Tourism Breaking News
According to Skyscanner’s latest research, in association with OnePoll, a huge 98% of UAE travellers are open to travelling to more alternative or lesser-known destinations with more than three quarters (77%) saying they would be likely to swap their holiday favourites for an alternative option if it meant they were likely to save money. Ayoub El Mamoun, Skyscanner Travel Expert, says, “The desire for new and alternative destinations appears to be increasing this year, as in 2022, only 41% of global travellers surveyed said that they wanted to explore new places versus returning to an old favourite. We’re seeing a big uplift in the number of searches for underrated destinations from the UAE, including Hanoi (+373%) and Osaka (+332%) to name a few. With almost half (48%) of UAE travellers yet to book their summer holiday this year, according to our latest research, and 41% of those admitting that they’re still deciding on where to go, Skyscanner is on hand to help find them find a lesser known and cheaper alternative to their usual holiday hot spot.”
Over three quarters (76%) of UAE travellers already prefer alternative holiday destinations versus the more tried and true classic hotspots (20%), citing cost savings (24%) and the ability to escape the crowds (27%) as their top reasons why. Skyscanner data reveals it pays to swap. For example, UAE travellers when looking for a European city break could swap popular Paris (with return flights from Abu Dhabi AED 308 this August) for the lesser-known city of Bucharest (with return flights from AED 171 this August) and save 44% on the cost of their flights alone. Head to the old town in Bucharest to discover they city’s exciting past, lively restaurants, large parks and plenty of museums. It is also considered as one of Europe’s safest and most affordable destinations.
Alternatively, UAE travellers looking for a beach holiday could swap Phuket (with return flights from AED 1,697 this August) for Sardinia (with return flights from AED 658 this August) and save 61% on their flights. Sardinia is known for its mesmerising beaches, crystal clear sea, extraordinary nature for hiking, and delicious seafood cuisine. Or UAE travellers wanting that bucket list holiday could swap New York (with return flights from AED 3,014 this August) for Tokyo (with return flights from AED 2,092 this August) and save 30%. Tokyo has so much to offer from second-hand shopping boutiques to laid-back roof-top gardens, and quaint traditional restaurants, they city is full of life and activities during any part of the day.
