The demand for international travel from GCC countries could return a lot earlier than you’d expect, according to a recent survey.
From research conducted by Aviareps with 94 travel agencies across Gulf countries – 24 agencies from Saudi Arabia, 21 from the UAE, 21 from Bahrain, 11 from Qatar, 10 from Kuwait and 7 from Oman – most expect international travel to return to full capacity by August/September time this year, per .
The survey being conducted by Aviareps was first introduced in May and is now being run every month with participating travel agents in order to monitor their expectations on what to expect for the travel industry for the coming months post-COVID-19.
Following recent results, travel agencies are anticipating they will start to promotions for travel in July through until September, with packages on offer which includes everything from flights to accommodation to activities.
The survey, first conducted in early May, is being conducted on a monthly basis in order to monitor travel agent sentiment as outbound travel agencies and destinations prepare for a recovery and return to business while grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on international travel.
The countries that are expected to be the highest in demand include: Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Germany, the Maldives, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Turkey and the UAE.
Interestingly at the end of April, Helal Al Marri, director-general of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, explained the emirate could start welcoming back tourists this summer in a gradual process for things to return to normality.
Of the survey conducted, 60 per cent of the travel agencies are expecting a return of outbound travel from GCC countries in August and September, but 14 per cent aren’t anticipating this will happen before 2021.
Hamdan bin Mohammed says Dubai is “taking off again” https://t.co/nEIHB9xmGC pic.twitter.com/oCQzmMNJM7
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 1, 2020
Just last week, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum highlighted in a meeting he was chairing with the Executive Council at Dubai airport Terminal 3 that Dubai is “taking off again”, describing the airport as the “beating heart of the world”.
“We have learnt from Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to defeat the impossible, and to turn the challenge into an opportunity to consolidate our achievements and benefit from our readiness and to rapidly adapt with the new reality,” the Crown Prince of Dubai explained.
“This experience has provided us with a significant boost ahead to maintain our achievements so Dubai remains the best city in various vital sectors, and to start a new phase with strength and competitiveness.”
This news comes with the recent declaration from Emirates they expect to increase their pool of destinations to 50 by the end of June.
