Staycations and domestic travel to lead GCC tourism recovery from COVID-19

Local tourism and domestic travel are expected to lead the UAE and wider GCC’s recovery from COVID-19 as the lockdown restrictions eases, according to the latest research released ahead of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Virtual that will take place from 1-3 June 2020. The research from Colliers International, in partnership with ATM, revealed the percentage of bookings to Abu Dhabi within a 48km radius increased from just 20 per cent in January 2020 to 43 per cent in March. While, in Dubai, the percentage rose from 19 per cent to 36 per cent.

Adding to this, research by Sojern, suggests staycations are expected to become the most popular choice of travel in the short to medium-term, with data revealing hotel bookings to Abu Dhabi within a 48km radius accounted for 77 per cent of all bookings in April and domestic travel from Dubai accounting for 91 per cent of searches and bookings within the same radius.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said, “We are now beginning to see a sense of pent up demand due to an eagerness among the larger populace to make up for lost time and cancelled plans. Travellers still want to go on holiday, but safety has become a top priority. As a result, the staycation trend is expected to grow in the coming months, with residents keen to take a break away from their home for a few days in a location that is familiar to them, whilst flights are grounded, and international travel restrictions still in place.”

“As travel and tourism begins to return, it is crucial that hotels add value to their existing offerings with incentives such as F&B discounts for in-house guests, free upgrades and booking flexibility that enables free cancellation if personal circumstances were to change as well as reinvented loyalty programmes with increased offers and points in an attempt to stimulate demand through their existing customer bases,” Curtis said.