Oct 22, 2015 3:00 PM

Gallery: For Middle Eastern Tourists, Only One Austrian Ski Town Will Do

Marieke van der Velden
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Maryan, 21, is from Dubai, where she notes things are much different. “We have camels instead of sleighs,” she laughs.
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Fouzia is a financial accountant from Oman. She’s on vacation with her husband Hatam. While other tourists are enjoying a beer, the couple are drinking hot chocolate topped with whipped cream.

Marieke van der Velden
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Ahma and Mona are 20-year-old lawyers from Kuwait. They came to the town for their honeymoon. “This place is very famous! Everyone wants to come here!” they say.
Marieke van der Velden
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A family rides a ski lift to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier.

Marieke van der Velden
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Khaled, his wife Mariam and their four children are from Dubai. The temperatures are an adjustment for some members of the family. “The children keep crying that their hands are cold,” Mariam laughs.
Marieke van der Velden
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A mother and son make a snowman at the Kitzsteinhorn glacier.

Marieke van der Velden
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A woman from Dubai stands at an overlook at the Kitzsteinhorn glacier.
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A girl sports some brightly colored glasses on the slopes.

Marieke van der Velden
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This family comes from Saudi Arabia. The older daughter is wearing a wolf cap her mother bought on eBay for the trip.
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A family on their way to the highest point of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier.

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Mai and Mohammed are from Kuwait. She teaches at a daycare center and he is studying for his masters in Islamic history. The pair are on a three-week trip.
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Mariam is not bothered by the cold and proudly shows her arms which have been decorated with henna.

Marieke van der Velden
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Ali and Samira are from Saudi Arabia. They are having their photo taken with local residents during the traditional feast Zell Edelweisen. “We love it here because it’s so nice and cool and there is no traffic in the city center,” they say.
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The weekly Zell Edelweisen feast is where residents come together to dance and show their traditional costumes and music to tourists.

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