According to research revealed at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022 by consumer intelligence company D/A., GCC travelers are looking to make up for the lost time when it comes to travel, with the anticipation of new experiences dominating conversations. The UAE and Saudi top the MENA region list of where GCC travelers plan to travel.
The new report touches on the vital role GCC travelers have in driving and accelerating tourism recovery.
The research is based on the analysis of over four million social media posts and comments from more than two million Arabic-speaking unique users in the GCC. The number of travel conversations and posts about travel increased by 110 and 151 percent respectively, between 2019 and 2021.
Speaking on the ATM Global Stage, Paul Kelly, Managing Partner, D/A, said: “Travel conversations increased to over 1.3 million in 2021, underscoring the willingness by Arabic speakers in the GCC to travel, regardless of age or nationality. We are ultimately witnessing the pent-up demand from the last two years coming to the fore as borders reopen, flights are back on track, and restrictions are lifted.”
Moreover, GCC travelers have a vital role in tourism recovery, a direct result of their spending power.
According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), GCC travelers spend 6.5 times more than the global average, with 40 percent of GCC travelers spending more than 36,700 Emirati riyals on their last trip to Europe. Travelers from Saudi are reportedly the highest travel spenders globally.
“Overall, when it comes to the GCC traveler, the conversations indicate that something new is the order of the moment. Even in the familiar, a new experience is at the top of the wish list for that intent on traveling soon – a huge change from what we have seen in the past year or two,” Kelly added.
Furthermore, according to the D/A research, the UAE was the most popular destination in the MENA region, followed by Saudi, Kuwait, Egypt, and Qatar. In Europe, the UK was the most popular destination, followed by France, Germany, and Italy, with Switzerland rounding out the top five list.
