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Almosafer + Riyadh Air: Travel platform Almosafer plans to allow its customers to book flights with the soon-to-be-launched flag carrier Riyadh Air under a partnership agreement that was unveiled on the sidelines of the Saudi Tourism Forum in Riyadh, according to a joint press release. Riyadh Air is set to kick off its operations in 2025 and has a target of operating flights between 100 destinations by 2030, said Riyadh Air COO Vincent Coste.
What they said: “By partnering with Almosafer, we will be able to provide travelers with a rewarding booking experience including tailored travel and accommodation choices,” Coste added.
The tourism trends of 2023: Domestic bookings on the travel platform have doubled from pre-covid levels to 40% of all bookings in 2023, Almosafer CEO Muzzammil Ahussain told Arab News. Travelers are booking low-cost flights, but are spending more to stay in four- and five-star properties with some 83% of local travelers opting for luxury stays last year, Ahussain added. Makkah was the most visited local destination, followed by Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Madinah and Red Sea, according to Ahussain.
Spending less on flights, but more at the destinations: “The purpose of creating new routes from Flyadeal or Flynas is to bring prices down, create ease of travel, but then allow people to spend more in the destination,” Ahussain explained, suggesting that low-cost aviation is driving higher revenues in other tourism sub-sectors.
