5-year tourist visa a ‘game changer’ for UAE: Oyo

Tuesday, 14 January 2020 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Oyo Hotels & Homes, UAE strongly feels that the recently announced five-year multiple entry visa will prove to be a game-changer for UAE’s vibrant hospitality industry.

Oyo UAE started getting tourist enquiries from several countries the moment it was announced. As per reports, the holders of the new five-year multiple-entry tourist visa may be allowed to stay for six months at a stretch.

“We have observed a significant increase in the number of both leisure and business visitors since the last quarter of 2019 due to the busy MICE sector in UAE. We are gearing up for the busy months ahead of us leading up to the mega Expo 2020. With this new five-year multiple entry visa rule, we expect a steep increase in tourist arrivals from across the globe. As the country pavilions are being constructed at the Expo site, we expect a large number of business travellers and executives visiting our properties during this phase. This will be followed by a mix of leisure and business travellers as we progress towards the last quarter of 2020,” said Pranav Mehta, Country Head, Oyo Hotels & Homes, UAE.

Oyo witnessed strong double digit increase in tourist traffic in December 2019, compared to the same period last year. The company expects a higher than expected traffic comprising of business travellers during 2020 due to the upcoming Expo. Oyo Hotels & Homes is South Asia’s largest and the world’s third largest, fastest-growing chain of leased and franchised hotels, homes and living spaces.

“We have seen a rise in numbers with regard to business travellers, particularly from India and China due to the growing trade relationship between UAE and these two Asian nations. At the moment, we are also experiencing a growth in numbers from other GCC countries, Africa, Europe, UK and the US.”

“Dubai is set to attract 25 million visitors in the upcoming years, and these visitors will comprise of a mix of trade and leisure visitors. However, irrespective of the nature of the visitors the city will require quality hotels to accommodate them. We are aiming at increasing our portfolio month-on-month and support the city with this exponentially growing demand,” added Mehta.

Oyo UAE has aggressively expanded its portfolio to a record collection of 4,461 keys in 310 hotels and homes in just a year.