first, or better yet, journal about it. You’ll be surprised what missing details will find their way to you and how your decision-making will drastically change away from the heat of the moment.

Social Awareness

Social awareness is the ability to accurately perceive the human dimension of a situation and correctly gauge human emotions as they occur. Understanding cultural undertones and between-the-lines gestures is an indicator of someone who is high in social awareness.

Strategies to Improve Your Social Awareness Skills

Observe people’s body language. People may try to hide their true emotions, but their bodies will usually give them away, learn to understand people’s body language accurately. Nick Sarev runs a YouTube channel where he breaks down celebrities’ body language from recorded footage. He also has an entire course on Skillshare where he covers everything you need to know about body language in under an hour.

Watch films to study EQ, not just social awareness. Hollywood has blessed us with a timeless archive of endless human interactions and their EQ ramifications. Not a single archetype is left out.

Ask questions to ensure you perceive things correctly. Sometimes it can be easy to get caught up in your thoughts. To ensure you don’t fall into analysis paralysis, compare your understanding of a situation with reality by asking a straightforward question about the situation to the people around you.

Relationship Management

Just as self-management builds on self-awareness, relationship management builds on social awareness. It is how one uses their social awareness skills to produce positive outcomes in situations and fosters wholesome relationships. To some introverted characters, relationship management may come in the form of understanding that some relationships require more of your time and using that awareness to nourish those relationships or excuse yourself from spending time with those people tactfully.

Strategies to Improve Your Relationship Management Skills

Avoid sending mixed signals. Be aware of situations where people can misunderstand you, and communicate to them what you truly mean, or carefully construct your words from the outset so no such miscommunication occurs in the first place.

Face difficult conversations head-on and accept constructive criticism. When there is conflict within the horizon, there is no need to delay the inevitable. It is usually better to handle these situations early on before they escalate. Be ready to make amends or accept the outcome of the situation maturely. Learning from these experiences is the biggest treasure life can give you.

Express anger on cue. Contrary to popular belief, anger is not to be disowned and exiled from your palette of emotions. However, it is to be controlled and only expressed in the right moments purposefully. In these kinds of situations, make sure you are calm and level-headed first and then express your anger. Situations where this is applicable are where injustice has occurred or where someone crosses major boundaries.

EQ Goes Far Beyond Dazzling Custom Tour Clients

Providing custom tours may very well mean a client asking for something that some may see to be an impossible feat to achieve. For example, organizing an excursion in a place that may be known to be inaccessible.

A person with a high EQ will be more likely to influence the decision-makers to make an exception and grant their clients access. Whether it be through making some kind of exchange deal or being perceptive enough to understand where the concern lies for the venue’s manager, and finding a solution that satisfies both parties, high EQ is highly important in situations like these.

Gulf Reps and Custom Tours

Gulf Reps is the leading travel and tourism representation company in the Middle East, with over 60 years of regional and industry experience. Specializing in directing the Arab traveler segment to your region or destination, we have served clients on six continents, delivering transformative results to everyone from hoteliers to tourism boards. Our mix of world-class marketing expertise, PR specialists, unparalleled connections and relationships, plus our eclectic mix of marketing channels makes working with Gulf Reps the only sure way to drive Middle Eastern tourists to your destination.

To find out more about our services, you can call us at +971 (0)4 703 6333 or write to us at sammy@gulfreps.com

All You Need to Know About Tourism SEO

May 31, 2022/in General /by Sammy Musa

Search Engine Optimization or SEO is the digital marketing practice of increasing website traffic (or viewers) from search engines such as Google. SEO specialists write website content and optimize it so that their content appears on Google’s search results once a specific term is searched. Chances are, if you ever asked Google a question, the answer that was retrieved was put there by an SEO specialist trying to channel more traffic to their website and build their brand or generate leads. This blog will cover everything you need to know about tourism SEO.

What is SEO in Tourism?

In tourism, SEO is usually used to capture potential customers when they are researching their next destination. SEO helps tourism businesses appear on the first page of Google’s search results. For example, when the keyword “Bali Hotels” is searched on Google, the first three results are usually the pages that garner the most traffic. Therefore, these websites are more likely to earn hotel bookings than those that don’t receive traffic. Henceforth, a firm SEO strategy is needed by these hotels so that they can compete for the top three positions on Google for all the keywords relevant to their industry.

It is not surprising that 80% of Americans make holiday bookings online using a PC. These individuals also primarily conduct their holiday destination research online. Furthermore, about 50% of those online searches occur primarily on smartphones. As consumer behavior in fast-moving Middle Eastern metropolis’ like Dubai is similar to that of the US, it can be assumed that the above data applies to the Middle East as well. Furthermore, this data is reflected in modern SEO’s “mobile-first” strategies, aiming to make website content seamlessly accessible and translatable to a smartphone’s small screen. For SEO specialists, this usually means building two website experiences for users, one for PC and another for smartphones.

But that is just the tip of the iceberg. SEO has numberless uses in the realm of tourism.

How is Tourism SEO Done?

One of the SEO specialist’s main tasks is publishing content on their website that answers the questions of their target segment. (Sidenote: Refer to the “What are the Main Areas of SEO” section below for more about the components of SEO). That way, they ensure they are able to appear on relevant users’ screens. Tools such as SEMrush are used to identify what a targeted segment is searching online. Once keywords have been generated from these tools, batches of content revolving around these keywords are written and published.

Another approach for creating tourism SEO content is considering the travel customers’ journey. This customer journey can be divided into four parts: 1) Dreaming, 2) Planning, 3) Booking, and 4) Experiencing. A series of blogs can be written for each stage of the travel customer’s journey, for every segment’s unique customer journey.

Dreaming: I Want to Get Away Moments

This is when potential travelers start to notice their desire to travel. It may come in the form of a fleeting desire that they have not yet acquiesced to. At this stage, the traveler may engage their infatuation with the idea of traveling by brainstorming travel ideas and Googling something along the lines of “Cheapest time to travel to Paris” or, if they are flirting with the idea of a wellness holiday, it may be “wellness retreats in Japan.”

At this stage, the traveler has not yet decided on a brand to commit to, be it an airline, accommodation, or even a destination. Data from Google shows that 67% of the time, travelers will book from the brand that provides them with the information they are looking for.

For more on the “I Want to Get Away” stage of the traveler’s journey, refer to Google’s travel industry trends article linked to at the beginning of this sentence.

Planning: Time to Make a Plan Moments

The planning stage is where the traveler has already set their minds on a specific destination and is now planning the specifics. For example, whether they should rent a car or lean on public transport once they are there. Perhaps they will start searching for theatre tickets at discounted prices or start planning their shopping stops by viewing online sites.

The traveler needs specific information at this stage, such as price, timelines, and availability. Once again, the SEO that can provide them with this much-needed information will likely win customers for their brand and increase their website traffic.

There also lies an excellent opportunity for affiliate marketing at this stage in the case of business owners doing their own SEO. Affiliate marketing is where the website owner directs attention or leads to another business’ goods or services through a link. This is usually done in exchange for a percentage of sales should the website visitors convert to buyers. Links to discounted offers of goods and services are befitting at this point as the traveler is trying their best to fit everything into a predetermined budget.

For more on the “Time to Make a Plan” stage of the traveler’s journey, refer to Google’s travel industry trends article linked to at the beginning of this sentence.

Booking: Let’s Book it Moments

In the booking stage, the traveler has a large portion of the specifics of their trip settled and is ready to pay for bookings. This primarily includes the flight they will book and the accommodation they want to check-in to. It is wise to provide many pictures of the accommodation for searchers at this stage as it is generally a natural part of their journey right before completing the booking. Convincing photographs and a generous amount of them will help convert these customers faster. There also seems to be a mistrust for smartphone apps and websites when it comes to the final deed of making the booking. As such, many users switch to a personal computer to avoid difficulties. SEO specialists can capitalize on this opportunity by communicating the integrity of their mobile experience. Doing this may very well be the difference between the customer booking from another vendor while they wait to get a chance to use their PC to place a booking with your brand. Targeted Google or social media ads that do this are not unheard of.

For more on the “Let’s Book It” stage of the traveler’s journey, refer to Google’s travel industry trends article linked to at the beginning of this sentence.

Experiencing: Can’t-Wait-to-Explore Moments

This is the stage where travelers’ imagination goes wild. Their tickets are booked, the date is set, and the day is inching closer and closer. As travelers get excited about the incoming holiday or trip (and when they arrive and start to explore it) they begin to thirst for more information about the experience they are currently undergoing. This is an important touchpoint for marketers as providing useful information and expressive pictures and videos is a great way to build a brand and grow customer loyalty at this stage. There even lays an opportunity for upselling existing customers in some instances. Marketers should, however, be careful with upselling. Repeated upselling attempts can be viewed as intrusive and can hurt your brand.

This stage has the highest online smartphone use. Brands that can provide their visitors with local knowledge about the stops they will be making on the trip will stand high in customers’ eyes. There also lies a potent opportunity for digitizing services through smartphones. The Hilton, for example, allows visitors to bypass the receptionist at check-in, go directly to the suite/room and decide which one they want to stay in, all by downloading the Hiltons app.

For more on the “Can’t Wait to Explore” stage of the traveler’s journey, refer to Google’s travel industry trends article linked to at the beginning of this sentence.

How Tourist Agencies can benefit from SEO

Aside from generating online leads, SEO can also be used to position tourist agencies as thought leaders by providing valuable and educational content on their websites that nurtures leads and provides a solution for all their unanswered questions.

What are the three main areas of SEO?

On-Page SEO: This is everything done on your website to help you rank. Writing content, keyword optimization, and interlinking are all examples of on-page SEO.
Off-Page SEO: This is when other websites link to your website (backlinks) and help shape you as an authority and, in turn, increase your ranking on Google.
Technical SEO: This is mainly concerned with making your website fast enough for users and making your pages crawlable and indexable for Google crawlers. Pages that are not crawled and indexed will not rank on Google.

What are the four types of SEO?

White Hat SEO: This is where marketers use techniques recommended by Google to help their website rank. This includes things like creating great content and providing a robust user experience.
Black Hat SEO: These techniques exploit loopholes in the Google algorithm to help sites rank higher. Things like keyword stuffing and buying backlinks (which are frowned upon by Google and are eventually penalized) are examples of Black Hat SEO tactics.
Grey Hat SEO: These techniques aren’t exactly crooked but aren’t 100% recommended. Things like clickbaity titles and link exchanges are considered Grey Hat SEO.
Negative SEO Attack: This is when a competitor uses grey hat and black hat SEO to bring down your rankings. Directing unnatural links to your site or giving you bad reviews are both considered negative SEO attacks.

Gulf Reps and Tourism SEO

Gulf Reps utilizes the power of SEO as part of its strategy to get in front of relevant stakeholders; it is how you are currently reading this blog. What is the message we want to get in front of you? It is a kind introduction to our company and our services.

Gulf Reps is the leading travel and tourism representation company in the Middle East, with over 60 years of regional and industry experience. We have served clients on six continents, delivering transformative results to everyone from hoteliers to tourism boards. Our mix of world-class marketing expertise, PR specialists, unparalleled connections and relationships, and eclectic mix of marketing channels makes working with Gulf Reps the only sure way to drive Middle Eastern tourists to your destination.

To find out more about our services, you can call us at +971 (0)4 703 6333 or write to us at sammy@gulfreps.com

The Importance of Market Research in Travel the Industry

May 30, 2022/in General /by Sammy Musa

In an industry as dynamic as travel and tourism, market research is vital. It is usually the case that customer data is collected on a continuous basis in this sector. The matter is complicated further when businesses target many customer niches at once. Especially when these segments all have very different needs and different behaviors. A travel agency that targets many market segments may have to conduct several separate studies or forgo other studies to research one highly profitable niche. Nevertheless, when appropriately executed, market research can identify significant opportunities and help increase company profits and build travel brands. Read on as we discuss the importance of market research in the travel industry, the types of research, and how everyone from tourism boards to small travel agencies or attraction managers can benefit from these.

What is the Importance of Market Research in the Travel Industry?

Understanding how a traveler segment makes their decision and their pain points will significantly aid in how a travel brand serves its customers. These are what some market research studies equip travel decision-makers with. Furthermore, understanding who goes where and for what reasons helps travel brands properly position(or reposition) themselves and informs their customer targeting and promotional strategy. Other than that, research can also validate the feasibility of an area as an attraction. Simply put, market research is the end all be all in the quickly transforming field of travel and tourism.

The efficacy of market research in the realm of tourism is often tied to how often the study is repeated. As travel trends are known to quickly shift with the ever changing socio-economic and political landscape, data that was previously collected can become obsolete quickly. Due to the same reason, research in travel and tourism (although highly beneficial) can also be rather risky, especially since good research is not cheap.

Types of Research in Tourism

Tourism Barometer
Visitors Attraction Survey
Management Research
Rural Tourism Research
Economic Impact Analysis

What is a Tourism Barometer?

A tourism barometer is a data displaying system that is usually accessed by a tourism alliance (generally consisting of museums, airlines, hotels etc.) who all input data into the system. Data collected usually includes the number of hotel bed/nights, the number of foreign visitors in the airport, the number of tourist attractions visited by these visitors, and the number of city cards activated. This data is displayed and updated monthly to members of the alliance. This data system is excellent for noticing patterns as they appear and quickly catching on to travel trends.

What is a Hotel Bed/Night?

A hotel bed/night calculates how many beds in a hotel are occupied as opposed to the standard of calculating how many rooms or suites are occupied.

What is a City Card?

City cards are a tourism package that offers free access to certain attractions in a city. It is sometimes accompanied by free transportation benefits and often comes with discounts and promotional offers for certain restaurants, shopping, and entertainment centers.

What are Visitors Attractions Surveys?

A Visitors Attractions survey analyses visitor data across attractions of a specific geographic area to arrive at trends. These trends are then used by stakeholders to understand the market situation better and ultimately formulate strategies to increase the number of visitors and better accommodate existing ones. The findings from these surveys can also be used to inform regional planning and development work.

Furthermore, attractions researched under this method can benchmark themselves against each other. In that way, this method fosters healthy local competition. Data such as visitors’ demographic and national background is collected from attraction businesses in this kind of study.

Here is an example of a Visitors Attractions Trends Report produced in England in 2020, using a Visitors Attractions Survey.

What is Management Research in Travel and Tourism?

Management research seeks to identify managerial issues or bottlenecks preventing a tourism business’s success or advancement. The study that a neutral third party conducts is almost like an audit of a company’s management and employees. The outcome of such research is usually a change in the decision-making process of a travel company.

For example, it may very well be the fact that a travel business is well-positioned in the market and offers attractive deals. However, the organization’s internal issues or it’s being encumbered are holding it back.

What is Rural Tourism Research?

Rural Tourism research is when an institution evaluates the market potential of a rural area as a holiday destination and researches the possibilities of new product (or, in this case, new experience) development. Countries’ governments usually conduct this study to increase the number of visitations to their lands, help rural communities earn additional income, as well as increase tourism’s contribution to the country’s economy.

What is Economic Impact Analysis (EIA) in Tourism?

Economic Impact Analysis is a research method that accounts for how much tourism sectors bring into the economy. This is measured through both direct and indirect means. Variables measured include but are not limited to production caused, jobs created, wages and taxes accrued. Usually, a city, state, or nation patronizes a third party (usually a tourism research agency) to conduct such research for them.

A metric known as the Tourism Satellite Account (or TSA) accounts for tourism’s contribution to the economy.

Gulf Reps and the Importance of Market Research in the Travel Industry

Gulf Reps is the leading travel and destination representation company in the Middle East. With our many alliances and a rich network of travel experts, we are able to not only deliver superior cross-national travel campaigns but also stay on top of travel trends and quickly move to capitalize on them.

However, what we pride ourselves on the most is our ability to direct the Arab traveler to our client’s destinations. This is our pride because the Arab traveler is often seen as the most sought-after traveler segment. Our strategic positioning enables us to influence this highly profitable segment along with our mixture of marketing, PR activities, and unmatched connections.

To find out more about how Gulf Reps can help move your travel business forward, don’t hesitate to contact us on +971 (0)4 703 6333 or write to us at sammy@gulfreps.com

Azerbaijan’s Top Tourist Attractions

April 29, 2022/in General /by Sammy Musa

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is often compared to Dubai for its outlandish architecture and appetite for gold. Also comparable to Venice, a part of the capital known as Baku Boulevard or “Little Venice” is enveloped in man-made waterways and is a relaxing escape from the city within the city. But above all else, Azerbaijan is quickly emerging as an excellent luxury destination and even a perfect ground for business meetings. Besides its modern architectural feats, the country hosts an array of medieval architectural goldmines, spectacular mountainous natural retreats, and a rich culture that captivates all those with the eyes to see. This blog will cover a few of Azerbaijan’s top tourist attractions, some of the best hotels and retreats in the area, as well as a unique and well-kept living memorial of the soviet days. Here’s our list of Azerbaijan’s top tourist attractions:

Azerbaijan’s Top Tourist Attractions No. 1: Ivanovka Village the Collective Farm

For those hoping to get a more cultural experience from the visit, the living socialist museum that is the kolkhoz (Russian for collective farm) or the Ivanovka Village is an excellent opportunity to get a taste of the peaceful Azerbaijani/Russian village life.

A collective farm is an amalgamation of many farms usually held under the supervision of a communist government that dictates how the output is distributed when land is not privatized. All the inhabitants play a role in the operation of such an enterprise.

However, in Ivanovka, the farm belongs to the community. A community that, to a large extent, is self-sustainable and lives off of its own produce.

Life in the Ivanovka Village

The highest authority in the collective farm is the Council of Elders. They guide the everyday life of the villagers through the dictates of the Molokan religion. Molokans are a Christian sect that evolved from Eastern Orthodoxy.

The entire community attends Sunday mass. Everyone works on the collective farm, and no doors are locked within the village. Members of the council of Elders can be seen going about attempting to reconcile couples on the verge of divorce and convincing youngsters not to drink alcohol.

The population of over 3,000 Molokans is extremely honest and does not cuss. If a cow has strayed away from the herd and made it into Ivanovkan territory, the Molokan will not rest until its owner is found.

Molokan men are bearded, and it is seen as a disgrace to die without a beard.

More About the Ivanovkan Collective Farm

Producing its own milk and cereals, the village boasts auto farms, mills, cattle breeding facilities, poultry farms, and even brick and tile factories. There also exists a milk processing plant that produces cheese and sour cream and a bakery that produces scrumptious Russian bread. The products that come out of the collective farm have earned the recognition of all of Azerbaijan.

Apart from enjoying local soul food, visitors can observe the local’s unique way of life and hear some of the well-kept folklore as it is translated to them.

The area has a refreshing aura of innocence and wholesome living. The calmness and quietude of the Ivanovkan plains are enough to make the soft whistles of the wind audible. The village is best visited in the warmer seasons.

Carpets in Azerbaijan

Carpets are held in high esteem in the country. There are laws preventing carpets older than 30 years of age from being exported and you will be searched and asked for a carpet certificate at the airport if you choose to buy this souvenir.

Considered the epicentre of the carpet renaissance of the 21st century, Baku has an endless selection of carpet designs and types to choose from.

Visitors can find a good wide selection of carpets in the Icheri Sheher shopping area A.K.A the Old City in Baku. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Marvellous architectural feats from as early as the 12th century can be found here, along with an array of handicrafts and local attires. Refer to this carpet buying guide before shopping for the esteemed hand-woven carpets.

The Azerbaijan Carpet Museum is a great way to get acquainted with the country’s carpet scene. Click on the following link for a virtual tour of the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum.

Azerbaijan’s Top Tourist Attractions No. 2: Sheki City

Once a trading hub on the Silk Road, the mountainous area of the Azerbaijani mountains is very much alive with the legacy of the past. So much so that it has been compared with stepping into another era entirely. The wild hills, woodlands, bushlands, and valleys surrounding this area are ideal for hikers and nature lovers.

Astara City and the Flammable Water Spring of Yanar Bulag

Bordering Iran and facing the Caspian sea, Astara is a unique corner of the country. Laden with rice, tea, and citrus orchards and farms, the area is known for its tranquillity and the Hikran National Park. Just a few kilometres northwest of the city, visitors are known to make a pitstop (with a lighter ready at hand) at the famous Burning Springs of Archivan. Located in a small pavilion, the water fountain is highly flammable due to the methane gas that is exuded along with its water.

Luxury Hotels and Resorts in Baku

Baku has some of the best hotels and resorts in the Caucus regions. Here are a few of our top picks.

Fairmont Baku – Flame Towers

One of the most scenic buildings across Bakus’s racy skyline is the flame-shaped towers that light up the sky with an almost translucent glow. When you choose the Fairmont Baku, you will be spending the night in the luxury of one of these suites. Overlooking the Caspian sea, with a rooftop pool and spa, plus a ground-floor Lamborghini showroom, the state-of-the-art facilities of the Fairmont Baku are there to make your stay an unforgettable one.

Hilton Baku

Another great choice for accommodation is the Hilton in Baku. Distinguishing itself with Arabic-speaking concierges and staff, the availability of Halal food, and accommodating the lingual preferences of guests wherever possible (such as the availability of Arabic TV), the Hilton Baku has gained the hearts of Arab guests with how at home it makes them feel. Furthermore, the hotel’s luxurious atmosphere also includes fitness facilities, pools, and spas. The hotel is also great for family trips, with babysitting options and a kid’s menu available.

Holiday Inn Baku

One of the few places that are pet-friendly, where children below 17 can stay free of charge, and those below 12 eat for free, the Holiday Inn leaves no guest unhappy. Providing guests with a range of accommodation options, the Holiday Inn caters to everyone in 5-star fashion and is very conveniently located within the centre of the city.

Gulf Reps and Azerbaijan’s Top Tourist Attractions

To find out more about our services, you can call us at +971 (0)4 703 6333 or write to us at sammy@gulfreps.com

The Importance of Arab Travel Bloggers

February 8, 2022/in General /by Sammy Musa

What is a Travel Blogger?

A travel blogger is a type of travel influencer whose output is usually limited to blogs, photographs, and at times, vlogs. Essentially, a travel blogger will either have their own website where they post reviews for travel based services and destinations, or they will contribute pieces to another travel website similar to how a travel writer would. What distinguishes travel bloggers from the usual travel influencer is their story-telling ability. At times it may not even seem to the reader that they are reading a review, and that’s the mark of a good travel blogger: the service being reviewed or even the destination itself becomes secondary to the story. These writers’ ability to create such alluring pieces with your destination as the background setting is often what magically convinces travelers to engage with your brand. Travel bloggers have already established traffic directed towards their website, and they lead those viewers to pay attention to your brand or service. Read on as we discuss the benefits an Arab travel blogger can present to your brand.

What’s the Difference Between Travel Bloggers and Travel Influencers?

Simply put, a travel blogger curates subjective content that is rich in-depth and they tend to spend more time on trips researching and digging for details and stories. In contrast, a travel influencer is more visual in their delivery and more prompt. In addition, a travel influencers main channel for reaching their target audience is usually a social media platform such as Instagram, whereas a travel blogger will own their own website. Furthermore, travel bloggers are a dying breed and are harder to find, whereas their “visual-storyteller” cousins are higher in numbers.

Websites Vs. Social Media Platforms

Websites are more organized and easier to navigate as an alternative to social media platforms. An individual searching for African destinations reviewed by their favourite influencer, for example, will have to manually sift through said influencers social media accounts or hope that the influencer categorized their posts through the use of hashtags. With a website, however, it’s as simple as clicking on the “travel destinations” tab and then selecting the Africa sub-section from a selection of the available continents.

Many other navigational features such as finding links to relevant service providers/travel vendors, or even to a destination’s website are easily accessible on travel bloggers’ websites. Furthermore, as websites are search focused and social media platforms are not, a single blog reviewing a location will continue to show up on Google’s search results years from its post date, whereas with social media sites, posts and content have a short lifespan and can easily be buried. The obvious exception is YouTube which with the aid of its algorithm will oftentimes push years old content on to viewers even when that content has not been searched for.

Arab Travel Bloggers

At any rate, the modern influencer is tech-savvy and usually doubles as their own media and video editing team. Therefore it’s not too far fetched to find a travel influencer who does both social media and travel blogging. In this blog, however, we focus exclusively on travel bloggers and why it’s important that your travel blogger be Arab if you are attempting to attract Arab travelers.

1) Language

Not all Arabs speak English, and although the ones that travel regularly will most likely have good spoken English, it may very well be the fact that they are more comfortable using their Arabic mother tongue — especially when searching online. Arab travel bloggers offer the benefit of reaching your target market through the language they are most comfortable with.

2) Arab Travel Bloggers Have Similar Tastes and Habits to the Average Arab

Although not all Arabs are the same, they do have one common denominator, and that is Islam. Whereas a European or American traveler can cover the same destinations an Arab traveler would want to enquire about, their coverage will be lacking in that there will be many unanswered questions pertaining to an Arab.

For example, an Arab would likely want to know about the availability of Halal food, or the presence of separate gender facilities. An Arab Travel Blogger will adequately cover these interest points. For more on the Muslim Arab travelers behaviour and preferences read our blog on adapting to the Muslim Arab traveler.

3) There is Power in Resemblance

Shared characteristics and personal similarities are the cornerstones of attraction. According to Psychology Today, we are attracted to people who resemble us. Further to that, there are two kinds of similarities, they are “shared similarities” or actual similarities, and “perceived similarities” or simply believing someone is similar to you. Perceived similarities can be proven to be false, but when they aren’t — by virtue of the perceived person never being happened upon in real life (as is the case with most travel bloggers) then the liking of that individual from onlookers – or readers in this case, is incredibly high. In addition: people with shared similarities experience less liking of each other than the liking they would feel for someone with perceived similarities that they never meet.

Why is the above important? Because rapport is a prerequisite to influence, and with the right influencer you can rest assured that your marketing efforts as are as potent as can be.

Gulf Reps

Gulf Reps is the leading travel and tourism representation company in the Middle East, with over 60 years of regional and industry experience. Gulf Reps has served clients on six continents, delivering transformative results to everyone from hoteliers to tourism boards. Our mix of world-class marketing expertise, PR specialists, unparalleled connections and relationships, paired with an eclectic mix of marketing channels, makes working with Gulf Reps the only sure way to drive Middle Eastern tourists to your destination.

To find out more about our services, you can call us at +971 (0)4 703 6333 or write to us at sammy@gulfreps.com

What is Destination Representation?

January 11, 2022/in General, Uncategorized /by Sammy Musa

Destination representation. The phrase may seem odd to you, and previous attempts to understand the concept may have gone awry. But in actuality, the idea is quite simple and rather fascinating. Read on as we discuss destination representation (or travel representation) and specifically what we do here at Gulf Reps.

What is Destination Representation?

Destination representation is the activity of stimulating the demand for bookings to a certain destination. An organization that is well connected in the travel industry – the travel representative, will offer this service to ideally, a country’s or a city’s tourism board. The travel organization agrees to direct a certain traveler segment to that region or destination. In that sense, the organization becomes the representative of that area.

A real-life example is Gulf Reps (a Middle-East based organization) forming a partnership with the Azerbaijan Tourism Board and embarking on campaigns that aim to direct Arab travelers (one of the highest spending tourist types) to book their next vacation in Azerbaijan. How is it done you ask? Here are several ways:

Influencer Marketing

We work with the best handpicked Arab travel influencers who masterfully sway their followers to engage with our clients’ services and offers. The travel influencer will travel to our clients’ destination and review it for their followers through pictures, videos, and writing. The number of visits generated from these influencers’ activities can be tracked by the way of the customer discount codes our clients advertise through the influencers channels.

This technique is especially useful as the benefits of a travel influencer can be felt long after the review. Moreover, if the influencer’s experience with a destination was highly favourable they are known to voluntarily spread good word of mouth about the service. Travel influencers are trusted subject matter experts and are usually approached for advice by travelers. So it’s a great idea to be in their good books.

Sales Calls, Familiarization Trips, and Roadshows

The phrase “sales-calls” may be a little misleading because in actuality we conduct actual visits as opposed to simple phone calls. At Gulf Reps, we pitch our clients to travel agencies in the Middle East. These agents then sell trips to their Arab customer base directing them to our clients’ destinations. At times it’s possible for us to arrange for the agents in the Middle East to engage in a familiarization trip in our clients’ destination, while other times client representatives visit us in the Middle East. When that happens, we arrange special networking events and meetings for them with local agents. The bilateral trade relationships that emerge out of these meetings are a force to be reckoned with.

Digital Media and Destination Representation

Even though in the Middle East, travel research and buying phases occur primarily through physical means such as travel agencies, there is still a good fight to be fought online. Social media, websites, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and e-letters can all be used as a means to build awareness of your brand, generate leads, and drive conversions.

Social Media

Well connected destination representation companies usually have travel company affiliates who enjoy large followerships. A well-placed post — or many, on these companies social media accounts can help in shaping trends and even influencing travel zeitgeists. Furthermore, as the average consumer whether (Arab or non-Arab) is glued to their device’s screen for a large portion of the day, online platforms never seem to miss. We all know how quickly things can catch on online, and it would be sorrowful if such an opportunity is not captured.

Websites and SEO

Once again, with affiliate travel company websites, the traffic generated by these websites can be translated to attention guided towards content about our clients’ destination. This is critical in building awareness for your destination among travellers, and informing and educating them about your destination at the travelers research stage of the buyer’s journey. Further to that, websites are also a great avenue for answering frequently asked questions.

E-Letters

Email campaigns and e-letters are best used to target a certain segment that may be harder to reach through both of the aforementioned channels. Here, a specific communication style can be employed to build rapport with the target audience more appropriately.

Destination Representation at Gulf Reps

Gulf Reps is a leading and highly regarded travel representation company with far-reaching and extensive experience in the Gulf region and the middle east. Gulf Reps provides a state of the art portfolio of PR and consultancy services as well as strategic and result-driven marketing solutions tailored to deliver individual targets, exceptional outcomes that boost and enhance your presence in the region. Contact us on Tel: +971 (0)4 703 6333, F:+971 (0)4 316 6565, E: sammy@gulfreps.com for any inquiries.

In Focus: Nour Aridi – 5 Ways To Market Your Destination Effectively

January 4, 2022/in General /by Sammy Musa

A trailblazer and a woman many young females in the industry aspire to be like and badger for advice, Nour Aridi is our very own Chief Operating Officer Born an Arab but educated and raised in Europe, Nour is strategically equipped to deliver exceptional performances to our clients. Read on for some inspirational words from the young female entrepreneur and to find out what she has to say to young females and those wanting to market a destination.

Nour Aridi – Female Entrepreneur and Chief Operating Officer

Although I was born and raised in the suburbs of Paris, I am of Lebanese descent. I spent my entire childhood in Paris and my stay extended well into my early career where I started working for Société Générale. Société Générale is a financial service provider, and working there was how I got the ball rolling. My heart, however, was not in it. I was passionate about travel, and my unquenchable thirst to learn about different cultures, explore different regions, and understand more about the world around me brought me to Dubai in 2008. Since then, I have been working in the field of destination marketing. First starting as an employee, I took a brave leap in 2016 and started my own business Tiri Consultancy. At long last, my dream was manifesting. It amuses me when people refer to me as a female entrepreneur today because, in actuality, I’m just a person who was able to make a job out of her passion. I think I am the luckiest person in the world to be able to do that.

One thing that became abundantly clear to me very early on in Tiri Consultancy was that in order to succeed I had to work harder, be more creative and make the needle move myself. I am a solution provider and I challenge myself every single day to be better. But I could not have achieved what I have achieved today without working at Gulf Reps. I strongly believe that they have the perfect business model for this particular industry, and I am proud that Tiri Consultancy enjoys a strategic partnership with them. They have helped me develop as a business leader, as well as equipped me with a platform to utilize my creative energy, and provided me with the necessary push to deliver the highest standards. Without their trust, support, and their understanding of my ambitions and desires, I would have had a much more difficult challenge ahead of me. For that, I am highly grateful to the management partners team. Gulf Reps is truly inspirational, and I am learning new things there every day, all the while being able to maintain my independence through Tiri Consultancy.

To the Aspiring Female Entrepreneur:

My advice to all the youth is — don’t aspire to be like your role model, aspire to be a better you. I am often asked about my female role models and heroes and whilst I am truly thankful for those female leaders who have challenged the status quo in generations preceding mines — allowing me to aspire to follow my dreams, I have to admit that I don’t look at other people’s success and dreams in order to mimic them. I look at myself, I reflect upon my own performance, and I challenge myself every day to be better than I was yesterday.

So how does all of this passion and drive reflect on what I offer our clients? To answer that, here are the top five pieces of advice that I live by, and I encourage all young female entrepreneurs in travel and hospitality and everyone wishing to attract high spending Arab travellers, to do the same.

1 Surround Yourself with Successful People

There are so many idiosyncrasies in the Arab traveller market and every major destination, hotel and tourism attraction in the world is targeting these high spending guests. Going it alone is the equivalent of entering a boxing ring without any training. Either employ somebody to be in the market full-time and build the necessary relationships required to drive this market or use a reputable representation company. I assure you; it will be money well invested.

2 Be Creative

Don’t simply do the same thing everybody else is engaged in. You need to stand out from the crowd and the noise. Use experts in the market, who know what your competitors have been doing. Then through these experts, do something better, something more memorable and something that will inspire your target guests to visit you.

3 Engage in Active Learning

As a representation company, we believe we have reached the ultimate success when a client decides to open their own office in the region. This means that we have built sufficient business for them to recognise returns from this level of investment. This will only happen if the client takes the time to learn about the market and uses this knowledge to succeed without the support of representation.

4 Listen to the Experts

Many of our clients assume that they can apply a singular approach across different markets. We run a representation business and have become experts in our field, we know our market and we know what will inspire Middle Eastern travellers. Listen to us and you will not be disappointed. In my experience, the clients who do not succeed in this market are those who come with a predefined plan of action and then stubbornly ignore feedback.

5 Adapt to the Market

This is a rapidly evolving, last-minute market. Do not expect to put a plan together at the beginning of the year and stick to it rigidly. The clients that are flexible, able to quickly adapt and understand that things change quickly, are the ones who succeed. The client whose processes are steeped in bureaucracy, and are slow to make decisions will struggle to adapt and ergo struggle to succeed in this market.

Gulf Reps

Gulf Reps is the leading travel and tourism representation company in the Middle East. With over 60 years of regional and industry experience. Gulf Reps has served clients on six continents, delivering transformative results to everyone from hoteliers to tourism boards. Our mix of world-class marketing expertise, PR specialists, unparalleled connections and relationships and eclectic mix of marketing channels makes working with Gulf Reps the only sure way to drive Middle Eastern tourists to your destination.

To find out more about our services, you can call us at +971 (0)4 703 6333 or write to us at sammy@gulfreps.com