Tourism Breaking News
According to bookings on Skyscanner by UAE travellers for travel this year are up +35% compared to the corresponding week in January 2019 (*comparing redirect volumes for all economy, return flights from UAE 31/12/18 – 6/1/19 versus 2/1/23 to 8/1/23). India, UK, Pakistan, and the Philippines are among top 5 searches from UAE travellers so far. Interestingly in the UAE, Skyscanner’s ‘Everywhere’ search function (which orders destinations by price, highlighting the cheapest destinations for your specific travel dates) also ranks in the top destinations – indicating travellers are considering prices and being flexible about their destinations. Their latest consumer polling (2000 UAE consumers, November 2022) found 69% of people are planning on taking more trips this year, with 24% planning the same number of holidays abroad in 2023 as 2022.
Ayoub El Mamoun, Skyscanner Travel Expert shares, “We’re seeing demand for holidays is extremely high going into 2023, and bookings in the first week in January exceeded the volume during the corresponding week in 2019, pre-pandemic, by over a third (35%). This large wave of interest shows that travellers are eager to make plans, as well as continuing to make up for lost time. Skyscanner surveyed over 2000 UAE consumers in November 2022 and the responses show that people are making experiences a top priority in 2023. In the same survey it was clear that most UAE respondents are planning to travel more than they did in 2022.
There are great deals for those who know how to shop around – and remaining flexible on times and destinations will ultimately bag travellers the best prices. Skyscanner’s travel hacks including calendar view, ‘Everywhere’ search, nearby airports, mix and match airlines, as well as setting up price alerts are all easy ways to compare prices.”
Skyscanner’s guide to the cheapest destinations for summer
| # | Destination | Avg. price in August (based on 2022 data) |
| 1 | Hambantota, Sri Lanka | AED485 |
| 2 | Turbat, Pakistan | AED530 |
| 3 | Astana, Kazakhstan | AED588 |
| 4 | Baku, Azerbaijan | AED601 |
| 5 | Sohag, Egypt | AED610 |
| 6 | Salalah, Oman | AED673 |
| 7 | Aqaba, Jordan | AED691 |
| 8 | Santorini, Greece | AED695 |
| 9 | Almaty, Kazakhstan | AED718 |
| 10 | Kutaisi, Georgia | AED745 |
| 11 | Tirana, Albania | AED794 |
| 12 | Hubli, India | AED826 |
| 13 | Muscat, Oman | AED835 |
| 14 | Sofia, Bulgaria | AED884 |
| 15 | Karachi, Pakistan | AED906 |
| 16 | Bratislava, Slovakia | AED906 |
| 17 | Belgrade, Serbia | AED911 |
| 18 | Manama, Bahrain | AED933 |
| 19 | Yerevan, Armenia | AED956 |
| 20 | Alexandria, Egypt | AED956 |
Top ten cheapest places to go in August 2023 – (cheapest fare available from the UAE found using Skyscanner’s ‘Everywhere’ search on 13/01/2023):
Bosnia and Herzegovina from AED 174
Skyscanner’s tools, broken down for those planning a 2023 trip:
- Month view finds the cheapest day to travel to your chosen destination, if you’re travelling last minute the price difference from day-to-day can be significant.
- Nearest airport will capture any cheaper deals if you’re willing to drive a little bit further than your closest airport.
- Everywhere / Browse View look for all the destinations that can be reached from your departure point, an easy way to save money if you have time but no destination in mind.
- By departure time/arrival time filter means you can maximise every hour of your break: You may even be able to leave a day earlier or stay longer if the flights are late or early on the days either side of your trip.
- Journey duration time filter means you can pick the fastest route: Particularly useful for multi-stop journeys, prioritising options with least time in the air if you’re willing to pay a bit more for maximum time in your destination.
