New Digital Habits, More Mini Breaks and Travel Remains a Key Part of the Economy: 2019's Travel Trends Revealed by Cleartrip
The Cleartrip and Flyin 2019 H1 & Summer Travel Insights Report shows times are changing as customers look for better deals and new destinations
DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Technological advances, widening markets and increasing fares continue to spur the region's travel industry, according to latest research by the region's largest online travel agency, Cleartrip. As the region moves into a more digital age, The Cleartrip and Flyin 2019 H1 & Summer Travel Insights Report has unravelled some of the most significant changes impacting travel. As competition increases across some routes, it has triggered price drops of up to 25%. Routes from Riyadh to Dammam saw an average decrease in airfares of 25%, while Dubai to Jeddah airfares decreased by 12%. Short breaks continued to grow in popularity with new and classical destinations proving resilient, including Istanbul, Amman and Beirut, while the biggest drop was seen in traditionally popular cities, London (13%) and Paris (10%).
The UAE's savvy travellers proved to be the biggest users of coupons and deals in 2019, and one third of travellers were happy to book with as little as one week or less notice. In Saudi, a massive 63% of travellers booked within a week of their travel date. While mobile bookings continue to boom, Saudi Arabia remained strong, seeing transactions rise by 145%. Elsewhere, in Kuwait, mobile transactions grew by 287% in the first half of 2019, and Oman, 181%. It has been a challenging year for many reasons, meaning market growth has been slower than previous years, with KSA growing by 7% and the UAE by 1%.
Stuart Crighton, CEO, Cleartrip, said: "It has been a very interesting year, and we are pleased to see that some of the region's major players, are still growing, in spite of the various challenges 2019 has brought. What we're witnessing here is a massive shift towards digital habits. In the current climate, not only are there changes with where people want to go and what they want to experience, but how and when they book is changing. We have seen that short trips and last-minute bookings are more common, as people become increasingly curious for undiscovered destinations in the region. This is an era of rapid change. Trips are now readily available in the palm of people's hands and they are increasingly affordable with ever more routes opening. What this latest report shows us is that whatever is happening in the region, travel remains a key part of the economy here, regionally and internationally."
About Cleartrip:
Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Dubai, UAE, Cleartrip offers its customers a comprehensive and personalised travel experience through its innovative and award-winning mobile and desktop solutions. Combining intuitive products with a customer-centric approach and the widest selection of flights, hotels, and local experiences, Cleartrip brings a highly differentiated value proposition to market, offering convenience, choice, competitive prices and exclusive content. In 2018 Cleartrip acquired, Flyin, Saudi Arabia's leading online travel agent making Cleartrip the largest mobile and online travel company in the Middle East.
Cleartrip today occupies a leading market position in the Air and Accommodation segments, with over 10 million flight tickets and 1.5 million hotel room nights sold annually. With the launch of Cleartrip Local in 2016, the pioneering and technology-driven company became the first travel aggregator globally to provide online discovery and bookings of over 15,000 in-destination leisure activities and things-to-do across categories such as outdoor activities, events and F&B. Cleartrip is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including being named 'Best Travel Portal of the Year' at the World Travel Brands Award 2015 and 'Best Mobile App' at Web In Travel's WITovation Awards 2016.
About Flyin:
Founded in 2008, Flyin was the first online travel agency in Saudi Arabia, offering integrated travel services and innovative solutions for customers across the Middle East. With its focus on customer service, Flyin ensures it is the preferred and one-stop-shop for the Saudi traveler.
For more information on Cleartrip, please contact:
Melanie Swan
Cleartrip
Tel: +971-50-132-4740
Email: melanieswanwrites@gmail.com
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