JOOB.COM is the UAE’s newest Arabic and English online leisure travel resource, offering a full complement of travel products and services including flights, hotel bookings and travel insurance.
Currently in its beta version, Joob.com focuses on value and quality with a competitive pricing policy. The website allows customers to pay in local currency, accepts multiple payment platforms and provides 24/7 customer support through its fully-functioning call centre manned by specialists who speak English and Arabic.
As the region’s first regional travel resource, the company conducted original research to understand and learn about the travel habits and preferences of the UAE traveller. More than 400 people who travel at least once a year (business or leisure) were questioned, half through a survey online and the other half via face-to-face interviews.
Omar Ahmed, CEO of Joob.com, says: “It is critical that we understand our customers’ preferences to ensure we get it right from the beginning. Some of the features we offer on Joob.com include being able to view the seat-map before you purchase your ticket, allowing you to choose a full or empty flight.
“We are also looking to develop more travel-related information, which may see us integrating with an existing website. We want to bridge the gap with live and Mena-centric reviews, so that our regional guests can relate to it better.”
According to the survey findings, the UAE traveller’s purchasing behaviour has altered over the years and is poised for further change in the near future. Key findings show that online bookings have overtaken the traditional methods with 80 per cent of respondents saying they were open to the idea of purchasing their travel online, particularly for flights, while credit cards have become the preferred payment option for both hotel and flight bookings. Cost continues to remain the main consideration when planning and purchasing travel both online and offline for UAE residents, with ticket prices being the most challenging issue. Family travel continues to be the key preference.
Quality and luxury hotels remain the preference in accommodation among UAE travellers, while recommendations and reviews were not necessarily a key consideration. Another interesting find was that car hire was popular with UAE residents while 50 per cent of bookings were made online. However voluntary purchase of travel insurance was still low with only 10 per cent of travellers choosing to purchase it.
Over the past couple of years, a number of online travel agencies (OTA) have entered the market but very few have managed to successfully gain material traction with consumers. The research revealed that airline websites continue to dominate the UAE online space, while OTAs, whether international or with a domestic presence, had a low adoption rate. However, there seemed to be significant interest with 27 per cent of respondents saying they would definitely consider using Joob.com.