Middle Eastern luxury travellers plan to go abroad
Almost half of luxury travellers in the Middle East are planning to travel internationally in 2021, according to a survey by YouGov
The latest data analysis produced by YouGov for Reed Exhibitions, the organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), has revealed that 46 per cent of luxury travellers in the Middle East are planning to travel internationally at some stage during 2021.
The survey also asked the same recipients if they were planning to take a domestic holiday or staycation during 2021 and more than half (52 per cent) of the respondents confirmed that they would. Furthermore, 25 per cent of respondents were planning to make a business trip, either domestically or internationally and four per cent of respondents had no plans to travel anywhere in 2021.
YouGov, which defines luxury travellers as those who tend to fly business or first-class and stay in five-star accommodation, also asked luxury travellers in the Middle East about their frequency of travel – 31 per cent of respondents said they planned to travel twice over the next 12 months and 25 per cent confirmed they were planning on making at least one overseas trip.
Travellers are most concerned about health risks
According to the survey, Middle Eastern luxury travellers are keen on destinations with outstanding natural beauty (34 per cent), beach holidays (34 per cent), conducive climate (29 per cent) and connectivity (28 per cent). The survey also uncovered that luxury travellers in the Middle East are most concerned about the health risks associated with travelling (43 per cent) and safety (35 per cent).
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director at ATM, said: “Luxury travellers from the Middle East are more likely to travel with their children, compared with those from other regions. And when you add that fact to their planned frequency of travel, it makes the Middle East’s outbound luxury travel sector one of the most sought after globally.
“With vaccines being rolled out across the world, travel professionals operating in the luxury segment will welcome the insight this survey has provided, which affords them the opportunity to further develop their marketing strategies for the Middle East region and beyond.”