92% of UAE residents took staycations...

The ‘living local’ trend is gaining momentum in the UAE

According to research by the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), UAE residents are exploring luxury travel opportunities closer to home.

Data on summer travel behaviours from GHA Discovery members in the UAE, where GHA is headquartered, reveals that 92% of residents took a staycation between June and September 2021, compared to just 68% during the same period in 2019.

Members took longer local breaks too, with the average length of stay up 24% in 2021 compared to 2019

MENA was the third-largest staycation market globally this summer, with 75% of GHA Discovery members choosing domestic travel between June and September 2021, compared to 44% in the same period in 2019.

The largest staycation region was Asia, with domestic stays jumping to 91% during the four-month period in 2021 versus 52% in 2019, followed by Europe with 87% versus 68%.

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GHA CEO Chris Hartley said: “In 2021, consumers are embracing opportunities to live life to the fullest, exploring new destinations that are closer to home, revisiting old favourites, and demanding more in-hotel experiences whether they are staying overnight or taking a quick ‘daycation’.

“We expect this trend to accelerate, buoyed by our hotels hosting Expo 2020 Dubai visitors, and in tandem with this staycation movement, GHA is evolving to meet members’ lifestyle needs, offering a greater choice of hotels locally and reimagining our Discovery programme to offer more recognition, rewards and VIP access to hotel facilities with or without a stay.”

The Global Hotel Alliance loyalty programme, GHA Discovery, features more than 500 hotels across 35 brands in 85 countries

GHA’s UAE portfolio includes 23 properties across seven brands, including Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, Avani Hotels & Resorts, JA Resorts and Hotels, Kempinski Hotels, Mysk Hotels, Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts and Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites.

For more information, visit www.discoveryloyalty.com