83% of bookings are for travel from August onwards, reflecting a rapid recovery in demand but also a degree of caution when it comes to travelling
The UK’s decision to stop advising against non-essential travel to the United Arab Emirates has had an immediate impact on the behaviour of British travellers. According to data from Travel Republic, a brand belonging to the Destinia Group, searches for the UAE have quadrupled, while bookings from the UK to this destination have surged in the latest week analysed, tripling compared with previous weeks.
The change comes after the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office updated its travel advice for the United Arab Emirates on 18 June. The UK authority no longer advises against non-essential travel to the country, although it continues to warn that the regional situation remains unpredictable.
The reaction from the British market has been swift, although not immediate in terms of departure dates. Some 83% of bookings made are for travel from August onwards, indicating that travellers have regained confidence in the destination but prefer to leave a few weeks before travelling. This trend points to demand that had been held back during the weeks of uncertainty and is now beginning to materialise, especially for the final stretch of the summer.
The data also shows clear differences depending on the type of booking. Travellers who book a hotel and purchase their flight separately have an average stay of between 6 and 7 days, while those opting for flight + hotel packages extend their stay to an average of 12 days. In addition, almost all hotel bookings are concentrated in 5-star properties, a long-standing trend for Travel Republic and one that reinforces the UAE’s position as a leading destination for luxury travel.
The main conclusion drawn from these figures is that travel patterns seen prior to the regional conflict are beginning to recover. This recovery is mainly visible in two elements: firstly, the average length of stay per person is increasing again, after having fallen in previous months; secondly, the average spend per booking across the bookings analysed is also recovering and currently stands at around £2,165.
The United Arab Emirates is therefore regaining appeal among British travellers, especially destinations such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which combine air connectivity, a high-end hotel offering and a well-established tourism proposition for both leisure travel and longer stays.
“The UAE has long been one of Travel Republic’s most popular long-haul destinations, so we expected demand to return quickly once confidence improved. The strength of the recovery we’ve seen since the change in travel advice shows there was significant pent-up demand from British travellers. What’s particularly encouraging is that we’re not only seeing bookings return, but also a recovery in average length of stay and spend, both strong indicators of renewed confidence in the destination,” concludes Ricardo Fernández, CEO of the Destinia Group.
