MWL Secretary General stressed the need for unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians by opening all crossings
world9 hours ago
According to a new YouGov survey released on Wednesday, more than half of UAE residents, 51 per cent, are planning to take a domestic vacation in the upcoming year-end holidays.
Just over a fifth, 22 per cent, plan to travel to other Middle Eastern countries, two in five (39 per cent) plan to travel overseas, and one in eight (13 per cent) do not intend to take a vacation this holiday season.
Interestingly, holiday preferences vary depending on one’s age. Young adults between 18-24 years are most likely than others to travel within the country this holiday season (65 per cent), while older adults (45+ years) are keener on international travel (46 per cent).
The survey was collected online among 1,009 UAE respondents between November 3 and 8, 2021.
Regarding the choice of place, YouGov’s Destination Index, which tracks public perceptions of destinations across 16 metrics, shows Dubai as the most considered choice for a holiday by UAE residents in the last 30 days. Abu Dhabi is the second option for people planning a vacation, followed by the Maldives.
As travel is bouncing back and many countries are easing travel restrictions, many international destinations are making it to the UAE traveller holiday wish list.
Along with Maldives, Switzerland, Canada, the USA, Japan, and the Philippines are some of the other destinations currently being considered by UAE residents for their next holiday.
While UAE residents have an appetite for travel, they are exercising caution and close to half said they would avoid crowded places and prefer less crowded or offbeat locations (49 per cent) for their vacation. Many want to avoid staying in shared accommodations (42 per cent), while some (29 per cent) would even refrain from using public transport.
To minimise the Covid-19 risks, a few would avoid using public washrooms (27 per cent), ridesharing (27 per cent), closed places (26 per cent) and eating at bars and restaurants (20 per cent) while travelling.
ALSO READ:
When asked how comfortable they are in sharing public places with tourists, most UAE residents (79 per cent) reported being comfortable with it. Only 6 per cent expressed concerns, while less than one in six (15 per cent) remained unsure. Men are notably more comfortable than women in sharing public places with tourists.
Among the various activities in the country, most residents said they are most likely to visit the Dubai Expo 2020 site (66 per cent) this holiday season.
Many would like to visit their friends and family (53 per cent), followed by a trip to the beach (43 per cent).
About two in five (37 per cent) intend to attend the upcoming Dubai Shopping Festival, while some plan to explore other Emirates (24 per cent).
-waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com
MWL Secretary General stressed the need for unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians by opening all crossings
world9 hours ago
In the initial phase, the organisation will process 600 applications from individuals who meet the required conditions
visa and immigration in uae9 hours ago
Israeli forces carried out similar strikes in some other parts of the Hamas-run territory overnight, killing at least 10 people
mena10 hours ago
The suspect was believed to be the key figure behind the January 28 attack
mena10 hours ago
The total number of captives exchanged between the two countries in these mediations to 1994 prisoners
world10 hours ago
Both CCI reports said that during investigations Amazon and Flipkart 'deliberately downplayed' allegations of exclusive launches
tech11 hours ago
The makers released the show's trailer on Instagram on Saturday, giving fans a sneak peek at what's to come
entertainment11 hours ago
With airfares soaring and long waits to secure visas, 'seacations' are now becoming all the rage among travel enthusiasts
uae12 hours ago