Dubai: When travelling abroad from the UAE, travellers are depending on online payments for safety and security reasons, a recent study by payments provider Visa revealed.
The 2023 Global Travel Intentions Study by Visa revealed that 70 per cent of outbound travellers like to use digital wallets for payments abroad.
The survey found that a majority of residents, 83 per cent, were opting to use their local bank cards abroad due to easy acceptance and relatively lower fees.
Salima Gutieva, Vice President and Country Manager for the UAE, Visa, said, “The latest Visa Global Travel Intentions Study reflects the UAE’s robust travel sector and a strong shift towards digital payments, signaling a surge in consumer confidence.”
Travel preferences
The most popular destinations that residents head to are India, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Surveyed outbound travellers went on an average of two international trips for around 10 days in the last 12 months. A total of 1,101 respondents (18 to 55-year-olds) in the country were surveyed.
The reason for travel varied but more than half of the surveyed residents said relaxation was a top priority. Meeting family and friends came next, while exploring something new and adventure travel also made the list of priorities for travellers heading abroad.
Payment concerns
85 per cent of travellers are worried about payments before their trip, the survey showed. Card acceptance (29 per cent), the cost of currency conversion at the destination (26 per cent) and ATM withdrawal costs (24 per cent) were the biggest concerns.
Families with kids tend to spend the most while at the destination but Gen Z spend the most ahead of the trip, Visa’s study found. During travel, based on data from Visa, people spend the most money on fashion-related transactions, restaurants or cafes, and accommodation.
Visa, and other payment services providers, motivate travel spending on cards with major partner discounts in accomodation, flights, dining, and lifestyle sectors. Additionally, the points-based system also adds to the appeal of spending using existing cards for accrued benefits. All these factors, in addition to fees and payment security features, add to the attractiveness of choosing a local bank card to use abroad.
