Gulf residents travelling abroad to enjoy summer breaks are being drawn to Southeast Asia with direct air routes, the affordability factor, cooler temperatures and an ample choice of accommodation options all coming into play, a leading hospitality group has revealed.

According to Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Thailand, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Malaysia hold sway as some of the most popular destinations for Middle East travellers with healthy inbound tourism figures in 2015, and strong demand in 2016 to date.

“UNWTO and World Travel & Tourism Council figures put Southeast Asia tourist arrivals growth ahead of the rest of the world in 2015, up 7.9 per cent year-on-year, outpacing India and China in 2015,” said Saurabh Rai, executive vice president of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest independent hotel brand.

“We are definitely seeing this reflected in demand for our member hotels in the region as well as positively impacting traveller spend. Further, MasterCard’s Asia Pacific Destinations Index 2015 report listed eight Southeast Asian countries in its top 20 Asia Pacific ranking of most popular destinations in terms of arrival numbers, which is great news for Preferred Hotels & Resorts as we continue to expand our regional portfolio,” he added.

Tourism Authority of Thailand data recorded over half-a-million visitors from the Middle East last year, led by tourists from the UAE followed by Oman, with an average stay of just under 12 days the year previously and daily spend of $171 versus just 9.8 days and $148 from other nationalities.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ Southeast Asian partner properties include The Siam, one of Bangkok’s most luxurious five-star hotels, set in three acres of landscaped greenery on the Chao Phraya River. The hotel offers guests access its own private boat shuttle, spa, unique Art Deco-inspired décor, and 24/7 butler service.

Despite subdued tourism performance over the last couple of years, Malaysia continues to attract visitors from the Gulf countries, largely due to its halal tourism offering, making it the preferred Southeast Asian destination for almost 100,000 Saudis in 2015 according to the Malaysia Ministry of Tourism & Culture, followed by the UAE with 15,769 visitors.

Popular with high-end travellers to Malaysia, the boutique Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa in Kota Kinabalu is home to just 47 timbered villas fronted by a pristine white sand beach and coral reef for the ultimate tropical paradise getaway.

“The Middle East enjoys excellent air connectivity with key Southeast Asian destinations and although Europe is always a popular option for summer travel, the cost-value equation can make it expensive, especially for family travel. Heading eastwards means that travellers can ‘splurge’ on a luxury hotel stay while enjoying all the benefits of affordable activities including excursions, shopping and dining, in some of the region’s most dynamic cities or ultra-relaxing beach resorts,” said Rai.

Other destinations high on the demand radar include Singapore, a hub for both business and leisure travel, which saw 3.9 per cent growth from UAE visitors in 2015, reaching 78,693 arrivals, according to its tourism board.

Just six years old, The Fullerton Bay Hotel is one of Singapore’s top ranked luxury hotels, and enjoys a prime waterfront location in the city’s heritage district with panoramic views from every room and award-winning dining venues.

Closer to home, the Maldives and India retain their leisure appeal for Middle Eastern travellers, with Saudi and UAE residents topping the regional arrivals list in 2014, and visitors to India from Oman almost double that of the UAE in 2015 at 103,740 and 55,818 respectively, as per India’s Ministry of Tourism data.

Luxury island living is the mantra at Coco Bodu Hithi in the Maldives. An all-villa property with both beachfront and over-water stilted options, the resort boasts seven acclaimed restaurants and a full schedule of activities including diving, snorkeling, seaplane excursions and sunset cruises.

And rounding out Preferred’s regional portfolio, the Leela Palace in Udaipur, India is a majestic grande dame standing watch over the stunning Lake Pichola. With just 80 guestrooms and five suites housed in a bastion of bygone opulence and grandeur, the multi award-winning hotel features a 900-square-metre spa, lakeside pool and Araveli Mountain views. - TradeArabia News Service