The GCC Ecotourism Market Is Growing with the Growing Preferences among Travel Lovers for Ecotourism in GCC Countries
Ecotourism is tourism which is conducted responsibly to conserve the environment and sustain the well-being of local people. Ecotourism helps minimize negative impact on the environment and contribute to the environmental protection. Ecotourism understands the needs of people and improve quality of life. It also involve learning and understanding of the history of the other countries and protecting the historical landmarks. Growth of the GCC ecotourism market is mainly driven by the rising conscious regarding global warming. Earth's climate has changed throughout history.
According to the 2020 Global Climate Report from the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), every month of 2020
except December was in the top four warmest on record for that month. Furthermore,
according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the
planet's average surface temperature has risen about 2.12 degrees Fahrenheit
(1.18 degrees Celsius) since the late 19th century. The years 2016 and 2020 are
tied for the warmest year on record. Thus, the growing importance of
environment protection and nourishment is expected to accelerate the GCC
ecotourism market growth.
Countries such as Oman, UAE (United Arab Emirates), Saudi
Arabia, and Qatar are investing heavily for the development of the ecotourism
sector. Moreover, the increasing penetration of the Internet in the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) is also responsible for the growth of the GCC
ecotourism market. According to the World Bank, in 2019, around 99% of the
population of UAE and Qatar, and more than 95% of the population of Saudi
Arabia was using Internet. Major countries, Manama, Doha, and Dubai, are
focusing on developing tourist destinations to promote ecotourism or to develop
ecotourism sector. While, many countries are converting their cities into a
tourist destination to enhance the quality of place, diversity, and culture.
For instance, the government of Dubai launched the Dubai
Tourism Strategy 2020, aimed to attract 20 million visitors a year by 2020. The
strategy was expanded, in 2018, by setting new goals of attracting 21 to 23 million
visitors in 2022 and 23 to 25 million visitors by 2025. Dubai is the second
largest and second most important and influential emirate of the United Arab
Emirates after the capital, Abu Dhabi. The above mentioned factors are also
responsible for the rapid growth of the GCC ecotourism market. However, lack of
awareness among people about the ecotourism in GCC is the major factor
restraining the GCC ecotourism market growth.
Comments
Post a Comment