RIYADH – Fifty nine percent of people residing in Saudi Arabia are set to travel for leisure in the coming months, the latest MasterCard survey released Wednesday revealed. The survey also showed that 52 percent of residents plan to increase or maintain their levels of leisure travel when compared to the previous year.Over the last year, 43 percent of KSA respondents traveled internationally for leisure, while 51 percent traveled locally for vacation, marking a decrease of 7 percent for international travel and a decrease of 22 percent for domestic travel as compared to 2011. KSA residents indicated that they are most likely to travel to Middle East and Africa in the coming months, with 53 percent of respondents aiming to travel to these markets. This is followed by Asia-Pacific (13 percent) as the next most popular destination. Interestingly, while the Middle East and Africa remains a popular destination of choice for KSA residents, 37 percent less respondents are planning to travel within the region, when compared to 2011. In terms of international destination countries, Egypt led the pack once more, with 17 percent of KSA residents aiming to travel there in the coming months. The UAE (13 percent) and Malaysia (8 percent) were also high on the list of destinations for KSA travelers. In terms of domestic travel, KSA respondents indicated that Jeddah (32 percent) remains a popular destination, followed by Makkah (25 percent) and Dammam (20 percent). With respect to inbound travel, KSA continues to be a popular destination of choice for residents of the Middle East. In Kuwait, of those inclined to travel internationally, 31 percent are likely to travel to the KSA in the near future, a substantial increase from 2011's score of 16 percent. This is followed by Egypt (19 percent), Qatar (14 percent) and Lebanon (4 percent). “Respondents in Saudi Arabia are keen on traveling in the coming months, with a strong preference for holidays in the Middle East and Africa - a trend that is supported by the region's growing hospitality sector which increasingly caters to the customized cultural and religious needs of travelers,” said Kashif Sohail, market manager, KSA, Bahrain and Pakistan, MasterCard Worldwide. “It is interesting to note that more respondents have been traveling for business in the last months than they have in the previous survey, which reflects positively on the Kingdom's economy and overall business environment.” With regard to business travel, 15 percent of KSA residents traveled abroad and 19 percent traveled domestically over the last year. Business travel has increased since the last survey, when 11 percent of residents travelled internationally in the previous year, and 15 percent travelled locally. Among the respondents traveling by airlines, national airlines remained the most popular (61 percent), followed by international carriers (30 percent) and budget carriers (29 percent). Interestingly, international carriers have seen an increase of 15 percent in popularity since 2011. KSA travelers were most likely to stay at mid-range hotels (32 percent) during their business travels, while just over a third (35 percent) of respondents preferred to stay with friends/relatives when traveling for leisure. Mid-range hotels have witnessed an 11 percent increase in popularity for business trips since the last survey. KSA travelers enjoy shopping at airports, with 63 percent of residents indicating that they have purchased items at an airport during their travels in past months. Edible items (43 percent) and cosmetics/fragrances/personal care (20 percent) remain the most popular purchases at airports, followed by books/magazines (17 percent). KSA residents are keen to find the best travel deals, and indicated that travel agents (77 percent) are the most popular outlet to find a bargain. Airline websites (54 percent) remain popular for bargain-hunters, and some travelers also look for deals in newspapers (27 percent). Social media (22 percent) is remarkably popular, while coupon sites/apps (10 percent) lag behind when it comes to finding travel deals. Not surprisingly, 97 percent of KSA residents cite their mobile phone as their must-have travel gadget, while 2 percent won't leave home without their laptop. Cash emerges as the most popular payment choice for UAE travelers in relation to transportation (72 percent), accommodation (72 percent) and expenses under $100 (67 percent). Debit/ATM cards are the most popular method of payment for KSA travelers in relation to the purchase of products over $100 (47 percent). Credit cards are the least preferred by KSA travelers for all categories. – SG
