The number of travellers from Saudi Arabia visiting the United Arab Emirates increased by a significant amount in the final quarter of last year, the latest data from Expedia Group has revealed.
According to the data, Saudi Arabia is one of the highest generators of traffic volume for the whole of the GCC with more than 1.25 million tourists.
Dubai is continuing to focus on Saudi families as well as promotions and tourist campaigns in the country, ensuring that the customised line-up of lifestyle, event and entertainment offerings is accessible and relevant to the market.
Saudi Arabia and the GCC are key priorities of the strategic agenda of Dubai Tourism, which is continuing to increase its investment in stronger alliances with the travel ecosystem of the country.
The move is a reflection of how valuable such partnerships can be, particularly through integrated sales and marketing activities.
There is a significant degree of continuing stability in the attractiveness of Dubai for Saudi Arabian millennials.
The growing number of hotels in the city means that premium accommodation prices are affordable and competitive for those wanting to go to Dubai for either short trips or long-term visits.
Dubai’s short-term rentals industry is also on the rise, meaning that millennials from Saudi Arabia have a greater range of choice in regard to options for accommodation.
Travellers are also increasingly opting to pay more in order to receive personalised service at luxury high-end hotels in order to avoid compromising on their holiday experience.
With its residences, serviced apartments and luxury hotels, Dubai is capable of accommodating big families as well as large groups of individuals who may be travelling together.
Data from Arabian Travel Market 2018 suggests that 73% of the luxury properties of the entire region are in the UAE, which is likely to continue to lead the luxury segment in the GCC for at least the next two years to 2022.
This data is confirmed by Dubai Tourism Statistics, with a 2019 report showing that Dubai has as many as 717 apartment buildings and hotels offering tourist accommodation with 118,039 available rooms.
The reports give a strong indication that tourists from Saudi Arabia who visit the emirate have seemingly limitless options in regard to luxury accommodation.
The robust rise in the number of families travelling to Dubai from key markets and from Saudi Arabia, in particular, exemplifies the emirate’s growing appeal as a must-see family destination that is popular all year round.
Expedia Group’s senior director of market management for the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and the Indian Ocean Paula de Keijzer says that a major increase in visitor numbers from GCC countries to the UAE is expected with the upcoming Expo 2020.
Most of that increase will be coming from Saudi Arabia, De Keijzer adds.
Anyone who is travelling to Dubai or elsewhere in the UAE from Saudi Arabia or overseas should take out travel insurance to prevent financial loss in the event of cancelled flights or lost luggage.
