Page 67 - Contributed Paper Session (CPS) - Volume 7

CPS2029 Amira Al-Salhi
with low‐temperature value and high rainfall amount in Salalah in this quarter.
While, the June quarter seasonal variation mean value is low, which is
consistent with high‐temperature value.

4. Discussion and Conclusion
Tourism to the GCC appears to be influenced by the climate. Tourism
numbers were higher in the winter season, when the climate conditions are
favourable, and declines when the climate is less suitable for outdoor activities.
The case study provides a specific example of how the climate is a direct driver
for tourism in the GCC. Domestic tourists from Oman, along with tourists from
other parts of the GCC and the Arab region, travel to one part of Oman, based
on the specific climate conditions.
Most of the international literature (see for example Boken, 2010 and
Kulendran and Dwyer, 2012) who have studied the impact and importance of
climate on tourism have focused on the importance of beach weather or snow
as attractors for tourism. This case study has highlighted a different climate
attraction – mild monsoon weather with high humidity, but relatively low
temperatures.
In this case, the weather at home is also an important driver – although in
a different way to that summarised by Boken, who noted in her literature
review that “Unfavourable climate or poor weather conditions act as a push
factor for tourists to travel to warmer and drier locations.” In this case, the
hotter weather in the home locations, are likely to be a strong push factor to
visit Salalah. Indeed local advertising for Salalah emphasises the temperature
in Muscat (at 45°C) as a reason to visit. This paper has examined the
relationship between Climate variables and seasonal variation in tourist
numbers in the GCC. Across the world, Climate is important to tourism because
it attracts tourists who expect favourable weather conditions in their holiday
destination and as has been shown by the case study, it plays a major role in
the marketing of holiday tourism to destinations.
This study has shown that these international patterns also apply to the
GCC. At the GCC level, there is evidence that tourism numbers increase in the
winter months and a decline in the summer when the temperatures are very
high. The case study has shown a different example of climate tourism – when
the summer monsoon/Khareef with high humidity, fog, and rain is a major
attraction in a region dominated by desert conditions.
Other factors influence decisions on tourism destinations. The
international literature points to factors such as income, the price of tourism,
cost of transportation, and cost of living at the destination. These factors were
not considered here, but may be considered for future studies, as GCC-Stat
works with member states in the GCC to increase the range and availability of
tourism statistics.

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