An overwhelming number of UAE residents plan to travel abroad more next year, with a big chunk of them saving their money from now on, according to a Skyscanner trends report.
Around 92 per cent of travellers surveyed plan to holiday abroad as much, if not more, in 2027 compared with 2026, while 49 per cent have budgeted to spend more on flights and 39 per cent on accommodation.
The global travel search engine identified Turkey as the leading destination where average airfares have fallen most year-on-year, with a 46 per cent drop. Shanghai, China follows with a 44 per cent decline, ahead of Sydney, Australia (-26 per cent) and Krabi, Thailand (-24 per cent).
However, a big chunk of the responded plan to spend more on travelling in the next year. 49 per cent have budgeted to spend more on flights, while 39 per cent plan to spend more on accommodation, as per Skyscanner’s insights.
Van, a city in eastern Turkey, was the most-searched destination in Skyscanner’s records, with a 2,607 per cent year-on-year increase, followed by Bishkek (137 per cent), Krabi (88 per cent), and Da Nang (77 per cent).
Top traveller trends in 2027
Based on proprietary data and insights from 28,000 travellers, the key findings from Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2027 report include:
18 per cent of Gen Z travellers surveyed in the UAE plan to disconnect from digital devices on their next holiday. Interest is also rising in nature-focused destinations, with searches for Aktau up 189 per cent year-on-year and Bishkek up 137 per cent.
Travellers are increasingly planning trips around location-exclusive items, with 76 per cent of UAE travellers surveyed saying they had visited a specific destination or store in the past 12 months to purchase an exclusive item.
Honeymoons are also becoming more spread out, with 41 per cent of UAE travellers surveyed preferring multiple holidays or “mini-moons” to celebrate a honeymoon.
History and popular culture are influencing travel choices, with 43 per cent of UAE respondents whose plans were inspired by classical stories, myths or historic events citing films and TV shows such as Gladiator and The Odyssey.
Health and fitness are also shaping hotel choices, with 88 per cent of UAE Millennials surveyed saying they would definitely or likely book a hotel offering breakfast focused on nutritional performance, while 49 per cent of Gen Z seek on-site fitness facilities.
Music is another travel driver, with 36 per cent of Gen Z and 31 per cent of Millennials surveyed saying carnival experiences appeal to them. Meanwhile, 59 per cent of UAE travellers who consider exchange rates said they had switched destinations because the currency made another destination cheaper.
Source: Khaleej Times