Abstract

This study examined the travelling pattern of the Arab tourists in relation to their purpose and frequency of visit, duration of stay, travelling companions and activities engaged in during the vacation.  The preferences of these tourists for hotel restaurant food and front office attributes while staying in selected five star hotels were also investigated.  The result demonstrated that Arab tourists came to Malaysia mostly for a vacation with their spouse and children, and the majority of them were visiting for the first time. The major activities engaged in were sightseeing and visiting interesting places plus other activities such as shopping, visiting theme parks and beaches.  The average length of stay was from 3-10 nights. The findings also revealed that besides other type of cuisines, home cooking (Arab cuisine) was preferred by the Arab tourists. Similarly, the Arab tourists preferred to have a fast check in, friendly and personalized service and courtesy by front office personnel upon arrival at the hotel.  The ability to communicate in and understand the Arabic language among the front office personnel also had a profound effect on their fondness.  In turn, a strong relationship among government, local authorities, private agencies and hotel operators should be fostered to capture a larger share of this market segment.

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