Skyscanner, a leading global travel platform, has recently released a highly anticipated report showcasing the emerging travel trends for 2024.
The report has shown a remarkable surge in the demand for travel among UAE residents following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, with approximately 90 percent of UAE travellers have expressing their intention to embark on an equal or higher number of trips abroad in 2024, compared to the previous year.
As travel demand soars, ticket prices also surge during peak periods, such as long weekends, summer holidays, and winter breaks.
These prices, however, are expected to fall in 12 to 18 months, John Mangelaars, Skyscanner’s chief executive officer told Arabian Business in an exclusive interview.
“The demand [for travel] is high as people couldn’t travel during Covid-19, however the supply side is still behind – the reason being aircrafts were retired, pilots were retired with some of them leaving the industry. Crew had to be retrained as well. So we are still on the right level of capacity, however there is some tension in the in the pricing system,” Mangelaars explained.
“The good news is, I think prices will come down 12 to 18 months from now, as aircrafts come online, recruiters being trained and also with new airports openings,” he said, adding “aircrafts are more efficient, so therefore they can fly at lower prices.”
Best booking day of the week
When asked which day is ideally the best day to book a flight ticket at the best rates, Mangelaars revealed that it is Tuesday.
“It is best to take your time and research properly before booking your ticket. Tuesday, in particular, is because typically if you look at the week, we see searching for their flight tickets over the weekend. They will then speak to their family or friends and book on Tuesday, which is early into the work week. Moreover, airlines are also well aware of this and they would ideally place their best rates accordingly,” he said.
Travel trends of 2024 for UAE residents
According to Skyscanner’s recent report, UAE residents are planning to increase their travel in 2024 compared to 2023.
The report highlights that factors such as value for money regarding hotels and flights play a significant role in influencing travel decisions.
Approximately 16 percent and 32 percent of respondents consider the cost of accommodations and airfare, respectively, as the most significant factors when choosing their travel destination.
The report also reveals that specific destinations, including Orlando, the Maldives, Rome, and Munich, have experienced a decrease in airfare compared to the corresponding period in 2023.
Despite cost considerations, the study emphasises that another crucial factor surpassing price is the overall “vibe” of a destination.
Over 42 percent of UAE residents stated that the ambiance or atmosphere of a place is a crucial element when selecting a holiday destination.
When asked what is defined as a “vibe,” Mangelaars revealed that Skyscanner will soon introduce an AI tool which lets the system define what the vibes are.
“So the tool would be designed in such a way that the core of it lies on great deals, as per the individual’s preference of taking either direct flights or connectivity flights. Then, we also doing quite a bit of work on the exploring, and organising part of the whole experience,” he said, adding that the experience is more important than the destination.
“I think in the past people would have liked to visit London, or Paris, to check it off of their list. But now, it is more like people would like to visit a place for the whole experience – such as camping, using local transport, and more,” he added.
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