Latest news with #internationalTravel
Trade Arabia
an hour ago
- Business
- Trade Arabia
96% of Saudi Eid travel searches target international destinations
As Saudi Arabia prepares for an extended Eid Al-Adha holiday from Thursday, June 5 (Dhul Hijjah 9) through Monday, June 9 (Dhul Hijjah 13), travel activity across the kingdom is witnessing a significant surge. Citizens and residents alike are seizing the opportunity to explore a variety of destinations, ranging from global cities with deep cultural ties to domestic hotspots rich in natural and spiritual heritage. According to the latest insights from Wego, a leading travel app and largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), there has been a remarkable shift towards international travel. A staggering 96.12% of Eid-related travel searches from Saudi users are for international trips, a notable increase from 87.34% during the same period last year. This trend reflects a growing appetite among Saudi travellers for global experiences, buoyed by the extended public holiday and facilitated entry requirements, it said. Strong Preference for Culturally Linked Destinations Wego data reveals that countries with longstanding familial and cultural ties to the kingdom continue to dominate search trends. Egypt, India, the UAE, Pakistan, Türkiye, and Bangladesh top the list, highlighting a preference for destinations where travellers can reunite with family and celebrate Eid in a spiritually familiar setting. European destinations such as Italy, Azerbaijan, the United Kingdom, Georgia, and Russia are also rising in popularity. These countries offer a compelling mix of cooler climates, scenic views, and historical richness. In Asia, Saudi travelers are increasingly drawn to Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Japan, which offer immersive nature escapes, wellness experiences, and family-friendly resorts. Domestic Travel Retains Its Appeal While international destinations are gaining prominence, domestic travel continues to play a significant role in Eid plans for Saudi citizens. Jeddah, Riyadh, Madinah, Dammam, and Abha remain among the most searched local destinations. These cities attract visitors with their festive atmospheres, cultural events, and temperate weather—particularly in Abha—along with providing unique spiritual experiences in cities such as Madinah. Cultural Exploration Drives Destination Choices Cultural tourism is emerging as a key factor in travel decisions. Cities like Istanbul, Cairo, Jakarta, and Tbilisi are increasingly favored for their rich blend of Islamic heritage sites, historical landmarks, and vibrant local life. According to Wego, these destinations resonate strongly with Saudi travelers seeking authenticity and meaningful cultural engagement during the Eid season. Simplified Access to Global Travel for Saudi Citizens The growing preference for international travel is significantly supported by simplified visa policies for Saudi passport holders. Türkiye, Thailand, Georgia, the Philippines, and Malaysia currently offer visa-free access. Meanwhile, other popular destinations provide efficient electronic visa systems, visa waivers (such as the UK's Electronic Travel Authorization), or visa-on-arrival facilities, making it easier than ever for travelers to make spontaneous plans. - TradeArabia News Service
Zawya
6 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Global tourism numbers up 5% in Q1, modest growth in ME
Over 300 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months of 2025, about 14 million more than in the same months of 2024, according to the May 2025 World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism. That represents a 5% rise on last year and is 3% more than in pre-pandemic year 2019. The robust performance came despite the sector facing a range of geopolitical and trade tensions, as well as high inflation in travel and tourism services. UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: 'In every global region, tourism stands out as a major services sector, supporting millions of jobs and businesses of all sizes. The continued good performance in international arrivals combined with stronger visitor spending in many destinations highlights the resilience of the sector in the face of numerous challenges and is good news for economies and workers everywhere.' Africa shows solid results, Asia Pacific rebounds strongly The World Tourism Barometer breaks down the data for the first quarter of 2025 by region and sub-region. Key highlights show: * The Middle East recorded 1% growth compared to 2024, a more modest increase following the extraordinary performance in recent years. However, arrivals stood 44% above pre-pandemic levels this first quarter of the year. * Europe welcomed 125 million international tourists in the first three months of the year, up 2% from Q1 2024, and 5% more than the same period before the pandemic. * In Southern Mediterranean Europe arrivals increased 2%, reflecting growing demand for off-season travel to some destinations. * Central and Eastern Europe rebounded strongly (+8% over 2024), especially Baltic destinations, though visitor numbers in the subregion remain below 2019 levels. * Africa recorded 9% growth in arrivals in Q1 2025, compared to 2024, exceeding pre-pandemic traveller numbers by 16%. * The Americas saw 2% more international arrivals, with several destinations in South America (+13%) enjoying strong results during the Southern Hemisphere summer season. * Arrivals in Asia and the Pacific grew 12%, reaching 92% of pre-pandemic numbers. North-East Asia saw the strongest performance among world subregions with a 23% rebound in Q1 2025 to reach 91% of 2019 levels. According to IATA, international air travel demand grew 8% in January-March 2025 versus Q1 2024, while international air capacity was up 7%. Global occupancy rates in accommodation establishments reached 64% in March, about the same level as in March 2024 (65%). Industry indicators are available at the UN Tourism Data Dashboard. Strong growth in receipts Available data on international tourism receipts for Q1 2025 shows solid growth in visitor spending in many destinations: * Spain, the world's second largest tourism earner, reported 9% growth in the first two months of 2025 (compared to the same period in 2024), after a remarkable 16% increase in the year 2024. * In Southern Mediterranean Europe, Türkiye (+7%) posted solid results in Q1 2025, as did Greece, Italy and Portugal (all +4%). * France recorded 6% growth in international tourism receipts, Norway 20% and Denmark 11%, in the first quarter of 2025. * In Asia and the Pacific, Japan continued to enjoy a surge in receipts in Q1 (+34%), while Nepal (+18%), the Republic of Korea and Mongolia (both +14%) also recorded double-digit growth. * The United States, the world's top tourism earner, reported 3% growth in January-March 2025, after a 14% increase in the year 2024. 2024 export revenues tops $2 trillion Revised data shows that total export revenues from international tourism (receipts and passenger transport) grew by 11% (real terms) to reach a record $2 trillion in 2024, about 15% above pre-pandemic levels. This represents about 6% of the world's total exports of goods and services and 23% of global trade in services. * International tourism receipts, the main component of tourism service exports, grew 11% to $1.7 trillion, also in real terms (adjusted for inflation and exchange rate fluctuations). * Average spending remained at $1,170 per international trip in 2024, above the pre-pandemic average of $1,000 (both in constant dollars). Growth in earnings from international tourism in 2024 was fueled by strong spending from large source markets such as the United Kingdom (+16% from 2023), Canada (+13%), the United States (+12%), Australia (+8%) and France (+7%). China, the world's top tourism spender saw outbound expenditure climb 30% to $251 billion, about 3% above pre-pandemic levels. Other major markets reporting strong growth in spending last year include Saudi Arabia (+17%) which already saw remarkable growth in 2023, Spain (+14%), Belgium (+14%), Netherlands (+13%) and Austria (+11%). Headwinds continue The latest Panel of Tourism Experts survey points to economic factors including weaker economic growth, high travel costs and the increase in tariffs as the main three challenges that could impact international tourism in 2025. Uncertainty derived from geopolitical and trade tensions are also weighing on travel confidence. Lower consumer confidence was ranked as the fourth main factor affecting tourism this year, while geopolitical risks (aside from ongoing conflicts) ranked fifth. According to the survey, tourists will continue to seek value for money, but could also travel closer to home or make shorter trips. Cautious optimism The latest UN Tourism Confidence Index reflects cautious optimism for the period May-August 2025. Some 45% of Panel experts point to better (40%) or much better (5%) prospects for this 4-month period, while 33% foresee similar performance than in the same period of 2024. Some 22% expect tourism performance to be worse. Experts highlighted the uncertainty and unpredictability derived from trade tariffs and its potential impact on travel sentiment. While one third of survey respondents expect little or no impact from trade tensions on tourism performance, some 25% expect some impact in the near future. Despite global uncertainty, travel demand is expected to remain resilient. UN Tourism's January projection of 3% to 5% growth in international arrivals for 2025 remains unchanged, it said. - Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Trade Arabia
6 days ago
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Global tourism numbers up 5% in Q1, modest growth in ME
Over 300 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months of 2025, about 14 million more than in the same months of 2024, according to the May 2025 World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism. That represents a 5% rise on last year and is 3% more than in pre-pandemic year 2019. The robust performance came despite the sector facing a range of geopolitical and trade tensions, as well as high inflation in travel and tourism services. UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: 'In every global region, tourism stands out as a major services sector, supporting millions of jobs and businesses of all sizes. The continued good performance in international arrivals combined with stronger visitor spending in many destinations highlights the resilience of the sector in the face of numerous challenges and is good news for economies and workers everywhere.' Africa shows solid results, Asia Pacific rebounds strongly The World Tourism Barometer breaks down the data for the first quarter of 2025 by region and sub-region. Key highlights show: * The Middle East recorded 1% growth compared to 2024, a more modest increase following the extraordinary performance in recent years. However, arrivals stood 44% above pre-pandemic levels this first quarter of the year. * Europe welcomed 125 million international tourists in the first three months of the year, up 2% from Q1 2024, and 5% more than the same period before the pandemic. * In Southern Mediterranean Europe arrivals increased 2%, reflecting growing demand for off-season travel to some destinations. * Central and Eastern Europe rebounded strongly (+8% over 2024), especially Baltic destinations, though visitor numbers in the subregion remain below 2019 levels. * Africa recorded 9% growth in arrivals in Q1 2025, compared to 2024, exceeding pre-pandemic traveller numbers by 16%. * The Americas saw 2% more international arrivals, with several destinations in South America (+13%) enjoying strong results during the Southern Hemisphere summer season. * Arrivals in Asia and the Pacific grew 12%, reaching 92% of pre-pandemic numbers. North-East Asia saw the strongest performance among world subregions with a 23% rebound in Q1 2025 to reach 91% of 2019 levels. According to IATA, international air travel demand grew 8% in January-March 2025 versus Q1 2024, while international air capacity was up 7%. Global occupancy rates in accommodation establishments reached 64% in March, about the same level as in March 2024 (65%). Industry indicators are available at the UN Tourism Data Dashboard. Strong growth in receipts Available data on international tourism receipts for Q1 2025 shows solid growth in visitor spending in many destinations: * Spain, the world's second largest tourism earner, reported 9% growth in the first two months of 2025 (compared to the same period in 2024), after a remarkable 16% increase in the year 2024. * In Southern Mediterranean Europe, Türkiye (+7%) posted solid results in Q1 2025, as did Greece, Italy and Portugal (all +4%). * France recorded 6% growth in international tourism receipts, Norway 20% and Denmark 11%, in the first quarter of 2025. * In Asia and the Pacific, Japan continued to enjoy a surge in receipts in Q1 (+34%), while Nepal (+18%), the Republic of Korea and Mongolia (both +14%) also recorded double-digit growth. * The United States, the world's top tourism earner, reported 3% growth in January-March 2025, after a 14% increase in the year 2024. 2024 export revenues tops $2 trillion Revised data shows that total export revenues from international tourism (receipts and passenger transport) grew by 11% (real terms) to reach a record $2 trillion in 2024, about 15% above pre-pandemic levels. This represents about 6% of the world's total exports of goods and services and 23% of global trade in services. * International tourism receipts, the main component of tourism service exports, grew 11% to $1.7 trillion, also in real terms (adjusted for inflation and exchange rate fluctuations). * Average spending remained at $1,170 per international trip in 2024, above the pre-pandemic average of $1,000 (both in constant dollars). Growth in earnings from international tourism in 2024 was fueled by strong spending from large source markets such as the United Kingdom (+16% from 2023), Canada (+13%), the United States (+12%), Australia (+8%) and France (+7%). China, the world's top tourism spender saw outbound expenditure climb 30% to $251 billion, about 3% above pre-pandemic levels. Other major markets reporting strong growth in spending last year include Saudi Arabia (+17%) which already saw remarkable growth in 2023, Spain (+14%), Belgium (+14%), Netherlands (+13%) and Austria (+11%). Headwinds continue The latest Panel of Tourism Experts survey points to economic factors including weaker economic growth, high travel costs and the increase in tariffs as the main three challenges that could impact international tourism in 2025. Uncertainty derived from geopolitical and trade tensions are also weighing on travel confidence. Lower consumer confidence was ranked as the fourth main factor affecting tourism this year, while geopolitical risks (aside from ongoing conflicts) ranked fifth. According to the survey, tourists will continue to seek value for money, but could also travel closer to home or make shorter trips. Cautious optimism The latest UN Tourism Confidence Index reflects cautious optimism for the period May-August 2025. Some 45% of Panel experts point to better (40%) or much better (5%) prospects for this 4-month period, while 33% foresee similar performance than in the same period of 2024. Some 22% expect tourism performance to be worse. Experts highlighted the uncertainty and unpredictability derived from trade tariffs and its potential impact on travel sentiment. While one third of survey respondents expect little or no impact from trade tensions on tourism performance, some 25% expect some impact in the near future.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Qantas launches a mega sale on flights to USA and Hawaii
Qantas has launched a major international sale, offering discounted return flights to the United States. Travellers departing from Sydney, Brisbane, or Melbourne can now book return Economy fares to Honolulu for just $999. Return to Los Angeles is available at $1,149, San Francisco at $1,199, and Vancouver at $1,399. Those looking to Texas can grab fares to Dallas-Fort Worth from $1,649 - available from Sydney and Melbourne. Premium Economy fares start at $2,399 to Honolulu, and from $3,299 to Los Angeles or San Francisco. High-flyers can also take advantage of Business Class deals, with return fares to Honolulu priced at $5,699, Vancouver from $7,299, and Los Angeles or San Francisco from $7,599. The sale is available for seven days only, from Wednesday 21 May through to Tuesday 27 May, unless sold out prior. Travel dates for these discounted fares begin from August 2025 and extend through to March 2026. 'We know our customers really look forward to our international sales and over the last few weeks we've launched sales across Asia and the Pacific Islands as well as to Johannesburg and London,' Qantas CEO International Cam Wallace said. 'Our US sale in March this year had a fantastic response and we're pleased to be offering customers more discounted seats to destinations across the United States and Canada, in partnership with American Airlines.' Jetstar also have a sale on flights to Japan. One-way tickets from Cairns start at $249 for Osaka and $279 for Tokyo. Discounted fares are also available from Brisbane, with flights to Osaka from $309 and to Tokyo from $429. Other sale routes include Sydney to Osaka from $339, Sydney to Tokyo (via Cairns) from $394, Melbourne to Osaka (via Cairns) from $377, and Adelaide to Tokyo (via Cairns) from $424. Economy return sale fares Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Honolulu $999 Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Los Angeles $1,149 Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to San Francisco $1,199 Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Vancouver $1,399 Sydney and Melbourne to Dallas Fort Worth $1,649 Premium economy return sale fares Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Honolulu $2,399 Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Los Angeles and San Francisco $3,299 Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Vancouver $3,499 Business return sale fares Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Honolulu $5,699 Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Vancouver $7,299 Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Los Angeles and San Francisco $7,599
Washington Post
18-05-2025
- Washington Post
‘Circular Motion,' a debut both wildly imaginative and deeply emotional
Alex Foster's debut novel, 'Circular Motion,' is precisely 360 pages long, an appropriately exact total for a story about a near future in which international travel has been revolutionized by the 'westward circuit,' a vast collection of 'circuit vessels' that constantly orbit Earth without landing. Built and operated by a giant corporation, the westward circuit cuts down travel time by so much that it's possible, for instance, for the narrator and his friends to do a 'world crawl,' a pub crawl of the whole planet.
