Results from a new survey by Wego shows that more than three-quarters of travellers in the Middle-East/North-Africa region want to get vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available in their countries.
Travel corridors are opening up around the world, and millions of people are now seeking out ideal places to help them unwind, refresh and broaden their knowledge. The big problem facing the world’s eager traveller’s is COVID-19 has not gone away.
However, new survey data from Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has revealed that 77% of people are planning to get vaccinated as soon as possible to enable them to start travelling in a safer way.
Over the next few quarters, Wego is expecting tourists to prioritise destinations that have vaccinated most of their population and those areas that have successfully managed the COVID-19 pandemic.
The results showed 45% of the people who took part in the survey planned to travel within the next month or less. The survey also unveiled the most popular holiday types of choice for MENA travellers, with 36% wanting to embark on a luxury holiday and 26% planning a leisure trip with their families.
The leisure destinations that saw the highest growth in search volumes over the first quarter were:
- Seychelles saw a 62% increase.
- Thailand saw a 45% increase.
- The Maldives saw a 40% increase.
- The UK saw a 30% increase.
- Norway saw a 29% increase.
- Spain saw a 19% increase.
Mamoun Hmedan, Managing Director, MENA, and India, Wego, said: “The speed of rolling the vaccine in tourism destinations will have a crucial impact on people travelling again. As the authorities in the GCC region continue to go above and beyond and lead the vaccination drive, we believe more travellers will be reassured to travel in the coming months, as our recent survey reveals.
The pandemic has also changed travellers’ behaviours, and the majority are opting for relaxation and wellness holidays in luxury and leisure destinations.”
As for the experiences that had the highest demand in 2021, there has been an increase in domestic activities and local adventures as travellers are experiencing leisure activities in nearby destinations.
Travellers also show increased interest in tailor-made trips, looking for social distancing and the fresh air without taking away the sense of adventure.
Another interesting aspect revealed in the results was more than a third (37%) of the respondents planned to travel solo. This was higher than those planning a trip with their family for a relaxing holiday (33%).
Following the events of the past twelve months, it comes as no surprise that almost two-thirds of travellers (62%) were keener on longer holidays (ten days or more).
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