Tourism Breaking News
Travellers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia are planning to spend more on holidays in 2023, with most in both markets (93%) planning to go away, and more than two thirds in each market (66% in Saudi Arabia and 69% in the UAE planning more breaks than in 2022. Luxury will also be a key theme, with around a quarter planning on staying in luxury accommodation whilst away. The increase in trips and spending is, in part, thanks to more confidence that 2023 holiday plans won’t be impacted by Covid, and the fact that travel remains a priority for Middle Eastern consumers. Sustainability also plays an important role in 2023 travel plans, whilst ‘having a break from it all’ is key for holidaymakers. These are the findings of Marriott Bonvoy’s 2023 Travel Trends research, which analysed the 2023 travel plans of 14,000 travellers across Europe and the Middle East.
Wellbeing-led holidays that allow people to get away from it all will be the predominant type of break those in the Middle East go on. More than six in ten from the UAE (61%) plan to, whilst the figure is even higher for Saudi Arabia (73%). Authentic travel is also key, with many wanting to immerse themselves in a complete change of culture, with over half in both markets (55% in the UAE and 56% in Saudi Arabia) wanting to explore new destinations and cultures. To truly soak up local culture, 30% of those from the UAE and 27% of those from Saudi Arabia plan on taking an ‘extended holiday’ of three weeks or more in one destination. Of those going on an extended holiday, 39% from Saudi Arabia and 37% from the UAE say that it is the first time they will be doing so.
Forty-eight percent of those from the UAE and 44% from Saudi Arabia going on extended holidays highlighted that being able to work remotely allows them to take a longer holiday without having to take annual leave for the whole break. In fact, hybrid and remote working has had a significant impact on travel plans in 2023. Nearly a third of those from the UAE (31%) and 23% from Saudi Arabia plan to take a ‘work-away holiday’ – where they will continue to log on and work whilst travelling, thus allowing them to experience a new place without taking annual leave.
In 2023, the majority of travellers plan to spend more on their holidays compared to the previous year – 74% in the UAE and 69% in Saudi Arabia say that they will. Around a quarter in each market (26% in the UAE and 25% in Saudi Arabia) plan to splash out and stay in luxury accommodation, whilst all-inclusive resorts will also be popular (17% in the UAE and 12% in Saudi Arabia). As a result, consumers from the UAE and Saudi Arabia have high expectations with regards to their holiday accommodation with cost, cleanliness and location the three most important factors. Accompanying booking data from Marriott Bonvoy reveals how resilient luxury demand in the Middle East is, with bookings from April this year for luxury properties up 13% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
With more than nine in ten respondents planning to go away, the majority of travellers are clearly trying to ring fence spending for holidays. Overall 66% of those planning to go away in Saudi Arabia and 69% in UAE say they will be going on more holidays in 2023 compared to the previous year, whilst far fewer say they will be travelling less frequently, suggesting a continued upwards trajectory for the industry post pandemic. This is even more positive in light of data from Marriott Bonvoy which show that bookings in the Middle East from April this year were back to pre-pandemic levels, and are up 30% versus last year.
