Swanky vacation rentals across the Middle East look to capitalize on 'revenge tourism' trend
Luxury Explorers has properties like Villa Botanica in the exclusive Emirates Hills, often referred to as the "Beverly Hills" of the UAE.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — In the Middle East, a new breed of high-end vacation rental firms are scrambling to meet the needs of today's traveler — who has very different preferences post-pandemic.

The global vacation rental market — valued at $22.7 billion in 2020 — will surpass a whopping $111.2 billion by 2030, according to a Precedence Research study late last year. The research spoke of a "revenge tourism" trend with millennials and the younger generations driving growth during the first few years after the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the analysts, this is mainly driven by the rising awareness among travelers on the extra space and comfort offered by vacation rentals, not to mention, in some extreme cases, the "extras" like high-tech gyms, private cinema screens, smart home appliances, as well the services of personal attendants, butlers, and even chefs.

One firm looking to cash in on this is Dubai-based travel agency Luxury Explorers. During the pandemic, the company saw which way the wind was blowing and took a leap into the premium holiday homes business, establishing the Luxury Explorers' Collection in mid-2020.

The firm has properties like Villa Botanica in the exclusive Emirates Hills, often referred to as the "Beverly Hills" of the UAE. Luxury Explorers' Collection CEO Mohammed Sultan told CNBC: "The idea really started in 2018 when we found out some of our VIP clients working with our agency were keen to spend their holidays in luxury vacation homes and villas when they travel around the world."

"At that time Dubai didn't have the level of premium holiday rentals that these clients were experiencing in Southern France, Italy, and Los Angeles — areas which are well developed in terms of short-stay lettings."

"It was then we decided to set our sights on pioneering the local market's evolution by offering high-end properties that are not only visually stunning but at the same time rich with exclusive perks and personalized concierge services."