JEDDAH — In light of recent technological advancements in the travel and tourism sector and rising online trends that are shaping the future of the industry, Amadeus Saudi Arabia, the leading provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel industry continues to play a pivotal role in delivering innovative insights for the travel industry and beyond.

During the recent 2018 Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, The ‘Middle East Consumer Travel Report 2018’ — a study co-sponsored by Amadeus and commissioned by InsightOut Consultancy — was unveiled and it explores searching and planning habits of the region’s travelers in a digital era.

The report covered an overview of the travel industry in Saudi Arabia and the latest highlights entailing consumer activities and mobile trends in the Middle East:

• Travelers from Riyadh showed an increase in mobile bookings in the Kingdom with 32% followed by Jeddah with 31%.

• More than 40% of travelers in the region organize their trips online.

• One in three (33%) travelers today “actively search” for discounts online during the shopping process recorded growth in the travel and tourism industry by 14% in 2017.

• 57% of travelers in the region book their flight fares only a week prior to their travel dates.

The report acknowledges that the Middle East travel market is incredibly diverse when it comes to travel patterns. While value is a key driver in travel decisions, more people admit to being more influenced by friends, family and colleagues (53%) than by search engines and review sites (47%) or actual travel agents (31%).

The research confirms that more travelers in the Middle East today will compare elements such as flights by themselves online (45%), instead of going to a travel agent to compare similar products and services (34%). Similarly, 64% of corporate travelers prefer to search, book and pay online for business trips; more than those who depend on their company or a travel agent (30% and 6%, respectively).

Eng. Nashat Bukhari, general manager of Amadeus Saudi Arabia said: “We are pleased with the significant rise in the consumer’s online travel trend in the region and as the industry continues to evolve, we will continue the deliver the latest cutting-edge technology dedicate to alter the shape of the travel industry in the region.”

He continued: “This also falls under our mandate to serve the growth of the travel industry in line with the ambitious plans of the Kingdom and the Saudi Vision 2030’s valuable efforts.” — SG