JEDDAH, 16 July — A new trend is emerging among vacationers. They prefer to take short vacations in summer and winter, instead of a long summer vacation. Secondly, their holiday spending now benefits destinations they visit in the post-Sept. 11 scenario. This has resulted in a big boost for in-Kingdom, Gulf and to a certain extent Europe and Far East travel.
For Saudi families from all over the Kingdom, Jeddah and Asir region remain the most popular attractions. Adding to the Red Sea port city’s popularity is its ongoing annual summer festival with varied events of entertainment and recreation. A shopping festival in Abha is an additional draw for summer visitors to the Asir region.
Elsewhere in the Middle East, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are increasing in popularity as holiday destinations with Saudi families. Some are venturing into the West, notably Britain, France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and Cyprus, and some others to the Far East, especially Malaysia and Indonesia, according to airline and travel agency sources.
In the June-August period last year, there was an exodus to Europe, particularly in August, with Saudi credit or debit cardholders spending almost half of the total summer budget of $77.5 million on the continent and the UK, according to a study by Visa International. “But the period this year may not reflect that much of spending in those destinations because of a sharp drop in the number of visitors going to or transiting through Europe en route to America,” a travel agent said.
According to a study, over 40,000 Saudis canceled their US trips this season, which means 90 percent of the Kingdom’s vacationers chose destinations other than America. “That’s how there has been a 20 to 30 percent growth in travel to Cairo and up to 10 percent to Dubai this season,” a leading travel agent pointed out.
Nevertheless, there has been a growing trend among Saudis to use credit or debit card, which is considered to be far better and safer than carrying cash.
Giving an idea of spending by Saudi travelers, a credit card company stated that a total of 647,000 transactions were recorded at merchant outlets abroad in the summer of last year with a total value of $167.5 million. This was an increase of seven percent in transactions and 13 percent in expenditure at points of sale over the previous year. August was the month when they spent most of their money at shops outside the Kingdom’s borders. Spending abroad amounted to $77.5 million during this month last year, which is 17 percent more than in August 2000.
Airlines have come up with special fares for getaway breaks to attract travelers. According to British Airways Country Commercial Manager for Saudi Arabia Chris Phipps, the airline is offering special fares for its ‘World Traveler’ return flights booked in the Kingdom for the UK and Europe. Similar special fares are also available for ‘World Traveler’ return flights booked in the Kingdom for the United States. “The biggest problem for us is meeting our first and business class demand,” he said, adding that the airline’s current summer schedule includes five a week from Jeddah and four a week from Riyadh. “Our fifth flight from Jeddah is a direct one departing every Sunday morning and arriving in London Heathrow in the afternoon.”
With the launch of World Traveler Plus (WTP), BA passengers can now look forward to greater comfort and space to work or relax in. Enhancements are already in place on the routes like New York JFK, San Francisco, Washington, Chicago, Hong Kong, Taipei, Manila and Narita. WTP will be available on flights to other worldwide destinations soon. SWISS, or Swiss International Air Lines, is attracting Saudi travelers with special summer fares for getaway breaks to spectacular Switzerland where the country plays host to a wealth of cultural, sports, art and musical events. “Operating 30 weekly flights from the Middle East including three weekly nonstop flights from Riyadh and two from Jeddah with special packages starting at SR4,300 inclusive of four nights accommodation in Geneva valid until the end of summer, SWISS offers the most convenient and affordable way to travel to Switzerland,” Gilbert Veuthey, the airline’s Riyadh-based general manager for Saudi Arabia and Yemen, said. “With 2002 being declared the ‘year of the mountain,’ we’ve already flown over 20,000 passengers to Switzerland from the Kingdom and estimate total traffic to reach 30,000 by the end of the season,” he said.
Abdul Malik Al-Saei, Gulf Air Manager for Saudi Arabia, said the airline’s operation to India was mostly of labor traffic and “this is one traffic that doesn’t shrink.” The airline operates 32 flights a week from the Kingdom including 10 from Jeddah, eight from Riyadh and 14 from Dammam.
Its special offers are for quick getaways to Asia and the Middle East. They include first and business class holiday packages, free hotel nights, short haul free for flying long haul, and seven days free car hire when flying first or business class to London, Paris or Kuala Lumpur.
