UAE Eid holidays: Travel agencies receive inquiries for next long weekend – News

Industry experts said that the increase in travel demand during this period is the result of a combination of factors

Travel agencies in the UAE have received inquiries about the Eid holiday just days after the Eid holiday.

According to the UAE’s official public holiday calendar, the next holidays will fall on Arafah and Eid al-Fitr, the festival of sacrifice. The next long weekend in a few months is expected to be a longer holiday.

Industry experts said that the increase in travel demand during this period is the result of a combination of various factors. This includes pent-up demand after more than a year of pandemic-related restrictions, the desire to reconnect with loved ones and, most importantly, the inability of many residents to travel due to high demand and the inability to offer package or hotel reservations.

Libin Varghese, director of sales for Rooh Travel and Tourism LLC, said: “This past long weekend, our packages were sold out during the first week of Ramadan, and we couldn’t accommodate more travel enthusiasts.”

However, tourism managers mentioned that they still need to start marketing or advertising their packages, and residents are contacting them to explore options.

“We haven’t formed the culture for the Eid long weekend yet, we haven’t chosen destinations, and judging by the response, our marketing will probably be minimal and we will have to book more flight seats and hotels in various countries,” Varghese said.

According to industry experts, the most popular destinations are the Caucasus countries, and those who have been to these countries want to explore other, less visited places.

“Residents now want to go to the Balkans and visa-on-arrival countries because it’s easier. Also, we’ve received many inquiries about less explored countries like Kenya, some African countries, East Asian countries and South American countries,” Tours on Board PVT Ltd’s Ranju Abraham said.

Expats from North African countries and other Middle Eastern countries prefer to visit Istanbul, Vietnam and the beach resorts of the Maldives and Bali, industry experts said.

“A lot of families are eager to take advantage of the summer weather, with schools likely to be closed for the long weekend,” Abraham said.

Despite increased demand, travel agencies are still working hard to ensure customers enjoy safe and stress-free holidays. Robin Pathrose of Kingsland Travel and Tourism said: “We understand that during this important holiday period, people are eager to travel and reconnect with travel post-pandemic.” Pathrose added: “We are doing everything we can to ensure our customers able to do so safely and responsibly.”

As Eid looms, travel agencies are optimistic that demand will continue to surge as more people look to make up for lost time and create new memories with loved ones.