Staycations may get costlier this summer, say hoteliers
More people prefer to stay in the UAE and explore local offerings rather than travel outside
As UAE transitions into a global hub for tourists, and with people looking to stay long-term, cheap hotel staycations during summer seems to be a thing of the past, according to industry experts at the Arabian Travel Market.
“When I first started out here, there were seasons in the hotel industry and summer was the leanest period,” said Charles Godot, general manager for the soon-toopen Voco Dubai The Palm, and a hotelier who has worked in the UAE since 2008.
“However, we have seen a shift in the demographics of travelers ever since the Covid-19 pandemic. Now there are many guests who are coming to the UAE for a longterm stay. They choose to work remotely from the UAE. So, hotel stays and staycations in summer will be cheaper than winter, but it won’t be as cheap as it used to be before the pandemic.”
Other hospitality industry experts agree. “We are pivoting towards an extended stay market,” said Vincent Miccolis, managing director for MENA, Turkey and India, Ascott Limited. “So summer is no longer a lean period. Ever since the pandemic, we have a very strong domestic market. More people are preferring to stay in the UAE and explore the hotel offerings here rather than travel outside, especially considering the uncertainties of travel restrictions.”
Some hotels are already seeing positive signs in the lead up to summer. “We are seeing an uptake in room enquiries for the summer months with huge interest from travelers and groups from the GCC and Indian markets,” said Varun Ahuja, director of sales at Aloft Dubai South. “We expect a travel boom this summer as the pent-up demand caused due to the pandemic is rapidly easing around the world.
“It is a good problem to have,” said Siegfried Nierhaus, vice president of Deutsche Hospitality Middle East. Deutsche manages the Steigenberger chain of hotels, among others. “We are seeing that all our rooms are packed, and summer is looking like a very busy period,” said Nierhaus.
Biggest trend
The biggest trend to come out of the pandemic has been the longterm guests who chose to work remotely from the UAE or for “bleisure”. “They come for leisure and business,” said Miccolis. “These guests prefer a more spacious hotel apartment stay where everything, including laundry, is taken care of, and we are expecting this trend to continue through summer.”
Another trend has been the rise of the conscious traveler. “Travelers are becoming more budget-conscious and are looking for destinations that offer immersive experiences and support the community and environmental initiatives,” said Varun Ahuja. “Dubai’s efforts in become more sustainable, be it with its push to become a bike-friendly city, or its campaign to reduce single-use plastic water bottles by installing water stations across the city, make it a desirable travel destination for those who want to reduce their carbon footprint.”
“People have also become more attracted to luxurious stay options,” said Siegfried Nierhaus.
“We are looking at opening a chain of ultra-luxurious hotels in cooperation with Porsche in just 20 of the top cosmopolitan cities in the world and we know that it will have a lot of takers here in Dubai because of the kind of clientele that the city caters to.”
The hoteliers unanimously credit the UAE and its handling of the Covid pandemic for the booming industry. “It is unbelievable the way the industry has come back,” said Nierhaus.
“The UAE has come back stronger and more resilient than ever. They have set an example for the rest of the world to follow.”
“The UAE has cemented its position as the place to be,” said Godot. “There are exhibitions happening for those coming here for work and there are leisure activities for the family guests. So, all in all, it is a perfect destination.”