Middle East low-cost carriers have become the main priority online with 57 per cent of UAE’s searches in English looking for low-cost air fares, a recent study revealed.

Online behaviour displaying preferences for low-cost carriers are soaring higher than traditional airlines, showed research by the region’s leading content marketing company, Sekari.

“As the Middle East emerges as a global aviation hub, and with Iata reporting a record growth from $1.6 billion profit in 2013 to $2.4 billion in 2014 in this region, understanding what consumers are looking for is crucial,” said Lee Mancini, managing director of Sekari.

Sekari’s research is set out in an infographic, which details the online behaviour of travellers in to the Middle East and also those wishing to travel to the region. The infographic shows which cities are most sought after, the top search terms, types of travel looked at, and also the languages being used online.

The research finds that whilst English searches focus on bargain travel, Arabic users are more interested in full packages and tours, with French speakers split between budget and traditional carriers.

“As online spending in the Mena region is projected to grow from $9 billion in 2012 to $15 billion by 2015, travel remains the biggest item bought online, with an average $1,521 spent each year per person. Knowing what people search for, and in which languages, helps paint an accurate picture of the highly-competitive online marketplace,” Mancini said.

“Airlines, both budget and legacy carries, need to take heed of these findings.  Our research is highly timely as airlines could see further turbulence if the travel industry is rocked by falling oil prices. Knowing what the passenger is looking for will help keep savvy carriers flying high,” he said. – TradeArabia News Service