More than eighty percent of travelers consider ecological impact when planning trips, which exceeds the average level for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. However, only 26% of them adhere to this for all their travels. The use of artificial intelligence in trip planning experiences a significant growth by 2025. About three-quarters of respondents use this technology when planning trips or searching for interesting places to visit.
"Key survival aspects" include cleanliness (85%), unique attractions (82%) and quality of customer service (81%). More than sixty percent of travelers emphasize the importance of service delivery for being seen by other travelers as a single entity.
When choosing a place to stay, 72% consider sustainability criteria, and 53% prefer places that are pet-friendly. Furthermore, more than a quarter of visitors strive to return from trips in better condition than they were before.
Similar studies indicate that trends toward an increase in the number of trips in 2025 are accompanied by a focus on receiving better value for their expenses, regardless of the budget. In this context, many respondents consider the influence of currency exchange rates when planning trips.
A study involving over 2400 travelers from the UAE showed that interest in traveling in 2025 is rising, and 84% of them intend to maintain or increase the number of their trips. The theme of sustainability has become a key factor when choosing destinations for stays among travelers from the UAE.
Sandy Valia, regional director in the Middle East and Africa of Marriott International, noted: "The results of this global study indicate a strong trend toward travel in the UAE, where the majority of travelers intend to either increase or maintain their trips in 2025 compared to the previous year. Interestingly, only 10% of them intend to reduce their number of trips.
Planning for 2025, 54% of travelers from the UAE plan to increase the number of their trips compared to 2024. The research also sheds light on various new and emerging trends in the travel industry, including those such as 'travel-nature' and 'experiential tourism' becoming key directions in the tourism sector in the coming year.
