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Juan Gomez, Head of Market Intelligence at ForwardKeys says: ” Overall, confirmed tickets for international arrivals in the Middle East during the second half of 2023 are up by 12% vs the same moment last year.  Oman (+31%), the UAE (+29%) and Saudi Arabia (+15%) are leading the way with double-digit growths. In 2023, the Middle East’s impressive tourism performance continues, with a projected increase in international arrivals compared to the previous year in the remaining six months. Most destinations are on track to match or exceed their 2022 numbers, a testament to the relentless efforts of local authorities in transforming the region into a global tourism powerhouse.” He adds: “While destinations like Qatar may not reach the exceptional volumes of 2022 due to the FIFA World Cup’s influence, neighbouring countries continue to bask in the afterglow of last year’s sporting spectacle. Countries such as Jordan and Egypt show forward booking levels lower than the previous year, but this situation remains dynamic, and an upward trend could materialize as the year progresses.” However, destinations like Qatar (-30%) may not reach the exceptional volumes of 2022 due to the FIFA World Cup’s influence. Countries such as Jordan (+7%) and Egypt (-4%) show forward booking levels around 2022 levels, but this situation remains dynamic, and an upward trend could materialize as the year progresses.

SAUDIA shares that there was a noteworthy 52% increase in the number of international guests transported during the first half of 2023, with a total of 7.4 million guests. Additionally, the airline operated 37,600 flights, marking a significant 30% growth. SAUDIA extended its reach to four continents, accumulating an impressive 180,700 flight hours, a remarkable 40% increase compared to previous periods. The report also underscores the successful transport of 6.3 million guests on domestic routes, achieved through the operation of 47,700 flights, accumulating 80,800 flight hours. SAUDIA (Saudi Arabian Airlines) continues to contribute to the development of tourism, business, Hajj and Umrah sectors with their remarkable operational performance, as evident by the performance report for the first half of 2023. The report highlights the transportation of over 13.7 million guests on both domestic and international routes, representing a substantial 24% increase compared to the same period last year. This impressive feat was accomplished through the operation of 85,400 flights, reflecting a growth rate of 6%. Furthermore, flight hours surged by an impressive 22%, reaching a total of 261,600 hours. Notably, the overall flight punctuality rate reached an impressive 86,3%. Capt. Ibrahim Koshy, CEO of SAUDIA, highlighted the outstanding flight operations, punctuality rates, and guest transportation achieved during this period. These accomplishments align with the airline’s commitment to efficiency and operational safety, which are of paramount importance. Capt. Koshy also emphasized the crucial role played by the national flag carrier in supporting the growth of the tourism, business, Hajj and Umrah sectors through strategic partnerships. Moreover, SAUDIA has increased its seat capacity and flight frequency to cater to the growing demand for travel, firmly establishing itself as a key player in …

Despite the widespread adoption of Airline Loyalty Programs (ALP), the results of the recent survey reveal passengers feel unable to make the most of them with over half (58%) unsure where they can redeem points and 64% unaware of the value of their points in the UAE and Singapore. A survey was conducted online by YouGov. The study polled 1500 travellers from Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore who have travelled by air in the last 18 months. In Dubai there is a high adoption of loyalty programs in general, with more than half of respondents here already a member of airline loyalty programs. More travellers prefer travelling for leisure with family/partners/alone. This market shows the highest willingness for ALP among the non-members, however, has the lowest awareness of the redemption process. There is a high adoption of loyalty programs in Dubai, with more than half of respondents are already a member of an ALP – with respondents citing class upgrades, discounts on travel experiences and exclusive lounge access as the most appealing elements of an ALP. However, of the markets surveyed, Dubai travellers were the least aware of the redemption process. Conversely, in Dubai non-members were the most willing to try an ALP. Infrequent flying and insufficient knowledge of ALP benefits were the top barriers to membership. Free seat reservation and great customer experience were deemed to be the main motivating factors to join. Overall, more than half of respondents said they are looking for more customised experiences – in particular flexible bookings, access to travel documentation and additional discounts. Almost six in ten (58%) agreed they are more likely to buy additional services from an airline when targeted with …

According to the latest data from UNWTO, the Middle East saw the strongest performance as the only region exceeding 2019 arrivals (+15%) and the first to recover pre-pandemic numbers in a full quarter. International tourism is well on its way to returning to pre-pandemic levels, with twice as many people travelling during the first quarter of 2023 than in the same period of 2022. Overall, international arrivals reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023. An estimated 235 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months, more than double the same period of 2022. Tourism has continued to show its resilience. Revised data for 2022 shows over 960 million tourists travelling internationally last year, meaning two-thirds (66%) of pre-pandemic numbers were recovered. Europe reached 90% of pre-pandemic levels, driven by strong intra-regional demand. Africa reached 88% and the Americas about 85% of 2019 levels whilst Asia and the Pacific accelerated its recovery with  54% of pre-pandemic levels, but this upward trend is set to accelerate now that most destinations, particularly China, have re-opened. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “The start of the year has shown again tourism’s unique ability to bounce back. In many places, we are close to or even above pre-pandemic levels of arrivals. However, we must remain alert to challenges ranging from geopolitical insecurity, staffing shortages, and the potential impact of the cost-of-living crisis on tourism, and we must ensure tourism’s return delivers on its responsibilities as a solution to the climate emergency and as a driver of inclusive development.” International tourism receipts grew back to hit the USD1 trillion mark in 2022, growing 50% in real terms compared to 2021, driven by …

Dubai welcomed 4.67 million international overnight visitors in the first quarter of 2023, compared to 3.97 million tourists during the same period in 2022. This marks a 17 % YoY growth and the city’s best Q1 performance since the pandemic, placing it firmly on track to becoming the most visited international destination, according to the latest data published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). The growth, which sets the city on course to full tourism recovery, contributes to the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai this January, to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three cities. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “The remarkable growth in international visitation achieved by Dubai in the first quarter of 2023 demonstrates the city’s emergence as one of the key destinations leading the way in the rebound of the global tourism sector. This achievement has been made possible by the far-reaching vision of the leadership to transform Dubai into one of the world’s fastest-growing metropolises and the globe’s pre-eminent hub for travel, talent, entrepreneurship and investment. The Dubai Economic Agenda recently launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, charts an ambitious new path for Dubai to enhance its contributions to shaping the future of the global economy. The tourism sector is not only the strongest pillars of our economy but also a key enabler …

According to new independent research commissioned by Travelport, consumers want the travel industry to get modern. The study, entitled “What Consumers Want,” revealed multiple gaps that explain the lacking trust customers have in travel retailers, namely the lack of simplified and intuitive experiences, easy support and transparency. For the travel industry, this insight offers valuable considerations and opportunities to generate more sales and customer loyalty. “The travel industry is poised to build on the goodwill it earned during the pandemic by getting modern and giving consumers the simple, easy and supportive experience they expect,” said Jen Catto, Chief Marketing Officer at Travelport. “According to new research commissioned by Travelport, customers prefer shopping in every other retailing sector over travel. Now that the industry is recovering, there is an enormous opportunity for travel brands to reinvest in their customer experiences, earning them customer loyalty while increasing their revenue simultaneously. It’s a win-win.” Supporting the belief that ‘time is money,’ Travelport’s study confirmed consumers spend more time online searching rather than buying — consulting reviews, seeking recommendations, and looking into other factors of what an offer includes. The study revealed that the majority (69%) of consumers research a purchase online daily or weekly, with very few (only 2%) stating that they never research a purchase online. Travelport also found that nearly all consumers (93%) believe that the best modern retailers make it easy for them to find exactly what they want. With various options available for every aspect of a trip, this is particularly crucial for travel retailers. Full transparency is what most consumers (90%) desire most, meaning modern retailers must share full product information upfront in order to help consumers save …

Sojern shares its latest data highlighting that the Middle East continues to build on its strong 2022 travel momentum. With relatively quick bouncebacks from COVID-19 in the UAE, and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) seeking to secure its place on the tourist map with an ambitious visitor push, it’s looking like strong travel intent to the region will continue well into 2023. As of February, Sojern sees that 2023 flight searches are up year on year (YoY) globally; 72% from APAC, 48% from EMEA, 36% from US & Canada, 30% from LATAM and 23% from Caribbean. With last year’s FIFA World Cup boosting travel recovery in the region, Sojern looks at the current state of play for travel now that the tournament dust has settled. Demand for Regional Hotels Up on 2019 Levels in Many Middle Eastern Countries Several recent reports highlight that Middle East destinations are leading global travel recovery, in part boosted by Dubai’s 2020 Expo and last year’s World Cup. Sojern’s latest lodging data supports this positive picture and sees that 2023 interest from most origins to the region is high and even above January 2019 levels. Inbound travel demand from African, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Latin American (LATAM) markets continue to grow with KSA showing one of the most marked increases in demand. The country sees a 541% increase in 2023 versus 2019 international lodging searches from Africa, 358% from Europe, 279% from LATAM, 251% from the United States and 2,547% from Canada. This uplift suggests that their tourist ambitions to draw 100 million visitors annually by the end of the decade appear to be off to a strong start. Qatar continues to ride the World Cup …

Wego revealed the top booking trends for Ramadan. Ramadan is just around the corner, and with it comes a surge in demand for hotel bookings across the UAE. Ramadan brings in a vast number of tourists and locals alike, looking to indulge in the traditions, customs, and festivities that are part and parcel of this holy month. Travellers worldwide are showing an increased willingness to venture beyond their immediate surroundings, leading to a rise in travel-related activities. Spike in Airfare Rates As we enter the month of Ramadan, airfares from the UAE are expected to increase compared to the same period last year. Cheap flights may be harder to come by as the prices for flights to India and the UK have already risen between 13 to 32 percent, according to our data. This year’s Ramadan is coinciding with school breaks, which could be a reason for the instant spike in travel demand. We expect to see a further increase in airfares as we approach the Eid break. We saw that the price for flights to India, for instance, have increased to Dh713.06, up from Dh627.37 in 2022. Similarly, travel to the UK and popular European destinations also experienced rate hikes compared to February 2022. High occupancy rates for hotels Dubai’s hospitality sector saw a strong rebound in 2022 after the COVID pandemic, with 14.36 million international visitors arriving in the emirate and daily occupancy remained over 70% throughout the year.  Due to a busy event schedule and the upcoming Ramadan season, hotel rooms in Dubai have experienced slight price increase and limited availability compared to last year. Many hotels were close to full occupancy due to conferences and the …

Global travel marketplace Skyscanner highlights the top searched destinations from the UAE during the week of half term holidays. According to the latest update, searches are up +185% compared to the previous year and booking windows for flights in February also see an increase compared to 2022, suggesting a return to pre-pandemic booking windows as consumer confidence continues to grow and travellers book flights earlier. Travel searches within the GCC – top 3: Saudi Arabia (+494% increase compared to previous year) Qatar (+626% increase compared to previous year) Oman (+231% increase compared to previous year)   International travel searches – top 10 India (+292% increase compared to previous year) Pakistan (+246% increase compared to previous year) United Kingdom (+178% increase compared to previous year) Egypt (+238% increase compared to previous year) Thailand (+522% increase compared to previous year) Philippines (-16% decrease compared to previous year) Maldives (+569% increase compared to previous year) Italy (+103% increase compared to previous year) Germany (+143% increase compared to previous year) United States (+162% increase compared to previous year) Flight bookings made more than 30 days before departure in February 2023 are up 7% compared to 2022, whilst flight bookings made less than 30 days before departure are down 6% from the previous year.

Faced with increased disruptions, baggage mountains, and staff shortages, airports and airlines are ramping up their investment in technology to digitalize their operations and speed up the passenger journey by offering more self-service options. SITA’s 2022 Air Transport IT Insights report, published reveals that with the post-pandemic recovery CIOs want to ensure operations are as agile and resilient as they are efficient, with IT solutions seen as central to their success. This has spurred an acceleration of digitalization, with airlines and airports looking to key technology solutions to fortify their operations against disruption while automating the passenger experience. The industry’s IT spend is projected to continue its steady year-on-year growth trend since 2020 to support this push for digitalization, with a full 96% of airlines and 93% of airports expecting their IT spend to stay the same or increase in 2023 compared to 2022. Last year airline and airport IT spend rose to an estimated 37 billion USD and 6.8 billion USD respectively. David Lavorel, CEO, SITA, said: “Air travel has recovered faster from the pandemic than anyone in the industry had initially expected, particularly in Europe and the US. While the recovery is welcome, airports and airlines have found themselves on the back foot with staff and resource shortages. This has put strain on operations, resulting in an increased risk of congestion, delays, cancellations and mishandled baggage. Digitalization is seen as key to addressing these challenges, providing more scalability and flexibility.” Airlines are placing great emphasis on IT tools to manage irregular operations and provide the best passenger experience possible even amid staff shortages. Over the next three years, 90% or more of airlines are investing in IT service …