UAE, Saudi Arabia travellers prefer premium travel experiences, reveals study

Travel for business, leisure, and even ‘bleisure’ has returned in full force. The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer has shown a 182 per cent year-on-year rise in international tourism for Q1 2022, with destinations worldwide welcoming an estimated 117 million international arrivals compared to 41 million in Q1 2021.

Collinson, a global leader in traveller experiences, recently performed a study of nearly 2,000 frequent travellers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, revealing some interesting insights. The analysis found that the region’s recovery was already robust in 2021, indicating a bright future.

The study showed UAE travellers have taken an average of four return trips in 2021, representing a 67 per cent recovery from their pre-pandemic average of six.

In Saudi Arabia travellers averaged eight return trips in a typical pre-pandemic year (2019) and took an average of five return trips in 2021, representing a 63 per cent recovery.

Airport lounge popularity remains high
According to the study, the usage of airport lounges is exceptionally high in the region. As an indication, 98 per cent of respondents in KSA and 95 per cent in UAE have accessed airport lounges in the past.

The survey also examined how travellers in the UAE and KSA perceive travel rewards and benefits, as well as how valuable airport lounge benefits are when offered by their card providers. Interestingly, 80  per cent of KSA and 76 per cent of UAE travellers said they would use a card more often if it offered travel rewards or benefits.

The three most popular travel benefits among respondents in the UAE were loyalty rewards (62 per cent), airport lounge access (58 per cent), and frequent flyer rewards (56 per cent). The findings in the KSA were similar, with loyalty rewards (58 per cent), frequent flyer rewards (57 per cent), and airport lounge access (55 per cent) leading the list.

Priyanka Lakhani, senior vice-president at Collinson, stated: “Offering travel benefits on a credit or charge card not only enhances the cardholder experience but also drives transaction revenue, as almost three out of four customers (78 per cent in the KSA  and 74 per cent in the UAE) would use them for travel-related spending.

Elevated travel experiences preferred
While travel benefits can help retain customers,  the study revealed that more than a third of respondents in both the UAE and the KSA would gladly switch to a new card provider for a more premium, digitally enabled, and flawless travel experience.