DUBAI’S tourism market is maturing from its glitzy, glamorous image into a multi-tiered one suitable for all budgets as low-cost options steadily grow, it was revealed during a lively debate on value travel at last month’s ATM. However, the term ‘low-cost’ is still identified as low quality in this part of the world and panel members agreed it was important to continue to remove this misconception.
“We need to do more to educate the public,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, flydubai, “but the concept (of low-cost travel) has slowly gained ground.” He said that ‘value’ travel is different to ‘cheap’ travel in that value is not low quality. Of flydubai’s diverse customers – business travellers, labourers, families and tourists – a third are now travelling more often than they would otherwise have done. “If you can offer people a cheaper way to travel they will do so more often,” he said.
Ainsley Duncombe, co-founder and director of the new website lowcostdubai.com, confirmed this rise based on the popularity of his website offering sourcing to low-cost deals across all segments.
Rezidor’s target group has become larger, said Elie Younes, vice president business development Middle East & Africa for the group whose Park Inn brand provides comfort, safety and service at an affordable price. “The product that we have in the Middle East is global in outlook but local in accent. About 50 per cent of people who travel within the Middle East to our hotels come from the Middle East,” he said.
And Christophe Landais, managing director Accor Hospitality Middle East, said that tourists opting for the group’s Ibis brand know what they get for their money is a good night’s sleep, powerful shower, good internet connectivity and quality food at “reduced levels of service to that of a five star brand”.