As supporters from across the world packed their kits and headed to the region for the most exciting football season yet, Uber’s data reveals unprecedented travel and movement within Qatar and across the wider region. Throughout the tournament, the Uber app has worked to help sports supporters from around the world experience more streamlined travel by innovating new products & features and offering more advanced safety features on the platform. The data collected via the Uber app during this momentous occasion sheds light on the positive impact the tournament has had on the region and offers insight into shifting consumer behavior.
The tournament in Qatar and the holiday season in Dubai meant that international travel picked up pace, with airport trips rising by a whopping 61% in the UAE in the last month.
The Tournament in Numbers:
• Top 10 Visitors to the UAE came from the UK, India, Kazakhstan, Germany, Mexico, Russia, Egypt, and France, respectively.
• International jetsetters: 2022 took us to pre-pandemic levels of travel. In only one month, people from 91 countries used the Uber app while visiting UAE, 95 while visiting the Qatar, 87 while visiting Egypt, and 83 while visiting Saudi Arabia, welcoming tens of thousands of visitors to the region.
• Airport Trips: There was a 61% increase in airport trips in the UAE as compared to previous months.
• Most trips taken to leisure and entertainment locations in the UAE were to Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, and Nakheel Mall.
• 2.6 million riders moved across Qatar through trips requested via the Uber app during the tournament’s four weeks, helping Qatar meet unprecedented transport demand.
• 441,612 trips were requested by football supporters to and from the 8 stadiums, utilizing dedicated Uber pick up and drop off points.
• Khalifa International Stadium was the most traveled to among riders, with 110,000 trips total.
• The #1 driver in Qatar completed 850 trips, signaling the earning opportunities created during the season.
• Longest Trip: The longest trip a rider took was 313 kilometers to go around Qatar with plenty of stops, sightseeing moments, and of course – football matches!
• Top 10 Visitors to Qatar came from USA, KSA, UK, Mexico, UAE, Argentina, India, France, Brazil and Spain.
Norhen Ali, Uber’s Head of Communications for MENA said, “This was a milestone moment for all of us in the region, and we’re proud to have helped millions of people move around comfortably and affordably. This was a massive undertaking at one of the busiest times in the region’s history but has underlined the importance of fruitful collaboration and true innovation. We’ve seen an appetite for new products and features, and more drivers’ earnings supplemented. We look forward to making travel even more seamless through our technology as the region takes the lead in spearheading significant global events.”
