UAE
Visitor characteristics
- There were more male than female visitors in each journey purpose categories in 2015, except when visiting friends and relatives
- Most visitors from the UAE are between 25 and 54; there are very few 65+ Emiratis visiting Britain
- 76% of all holiday visitors from the UAE (excluding British expats) are making a repeat visit to Britain (within 10 years)
- In 2016 46% of visitors from the UAE were British nationals while only 17% were Emiratis
- Just over 75% of departing UAE visitors say they are ‘extremely likely’ to recommend Britain for a holiday or short-break, which is above the all market average of 69%
Popular activities
Visited a Castle
Visited Parks/ Gardens
Went Shopping
Global context
| Measure | 2016 |
|---|---|
| International tourism expenditure (US$bn) | 17.1 |
| Global rank for international tourism expenditure | 18 |
| Number of outbound visits (m) | 3.6 |
| Most visited destination | Saudi Arabia |
| Most visited destination in Western Europe | United Kingdom |
Key demographic and economic data
| Measure | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Population (m) | 9.3 |
| GDP per capita PPP (US$) | 32,735 |
| Annual average GDP growth over past decade (%) | 3.0 |
| Annual average GDP growth in the past year (%) | 3.0 |
Inbound visits to Britain
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| Overview of UK visitor statistics in | Change from previous year | |
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Access to Britain from the UAE
| Measure | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Weekly aircraft departures | 221 |
| Weekly seat capacity | 91,473 |
| Airports with direct routes in the United Arab Emirates | 2* |
| Airports with direct routes in Britain | 7 |
- Two airports in the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports) usually serve up to 7 airports in the UK with an average of 221 direct, non-stopping flights per week. On average there are 91,473 seats departing the UAE to the UK weekly**
- Departing visitors heading home to the UAE currently pay £75 in Air Passenger Duty if travelling in economy class
- Visitors from the UAE require a visa to visit Britain, with a six-month visa currently costing £89 or for an Electronic Visa Waiver for £15 to visit Britain
*Thomson Airways started seasonal services to/from Al Maktoum airport near Dubai in December 2016, linking a third airport in the UAE to the UK. However those flights only represented 8 departures in 2016.
**2016 data
What Emiratis think about Britain
- Key holiday ‘wants’ include ‘enjoy the beauty of the landscape’, ‘have fun and laughter’ and ‘good value for money’ with Italy seen as the ‘best place’ for delivering the former two and the US for the latter
- Factors that are low on the holiday wish-list include ‘get some sun’ and ‘watch a sporting event’
- Britain rates well for ‘see world famous sites’ and ‘visit a place with lots of history’ but not as favourably as Italy
Caring for visitors
- English is widely spoken and understood
- Arab families like to have hotel suites or inter-connecting rooms, or to rent an apartment
- When on holiday Emiratis often go to bed late and rise after standard hotel breakfast times, meaning that lunch and dinner are the main meals of the day
- Coffee is preferred boiled rather than filtered or percolated
The leisure & travel trade
- Many travel agents are in effect ticketing agents with limited product knowledge
- Key times of year for promotional visits to the region are February to late May and September to November
- The working week traditionally starts on Sunday and ends on Thursday
- Discussions in meetings are often conducted at a leisurely pace
Downloads
United Arab Emirates market profile
Examine the perceived barriers to visitors from the UAE exploring Britain outside of London. Published October 2014
Find out where visitors from the UAE to the UK reside in their own country. Published in 2010
Read our report into the associations, key drivers, barriers, and opportunities for encouraging holidays in Britain from consumers in the UAE. Published 2010
You might be interested in this opportunity
Business
Trade
Do you want to target the discerning Middle Eastern market? Meet key buyers from the region at ATM 2018
Date:
22 Apr 2018 to 25 Apr 2018
Price £: TBC
Status: Register interest
