Destination marketing Archives - Campaign Middle East

The hospitality shift from destination to relationship marketing

Hiba Faisal — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:49:46 +0000

Hospitality marketing in the UAE is evolving. While attracting international travellers remains fundamental to the industry’s growth, local residents are becoming an increasingly important audience for hotels, restaurants, workspaces and leisure experiences. For Accor, that shift is not about replacing international tourism. Instead, it reflects a broader commercial evolution driven by changing consumer behaviour, new […]

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Why destination marketing is more human than you think

Shantelle Nagarajan — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:30:42 +0000

There is a moment every traveller knows. You are sitting somewhere new, in a café in a city you almost did not visit, or by a coastline you only found because someone told you about it, and you think: how did I end up here? The answer, more often than not, is destination marketing. Not […]

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From a regional draw to the global stage

Shantelle Nagarajan — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:07:28 +0000

There are moments in marketing that redefine how brands think of growth, when the conventional approach for how a destination builds its name simply cannot keep pace with what the destination is actually becoming. When I joined the Yas Island team, audience expectations were shifting rapidly, and the destination itself was evolving just as quickly. […]

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Saudia Airlines launches first advertising campaign on Pinterest

Hiba Faisal — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:10:16 +0000

The travel journey is no longer defined by a single touchpoint; it is a highly personalised experience that begins long before takeoff. When Saudia Airlines set out to showcase its premium travel experiences and services they wanted a highly engaged audience. The kind who browse online for inspiration, wanderlust and planning when it comes to […]

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AlUla’s advocacy-led guidebook for destination development

Ishwari Khatu — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:34:16 +0000

Few have the privilege of building a destination ecosystem from scratch, particularly one as historically and ecologically rich as AlUla. Three decades of leading tourism from Dallas to Louisiana have polished my understanding of market dynamics. However, in AlUla, the rules of engagement differ. Here, growth is governed by the guardrails of responsible tourism, […]

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Destination marketing – share the soul, not only the skyline

Anup Oommen — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:13 +0000

For years, destination marketers in the Middle East built a relatively clear brief: break stereotypical tropes about the region; highlight the beauty of each place and people group; make each holiday destination instantly recognisable; and increase each getaway’s global share of voice by recommending unexplored experiences in a world of crowded tourist traps. This meant […]

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The signals are there. Are you reading them?

Anup Oommen — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:00:07 +0000

For much of 2026, the default response among travel marketers in the Gulf has been to wait. Pull back the spend, pause the campaigns, hold until things settle. It’s an understandable instinct. But the data tells a more complicated story, and for marketers willing to read it, there’s a real competitive advantage on the table […]

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The case for patience in communications

Anup Oommen — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:00:33 +0000

Marketing communications has captured the world’s attention and made people more curious about Saudi Arabia than perhaps ever before, but what story remains when the campaign is over? When I speak to Saudi clients today – whether their priority is attracting investment, increasing tourism, promoting culture or drawing talent – a concern they all share […]

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Pillars of success: Be credible, bold, authentic, innovative surprising, aware and realistic

Anup Oommen — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 07:20:15 +0000

We are entering an era in which travellers have more choices than ever before. From established global capitals to emerging tourism destinations, the world is competing for attention in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Yet, despite this abundance of choice, there are still undiscovered places that excite the adventurous, the early adopters and individuals seeking something […]

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Beyond the final whistle: How Qatar turned a World Cup into an enduring destination legacy

Anup Oommen — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:28:37 +0000

As the FIFA World Cup™ 2026 unfolds across North America, the global spotlight once again falls on football’s greatest stage. Yet for many fans, commentators and media, the conversation continues to return to Qatar 2022. Four years later, the tournament is remembered for far more than the action on the pitch. It also stands out […]

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