PwC Middle East and Mabrian Technologies publish new research on shifting visitor expectations across the Gulf region
In Qatar, hotel apartments lead occupancy at 74.6%, reflecting growing demand for flexible extended-stay options.
These behavioural shifts reveal four emerging visitor archetypes: the culture seeker, the regional family explorer, the wellness-minded weekender, and the blended-purpose voyager.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – New research by PwC Middle East, in collaboration with Mabrian Technologies, a global travel intelligence platform, reveals that visitor preferences across the Gulf region are undergoing a fundamental shift. Visitors are increasingly drawn to destinations that offer cultural meaning and emotional resonance.
In response to these findings, PwC Middle East developed a strategic framework detailed in their latest report, Stay Play Shop: Shaping Integrated Destinations for Connected Visitor Experiences. The report presents a clear approach for destination development companies, tourism authorities, destination managers and operators across the Gulf Cooperation Council to accelerate the evolution of destination strategies. It advocates a shift away from static, asset-led development towards dynamic, visitor-centric ecosystems that drive longer stays, deeper engagement and increased economic impact.
Nicolas Mayer, Destinations Consulting Lead Partner at PwC Middle East, said, 'Stay Play Shop aims to reframe how we think about destination value by integrating visitor behaviour with the realities of destination planning and placemaking. Stay Play Shop is more than a slogan. It is a robust framework backed by visitor insights and evolving needs offering development companies a strategic framework to drive visitation spending and loyalty.'
Building on this idea of redefining destination value, Philippe Najjar, Destinations Consulting Partner at PwC Middle East, added, 'By embracing the Stay Play Shop model leaders can shape not just where people go but how deeply they connect and experience places. This goes beyond destination development to crafting generational legacies that fuel cultural pride visitor loyalty and sustained economic return.'
Emphasising a crucial prerequisite for success, Sonia Huerta, Vice President Advisory at Mabrian Technologies, highlighted, 'Public-private partnerships among Destination Management Office, hoteliers, Destination Management Companies, retailers and operators will be a key enabler of the Stay Play Shop model. Equally important is the ability to gauge sentiment and satisfaction across this journey to measure success. This region stands to gain exponentially from enhancements in these metrics making the value delivered even more impactful.'
The report provides a practical framework for development companies, tourism entities, destination managers, operators and other stakeholders to shape connected, experience-led destinations. By moving beyond traditional planning approaches (i.e. anchor assets, zoning and standalone amenities) and promoting the integration of accommodation, events, retail and entertainment into a cohesive visitor journey. Ultimately, this framework aims to support the development of destinations where visitors enjoy a fluid and enriching experience throughout their entire journey.
Read the full report here.
About PwC
At PwC, we help clients build trust and reinvent so they can turn complexity into competitive advantage. We're a tech-forward, people-empowered network with more than 370,000 people in 149 countries. Across audit and assurance, tax and legal, deals and consulting we help build, accelerate and sustain momentum. Find out more at www.pwc.com.
With over 12,000 people across 12 countries in 30 offices, PwC Middle East combines deep regional insight with global expertise to help clients solve complex problems, drive transformation, and achieve sustained outcomes. Learn more at www.pwc.com/me.
PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.
© 2025 PwC. All rights reserved
About Mabrian
Mabrian Technologies, established in 2013 and specialized in the provision of travel intelligence services at a worldwide level, merged into Almaviva Group in 2023 as a subsidiary of The Data Appeal Company, which is part of Almawave tech ecosystem and leader on the market of technological solutions location intelligence.
The Company combines technological development based on the analysis of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence techniques with a deep knowledge of the tourism sector by its pool of analysts. With its technology Mabrian offers services to tourist destinations at any level (Country, Region, city), as well as to companies in the hotelier and transportation sectors, or consultancy related to tourism (marketing, promotion, strategy, investments, etc.), to support sector players in the decision-making process based on updated data and a constantly evolving context.
© 2025 PwC. All rights reserved
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