Cruising, medical tourism and the increase of meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) are set to cause a sharp increase in visitors to the region, according to a study by Madrid-based Amadeus, a technology solutions provider for the global travel industry.

The number of visitors on cruises are set to nearly double in six years’ time, rising from 850,000 in 2012 to 1.6 million in 2020, while Dubai Healthcare City could become the biggest destination for medical tourism between Europe and Asia, said Mona Faraj, managing partner of Abu Dhabi-based management consultancy Insights.

“Travel in the Gulf region is changing. Economic diversification and a move from oil is an important driver, but there are several subtle factors at play, too,” sais Faraj. “Changes in population and geopolitical pressure to open borders and make movement easier are also impacting the future of travel here.”

More than 25 million visitors are forecast to visit Dubai during the six-month-long World Expo in 2020, with more than 70 per cent expected to come from abroad, research from Amadeus shows. Meanwhile, Qatar anticipates 3.7 million tourists to visit the state during the Fifa World Cup in 2022.