Dubai: UAE travel companies are seeing a significant rise in holiday bookings to the UK this summer, with agents reporting demand as ‘higher than usual.’
The UK remains a top destination for UAE travellers, a trend that has persisted for several years. However, this summer’s increased interest is attributed to several factors, including stable airfares ranging between Dh2,800 and Dh3,300 for direct flights (which is only a marginal increase compared to off-peak rates of Dh2,200 to Dh3,000).
Moreover, streamlined visa processing procedures and the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system for UAE nationals are also drawing UAE travellers to the UK. Travel agents have said these improvements have made travelling to the UK more convenient and affordable, further boosting its popularity among UAE vacationers.
“London remains the top hotspot in 2024, experiencing a 35 per cent increase in searches compared to last year,” said Melanie Fish, Head of Expedia Group Brands public relations.
She added, “July is poised to be the peak travel month, with the busiest travel days being July 11 and 19.” However, according to Melanie, for travellers who are unable to plan their holidays in advance, travelling on August 27 or 30 could be the best deal, as air ticket rates are lower these days.
Visitor numbers
Travellers from the UAE made 4.3 million outbound visits in 2023, with a total international tourism expenditure of $25.1 billion. According to Travel Britain, the official body for tourism in the UAE, the UK welcomed 477,000 visits from the UAE in 2023. Britain experienced a 26 per cent increase in visits from the UAE in 2023 compared to the previous year.
VisitBritain’s latest forecast estimates 543,000 visits from the UAE to the UK this year, up 15 per cent in 2023. “This also means a virtually full recovery of visits from the UAE to the UK to 2019 volume (98 per cent) and visitor spending 28 per cent higher than pre-pandemic,” said Carol Maddison, Deputy Director of Middle East and Asia at VisitBritain.
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UK tourism faced challenges over the past four years due to the pandemic and industrial strikes by Border Force workers at Heathrow International Airport, which continued until last month—however, expectations for even higher numbers of visitors from the UAE this year.
Carol said, “Visiting the UK is easier than ever for UAE nationals with the roll-out of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) Scheme, making travel more affordable, accessible and seamless for them.”
She added, “Combined with our strong airline connections, the scheme is boosting our competitive tourism offer and our welcome to visitors.”
Carol also said that VisitBritain has been competing hard in the Gulf with its Great Britain campaigns this year, inspiring more visitors to choose Britain for their next trip and working with partners, including Wego, to drive bookings. “We’re also working with the travel trade across the region to showcase Britain’s latest tourism products and experiences,” she said.
Higher visitor spends
The UAE ranks in the top ten for annual visitor spending worth a record £914 million (D4.2 billion) and in the top 20 for inbound yearly visits.
According to Visit Britain, the average spend is £1,918 (Dh8,870) per visit. This year, visitors are expected to spend an estimated £1.1 billion (Dh5.05 billion) on their trips, up 28 per cent from last year. Most visitors from the UAE are aged between 25 and 54 (77 per cent in 2023), and 76 per cent of all holiday visitors from the UAE (excluding British expats) are making a repeat visit to Britain within ten years.
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In 2023, 37 per cent of UAE visitors were British nationals, while 31 per cent were Emiratis. According to official statistics from Visit Britain, 81 per cent of departing UAE visitors (excluding British expats) say they are ‘extremely likely’ to recommend Britain for a visit, on par with the all-market average of 82 per cent.
Airlines boost capacities minimal disruptions are expected
A total of 202 flights operate from the UK to the UAE every week, offering 87,247 seats, according to recent date. Both regional carriers (Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Saudia) and Britain’s national carrier, British Airways, have boosted capacities between the UAE, GCC nations, and the UK. Emirates offers the highest number of seats (62,754), followed by Etihad Airways (17,340). Sixty-three per cent of these flights are operated to London.
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Earlier this year, British Airways resumed its services between London and Abu Dhabi after a four-year hiatus and has bolstered its operations in the UAE.
However, some disruptions are expected this summer at the UK’s many airports. According to a study, 2.06 per cent of scheduled flights 2023 were cancelled at Heathrow Airport. One of the world’s busiest hubs, the airport reported 450,165 planned flights, 9,466 of which did not go ahead. 33.14 per cent of flights from Heathrow arrived up to 15 minutes late to their destination, while 15.06 per cent of flights landed 16 to 30 minutes late.
Ease in visa procedures
According to applicants and travel agents, obtaining a UK visa from the UAE is relatively simpler than Europe’s Schengen visa procedures.
Monaz Billimoria, Deputy Regional Head, UAE at VFS Global, the agency managing the visa application process, noted that the surge in demand for UK visas had led the company to establish temporary pop-up centres across the country. “The UK remains a top-rated and increasingly sought-after destination, and we have observed a significant rise in applications,” Monaz said.
The temporary premium application centres have been set up in Dubai, Ajman, Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain. Visa processing times are approximately 15 days after submitting biometrics, with most applicants receiving their visas within this timeframe.
