Many UAE residents are now choosing to visit new long-haul tourist destinations that were once out of their budget, rather than returning to their home countries for shorter or skipped visits, thanks to the expansion of low-cost airlines into these popular areas.
UAE budget carriers have recently expanded their networks to include several long-haul tourist routes in Southeast Asia and Western Europe, extending beyond the traditional five-hour flight radius. Air Arabia, based in Sharjah, has announced a new service to Vienna, Austria, later this year, offering one-way tickets for just Dh399. This local carrier has also introduced services to Athens, Greece, Krakow, Poland, and Phuket.
Additionally, Wizz Air and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi are also expanding their networks. Shamsheed CV, a senior consultant for outbound travel at Wisefox Tourism, noted that people are not traveling as much to their home countries during holidays this year. He explained that due to rising fares to home destinations, residents are now opting for shorter trips during the summer and returning before August 10 when airfares are lower.
Low-cost airlines' introduction of new destinations at affordable rates is encouraging many budget-conscious families to explore these new tourist spots instead of visiting their home countries. Raheesh Babu, COO of musafir.com, pointed out that the growth in the travelers' pool is due to middle-class families, who previously limited their trips to home countries, now questioning the need to spend Dh2,000-Dh2,200 on such visits. Many are using the same budget to explore new and popular tourist destinations that were previously financially out of reach.
Furthermore, the launch of new destinations by budget carriers has enabled people to travel twice a year instead of once, changing their approach to travel with more people opting to explore new places.
