A BOOM TIME FOR ONLINE TRAVEL
Despite the challenges that do exist when it comes to setting up online booking portals in the region and encouraging people to feel comfortable enough to use them; all our experts agree that online travel bookings are set for an explosion in the Middle East over the next few years.

“A lot of traditional agencies are looking at investing in the online market — a lot of large companies are building online products, and for us it’s a good sign because I think we are all here to look at how we can develop the market size from what it is now to what it should be,” says Khatri.

“For example if you compare the market here to India — almost 60% of domestic tickets in India are sold online. So there is still a huge potential to develop the market out there, and with more players coming in, this will only add to that momentum.”

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Lo Faro agrees that with all travel players making a move to online, the sector will see exponential growth in the coming years.

“The percentage of 25% [online bookings] is very likely to double in the next five years — very, very easily,” he says. “Especially as offline becomes online.”

“The online push is not just coming from OTAs after all. It’s coming from the hotel side, the supplier side. It’s coming from offline companies who are selling more and more online and it’s coming from travel agents who are increasingly going online.”

“It’s all about convenience,” he adds. “After all, if a customer finds it more convenient to go online to buy something, they are going to do that.
“And you better be there waiting, right?”