UAE tourists double their spending on luxury fashion compared to last year

The travel industry seems to have experienced a significant shift in the past year. As per the Travel Trends 2024 report by the Mastercard Economics Institute, people have started to travel and spend more. In the UAE, there is a particular focus on luxury fashion.

Luxury shopping in the country went up by 61% compared to the past year, according to the report. Tourists in the UAE prefer to spend on high-end fashion more, as only one-third of them go for casual apparel.

The report highlighted many other interesting travel trends such as top destinations. Japan, Ireland, and Romania took the lead in the top 10 trending destinations globally. The desire to explore the UAE grew as well, as it ranked 9th on the list.

Japan, Ireland, RomaniaShutterstock

Cruises are a new appealing experience for travelers worldwide. Since the formation of the Cruise Arabia alliance, the Middle East got a bunch of new visitors.

“The travel sector in the Middle East region is incredibly strong and resilient, supported by consumer demand, an appetite to discover destinations closer to home while enjoying memorable and authentic experiences. It’s great to see travelers extend their stays, and this is something that’s very positive for the tourism industry at large, as well as local governments building diversified economies,” said Natalia Lechmanova, Chief Economist EEMEA at Mastercard Economics Institute.

London, Athens, and Paris were top destinations for UAE travelers last year.

Meanwhile, tourists from MENA overall tend to favor vacations closer to home, within the region. The share of lodging sales, which refers to the revenue from hotel and other accommodation bookings, has gone up by two percentage points in 2024 versus 2019. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Morocco welcomed a significant amount of travelers this year.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, MoroccoShutterstock

Tourists from Saudi Arabia made Cairo, Rome, and Cape Town their top destinations.