RIYADH: Data from the travel-sector digital marketing platform Sojern shows that there has been a dramatic 70.5 percent surge in interest in Qatar since its restoration of relations with Saudi Arabia and the reopening of land and air borders between the two GCC neighbors.
“This potentially highlights interest in the new opportunities to travel across the borders presented by relations being restored… A positive increase in search volume to Qatar in the last 14 days from Saudi Arabia can be observed as compared to the searches in the last 28 days,” Sojern said in a blog analyzing the first two weeks of 2021.
While the reopening of Saudi borders has been delayed until May, according to an announcement on Friday, the Kingdom’s travellers are still keen to enjoy domestic breaks away.
Former Reed Travel Exhibitions MD sets up new consultancy
The former head of Reed Travel Exhibitions, which delivers large international travel events such as World Travel Market and
IBTM World, Nick Pilbeam (pictured), has announced he is launching a consultancy “to help the global travel and events eco-system navigate the opportunities and dangers of the Covid recovery era”.
Pilbeam, who left RTE at the end of 2020, launched Reficere Consulting International, 25 January, and is positioning it to help destinations, tourist boards, convention bureaux, event tech companies, venture capital and private equity, event venues and organisers “seize opportunities, avoid dangers and accelerate growth”.