Leading online travel agency (OTA) Expedia has announced its expansion into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) market, marking its first entry into a new market in eight years. The announcement was made at the Arabian Travel Market, where Expedia Group participated in the thriving $25 billion travel and tourism industry in the region.
The UAE has been experiencing significant growth in the travel and tourism sector, with Dubai emerging as one of the top global destinations for travellers in recent years.
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Expedia’s entry into the UAE market will provide customers with access to a wide range of travel options, including worldwide flights and hundreds of thousands of lodging options.
Rehan A. Asad, Vice President of Global Markets at Expedia Group, commented on the expansion, saying, “Visionary leadership, a strategic long-term plan, a business-friendly environment, and a vibrant multicultural society are driving the remarkable growth in the UAE, across multiple industries including travel and tourism. Expedia Group is an innovative technology company as much as it is a travel company, and we want to grow with the UAE and with the region.”
Expedia is known for its commitment to technology innovation in the global travel industry. As part of its UAE launch, Expedia will introduce a Gen-AI enabled app later this month. The app will feature Gen-AI technology, including ChatGPT integration, providing travellers with a source of travel inspiration. Additionally, Expedia’s Price Tracking tool, which shows price history and predictions on future flights, will be available to account holders in the UAE, enabling travellers to pinpoint the best travel prices.
Expedia has also launched a new brand campaign aligned with its global “Made to Travel” brand platform. The campaign, which kicked off with three new digital creative spots titled “Chaos,” “Home,” and “Birthday,” aims to highlight the emotional benefits of travel and how Expedia can help travellers overcome barriers to travel.
The campaign content will be published across YouTube and paid social channels, with further marketing channels, including Out of Home, activating later this year.
