Mauritians shuttle between holidays near and far

Will the increase in pensions and the minimum wage strengthen the financial situation of Mauritians, allowing them to afford a holiday abroad, or will they prefer to turn to closer destinations? Opinions are divided among those in the tourism industry. For the vast majority of Mauritians, the increase in airfares is the deciding factor before travelling.

Umarfarooq Omarjee, director of Omarjee Holidays, explained that the increase in pensions and the minimum wage has allowed Mauritians to consider the possibility of travelling. “Increasing the minimum wage would allow those who can afford it to travel for leisure. We must not forget that prices have risen in certain destinations.But that won’t stop people from traveling, he said.

Regarding senior citizens, he believes that even before pension increases, those with savings can afford to travel. He observed that as the number of retirees increases, senior citizens want to explore more destinations, visit relatives abroad or take organized tours. “It all depends on each person’s budget”he added.

He said Mauritians choose destinations with direct flights and where there are Mauritian expatriates living. He noted that Asia’s appeal is waning, except for business travel. Many Mauritians also go to Dubai, some of whom have settled there. This destination is no longer just a transit point, but also a tourist destination.

Umarfarooq Omarjee believes that after Covid-19, many people “revenge” （‘Revenge trip’). “But at the same time, demand pressures due to the limited number of operating aircraft led to an increase in airfares. Since 2023, we have observed that prices have stabilized and are moving in the right direction. Overall, we have noticed an increase in the number of Mauritians traveling to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Canada.” Due to the increase in airfares, he observed that travelers prefer to visit multiple destinations in a single trip.

Rodriguez’s popularity

One of the challenges in managing travel demand is the cost of airfare. “Travel, in general, has a cost”he said, while stressing that the trip would provide a change of scenery. “It’s a challenge to find a destination and accommodate everyone’s needs”He added that he was looking for a destination. “trend”.

Jimmy Tan Yan, director of Cathay Travel, a tour operator based in the capital, said tourism had slowed slightly due to rising airfares. “We’re finding that people who used to travel a lot are now travelling less because airfares have gone up.” However, only those who are rich can afford to travel. He pointed out that the middle class will think two or three times before traveling.

Jimmy Tan Yan believes that Mauritians who are unable to travel to faraway destinations are turning to Rodrigues Island. In addition, he points out that travel to this destination has increased because prices and package deals are attractive. According to him, the middle class is a small “stuck” and have to move to more affordable destinations.

Data shows that the number of Mauritians travelling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues to increase. In 2020, 14,973 Mauritians travelled to the UAE, compared to 58,948 in 2022. In the first half of 2023, 16,910 Mauritians travelled to the UAE, compared to 18,044 in the same period of 2024. There was also a significant increase from 2022 to 2023, with the number of passengers increasing from 58,948 in 2022 to 73,888 in 2023.

Data from the Mauritius Statistics Bureau also shows an increase in the number of Mauritians leaving the country between 2021 and 2022 for different age groups. In 2021, 4,110 people aged 20 to 24 left the country, compared to 14,138 in 2022. The increase was more pronounced for people aged 25 to 29, with 4,686 departures in 2021, compared to 19,098 in 2022. The number of departures for people aged 30 to 34 increased from 4,791 in 2021 to 22,263 in 2022. For people aged 35 to 39 and 40 to 44, the number of departures increased from 4,155 and 3,910 in 2021 to 21,389 and 23,894 in 2022, respectively. The number of departures for all age groups increased from 42,446 in 2021 to 229,236 in 2022.

According to the latest data Statistics MauritiusIn 2022, 229,236 Mauritians travelled abroad, a slight increase of 1,831 from 227,855 in 2013.