Dubai: When you live in a place like Dubai that’s within a short travel distance to a number of popular destinations, the idea to travel a lot can be tempting and exciting.
However, when it comes to exploring new places abroad, most UAE residents are a budget-conscious lot. According to a new survey, nearly nine out of ten people in the country (85.3 per cent) are willing to spend a maximum of Dh2,500 for a holiday package, which usually covers hotel accommodation and air ticket.
Others, nearly two out of ten, would rather shell out less than Dh500, while a slightly higher number would go for packages in the range of Dh500 to Dh800, Dh800 to Dh1,500 and Dh1,500 to Dh2,000.
HolidayMe, which shared the information gathered from its new survey involving 1,500 respondents in the UAE, indicated that consumers these days are becoming more extra-careful about their outgoings.
“The recent oil prices and stabilisation of some markets might have affected some travel behaviours but we also have much more holidays this year for which travellers are budgeting or factoring in as well,” Geet Bhalla, co-founder and chief executive officer of HolidayMe, told Gulf News.
The recent findings are in line with other bodies or research, which highlighted that UAE consumers are becoming more mindful about how they spend their hard-earned dirhams. According to the latest survey by Nielsen, UAE consumers are still “cautiously optimistic about spending intentions.”
“They continue to be prudent with their expenses, especially when it comes to spending on [non-essentials],” said Arslan Ashraf, managing director for Nielsen Arabia Peninsula and Pakistan.
HolidayME’s research also revealed some information about where UAE residents are interested to travel - if their budget permits.
The top three preferred holiday destinations are Maldives, picked by 27.1 per cent of the respondents, Georgia (16.8 per cent) and the United Kingdom (13 per cent).
Most people (48.3 per cent) are prepared to spend on a holiday once a year, while nearly a third (31.1 per cent) prefer to go on vacation twice a year. Only a small number, 12.6 per cent, said they go on holiday once every three months.
