Dubai – 86% residents plan international vacations as Covid curbs ease, a survey has found
With Covid curbs and rules being eased across the world, travel and holidays are once again back on the top of UAE residents’ priority lists.
About 86 per cent respondents to a survey of “thousands of UAE travellers” have expressed the desire to travel internationally.
dnata Travel said it had conducted the survey in July and August 2021 “during the busiest time for travel from the UAE”.
Of the respondents, 56 per cent said they plan to travel to Europe for their next holiday. More than half of these are planning to stay for a duration of one to two weeks.
This represents a significant increase in room nights compared to previous years, where three to four nights was the norm.
Emily Jenkins, head of Leisure UAE at dnata Travel, said: “We conducted the latest dnata Travel survey in July/August 2021, as international travel witnessed significant growth, with many countries opening up to vaccinated travellers ahead of the summer, including destinations across Europe, North America, parts of the Indian Ocean, and Asia.
“Since the start of the pandemic, we have witnessed a pent-up demand for travel, particularly in the wake of the UAE’s impressive vaccination drive. Much of Europe has eased restrictions for vaccinated travellers, offering a wealth of options, with something for every type of traveller, from beach retreats to island escapes and city breaks.”
Top five destinations
The top five most sought-after destinations in Europe for 2021/22 holidays are:
>> Switzerland
>> UK
>> Italy
>> Greece
>> Georgia
Outside of Europe, survey respondents expressed interest in planning travel to Asia, with Thailand making up the vast majority, followed by the Middle East, North America, and the Indian Ocean.