Share the article
Last updated
Despite competition from Europe and the South, often considered the world’s top tourist attractions, the Middle East is currently extremely popular among travelersand a growing number of them are choosing the sunny spot for their holidays instead.
Although Dubai, Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are often cited as the region’s top tourist destinations, it is two other countries which are currently leading the booking trends and have recorded a significant increase in visitors.
So why do they attract so many foreigners, especially Westerners?
Turkiye and Egypt are the new favorites from the Middle East
This is reported by the British travel agency On the beachspecializing in sunny holiday packages, so do the countries Turkiye, formerly known as Turkey, and Egypt the most sought after among their customerswith more than double the number of bookings they received in 2019.
As the travel experts have pointed out, this is partly attributed to the weakness of the Turkish lira, Turkiye’s national currency, and the Egyptian pound, Egypt’s. Over the past five years, the heavily devalued Turkish currency has fallen in value by 30% more than 80 percent against the dollar.
In 2018, one US dollar was equivalent to 4.5 liras, while today it can buy as much as 23 liras, thanks to Turkiye’s unorthodox economic policies.
Likewise, the Egyptian pound is going through a difficult period and is among the top worst performing currency this year.
While inflation must be taken into account, there is no denying that the slowdown has not only boosted exports holiday bookings.
After all, crisis-affected Westerners, especially Americans, now strongly prefer cheaper destinations where their tourist dollars go further.
How affordable are Turkiye and Egypt?
On holiday in Bodrum, one of the main holiday resorts in Turkiye, and also one of the most affordable in 2023, the average hotel price is quite reasonable $57 per nightwith an even lower average price of just $51, as reported by BudgetYourReis.
Consumer prices in Bodrum are also significantly lower than in other Mediterranean destinations, with meals in mid-range restaurants costing up to 60.2% cheaper than in Marbella, Spain, or 56.1% compared to Saint-Tropez, on the hugely expensive south coast from France.
Egypt is not far behind in terms of affordability:
Based on data collected from 121 hotels, the average hotel price in Sharm el-Sheikh, perhaps the country’s most luxurious resort zone, is stands at $84.
Granted, cheap dining and budget-friendly hotels aren’t the only reasons why these Middle Eastern gems are exploding in popularity right now.
What else do these countries have to offer?
Turkiye and Egypt may be huge beach destinations, with sandy beaches lapped by turquoise waters and vibrant city breaks, but their main appeal lies in their accumulated millennia of history and ancient treasures.
Before Turkiye’s existence as a country, the Anatolian Peninsula where it is located was home to some of the most important cities of antiquity, such as Troy, Ephesus, where parts of the Bible were written, and Attaleiaan important trading port.
Attaleia – modern-day Antalya – is still packed with historic sights, including Hadrian’s Gate, a first-century Roman city gate and well-preserved city walls. These all coexist with the bustling atmosphere of a modern seaside resort, creating Antalya a unique destination.
In Istanbul, the remains of the all-too-mighty Roman Empire complement other structures from the late Byzantine and Ottoman era, with city icons such as Hagia Sophia, formerly the largest Christian cathedral in antiquity, now turned into a mosque.
Turkiye is a land of beautiful, impossible combinations that will delight history buffs, more so than simply being a trendy, sunny hotspot for beachgoers, although it certainly excels in both categories.
Egypt is no different, and it certainly needs no introduction, with its world-famous pyramids, whose origins have been lost to time, original tombs and temples, and sprawling metropolises that sit atop long-forgotten civilizations.
The powerful duo is at the forefront of the Middle East’s tourist offeringand they could challenge the UAE for the number one spot in the region.
Read more:
Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans for 2023 from $10 per week
How to easily earn points for free travel
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to the latest Travel Off Path breaking travel news, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
