New trends in tourism

Sports tourism is one of the oldest forms of tourism which kept nations in contact. Over the years, slowly but steadily sports tourism has made its way to crowning glory as today it is one of the leading entities that reaps billions of dollars in revenue and spending all the same.

A number of international sporting organisations have chosen to base themselves in Dubai either permanently or on a temporary basis. This year is special for Dubai as they will be hosting prestigious 2017 World Indoor Cricket Federation (WICF) World Cup in September. Every emirate has had a foot in sports tourism over the years. Organisers of the ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi are targeting even more aggressive growth for the season-opener, aiming to see close to 3,500 participants descend on Yas Island for the 2019 edition — a 20 per cent year-on-year growth in participation.

Meanwhile, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the ninth Riyadh Travel Fair 2017 with high expectations and for the first time they will focus on medical tourism, which seems to be a global trend-setter. It is estimated that $20 billion (SAR 75 billion) in outbound medical tourism is being generated from GCC countries alone. Increasingly, countries like Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, India and the Philippines are becoming popular choices for patients from the Middle East, in addition to the traditional medical tourism destinations within Europe and the USA.

Travel agents, tour operators or DMC need to ensure that they keep up with the new trends and adapt accordingly. Although digital media platform has increased tremendously over the past number of years, the need for a traditional travel agent will never cease in certain areas. Is it possible to have all your guests’ requests granted over the digital world? Shouldn’t there be a point of contact or a coordinator who will be able to answer and take immediate action? That keeps travel agents relevant even in these times.