ABU DHABI // Tourists living in the UAE should be given the same discounts at hotels and attractions offered to visitors from other countries, an FNC member says.
Sharjah member Ayesha bin Samnoh said that the Government should monitor the difference in rates, which could be more than double for people booking from inside the UAE.
Mrs bin Samnoh raised the problem with Sultan Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, on Tuesday and gave an example of a Dubai hotel room that cost Dh450 when booked from outside the country – and Dh1,350 when booked inside.
“There are many tourist areas like desert resorts that a local hears about but cannot go to because it costs a lot,” she said. “Instead, they could go for holiday abroad at a cheaper price.”
Mrs bin Samnoh said Emiratis could spend the same amount in one day on local tourism as a 10-day holiday abroad. She said nationals should be given a priority, especially as the Government is striving to promote happiness.
“Some new hotels invite tourists from abroad during their soft opening, but locals deprived of expressing their opinion,” Mrs bin Samnoh said.
Mr Al Mansouri agreed that domestic tourism should be a priority and was crucial for the sector’s growth.
In 2015, 3.9 million local tourists comprised 16 per cent of all visitors, he said, and Dh34 billion was spent on internal tourism.
But he said that tourism was mostly managed by the private sector. Local tourists also did not usually plan ahead and instead book hotels on weekends or public holidays, when there was high demand and few discount offers.
Mr Al Mansouri said the problem could be addressed by coordinating between authorities and the private sector to encourage internal tourism, and to assure the private sector that government organisations would support offers they presented.
Mrs bin Samnoh suggested monitoring of hotels, “because some have vacancies but don’t give locals priority”.
Hotel marketing teams focus on the foreign markets in certain regions, leading to major differences in rates, said Dr Jamal Al Majaida, founder and editor of hotelandrest.com, a website specialising in UAE tourism and hospitality.
“It is a marketing style and a way to cut cost,” Dr Al Majaida said. “A room could cost me Dh1,000 and a foreigner can get it for Dh400.”
Operators also focus on corporate and foreign businesses. Conferences can book an entire floor, he said.
While most market to European, Asian and Eastern bloc countries, the new Bab Al Qasr hotel in Abu Dhabi focuses on tourists from Gulf countries because they spend more, Dr Al Majaida said.
He said not allowing hotels to lift rates during holidays would boost domestic tourism, as would seasonal attractions.
hdajani@thenational.ae
