The presence of British Arabs
There are about 800 thousand British Arabs, a number that increases in the summer and may reach a million and a half visitors, according to Mediareach. The visitors are mainly from the Gulf region, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine and Morocco.
Most British Arabs are concentrated within London, especially in Borough of Westminster, the most expensive area in London, and Knightsbridge, known for its restaurants. At the same time, however, there are some British Arabs who reside in poor neighborhoods.
Moving between the Arab World and the UK is not random. It’s been around for ages.
The Arab countries were the primary destination of Britons in Islam, and Arabic was the language of knowledge. On the other hand, the first known Arab community was in the UK a long time ago. It was founded by Yemeni sailors settling near London ports in the late 19th century.
The reasons behind the presence of Arab communities in the UK
There are various reasons for having Arab communities in the UK. Among them is the inclination of some Arabs to invest in Britain or obtain an outstanding British education. It could also be due to tourism, especially in summer, shopping of British products, especially luxury products, migration, for example, improving living conditions, or escaping from political instability.
The reasons that led to the Arab’s selection of Britain are the result of the many privileges Britain has, including:
A cosmopolitan capital: London is a multicultural and diverse city inhabited by people worldwide. It’s a city that proudly celebrates its diversity and inclusiveness, which help people in business communicate with different nationalities and establish international business relations.
Summer weather: The summer weather in Britain is milder. So, many Arabs want to go to the UK in the summer due to the high temperature in the Arab region, which in some areas can reach 50°C.
Shopping: the UK offers products and services that conform to British Arab privacy. For example, you can find lots of halal restaurants suitable for the majority of Muslim Arabs. The kingdom also thrives on the luxuries many wealthy Arab visitors ask for in Britain, even more than their interest in British cuisine.
Education at an international level: Britain is the destination of a lot of international students; more than 400,000 international students enroll in UK universities per year. The UK has more than 140 universities that are recognized worldwide.
Diversity and inclusion marketing for British Arabs:
The key to understanding the needs of Arabs on a larger scale lies in the Marketers’ recognition of the reasons that make the UK an attractive place for Arabs. Thus, there would be a greater capacity to provide products that help them achieve the purpose Arabs came for.
British Arabs make significant purchases that contribute to improving the British economy and driving the market. It will lead to competition among businesses to attract them.
However, the competition among businesses to attract Arab customers in Britain requires more than just acknowledging these reasons. To win the competition, a company will have to convince Arabs of its genuine interest.
It is therefore important to understand the target market properties and diversity and what distinguishes them from others so that they can market their products more effectively.
References:
https://mediareach.co.uk/arabs-love-london/
https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/why-arabs-love-london-1.451629
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Arabs
https://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/05/27/arabic_london_feature.shtml
https://stepfeed.com/5-reasons-why-arabs-love-london-2791
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/British_Arabs
https://www.brightworldguardianships.com/en/guardianship/british-education-system/
