Guest Experience in the Middle East...Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah and Umm al-Quwain is included in the...

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Guest Experience in the Middle East

www.olery.comApril 24, 2017

A report on the online reputation of hotels in the Middle EastApril 2016 - March 2017

About OleryOlery captures content shared by travelers on accommodation booking sites and travel apps. Technologies such as Natural Language Processing help to analyze the millions of opinions written and published by guests.

This way Olery extracts data about destinations, hospitality businesses and travelers worldwide. This data is used to monitor performance and reputation, improve services through feedback and to better understand visitors.

The Olery data platform powers a suite of web applications, reports and developer APIs for the hospitality industry, tourism organizations and travel commerce companies.

Visit www.olery.com or contact us directly to learn more.

DisclaimerThis report is based on information extracted from online guest reviews. All analyzed content is publicly available. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data, Olery makes no representation, warranty or guarantee in connection with this report and hereby expressly disclaims any liability or responsibility for loss or damage resulting from the use of this data.

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under the Creative Commons License, “Attribution Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Netherlands”. This license enables you to use, copy, spread, and build upon this work non-commercially, as long as you credit Olery, and license your new creations under the identical terms. Charts contained in this report may be reproduced for publication, however they may not be modified in any way without the prior written consent of Olery. The Creative Commons License is available for download at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/nl/.

Cover image credit: Residence & Spa at One&Only Royal Mirage Dubai ranked no. 2 in the TripAdvisor 2017 Travelers’ Choice Awards Top 25 Hotels of the Middle East

3Olery ©2017, some rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Table of Contents

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Bahrain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Cyprus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Egypt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Jordan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Kuwait . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Lebanon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Oman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Qatar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Saudi Arabia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

United Arab Emirates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Abu Dhabi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Dubai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Sharjah. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

About Olery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25


With a strong worldwide growth rate of over 4%, estimated by the he United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), international tourism continues to outshine many other industries. It now represents more than 7% of the world’s exports, ahead of iconic industries such as automotive or food production.

While the Middle East could only secure 4,3% of this market in 2015, the contribution of US$ 54 billion is quite significant for the goal of economic diversification pursued by many countries in the area.

Travelers increasing hunger for exotic destinations and unique experiences combined with international events like the Expo in Dubai or the FIFA World Cup in Qatar provide a positive outlook. However, single-sided security measures as enacted by the US government constitute a new threat for tourism growth.

When planning and booking trips modern, tech-savvy travelers increasingly turn to information digitally shared by their peers. An abundance of web and mobile platforms lets users publish opinions about destinations, hotels, restaurants, attractions and other businesses.

Online reviews also provide excellent insights into the experiences of travelers. Businesses, associations and governments worldwide use this data to understand their visitors and make better investment decisions.

This report provides a snapshot into the review data for all major destinations in the Middle East.

Introduction

0

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Guest Experience Index™

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Review Volume & Guest Experience of hotels in the Middle East

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Rank Country GEI1 Change # of reviews

1 (1) Cyprus 83.7 -0.74% 124,097

2 (3) Lebanon 82 1.26% 36,689

3 (6) Qatar 81.7 2.83% 70,859

4 (2) Israel 81.7 -0.18% 172,381

5 (4) Egypt 81.5 0.97% 320,150

6 (5) Jordan 80.5 1.00% 63,378

7 (-) UAE 79.6 0.99% 1,146,929

8 (-) Oman 79.3 2.51% 57,164

9 (-) Bahrain 77.9 1.28% 52,484

10 (-) Kuwait 77.2 1.05% 37,970

11 (-) Saudi Arabia 76.3 3.34% 471,522

Guest Experience Index per country 2016/2017tm

Egypt

Saudi Arabia

Yemen

Oman

UAE

BahrainQatar

Iran

Kuwait

Iraq

Syria

Jordan

Israel

Cyprus

Lebanon

76.3

81.5

79.3

79.681.7

77.9

77.2

80.5

83.7

82

81.7

Guest Experience in the Middle East

This map shows the average Guest Experience Index™ in the period from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017 for all hotels in the destination.

The Guest Experience Index™ (GEI) is a holistic measure of hotel performance through the eyes of the guests. It aggregates all data shared in online reviews for a hotel or other type of accommodation. At its core is a proprietary algorithm, developed in cooperation with the Free University of Amsterdam. This algorithm takes numeric ratings, the textual opinions stated in the review (sentiment analysis) and the trustworthiness of the reviews (based on the credibility of each reviewer and the review site) into account.

The current rank is compared to the one of the previous period (number in brackets).

The data might differ from last year’s report due to the analysis of additional reviews.


Rank Emirate GEI Change # of reviews

1 (1) Abu Dhabi 82.8 0.66% 160,688

2 (2) Dubai 79.4 1.03% 702,655

3 (3) Sharjah 75 0.28% 43,372

Data from hotels in Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah and Umm al-Quwain is included in the ratings for the United Arab Emirates.

Guest Experience Index per emirate 2017tm

79.4

82.8

75

Abu Dhabi

Dubai

Sharjah

Guest Experience in the United Arab Emirates


Guest ratings per category

This table shows the guests’ satisfaction with different aspects of their stay. The numbers represent the average ratings given in all reviews for hotels in the destination. This data helps to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the hospitality industry in each destination.

Guest ratings per guest type

This table shows the average rating for the overall experience by travelers from a specific group. These segments are deducted from the public profiles of the reviewers on the travel sites.

Rating color scheme 1008060


Bahrain Cyprus Egypt Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman QatarSaudi Arabia

UAEAbu

DhabiDubai Sharjah

Overall 79.5 83.2 82.6 80.6 79.9 76.8 80.7 80.3 81.9 76.2 81.2 83.8 81.1 75.9

Value 82.4 85.1 88.2 84 82.1 81.7 83.4 80.2 84.6 79.4 84.5 85.7 84.2 82.7

Room 86.8 84.9 87.9 85.6 84.4 86 84.5 87.1 87.6 84 88.3 89.4 87.9 82.4

Cleanliness 87.7 87.6 87.1 86.8 84.4 86.8 85.5 88.4 88.9 83.7 89.5 91 89.1 81.3

Location 88.2 87.9 90.1 91.6 89.4 84.1 90.6 86 88 90.4 88 88.6 88.1 85.6

Service 86.9 88 89.7 86.5 84.4 86.7 84.6 87 87.8 82.3 88.3 89.3 88 82.8


UAEAbu

DhabiDubai Sharjah

Business 86.1 83.1 83.6 83.8 85.3 86.8 85.1 82.2 86.2 81.5 84.7 86.2 84.1 78.2

Couples 80.6 85.3 83.9 84.1 80 76.2 81.3 81.7 83 76.8 82.8 84.4 82.9 76.3

Families 80.6 84.4 82.5 84.4 78.3 76.6 78.9 80.8 80.2 75.4 81.4 83 82 75.7

Friends 89.4 83.8 90.4 85.4 83.8 86.8 83.8 83.5 88.9 84.5 87.6 89.1 87.3 83.8

Solo 75.4 83.1 77.2 82.9 79.1 76.2 80.4 77.8 81.2 75.3 79.3 81.9 78.9 76.8

Group 70.8 81.8 74 73.9 78.4 66.7 60 77.6 75.5 71.9 77.6 82.9 77.8 70.6



UAEAbu

DhabiDubai Sharjah

Australia 82.3 84 84.9 86.9 89.7 86.3

Bahrain 81 77.8 74.9 82 81.2 78.9 78.6 76.2

Canada 82 80.3 81.9 82.9

Cyprus 81

Egypt 77.8 81.1 81.6 76.2 78.2 77.8

France 79 79 76.4 80.6 81.2 81.9 81.6 82.6 86.4 81.7

Germany 81.5 88.8 78.6 80.5 78.5 83.1 82.3 84.8 89.1 83.1

India 81.9 80.3 79.8 83.1 79.5 75.1

Israel 86 79.6 82.1

Italy 79.7 83 75.7 78 77.8 81.1 81.4 83.8 87.5 82.6

Jordan 77.1 81.2 78.5

Kuwait 80.8 75.4 78.9 78.8 82.5 83.1 81.3 78 80.7 84.4 80.5 77.4

Lebanon 80.9 80.3 80.8

Netherlands 82.2 85.5 77.3 81.6 80.9 82.3

Oman 76.7 76.2 78.9 76.1 75.6 80 75.8 74.3

Pakistan 77.3 76.9

Qatar 80.7 75.1 78.3 78.3 79.1 78.5 82.9 77.4 78.2 81.4 77.9 72.9

Russia 83.9 85.8 79.5 79.6 83.2 84.1 83.7 81

Saudi Arabia 77.4 75.3 76.7 74.6 79.9 79.7 79.6 75.6 78.5 83 78.2 75.6

Spain 78.6 79.5

Switzerland 83.4 85.3 78.5 80.3 80.6 84.8 86 87.7 85.4

Turkey 81.4 78 76.1 79.5 76.6

UAE 78.7 73.2 76.7 77.4 79.2 78.2 79.4 75.8 77.9 80.5 77.7 74.6

UK 82.8 85.5 86.7 81 82.1 82.8 83.1 85.7 84.1 76.5 86.7 88.2 86 77.6

United States 82.7 85.9 82.8 84.5 83.7 79 82.7 84 83.4 76.3 84.4 87.2 83.9

Guest ratings per guest origin

This table shows the average rating for the overall experience by travelers from different origins. The origins are deducted from the public profiles of the reviewers on the travel sites.


traveler fromdestination \



UAEAbu

DhabiDubai Sharjah

Australia 1.8% 1.2% 1.4% 1.9% 1.6% 2.3%

Bahrain 5.6% 1% 5.4% 1.8% 2.6% 1.1% 1.4% 1.2%

Canada 1.5% 1.8% 1.8% 1.1%

Cyprus 23.9%

Egypt 40.4% 1.3% 8.3% 1.7% 1.1% 1.3%

France 2.6% 1.4% 6% 4.5% 5.6% 4.3% 1% 2.1% 1.6% 2.5%

Germany 3% 11.2% 4.8% 4.5% 2.8% 6.6% 1.1% 2.5% 3.7% 2.4%

India 1.1% 1.4% 2.3% 1.2% 2.9% 1.2%

Israel 5% 58.2% 4.7%

Italy 2.2% 2.1% 2.3% 2.7% 1.9% 4.3% 1.5% 1.9% 2.1% 2.1%

Jordan 19.1% 4.4% 0.6%

Kuwait 8.1% 2.9% 3.3% 12.4% 5.2% 3.2% 4.3% 2.3% 3.8% 1.5% 5% 2.6%

Lebanon 1.3% 1.2% 20.4%

Netherlands 1.3% 1.1% 1.9% 1.9% 1.9% 1.1%

Oman 2.3% 31% 1.4% 1.4% 6.2% 2.9% 5.1% 30.1%

Pakistan 1.3% 1.7%

Qatar 3.8% 1.1% 2.3% 4.3% 2.8% 2.7% 21.4% 1.6% 2.5% 1.5% 3.1% 1.7%

Russia 15.4% 1.8% 7.7% 1.8% 1% 1.6% 1.6% 2.8%

Saudi Arabia 67.7% 18.6% 19.4% 52% 12.2% 5.7% 45.1% 81.6% 19.7% 9% 25.1% 16.6%

Spain 2.5% 1.7%

Switzerland 2.2% 1.4% 1.7% 1.4% 1.5% 3% 1.2% 1.1% 1.3%

Turkey 2.2% 1.4% 3.8% 1% 1%

UAE 3.8% 3% 8.6% 15.4% 13.6% 19.3% 8.9% 4.3% 35.4% 60.6% 24.3% 34.7%

UK 2.8% 34.3% 6.6% 4.1% 6.3% 1.6% 4.7% 7% 3.2% 1.6% 8.7% 5.8% 9.9% 2%

United States 1.9% 1.4% 2.1% 8.6% 6% 1.3% 4% 1.9% 1.8% 1.2% 2.2% 1.6% 2.6%

Guest distribution per origin

This table shows the percentage of reviews published by guests from the most common visitor countries. The origin is deducted from the public profiles of the reviewers on the travel sites.

traveler fromdestination \


Bahrain

In the view of visitors, hotels in Bahrain still lag behind their competition in most other destinations in the Middle East. Nonetheless, Bahrain’s hospitality industry seems committed to continuous quality improvements. A Guest Experience Index™ (GEI) of 77.9 and strong ratings for rooms, cleanliness and service are evidence of that. However, not all visitors are equally satisfied. As in previous years, solo and group travelers rate their experience much lower than other segments.

Guest Experience IndexTM Total number of reviews77.9 52,484


per guest origin

Saudi Arabia 67.7% 77.4

Kuwait 8.1% 80.8

Bahrain 5.6% 81

UAE 3.8% 78.7

Qatar 3.8% 80.7

per category

Location 88.2

Cleanliness 87.7

Service 86.9

Room 86.8

Value 82.4

Overall 79.5

per guest type

Friends 89.4

Business 86.1

Couples 80.6

Families 80.6

Solo 75.4

Group 70.8

Guest ratings

Review Volume & Guest Experience of hotels in Bahrain

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Cyprus

Once again Cyprus is able to occupy the top position among destinations in the Middle East. An excellent guest experience combined with a safe and stable environment make Cyprus one of the most attractive destinations for families and couples from Europe and Russia. However, the Guest Experience Index™ shows a slight decrease compared to the previous reporting period. A mediocre room rating indicates that hoteliers in Cyprus should not defer investments into their hotel property.



per guest origin

UK 34.3% 85.5

Cyprus 23.9% 81

Russia 15.4% 83.9

Israel 5% 86

Germany 3% 81.5

per category

Service 88

Location 87.9

Cleanliness 87.6

Value 85.1

Room 84.9

Overall 83.2

per guest type

Couples 85.3

Families 84.4

Friends 83.8

Solo 83.1

Business 83.1

Group 81.8

Guest ratings

Review Volume & Guest Experience of hotels in Cyprus

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Egypt

The political situation and safety concerns continue to hurt Egypt’s hospitality industry. However, tourists who decided visit Egypt’s beaches, bustling cities and historical sights have recorded a slightly higher guest experience compared to last year’s numbers. Guests especially appreciate the value for money they currently receive in Egypt’s hotels. While this is a positive sign for future tourism recovery, other destinations are improving their offerings even faster. Hence, Egypt drops to #5 in the overall ranking.



per guest origin

Egypt 40.4% 77.8


Germany 11.2% 88.8

UK 6.6% 86.7

UAE 3% 73.2

per category

Location 90.1

Service 89.7

Value 88.2

Room 87.9

Cleanliness 87.1

Overall 82.6

per guest type

Friends 90.4

Couples 83.9

Business 83.6

Families 82.5

Solo 77.2

Group 74

Guest ratings

Review Volume & Guest Experience of hotels in Egypt

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Israel

With cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem along with an abundance of cultural sites as well as leisure spots, the potential for tourism in Israel was always great but hindered by safety concerns. Travelers might be re-assessing this situation, because Israel is expecting 2017 to be a record year for tourism. This cannot be explained by the guest experience. Although generally on a high level, it has stayed largely stagnant in the past year. This leads Israel to drop #3 in the overall ranking of destinations in the Middle East.



per guest origin

Israel 58.2% 79.6

USA 8.6% 84.5

Russia 7.7% 79.5

France 6% 76.4

Germany 4.8% 78.6

per category

Location 91.6

Cleanliness 86.8

Service 86.5

Room 85.6

Value 84

Overall 80.6

per guest type

Friends 85.4

Families 84.4

Couples 84.1

Business 83.8

Solo 82.9

Group 73.9

Guest ratings

Review Volume & Guest Experience of hotels in Israel

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Jordan

Jordan is a popular destination among travelers from the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. For leisure tourists, it offers great spots such as the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. Meanwhile, Jordan’s hotels are perceived as rather expensive and of mediocre quality. A solid increase in the Guest Experience Index™ in the past 12 months to 80.5 is not able to change this situation significantly.



per guest origin


Jordan 19.1% 77.1

UAE 8.6% 76.7

UK 6.3% 82.1

USA 6% 83.7

per category

Location 89.4

Service 84.4

Room 84.4

Cleanliness 84.4

Value 82.1

Overall 79.9

per guest type

Business 85.3

Friends 83.8

Couples 80

Solo 79.1

Group 78.4

Families 78.3

Guest ratings

Review Volume & Guest Experience of hotels in Jordan

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Kuwait

After a drop in the 2015/2016 Guest Experience Index™, Kuwait is back on track to catch up with the more popular destinations in the Middle East. However, this will not happen quickly. Pricey rooms and and a low overall impression are still the main obstacles for a higher guest satisfaction. On the bright sight, business travelers and groups of friends seem satisfied with their stay in Kuwait.



per guest origin

Saudi Arabia 52% 74.6

UAE 15.4% 77.4

Kuwait 12.4% 78.8

Bahrain 5.4% 74.9

Qatar 4.3% 78.3

per category

Cleanliness 86.8

Service 86.7

Room 86

Location 84.1

Value 81.7

Overall 76.8

per guest type

Business 86.8

Friends 86.8

Families 76.6

Solo 76.2

Couples 76.2

Group 66.7

Guest ratings

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Review Volume & Guest Experience in Kuwait


Lebanon

With an 1.26% improvement in the Guest Experience Index™ Lebanon has solidified its position at the top of the overall destination ranking, now just behind Cyprus. Culture, cuisine, landscape and good accommodation make for an attractive package. Most guest segments are very satisfied with their experience. However, group travelers might appreciate further service improvements.

Guest Experience IndexTM Total number of reviews82 36,689


per guest origin

Lebanon 20.4% 80.8

UAE 13.6% 79.2


Egypt 8.3% 81.6

France 5.6% 81.2

per category

Location 90.6

Cleanliness 85.5

Service 84.6

Room 84.5

Value 83.4

Overall 80.7

per guest type

Business 85.1

Friends 83.8

Couples 81.3

Solo 80.4

Families 78.9

Group 60

Guest ratings

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Review Volume & Guest Experience in Lebanon


Oman

Oman recently intensified its efforts to become a more attractive tourist destination. While the country certainly offers a plethora of sights and activities, the hospitality industry is still not on par with popular destinations across the Middle East. However, with an increase of 2.51% in the Guest Experience Index™ Oman has made a significant step forward. Rooms, cleanliness and service are rated highly, while the value for money is below average.



per guest origin

Oman 31% 76.2

UAE 19.3% 78.2

UK 7% 85.7

Germany 6.6% 83.1


per category

Cleanliness 88.4

Room 87.1

Service 87

Location 86

Overall 80.3

Value 80.2

per guest type

Friends 83.5

Business 82.2

Couples 81.7

Families 80.8

Solo 77.8

Group 77.6

Guest ratings

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Review Volume & Guest Experience in Oman


Qatar

Qatar continues its astonishingly fast ascend to the top-tier of tourist destinations in the Middle East. With an increase of 2.83% in the Guest Experience Index™ Qatar is able to rise to the 3rd place in the overall ranking. Local hotels have achieved great ratings throughout most categories and traveler segments. Shifting focus to families and solo travelers might yield further gains in guest satisfaction.


per guest origin


Qatar 21.4% 82.9

UAE 8.9% 79.4

Kuwait 4.3% 81.3

UK 3.2% 84.1

per category

Cleanliness 88.9

Location 88

Service 87.8

Room 87.6

Value 84.6

Overall 81.9

per guest type

Friends 88.9

Business 86.2

Couples 83

Solo 81.2

Families 80.2

Group 75.5

Guest ratings

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Review Volume & Guest Experience in Qatar



Saudi Arabia

With Mecca and Medina, two of the world’s most important pilgrimage destinations are in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the country hosts massive numbers of travelers each year. However, many visitors leave the country disappointed with local hotels and apartments. While rooms and cleanliness are acceptable, service and price levels are not. Business travelers seem less bothered by these conditions, but leisure tourists’ ratings are among the lowest for hotels in the Middle East. Fortunately, Saudi Arabian hoteliers are willing to tackle the issues. In 2016/2017 the Guest Experience Index™ rose by over 3%.



per guest origin


UAE 4.3% 75.8

Kuwait 2.3% 78

Egypt 1.7% 76.2

Qatar 1.6% 77.4

per category

Location 90.4

Room 84

Cleanliness 83.7

Service 82.3

Value 79.4

Overall 76.2

per guest type

Friends 84.5

Business 81.5

Couples 76.8

Families 75.4

Solo 75.3

Group 71.9

Guest ratings

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Review Volume & Guest Experience of hotels in Saudi Arabia

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Review Volume & Guest Experience in Saudi Arabia


United Arab Emirates

The Federation of the seven emirates Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain offers tourists a wide range of experiences. However, the satisfactions with hotels and apartments differs significantly between the emirates. Therefore, the United Arab Emirates as a whole do not occupy a top position, even though they score top ratings in the categories room, cleanliness and service.

Guest Experience IndexTM Total number of reviews79.6 1,146,929


per guest origin

UAE 35.4% 77.9


UK 8.7% 86.7

Oman 6.2% 75.6

Kuwait 3.8% 80.7

per category

Cleanliness 89.5

Room 88.3

Service 88.3

Location 88

Value 84.5

Overall 81.2

per guest type

Friends 87.6

Business 84.7

Couples 82.8

Families 81.4

Solo 79.3

Group 77.6

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Review Volume & Guest Experience in United Arab Emirates


Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi provides one of the best guest experiences in the Middle East. It takes the top spot in the UAE, clearly outranking its two popular neighbours Dubai and Sharjah. Ranked as a separate country it would occupy the 2nd place, behind only Cyprus. Abu Dhabi offers the best and cleanest rooms in the Middle East combined with great service and affordable prices. However, hotel managers should make sure they are prepared to defend their achievements. In 2016/2017 the Guest Experience Index™ was stagnant.



per guest origin

UAE 60.6% 80.5

Saudi Arabia 9% 83

UK 5.8% 88.2

Germany 3.7% 89.1

Oman 2.9% 80

per category

Cleanliness 91

Room 89.4

Service 89.3

Location 88.6

Value 85.7

Overall 83.8

per guest type

Friends 89.1

Business 86.2

Couples 84.4

Families 83

Group 82.9

Solo 81.9

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Review Volume & Guest Experience in Abu Dhabi


Dubai

Dubai is one of the most popular cities in the Middle East. With its marvels of modern architecture and endless shopping opportunities, it receives more visitors than any of the other emirates. Hotels and apartments have a high standard, but don’t quite reach the level of its neighbor Abu Dhabi.



per guest origin


UAE 24.3% 77.7

UK 9.9% 86

Oman 5.1% 75.8

Kuwait 5% 80.5

per category

Cleanliness 89.1

Location 88.1

Service 88

Room 87.9

Value 84.2

Overall 81.1

per guest type

Friends 87.3

Business 84.1

Couples 82.9

Families 82

Solo 78.9

Group 77.8

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Review Volume & Guest Experience in Dubai


Sharjah

Sharjah is undeniably an upcoming tourist destination. Authorities recently announced an astonishing increase of 63% in Chinese tourists in 2016. While the potential is great, the local hospitality industry has yet to pave the way for further growth. Many travelers, both leisure and business, are still unsatisfied with the overall experience in local accommodation. Ratings show below-average performances in all categories. The small quality improvement in 2016/2017 can only be start of a longer process.

Guest Experience IndexTM Total number of reviews75 43,372


per guest origin

UAE 34.7% 74.6

Oman 30.1% 74.3


Russia 2.8% 81

Kuwait 2.6% 77.4

per category

Location 85.6

Service 82.8

Value 82.7

Room 82.4

Cleanliness 81.3

Overall 75.9

per guest type

Friends 83.8

Business 78.2

Solo 76.8

Couples 76.3

Families 75.7

Group 70.6

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Review Volume & Guest Experience in Sharjah


Olery Publication - Guest Experience in the Middle East April 2016 - March 2017

Methodology

This report is based on reviews of hotels in the Middle East published between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017.

• 2,553,623 reviews from 9,364 hotels were analyzed

• Multiple public travel websites were used as source

• The Guest Experience Index™ (GEI) per country constitutes an average of the GEIs for every individual hotel in the country

• Performance aspects are based on more than 538 rating categories of the review sites

• Guest segments are deducted from the public profiles of the reviewers

• Ratings and the GEI might vary from last year’s report due to a change in the considered period and the analysis of additional reviews

• Syria, Yemen, Iran and Iraq are not included due to a lack of reviews

25Olery ©2017, some rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 25

About OleryOlery captures content shared by travelers on accommodation booking sites and travel apps. Technologies such as Natural Language Processing help to analyze the millions of opinions published by guests.

This way Olery extracts data about destinations, hospitality businesses and travelers worldwide.This data is used to monitor performance and reputation, improve services through feedback and to better understand visitors.

The Olery data platform powers a suite of web applications, reports and developer APIs for the hospitality industry, tourism organizations and travel commerce companies.

Industries Hotels & Hotel GroupsTools for reputation management & guest surveys

DestinationsIndustry monitoring & marketingtools for DMOs, Tourism Boards &Authorities

Online Travel AgenciesReview content for booking sites & apps

Hospitality Service ProvidersPerformance tracking & prospectingtools for hotel-related providers

Hotel Software ProvidersData to build Online ReputationManagement solutions

For enquiries please contact

Kim van den Wijngaard Co-founder & CEO+31 (0)6 141 33 [email protected]://nl.linkedin.com/in/kvandenwijngaard

Products Olery Web ToolInsights into the hospitality industry in different markets

Hotel Review Data APIAccess to data from millions of guestReviews

Hotel Review SummariesAuto-generated summaries of review data for consumer sites/apps

Reputation for HotelsOnline tool to monitor, manage reviews and to benchmark against competitors

Feedback for HotelsA simple survey tool to gather real insightsfrom guests

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