MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA: M1ND-SET CONSUMER PROFILE


Middle East & Africa ‘Consumer Profile’ pre- and post-Covid


Eighty-one percent of travellers from the Middle East & Africa who were surveyed by m1nd- set in June said they would be willing to travel again within the first six months after travel bans were lifted. However, in the near future travellers intend to avoid certain destinations such as the US, China, Italy and the UK. Charlotte Turner hears from Anna Marchesini.


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ixty-four percent of international travellers from the Middle East and Africa


said they would spend less time at the airport compared with before the Covid-19 outbreak, according to m1nd-set that conducted *research in June this year. “The majority will consider other


channels for shopping,” clarifies Anna Marchesini, Project and Business Development Manager for m1nd-set. “Mainly physical stores in their


home country and online. Ninety- four percent will still be willing to interact with the sales staff, among which 54% will do so by taking precautions (e.g. wearing a mask, not shaking hands, staying few metres away, etc).” According to Swiss research


agency m1nd-set Middle East and African travellers, who are willing to fly internationally within the next 24 months once travel bans are lifted, will fit into two dominant age groups: younger millennials (18-27 year olds) and those over 36. They are also more likely to be infrequent travellers – those which


NOVEMBER 2020


take one to three international trips per year – when comparing data to other regions, such as Europe or the Americas. Those from the Middle East &


Africa are more likely to have been negatively impacted by Covid-19, in terms of a reduction in the household monthly income, compared with other regions. “Indeed, in their daily life they have


started cutting expenses for specific product categories (e.g. skincare, alcohol, gift items, perfumes, chocolate, etc.),” according to Marchesini.


A cautious approach Interestingly, travellers from the Middle East and African are more likely to avoid duty free stores on future trips because of the covid-19 outbreak (23% vs 16% for the global average), but the majority will still be willing to browse the stores. The categories which were of


great interest to these visitors pre-covid, but will suffer from a lack of customers browsing ‘since Covid’, include the following: electronics, watches, as well as gifts and souvenirs.


When at the airport, they are


more likely (than the global average) to avoid some services/products completely, especially the airline lounge, massaging/relaxing areas, restaurants and cafes/bars. They are also more likely to


engage less than before with duty free stores and kiosks/convenience stores. They are instead more likely to use fast food outlets, take-away providers, but also those offering fine food options. Those from the Middle East and Africa are more likely to avoid testing


“Ninety-four percent will still be willing to interact with the sales staff, among which 54% will do so by taking precautions (e.g. wearing a mask, not shaking hands, staying few metres away, etc).”


Anna Marchesini, Project and Business Development Manager, m1nd-set


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Above: Those from the Middle East and Africa are more likely to avoid testing any type of product in duty free stores than the global average, indicates m1nd- set.


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