Travel Connections Arabia Sees Strong Demand For Travel From Gulf Markets

TCA (Travel Connections Arabia), a leading global sales and marketing outsourcing agency for the luxury hospitality, tourism and travel industry in the Middle East, has been assessing the ever-changing travel landscape during the global pandemic, with a particular focus on how it will affect outbound travel from this region, and which destinations are going to be popular for Gulf travellers.

As traditional popular destinations, such as London, Paris, Geneva, Istanbul, Bangkok, New York and Beirut work through their own pandemic management strategies, Gulf travellers are considering alternate destinations or even holding out while their favourite destinations establish their new normal conditions.

With tourism accounting for more than 10% of the global GDP and valued at close to $8.9 trillion, one in every 10 jobs is either directly or indirectly part of the industry. The current crisis has brought the industry to its knees and tourism and hospitality-based businesses are having to adapt or diversify to stay relevant and more importantly adjust their ability to make money.

TCA's Managing Director, Ahmed Soliman, having taken part in the Arabian Travel Market's ATM Virtual from 1-3 June 2020, highlighted: "There's been an immense amount of adaptation and pivoting in the industry, and I've been impressed with the ability for individuals to adjust to the evolving 'normal'. We're still watching and waiting to see what the next wave of innovations will bring, but in the meantime, with airlines focused on moving essential workers and repatriating citizens, we're not anticipating a return to anything resembling tourism in its earlier iteration."

"There will be a lot of hesitation from certain sectors of the industry, while travelling families and older travellers will probably take a more circumspect approach to travel. Having spoken with our peers across multiple sectors of the industry during ATM Virtual, the one element that has become apparent is that travellers are keen to resume their experiences and are looking for options to relax and unwind, providing a change of scene. The hesitancy is not from staying in hotels and moving around a destination, it's the trip to get there that has most individuals taking a more cautious approach," he added.

Based on discussions with agents and counsellors, the travel consultancy has received a number of enquiries for resort destinations, and also destinations that have been active in terms of the pandemic management, such as Portugal, Greece and islands in the Indian Ocean being some of the prospects once restriction-free travel is available.

"People are planning to travel again, and are looking to negotiate the best possible deals, as they see it as a unique opportunity to benefit from these unusual times, as well as being the first to brave a new approach towards international travel."

Travellers will be seeking assurances from carriers, properties and destinations into what measures they've taken to mitigate against potential health issues, while these respective entities will have to work within local and international guidelines and regulations to ensure traveller safety going forward.

"Travel, whether it be from a business to business prospect, or that of the end user is going to look at lot different than what we're used to, and it will be interesting to see how this evolves, and more importantly, how the industry and travellers will work together to ensure a safer, more 'aware' approach to business or leisure trips."

TCA's outstanding collection of hospitality and tourism clients include some of the most exclusive hotels and resorts around the world, such as The Langham, London, Six Senses, eight exceptional Constance Hotels & Resorts, spread across the Indian Ocean's top destinations: the Seychelles, the Maldives, Mauritius and Madagascar, as well as Kempinski, Villa Magna in Madrid, The Leela Goa and The Lungarno Collection, to name a few.