Saudi Arabia-: With demand for travel at a high in Saudi Arabia (+89% year-on-year increase in flight searches among residents**), global travel leader Skyscanner shares new insights on 2024 KSA traveller behaviour as well as tips for finding the best travel deals. As Saudi residents gear up for holiday planning this year, Skyscanner‘s latest study reveals that 97% of KSA travellers are keen to look past the same-old destinations and try somewhere new in 2024*.
Discover new destinations and save on 2024 travel
Despite the beginning of the year being a time when many crave a holiday, 91% of residents feel overwhelmed by booking travel, with 36% blaming costs and 32% struggling to decide on a destination. Moreover, 96% of KSA travellers feel that the same destinations are perpetuated by social media, TV and film, contributing to a current fatigue felt towards conventional tourist hotspots.
Amid the current weariness towards predictable travel destinations, coupled with rising concerns about travel expenses and a preference for recommendations outside of traditional algorithms, Skyscanner’s Everywhere search tool was created to help cash and time strapped Saudi residents and is growing in popularity. Designed to alleviate traveller anxiety and provide travellers with the tools to discover lesser-known and more affordable destinations that align with individual preferences, it is currently the most popular search term among KSA residents both in 2023 and 2024 so far – beating specific destination hotposts such as India, Thailand, USA and the UK.
If undecided of where to go, simply input ‘Everywhere’ as your destination, and Skyscanner will show the cheapest flights to amazing destinations you may have not considered.
As demand for travel in Saudi Arabia continues to soar, additional Skyscanner findings reveal:
- KSA residents believe their average return airfare in 2024 will be 461 SAR but Skyscanner’s Everywhere search reveals deals to destinations such as Italy, Austria and Cyprus for less than 418 SAR.
- The key to Saudi traveller happiness is as diverse as the Kingdom itself, 59% of travellers find happiness in being able to relax on their holidays, 57% claim it’s from being active, 54% agree it’s all about the food and 50% find happiness in the overall vibe/atmosphere, among other examples.
Ayoub El Mamoun, Skyscanner Travel Expert, says, “The passion for exploration among Saudi travellers remains high and there’s a clear openness to try new destinations with our ‘Everywhere’ feature becoming the most sought-after search tool among travellers in 2023 and 2024, so far. The surge in popularity of the ‘Everywhere’ search highlights the eagerness of KSA residents to find travel inspiration and secure great deals as they plan their next holiday destinations.”
Looking for more tips on how to get away for less in 2024? Ayoub shares:
Flex those dates: “Searching by multiple dates is one of your best chances of a finding bargain. Flight prices are all based on supply and demand. As some dates are more popular than others, prices will vary. Skyscanner’s ‘cheapest month’ search tool allows you to see cheap flights at a glance and pick the right deal for you. Consider traveling a day before or a day after your original departure dates, as flying on less popular days of the week can be cheaper.”
Be price smart: Setting up price alerts will ensure you’re the first to know as prices drop with any additional discounts or added supply. You can mark a flight you’re interested in and Skyscanner will email you whenever the price goes up or down.”
Live flight deals for February 2024:
Are you planning your next holiday destination? With over 80 billion prices searched every single day, Skyscanner’s ‘Everywhere’ search for February 2024 reveals great value return flights from Saudi Arabia:
Saudi Arabia to Austria starting from SAR 258
Saudi Arabia to Italy starting from SAR 259
