Dubai retains luxury status with travellers despite negative international press - Insignia survey
Today marks the release of the inaugural Insignia travel intelligence report, informed by a survey sent to ABTA members, the UK’s largest travel association. Commissioned by Insignia, a leading branding and brand communication agency and travel industry partner of ABTA, the report offers a detailed snapshot of the perceptions and needs of those travelling to Dubai from the UK.
A summary of findings indicates that the Emirate continues to enjoy a reputation as a luxury holiday destination despite recent negative press surrounding Dubai World’s interest repayments.
The survey asked whether ABTA members, comprising travel agents and tour operators throughout the British Isles, felt there had been a significant change in the number of bookings to Dubai since the story made headlines in the UK. In a positive endorsement of the universal appeal of Dubai as a holiday destination, over 90% of respondents said they had seen little or no change whatsoever.
Furthermore, a vast majority of respondents categorised Dubai as a luxury destination, underlining the Emirates’ reputation as a ‘Seven Star’ tourism hub. The most popular leisure hotel in Dubai was judged to be the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, whilst the Jumeirah Emirates Towers claimed top spot as a city business hotel.
Gaurav Sinha, Managing Director of Insignia comments, ‘As an agency specialising in the luxury travel trade, it is of paramount importance to us to understand the attitudes of those visiting the region. We feel our report to be pertinent because it provides us with an unbiased, expert view on Dubai, both in terms of how it is perceived from a tourism angle and how we are regarded generally. It is highly encouraging to find that, inspite of negative coverage in the international press, tourists continue to recognise Dubai as an attractive and popular destination and that it has not dented our reputation as a luxury holiday getaway. It further cements our belief that Dubai is a major-player in the global tourism industry.’
