Research shows majority of Middle Eastern adults would pay $101-$500 extra for ‘personalised’ travel experience

AMMAN — New online research by Sabre Corporation, a global travel technology provider, has revealed that 59 per cent of Middle Eastern adults would pay between $101 and $500 for added services that personalise their travel journeys. 

This $101-$500 would be paid on top of the basic travel costs for a “customised” experience when purchasing flight or hotel accommodation abroad, according to a Sabre statement. 

“To align with today’s travellers, airlines, hotels, travel agencies and even corporate buyers must think and behave like true retailers,” Salman Syed, vice president for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region at Sabre was quoted in the statement as saying. 

“They need to analyse consumer behaviour and market data to better target future offers and fulfil as many traveller’s needs as possible. By using intelligent retailing to provide what travellers want, anywhere, anytime on the device they wish, travel providers can tap into this huge ancillary opportunity, driving increased revenue and improving customer experience to increase loyalty,” he added.

Consumer expectations and shopping behaviours are “becoming more sophisticated”, driven by a high level of technology and personalised experiences, according to the statement. This same phenomenon can be observed in the travel industry, where personalisation is becoming “a demand rather than an expectation”.  

When reflecting on what this personalisation looks like, the majority (40 per cent) of those surveyed wanted recommendations based on their budget, whilst 30 per cent wanted suggestions of holiday extras that would be of genuine interest to them when asked what they would want airlines to do for them in the next five years, according to the statement.

The research showed additional benefits of personalisation for travel providers, as 40 per cent surveyed said that they would be more loyal to an airline or a hotel in return for a personalised service.

Sabre’s report showed a “significant opportunity” within the online travel sector in the Middle East, as 48 per cent of those surveyed would look online for travel inspiration for flights or hotels. However, when asked about paying online, 35 per cent indicated insecurity concerning online payments, and 29 per cent showed a lack of trust in online pricing. 

“This suggests that there is a great opportunity for mobile and online travel, if suppliers can deploy the right technology and security measures and thereby increase trust amongst customers,” Syed said in the statement. 

“Retailers need to be where travellers are — online and mobile — and must adopt a seamless, multi-channel sales strategy,” he added.

The online study, which compiled insights from 3,090 people across five countries in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Jordan and Lebanon) was revealed at Sabre Space Jordan, an industry event that brought together experts and leaders from airlines, travel agencies and government officials from across the Middle East to network and learn about the latest travel and technology trends.

Sabre Corporation is the leading technology provider in the global travel industry, according to the statement. Sabre also operates a leading global travel marketplace. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world.