UAE-UK travel demand soars as Britain expands ETA programme

Applications for the ETA scheme, which the UK introduced earlier this year, are now open to all eligible non-European visitors from the US, Japan, Canada, Chile, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, and more. All eligible non-European visitors from 48 countries can apply for an ETA and will need one to travel to the UK from Jan 8, 2025.

Next year, the UK will open ETA to eligible travellers from European nations, who can apply from Mar 5, 2025, and will need an ETA to travel to the UK from Apr 2, 2025. From April 2025, all visitors to the UK who do not need a visa for short stays and who do not already have a UK immigration status will need an ETA, the British Embassy in Dubai said in a statement. The ETA was first launched in Gulf countries earlier this year, starting with Qatar, and was later expanded to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait.

The UK continues to be a popular destination for UAE travellers, a trend that has held strong over the years. According to travel agents, interest in UK travel has grown further following the establishment of the ETA program. Afi Ahmed, Chairman of Smart Travels, remarked, “The UK remains a favourite destination, especially during the holiday season. Expats in the UAE often plan trips to the UK to experience Christmas festivities.

In order of popularity, the UK remains the third most popular international destination for UAE travellers, followed by Sri Lanka and Turkey, according to dnata. Matthew Vlemmiks, dnata Travel Leisure Manager, said, “While the UK sees a lot of air traffic from residents of the UAE visiting loved ones, it is also in high demand at this time of the year with tourists seeking a festive feel and world-class shopping.”

“The first half of 2024 saw a record 512,000 visits from the GCC, up 25% over the previous year, boosted by the rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme earlier this year, which made travel to the UK easier, cheaper, and more flexible for GCC nationals,” said a British Embassy spokesperson.

This equated to a record £1 billion spend, 6% higher than the same period in 2023. VisitBritain is also expecting 1.3 million GCC visitors to the UK by the end of the year, a 21% increase over 2023, it said in a statement. The Embassy spokesperson stated, “GCC travellers spend an average of 2.8 times more per visit than the overall market average, at £2,276. They also tend to stay longer, with an average of 11 nights compared to the market average of 8. Additionally, GCC visitors show strong loyalty with high repeat visit rates.”

The spokesperson added, “London continues to be the top destination for GCC travellers visiting the UK.” Moreover, British film and TV shows are powerful motivators for travel.

Ahmed also said that since the launch of the ETA, it has become very easy for UAE nationals to travel to the UK. “The application fee is only 10 pounds. And now that the programme has been expanded to add 48 new countries, I expect demand to grow further.”

This enduring appeal is also driven by several factors, including stable airfare prices ranging from Dh2,800 to Dh3,300 for direct flights—a slight increase from off-peak rates of Dh2,200 to Dh3,000. Additionally, the frequency of flights from the UAE and the wider GCC to the UK has seen a notable rise, further facilitating travel between the two regions.

When asked about the impact of the ETA on GCC nationals, the Embassy spokesperson said, “Since rollout in Qatar (Nov 23) and the rest of GCC (Feb 24), the feedback from travellers has been positive. A large proportion of them receive their ETA within 24 hours. (We) expect more visitors to take advantage of the ease/affordability of ETA when visiting Britain.”