As restrictions continue to ease across the region, and businesses are beginning to return to maximum capacity, things are looking up for travel intent to the Middle East and Africa (MEA), as per a study by Sojern. Travel searches to key markets within the region are gradually increasing. This is particularly noticeable in Dubai where shopping malls and private businesses are now allowed to operate at 100% capacity. Just two weeks ago, flight searches to Dubai were down 85% year-over-year, but now stand at only 40% below the same time last year, showing the positive impact that the ease of restrictions is having on travellers dreaming of returning to the city and region as a whole.
Staycations and daycations continue to offer hotels across the region a chance to begin their path to recovery – especially those that can offer facilities such as swimming pools or beach access. This is highlighted by the rate of recovery of luxury hotels, which are more likely to offer the facilities that domestic travellers are seeking. ‘Workations’ are another opportunity to welcome guests back to hotels, with an increasing number of hotels offering pop-up co-working spaces for those who no longer have an office or a suitable home-working area. These short-term solutions are likely assisting in the steady growth of domestic hotel bookings across MEA.
UAE hotel searches over the last few weeks are displaying a more noticeable downturn. This could be related to the high number of searches that occurred prior to Eid for locals looking for somewhere to celebrate the festive period. This peak in searches may have made the more recent drop appear more exaggerated than that experienced with bookings.