RIYADH: Travelers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are set to opt for wellbeing-led holidays in 2023 and are planning to enjoy more vacations this year, as the tourism and travel sector strongly rebound from the negative impacts caused by the pandemic, a new survey shows. The Marriott Bonvoy’s 2023 Travel Trends research report suggests that 93 percent of holiday-goers from Saudi Arabia and the UAE are planning vacation trips in 2023, with around a quarter planning on staying in luxury accommodations while away. According to the report, 66 percent of travelers in Saudi Arabia and 69 percent in the UAE are planning more vacations this year than they did in 2022 due to the increased confidence that holidays will not be impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The report further noted that 73 percent of Saudi-based travelers prefer wellbeing-led holidays, while 56 percent in the Kingdom want to explore new destinations and cultures. Interestingly, 27 percent of respondents from Saudi Arabia who participated in the survey revealed that they are planning on taking an extended holiday of three weeks or more in one destination. Some 44 percent of respondents from the Kingdom going on extended holidays pointed out that the opportunity to work from home is allowing them to take longer holidays without having to take annual leave for a prolonged vacation trip. According to the report, 31 percent of respondents from the UAE and 23 percent from Saudi Arabia plan to take a work-away holiday– where they will continue to log on and work even during the vacation. “The pandemic also hastened the increase in remote working and it is clear that many plan to take advantage of the flexibility, using the opportunity to get away without taking annual leave,” said Neal Jones, chief sales and marketing officer at Marriott International — Europe, Middle East & Africa. When it comes to the selection of properties to stay in, the survey report revealed that some 25 percent of travelers in Saudi Arabia and 26 percent in the UAE prefer to stay in luxury accommodations. It should be also noted that 74 percent in the UAE and 69 percent in Saudi Arabia are willing to spend more during their 2023 holidays compared to 2022. The report also noted that 85 percent of travelers from the UAE and 80 percent from Saudi Arabia are considering sustainability and environmental factors before fixing their destination. “Forty-three percent in the UAE go as far as to say environmental considerations define their travel plans and they will only spend money with companies that have a positive environmental impact, whilst the figure is 38 percent in Saudi Arabia,” said Marriott in a press release.