A desert safari adventure in Dubai has been ranked the world’s best tourism experience in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards this year.
The camel riding and desert barbecue of OceanAir, a travel firm in Dubai, took the No. 1 spot in the top five experiences worldwide, as decided by travellers on the TripAdvisor platform, as well as those on its subsidiary Viator.
The desert adventure bested experiences like a pizza and gelato cooking class in Florence, Italy, and a luxury canal cruise Amsterdam, Netherlands, which were on second and third places, respectively.
Winners of the Travellers’ Choice Awards were determined using a system based on the millions of reviews and ratings of tourists around the world over a 12-month period.
Going on a dune-bashing ride in Dubai’s golden sand, riding a camel, meeting falcons, and experiencing Bedouin hospitality in a delicious barbecue feast under the stars are staple adventures for every traveller visiting the emirate.
OceanAir’s award-winning ‘Premium Red Dunes and Camel Safari with BBQ activity’ takes it a notch higher by allowing its guests to explore primitive desert life in a natural habitat at its Al Khayma Camp.
Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said: “Our world-class propositions and experiences showcase the diversity of the destination’s offerings and this latest accolade not only reaffirms the city’s position as a must-visit destination but is a timely positive development in the current situation, as it complements our ongoing global campaign to increase consideration for Dubai as the first choice for international travellers.”
Rising demand for adventure travel experiences reflects in the increased popularity of desert safari, an activity that was enjoyed by 41 percent of all international visitors, according to Dubai Tourism’s Annual Visitor Report 2019.
Essam Salah, OceanAir Travels, co-founder and CEO, said: “As we constantly strive to provide the best travel experience to our guests, we are delighted at winning the top award for the world’s best tourism experience, and is a reflection of our continuous cooperation with Dubai Tourism and its efforts to promote Dubai in international markets. OceanAir would like to dedicate this Award to the government and people of the UAE and extends its heartfelt thanks to all guests for their endorsement of our desert offering, and to the company’s dedicated team of tourism professionals for working hard to ensure that visitors are able to enjoy the best handpicked destination experiences in Dubai.”
OceanAir assures that all its experiences are conducted with strict anti-Covid-19 measures in place to ensure the safety of guests and staff.
Jasem Al Shehhi, OceanAir Travels, general manager said the company is going ahead with its future projects to expand its safari projects and heritage restaurants serving locals and tourists alike. He pointed out that the firm established Al Khayma Company, which refers to one of the pillars of the old Emirati house that still exists in the present time, as part of the company’s efforts to create a sustainable tourism environment.
Other experiences in the top 5 are a half-day walking tour in Berlin, Germany, and a daytrip in northern Ireland, which includes Giant’s Causeway tour from Dublin.