UAE to enjoy loyal traveller rebound, according to new research by Kekst CNC

At least two in five past visitors in the UK, Sweden and Germany intend on returning to the UAE within one year, rising to over half from France

Majority of those surveyed who had been to the UAE in the past came for leisure purposes

Research is welcome news for the UAE’s tourism, hospitality and leisure sectors

Dubai, 28th July 2020 – Publicis-owned global strategic communications firm, Kekst CNC, today publishes results from the fourth edition of its COVID-19 Opinion Tracker, revealing that the UAE enjoys strong favour among loyal travellers against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic , which has brought tourism-dependent economies around the world to a standstill.

According to the research, at least two in every five people who ha ve visited the UAE in the last three years, intend on returning to the Emirates in the next 12 months, suggesting a loyal base of travellers. In the UK, 44% of people who have been to the UAE before plan on another visit in the next year, rising to as much as over half of people in France, where 54% of people – the highest across the four countries surveyed – who have been to the UAE are likely to return. In Sweden,

43% are likely to return and two in five (40%) people in Germany who have visited the UAE be fore are planning a trip to the Emirates within the next year.

When questioned about whether they had travelled to the UAE for business or pleasure in the past, the majority of visitors from the UK (79%) Germany (72%), Sweden (59%) and France (55%) travelled for leisure, demonstrating the country’s appeal as one of the world’s leading and most popular tourist destinations.

Commenting on the report, Mazar Masud, Director at Kekst CNC Middle East, said: “Loyal tourists eager to return to the UAE is encouraging news for the UAE economy, as the country kickstarts the tourism industry after the COVID-19 standstill. COVID-19 hit the tourism, hospitality and leisure sectors hard, but due to the commendable efforts of the UAE government and health authorities in tackling the pandemic, the UAE must get ready to welcome back tourists. As the British and Europeans start making their travel plans for the year ahead, this is an ideal opportunity for the UAE to showcase its credentials as a popular, safe and fun destination of choice for business and pleasure.”

Tourism plays a vital role in the UAE’s economy, with government projecting that it will contribute

72 billion USD to the nation’s GDP by 2027 1 . This is underpinned by the country’s efforts, particularly Dubai, to diversify its oil-based economy. According to Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing2, the Emirate welcomed 16.73 million overnight visitors in 2019, who spent USD 27.9 billion and contributed to 11.5% of its GDP. Abu Dhabi3 and Ras Al Khaimah4 received 2.8 million and 1.1 million overnight visitors respectively.

Air transport is another strategic asset for the UAE that stands to benefit from the rebound in travellers. According to a report by The International Air Transport Association (IATA) 5 , the industry supports nearly 800 thousand jobs and its contribution to the economy reaches USD 47.4 billion, accounting for 13.3% of the national GDP. IATA predicts that the sector has the potential to add 620,000 jobs and an extra 80 billion in GDP by 2037, further cementing the industry’s importance.

View the full report here.

Arabic translation for this release, click here.

For more information about the report, please contact CNC.Dubai@kekstcnc.com or the research team at COVID19Research@kekstcnc.com