SCOTLAND is experiencing a huge increase in Arab visitors, and spending by tourists from the Middle East almost doubled from (pounds) 19.5m to (pounds) 36m between 2000 and 2002.
The tourism boom brought the royal family of Bahrain to Edinburgh for two weeks, and three generations of one Kuwaiti family came to Glasgow for a few days and ended up staying for a month.
VisitScotland has recorded a steady rise in the Arab market from 20,000 in 2000 to 28,000 in 2001.
Numbers in 2002 dropped slightly because of the international situation, but VisitScotland believes the trend has more than resumed its upwards thrust.
A spokesman said: ''Scotland is a growing market as far as the Middle East is concerned. Arabs are keen on Scotland because it is different and we are keen to make it a top destination for them.''
The Middle East market is worth an estimated (pounds) 700m a year to the UK. The main recipients are London and the rest of England.
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