STUNNED tourism chiefs are being inundated by requests from Arabs with a taste for fish and chips, rollercoasters and kiss me quick hats.

New figures taken over an 18-week period show that around 5,000 of them a week have been tapping into a new website promoting the North West.

In all 90,000 people from the tiny Middle Eastern state of Qatar have been inquiring about the resort.

Officials from the North West Tourist Board believe Arabs have a liking for the Blackpool sands as well as the sands of deserts.

The claims are being supported by tourism bosses in the town. Head of tourism for Blackpool Borough Council Jane Seddon explained that links with the United Arab Emerates stretched back 10 years when the first council representative was invited to Saudi Arabia and Jedda.

"There has been a steady rise in the number of Arabs visitors -- you only have to walk around the town to see that.

"Although we can't take any credit for this from any recent marketing activities, we do produce a mini guide in Arabic and we always get an upsurge in requests for information after articles appear in the Middle East newspaper."

Plans to turn Blackpool into a Las Vegas-style gambling resort are also being linked to its popularity.

Qataris have shown more interest than any of our European neighbours, Australia or the Far East and they spend more money.

According to NWTB figures, the average holidaymaker visiting Britain spends on average £300 per week.

The average Arab holidaymaker spends five times more at a staggering £1,500.

With no income tax, free education and healthcare, people in Quatar have plenty of extra spending power.

The country is a popular tourist destination itself. It boasts beautiful unspoiled beaches, excellent duty-free shopping and some of the best hotels in the world.

Around half-a-million people live in the small peninsula measuring 160km long which juts out from the Saudia Arabian coast.

The site has had a million hits since it was launched in April to promote the region in the wake of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

But the amount of interest created in Qatar has stunned the board.

Simon Dey, spokesman for the NWTB, said: "We have been very surprised by the amount of hits from Qatar.

"The Americans and Canadians always show the most interest but we never imagined a tiny, little place like Qatar could be keen on the North West and Blackpool.

"Arabs are keen to have a good time and Blackpool has a world reputation for being lively, brash and fun.

"It's amazing to think Bedouins in the desert are tapping into our website to find out about eating fish and chips along the Golden Mile. It's obviously too much of a temptation.

"Whole families from Qatar are coming over and hotels are catering for their religious and cultural needs.

"This summer we have heard about families renting an entire hotel in Blackpool.

"And they spend more money than anyone else. They really want to do the same as us Brits do and have a good time in one of the most exciting resorts in the world."