Visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai are increasingly turning to glamping as their accommodation of choice during their stay in the emirate, according to a leading industry expert.
Vinayak Mahtani, CEO of bnbme holiday homes, explained that the company is currently operating at 90 percent capacity, which has been attributed largely to international visitors to the World Expo – 40 percent coming from “new countries”.
Expo 2020 Dubai opened its doors to the public at the start of October and organisers have hailed the first month of the event as a “huge success”, announcing more than 2.3 million visits – some 25 million visits were projected for the duration of the six-month extravaganza.
Mahtani told Arabian Business: “It (Expo) has had a tremendous impact not necessarily because visitors are coming purely for the expo, but it has Dubai on the global map as a true luxury and hospitality brand.”
The company recently launched Glamper by bnbme, a glamping accommodation alternative for visitors to the emirate, which is operating at 70 percent capacity, with 35 percent of bookings coming from “new countries”, including Albania, Belarus, Fiji, South Sudan and Uruguay.
Sites are currently operated in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah varying from the beach, to mountains and the desert and are proving popular with the younger clientele (16-28) as well as middle-age groups (30-45).
Vinayak Mahtani, CEO of bnbme holiday homes.
Mahtani said: “Dubai has become a global brand that visitors want to experience. Most travellers and tourists are interested in eco-friendly, off-grid and sustainable holidaying that is offered by the glamping experience. With the increase in the number of tourists this year the glamping landscape has also seen a boost.”
Nearly 8.3 million guests visited the UAE’s hotels and tourism establishments in the first six months of the year, a 15 percent growth compared to the first half of 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdowns prevented much travel and tourism.
Follow us on
