Smart phone bookings highest in KSA and UAE

Online travel agency Destinia has released results of recent research into smart phone use for booking travel.

According to the company’s research, Destinia found that travellers from Saudi Arabia and the UAE represented the highest number of bookings made for flights and hotels through smart phones.

The company found that 34% of travellers from KSA and UAE used smart phones to book flights. This figure is compared to 26% in the United States and 15% in the UK. The figures had also risen significantly in the last year, with only 24% of KSA travellers and 22% of UAE travellers using smart phones for flight bookings in 2014.

The figures were equivalent for booking hotels through smart phones. In this instance, Saudi Arabia and the UAE represented the highest numbers, at 35% and 32% respectively. This is compared to 25% of UK travellers and 23% of travellers from the USA.

Research also showed that KSA and UAE travellers were more likely to book trips last minute. The average lead time ahead of travel has increased from 18 days in 2014, to 22 days in 2015. For KSA and UAE travellers the average lead time is 18 days and 9 days respectively.

Destinia CEO Ricardo Fernández commented: “Mobile bookings are increasing at an astonishing rate in every travel sector facet and this research demonstrates how innovative and tech savvy travelers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE are.

"We are very excited to expand our presence and open an office in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it is a young and rapidly expanding population and currently leads the Middle East economy. This recent research is further evidence that the expansion will be a great opportunity for us to support this growing market. ”

Online travel agency Destinia has offices in Dubai, Egypt and Spain. The company is now opening an additional office in Saudi Arabia in 2016.