AlUla, Dubai, London top Saudi Arabia’s travel trends: Report
A new report has revealed the latest travel trends of Saudi travelers venturing abroad and exploring the Kingdom domestically.
The top international destinations for Saudi travelers include Dubai, Cairo, London, Istanbul, and Doha, a new report published by Saudi Arabia’s leading travel company Almosafer revealed days before the opening of the Arabia Travel Market (ATM 2023).
Since the resumption of travel to Turkey in the summer of 2022, the destination shot back up to one of the top choices for Saudi travelers. On the other hand, Doha has retained its appeal to Saudi travelers as a leisure destination, even after the World Cup last year.
Other trending destinations include Rome, Bangkok, and Seoul, with other Asian destinations also gaining popularity.
Domestic travel in Saudi Arabia
The report also showed that the demand for domestic travel in the Kingdom remains very strong, despite the full resumption of international travel. In the year to date, domestic bookings have accounted for 56 percent of total bookings, up from 47 percent for the same period pre-pandemic in 2019. On the domestic side, all-time favorite domestic destinations Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Mecca, and Abha continue to dominate, while trending destinations for trips within the Kingdom include AlUla, Taif and Najran.
Regarding booking channels, the data shows that 89 percent of total bookings are made online compared to 11 percent made offline. This shows a need for advice through WhatsApp, call centers or retail branches for more complex itineraries.
This is especially true for domestic bookings, where almost half (49 percent) of all bookings are placed via retail channels, indicating that Saudi travelers seek travel advice for leisure trips in their own country.
Almosafer’s report also shows that Saudi travelers are spending more on longer trips. The average trip length has increased by 13 percent to 9.1 days, up from 8 days in 2019, whereas the average order value has increased by 15 percent since pre-pandemic.
The data shows that this shift is even more amplified in domestic trips. While domestic travel used to be driven by shorter trips for purposes such as visiting family, friends, or special occasions, Saudis now consider their own country a destination to explore, as they spend more money on longer leisure trips in the Kingdom.
There has also been a significant increase in the average length of domestic trips of 36 percent to 5-day trips in 2023 compared to 3.7 days in 2019. Longer trips mean that travelers are also spending more money, with the average order value for domestic trips increasing by 40 percent in 2023 compared to 2019. The average booking window for domestic travel has also increased by 12 percent to 7.7 days in 2023, up from 6.9 days in 2019, suggesting that Saudis are spending more time to plan their domestic trips.
Bookings for 5-star hotels
Overall, bookings for five-star hotels have also increased from 46 percent of total hotel bookings in 2019 to 52 percent in 2023. This increase in spending mirrors the global trend as people are choosing more luxurious and meaningful experiences since travel has rebounded. Domestically, Saudis are also spending more money on luxury accommodation now that there is a wider range of options available with the introduction of luxury hotels and resort brands to the Kingdom in locations such as AlUla.
Travelers are also showing an increasingly strong preference for low-cost carriers over full service carriers when booking flights. In 2023, bookings for low-cost carriers accounted for 62 percent of total flight bookings, up from 47 percent in 2019, while bookings for full-service carriers decreased from 53 percent in 2019 to 38 percent in 2023. This increase in bookings for low-cost carriers reflects the increase in capacity and routes, and travelers opt for more economical flight choices so they can spend more at their destination instead.
Other trends include an increase in the number of solo travelers, who account for 24 percent of travelers in 2023, up from 14 percent in 2019, and for customers of Almosafer Concierge, wellness experiences and luxury honeymoon island stays are emerging as the top trends.
Muzzammil Ahussain, Chief Executive Officer of Almosafer, said: “The incredible appetite for travel remains undiminished in the Kingdom and our report shows that people continue to grasp opportunities to travel both internationally and domestically. They are spending more money on longer trips and meaningful experiences when they travel. What is also becoming apparent is that Saudi Arabia has become a leisure destination for many Saudis who are beginning to discover the wealth of attractions at their own doorstep.”
