Expo 2020 Dubai is the biggest hotspot for Indian tourists keen on international travel, a new survey has revealed. The UAE is on the wishlist of most Indians planning an overseas trip in the near future, said a recent survey jointly conducted by Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel.

The UAE has traditionally been a favourite destination for Indian travellers. With 192 participating countries, the Expo is clearly a strong tourism magnet, besides IPL and T20 World Cup, two popular sporting events in Dubai. Dubbed the world’s greatest show, Expo 2020 Dubai runs until the end of March 2022.

Dubai has been welcoming vaccinated tourists for months now. Ease of travel and re-opening of borders are expected to further boost travel and tourism over the next few months. Expo 2020 Dubai is clearly the destination of choice for international travellers, including ones from India.

The TC-SOTC survey showed that more than half (60 per cent) of Indians who wish to travel overseas wanted to visit the UAE. Seventy-seven per cent of the survey’s 2,500 respondents were keen on international travel.

Tourists were eager to spend between four and seven nights in the UAE to explore Expo 2020 Dubai. The event is set to play a significant role in international travel from India over the next three months, said the survey.

Why Indians love Expo 2020 Dubai

The Expo 2020 Dubai has a strong appeal: gala dinners and associated events being among the reasons cited by Indian tourists. Respondents mention it as a once-in-a-lifetime mega-event. Forty-seven per cent of Indians surveyed want to explore the event at least once this year.

The Expo 2020 Dubai has a strong appeal: gala dinners and associated events being among reasons cited by Indian tourists.

The expected trend this time around is for longer stays, unlike the short trips that Indian tourists preferred in the past. Also, 57 per cent of respondents said they might visit the Expo more than once. They were willing to spend Rs70,000 (about Dh3,500) per person for a four-night trip. Tourists were also open to spending around Rs250,000 (Dh12,500) per person for greater comfort and luxury.

Reasons for Indian tourists visiting Expo 2020 Dubai

The Expo 2020 Dubai was a favourite for travellers for different reasons. Around 45 per cent of travellers considered the world’s fair a leisure destination. Business and corporate travellers comprised around 15 per cent of people wanting to visit the Expo.

Another 15 per cent considered the fair for education purposes. Around 25 per cent of people wanting to visit the Expo intended to travel for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions.

Around 45 per cent of travellers considered the world’s fair a leisure destination

The Survey

Most of the tourists willing to travel (85 per cent) want to do so over the next three months. The survey covered several major Indian cities: Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Madurai, Kochi, Indore, Cuttack, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, and Surat.