UAE Tourism Patterns Alter During Ramadan 2025, as Indicated by Visa Statistics

UAE Tourism Patterns Alter During Ramadan 2025, as Indicated by Visa Statistics

The latest Visa's Travel Pulse Q1 2025 report has shed light on significant visitor trends and spending behaviour during Ramadan 2025, with a focus on the Gulf region. The report reveals a surge in visitor spending across various countries, particularly in emerging markets.

In the UAE, retail and dining sectors drove visitor spend in-store during Ramadan 2025, accounting for 32% and 25% respectively. The report also highlights the UAE's role as a critical part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tourism ecosystem.

While Saudi Arabia's holy cities led Ramadan's economic performance with a remarkable 162% surge in visitor spending, the UAE stands to benefit from strategic initiatives like the GCC singular tourist visa that promotes cross-border travel and spending. This visa allows visitors to access multiple member states (UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia) with one visa, expected to boost tourism flows and ease intra-GCC travel.

The UAE's travel policy environment is also evolving, with lifting travel bans for UAE nationals and introducing more simplified travel procedures, which likely support increased travel and spending during Ramadan and beyond.

Although specific visitor spending data for the UAE during Ramadan 2025 is not as prominently highlighted as Saudi Arabia’s in the Q1 report, the overall trends suggest an increasingly integrated tourism market within the GCC that benefits the UAE through enhanced visitor flows and higher spending facilitated by eased visa and travel restrictions.

The report also indicates a shift in visitor origin during Ramadan 2025, expanding the UAE's reach beyond traditional tourist corridors. For instance, there was a surge in inbound tourism from Central and Eastern Europe during Ramadan 2025.

The data also reveals a shift in visitor behaviour, favouring regional travel and increased expenditure during key cultural periods such as Ramadan. Mid-market travelers accounted for 45% of total international visitor spend during Ramadan 2025. Notably, Kyrgyzstan, the Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan recorded substantial increases in spend among visitors during Ramadan 2025.

The average stay dropped to 4 days during Ramadan 2025, down from 6 during the rest of the year, indicating a more focused and purposeful approach to travel during this period. Online transactions dominated earlier in the month of Ramadan 2025, with food orders peaking before Iftar and online shopping peaking at midnight. However, face-to-face and in-store spending surged in the final days of Ramadan 2025, driven by extended mall hours and seasonal shopping experiences.

These trends suggest that travelers are spending purposefully but physically at local venues, presenting new in-store engagement opportunities for retailers. The sharp spikes in spending patterns during Ramadan 2025 also reveal an opportunity for businesses to expand digital channels.

Edelman Middle East, the news source for this information, adds that the trends reflect an opportunity for businesses to adapt and expand their offerings during Ramadan. Gutieva, a spokesperson from Edelman Middle East, emphasised this point, stating, "The trends reflect an opportunity for businesses to adapt and expand their offerings during Ramadan."

In conclusion, Visa’s Travel Pulse Q1 2025 report underscores a dynamic shift in visitor behaviour favouring regional travel and increased expenditure during key cultural periods such as Ramadan. Businesses are encouraged to seize this opportunity by adapting their offerings and expanding their digital presence to cater to the changing visitor preferences.

1. The UAE benefited from a surge in visitor spending across various sectors, especially in retail and dining, during Ramadan 2025, marking a significant trend in business and lifestyle activities.
2. The GCC singular tourist visa, expected to promote cross-border travel and spending, may further boost tourism flows and ease intra-GCC travel, potentially leading to increased finance and business opportunities in the tourism sector.
3. The shift in visitor origin during Ramadan 2025, expansion beyond traditional tourist corridors, presents new business opportunities, particularly for mid-market travelers from countries like Kyrgyzstan, the Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan, in the technology and digital commerce sectors.

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