WOULD BREAK HOLIDAY TRADITION SAYS SKYSCANNER

According to Skyscanner’s latest research, in association with OnePoll, a huge 97% of KSA travellers are open to travelling to more alternative or lesser-known destinations with more than three quarters (78%) saying they would be likely to swap their holiday favourites for an alternative option if it meant they were likely to save money.

Ayoub El Mamoun, Skyscanner Travel Expert, says, “The desire for new and alternative destinations appears to be increasing this year, as in 2022, only 41% of global travellers surveyed said that they wanted to explore new places versus returning to an old favourite. We’re seeing a big uplift in the number of searches for underrated destinations from KSA, including Oslo + 116% and Phuket +110%.”

With almost half (48%) of KSA travellers yet to book their summer holiday this year, according to Skyscanner’s latest research, and 47% of those admitting that they’re still deciding on their summer holiday destination, Skyscanner’s is on hand to help find the underrated alternatives to the usual holiday hot spots this year.

Escape the crowds and save SARs with alternative holiday destinations this summer

Over three quarters (78%) of KSA travellers already prefer a tentative holiday destination versus the more tried and true classic holiday destinations (19%). An alternative holiday needs to be somewhere to escape the holiday crowds as well as come up cheaper than the traditional holiday hotspots.

For example, KSA travellers looking for a city break could swap Paris (with return flights for SAR 1,630 this August) for the lesser-known

Bucharest (with return flights for SAR 179 this August) and save over 80%. Head to the old town in Bucharest to discover they city’s exciting past, lively restaurants, large parks and plenty of museums. It is also considered as one of Europe’s safest and most affordable destinations.

Alternatively, KSA travellers looking for a tropical holiday could swap Malè (with return flights from SAR 1,635 this August) for Salalah (with return flights from SAR 803 this August) and save 50%. Escape the heat of Saudi Arabia and head to the spice route destination of Salalah, the second-largest city in Oman known for its beautiful waterfalls and beaches.

Or KSA travellers wanting that bucket list holiday could swap New York (with return flights from SAR 4,746 this August) for Tokyo (with return flights from SAR 2,875 this August) and save 40%. Tokyo has so much to offer from second-hand shopping boutiques to laid-back roof-top gardens, and quaint traditional restaurants, they city is full of life and activities during any part of the day.

Skyscanner’s guide to alternative travel according to Ayoub El Mamoun , Skyscanner’s (alternative!) destination expert:

1. Save big on alternative destinations with Skyscanner’s ‘Everywhere’ Search: “When surveyed, KSA travellers estimated summer holiday flights are likely to cost SAR 365 return per person on average this year, however using Skyscanner’s ‘Everywhere’ search reveals that travellers can find great value deals to alternative holiday spots this August including Budapest (Hungary) from SAR 80 return, Catania (Italy) from SAR 82 return and Larnaka (Cyprus) from SAR 80 return. In fact, ‘Everywhere’ is the top search destination for adventurous KSA travellers on Skyscanner this summer!”

2. Flex those dates: “Searching by multiple dates is one of your best chances of a finding bargain. Flight prices are all based on supply and demand. Because some dates are more popular than others, prices will vary. Skyscanner’s ‘whole month’ search tool allows you to see cheap flights at a glance and pick the right deal for you. Consider traveling a day before or a day after your original departure dates, as flying on less popular days of the week can be cheaper. Try Skyscanners Savings Generator tool to help you find the cheapest week to travel. For example, if you are travelling to Thailand from Riyadh, the 12th to the 18th August is the cheapest week to fly this summer, and Monday the cheapest day to travel!”