What are travellers really looking for? The answer may vary depending on the individual with age, hobbies and financial freedom swaying their interests. Yet there’s one thing all travellers want, regardless of their status.
An epic memory-making experience.
That is, according to Meraj Quriesh, the Founder of 365 Adventures who has found success as a destination management company (DMC) by offering travellers authentic and memorable experiences in Qatar, Oman, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
While it may seem like an obvious observation, Meraj said experience in travel can often be mistaken for adventure.
“Adventure was once the buzz word but it’s no longer what people are seeking,” he explained. “Instead they are looking for experiences that will leave a lasting memory.”
Meraj continued, explaining that while travellers were once booking a desert safari or a hot air balloon on its own, they are now adding curated pieces to the booking to amplify the experience and memory.
For example, a simple hot air balloon ride can be amplified with a breakfast experience over the desert or a Falconry experience pre-or-post flight. Another example would be the Keshta in the Desert which can be accompanied by a live dinner experience “that is as rustic and bedouin as possible”.
“Travellers want a factor of curated hospitality to a tour or adventure,” he described.
Much like Qatar’s other tourism business, Meraj’s 365 Adventures thrived in 2022, when Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup. Emerging from that rush of bookings and business, Meraj knew he to prepare for a potential downfall as tourism slowed down.
“I was asking the question ‘what about after the World Cup’?” he explained. “Either everyone is going to keep coming to Qatar and I should be ready for that or travel will die out, and I needed to be ready for that too.”
This led Meraj to make a few adjustments to his business model that would meet the traveller demand for experience over adventure.
“First, we started offering only 5-star hotels, as we recognised that was what travellers wanted from a premium DMC,” he said. “Then we upgraded our existing offerings by making changes such as switching from plastic to glass bottles, plastic to paper cups and training guides more on standard operation procedures.”
Meraj’s continued adapting the business by investing in new vehicles for transfers, introducing new tour guides that could cover more languages and added photography and videography experiences.
Despite only have eight years in the industry, Meraj credits his success to his flexibility and willingness to adapt and meet changing client demands.
“It’s very hard staying ahead of industry trends,” he said. “But honestly, it’s all about trial and error – what works in one country may not work in another. We change our approach depending on the market whether it’s by accommodating to bilingual needs or working with locals.
“Working with locals is a win/win for us because we’re increasing job opportunities on the ground while also getting marketed through these talents.”
In looking ahead, Meraj says he believes Qatar and Oman will continue to be among the more popular destination for MICE travellers, and Saudi Arabia will grow in popularity amongst solo travellers.
Meraj also expects emerging travel markets such as Brazil to become a commodity for Middle Eastern operators because “there is a percentage of them that is quite well-off, adventurous and interested in exploring multiple countries in the region”.
