A third of Saudis are planning to work while on their holidays next year, a new survey shows.
About 32 per cent of those surveyed said they “enjoy working while travelling”, according to a Skyscanner study, which outlined travel predictions for Saudi holidaymakers in 2023.
Remote working has boomed in recent years, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic upended traditional work set-ups — in some cases even leading to countries introducing digital nomad visas.
Dozens of countries have this visa option, including the UAE.
As per the Skyscanner data, three cities that offer digital nomad visas could be an ideal choice for Saudis who plan to work remotely next year, including Mexico City, Zagreb and Madrid, all of which have relatively cheaper costs of living than Riyadh.
Holiday productivity is not new. A global survey by American project management company Wrike showed that up to 40 per cent of workers last year were planning to work while on their summer holidays.
Some even said staying connected to work, while on a beach somewhere in South-east Asia, made a holiday “less stressful”.
The blurring of boundaries between work and personal life has drawn ire from experts.
An article on Harvard Business Review said spending holidays working “undermines intrinsic motivation”, which it explained as one of the most important factors that determines how long people stay committed to their jobs.
Vienna among most popular destinations
The recent Skyscanner report, which surveyed 2,000 respondents in Saudi Arabia, showed that more people want to go on a trip next year. A total of 62 per cent said they'd be spending the same if not more on holidays, with more than 40 per cent willing to prioritise spending on travel over other major purchases.
The most-searched-for destinations on the travel-planning site included Vienna, London and Los Angeles for family trips, while couples were looking at Manila, Bangkok and Rome for their 2023 travel plans.
Solo travelling is also looking to be a hit for Saudis next year, with more than half of respondents (56 per cent) reporting they were considering taking one. About 44 per cent said a solo trip could be important for their mental well-being.
An older trend called forest bathing also came up in the survey, as more Saudis consider a nature-focused trip — think walking tours in local vicinities or interacting with endemic animals.
The term 'forest bathing' was coined in Japan, when the government encouraged tourists and residents to “absorb the forest atmosphere” as a psychological exercise.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Sonchiriya
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey
Rating: 3/5
Feeding the thousands for iftar
Six industrial scale vats of 500litres each are used to cook the kanji or broth
Each vat contains kanji or porridge to feed 1,000 people
The rice porridge is poured into a 500ml plastic box
350 plastic tubs are placed in one container trolley
Each aluminium container trolley weighing 300kg is unloaded by a small crane fitted on a truck
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The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Opening Rugby Championship fixtures: Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
The biog
Name: Salem Alkarbi
Age: 32
Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira
First started supporting Al Wasl: 7
Biggest rival: Al Nasr
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