Technology has changed over the years, and the uses have developed too. Earlier, people were dependent on technology to connect with others over the call, simplify our calculations and correct silly mistakes in a document. However, everything has changed in the last ten years. Now, people are dependent on technology for everything. From clicking pictures to doing business and from exploring new places to meeting strangers online; the world has changed, and technology has placed a huge role in the drastic change we have seen over the years. The Middle East has not been the most advanced as far as technology is concerned, but it’s adapting to the new rules and allowing the digital revolution to be a part of every industry in the Middle East.

The technology bug even bites the tourism industry for good. Even Memphis Tours, one of the best travel agencies in the Middle East, is dependent on digital marketing and it only makes it easy for people to stay connected and move around frequently. Ubiquitous consumer access to the latest smartphones and the Internet has further revolutionized the travel and tourism industry.

Residents of GCC countries do their holiday research and booking with the help of smartphones and tablets. This gives them the liberty to look at the different options available and scrutinize them on a personal level. It also helps them in saving enough money to enjoy an additional trip for leisure.

In the earlier days, traveling was considered to be a leisure activity, especially if the company was not paying for an individual’s stay abroad. Things have changed, and one should credit the increase in smartphone usage in the GCC markets too. Smartphone usage has increased drastically over the past few years in the Middle East, with UAE topping the list with 78%, followed by Saudi Arabia with 77%. Numbers speak for themselves, and it cannot be denied that the digital revolution has forced the competition to get tighter for the service providers and better for the consumers.

Coming back to the developments in the tourism industry, residents of the GCC countries get ubiquity of the high-speed mobile Internet, which is sufficient to look through various websites and access heavy mobile applications to compare online reviews and conveniently book flights and hotels online.

The service providers are now working on various innovative ideas and lucrative plans to lure the masses. There are some launching localized services to meet the growing needs and demands of the new generation, while some are diverting their energies to provide customers with a package that will help them enjoy their time when traveling. People willing to explore the Middle East can even enjoy such services and plans to make the most of their time in the Middle East.

Online travel in the Middle East is a massive industry and continues to grow at a rapid pace. This is further accelerated by the shift of the consumer’s dependency from offline to online travel shopping. Agencies have even made a transition over the years from offline to online to such the market demands and needs of the consumer. A considerable amount of investment has been pumped by the agencies, and they are now reaping benefits of the same.

With an increase in technological advancements, the need for improvement has increased in the Middle East. People from different parts of the world are now willing to visit the GCC countries more often for their vacations, and the demand has only risen over the years. People embrace online travel shopping and connect with agencies and locals in the Middle East to be guided with their tours and plans when visiting a particular country in the Middle East.

With an increase in demand, the shift from the desktop version of a website to mobile website and then to mobile apps can also be considered to be a great development in the digital world. Travel sites ensure that their website loads quickly on desktops and laptops, and even quicker on different mobile phones. Every agency wants to capitalize on the favorable market dynamics because it gives them an opportunity to be a leading travel brand that will be recognized by people in the Middle East and those willing to visit a particular country in the Middle East.

When we talk about travel apps, the same is not restricted to ‘top places to visit’ or ‘Budget vacation tips’ but provide an overall solution for people traveling to the Middle East. With this, you can expect features like currency exchange rates, hotel bookings, links for flight bookings, necessary translations for the local language spoken, and tips shared by other travelers. This gives an insight to the people traveling to the place and decides in advance the entire trip, without any hiccups.

Being tech savvy is now a need for the masses, and people in the Middle East are even embracing it to be sure that they do not find themselves to be dependent on someone when traveling.

Digital revolution is good for the masses, and it will continue to be a game changer in the tourism industry in the Middle East