British Airways aims to help UAE residents switch off and travel more in 2018
• A survey commissioned by British Airways revealed that two-in-three UAE residents didn’t manage to fully switch off on holiday
• More than a fifth of respondents feel guilty when they use their full holiday allowance; in fact, 62 per cent of UAE residents had leftover leave at the end of 2017
• With over 56 per cent of respondents citing cities across Europe as their favourite holiday hotspots, British Airways is offering special fares across its European network so residents can take their well-earned time off
According to a study carried out by British Airways, an overwhelming 62 per cent of UAE residents revealed they had leftover holiday or leave allowance at the end of 2017.
In a bid to better understand the travel habits, preferences and frequency of holidays taken by its customers, British Airways commissioned a global survey of 1,000 employed adults across several countries, including the UAE.
British Airways is encouraging UAE residents to use their annual leave and take rejuvenating time off work with its special fares campaign. British Airways’ special fares offer runs across all its cabins through to 6 March with travel valid from tomorrow until 12 December 2018.
With over a third of UAE residents feeling they are too busy to take time off from work to travel and more than one in five people feeling guilty when they use their full holiday allowance, travellers can book return flights to London starting at just AED 2,375, and on to places in Europe including Paris for as little as AED 2525.
The survey also revealed that going on a two-week holiday abroad to fully experience a destination was nothing but a pipe dream for 24 per cent of residents who claimed they felt pressured not to take that long off in one break. Additionally, 31 per cent of working residents actively choose not to go on a two-week break, fearing the amount of work that would pile up in their absence.
Even with these stats, UAE residents are reportedly enjoying more holidays than the global norm with a whopping six getaways abroad per year on average. While the UAE-based survey participants may be holidaying more frequently per year, they’re spending less time on each break – 55 per cent of respondents claimed they only go on holidays for less than two weeks, while 63 per cent wished they spent longer in their destination and 25 per cent claimed they didn’t see everything they wanted to.
Contrastingly, over a third of employed adults in the UAE use their leave allowance to stay at home. Family commitments, DIY and personal admin are the top reasons for taking individual days off, with a fifth admitting they end up completing work regardless.