UAE residents can get return flights to Italy from Dh980; France from Dh1,135; and Spain from Dh1,308 during the five-day break to mark the Islamic festival Eid Al Adha. These were the cheapest deals on the travel platform Skyscanner, based on an 'explore everywhere' search.
Enquiries for travel during the break have increased by up to 20 per cent, according to an expert. Families are looking to club the public holiday with the start of summer vacation and go for a longer break, with advance planning to travel to Europe, the USA and other long-haul flight destinations,” Raheesh Babu, COO at online travel agency Musafir, told Khaleej Times.
As per astronomical calculations, the holiday is likely from Sunday, June 16, to Wednesday, June 19. Including the weekend (Saturday, June 15), that’s five days off to mark the festival. These dates are subject to moon sighting, which determines the start and end dates of Islamic Hijri calendar months. Just a week later, schools will close for two months for summer vacations.
According to Skyscanner’s data, the most popular departure date for UAE residents is June 14. That’s one day before the Eid break begins. “More than half of UAE travellers are searching for trips of up to one week or less, while 33 per cent are looking for trips that are over 1-2 weeks long. About 14 per cent are looking to book holidays for up to a month,” the travel company said.
Travel expert Ayoub El Mamoun said the agency is seeing a “dynamic shift” in holiday preferences among UAE residents for the upcoming break.
He revealed the top five trending destinations that have experienced a surge in popularity:
New York (525%)
Tokyo (330%)
Athens (257%)
Dublin (212%)
Malé (205%)
“The surge in popularity of these five trending destinations showcases the adventurous spirit of UAE travellers, from the vibrant streets of New York to the serene shores of Malé," said El Mamoun.
The top five searched cities are London, Athens, New York, Cairo and Manchester.
According to Musafir’s Babu, travel packages for the break are available from Dh2,700 (Salalah, Oman), Dh3,000 (Azerbaijan) and Dh3,300 (Georgia and Armenia).
Holidays and annual leave are explained
In addition to the 30-day annual leave policies offered by most companies in the UAE, residents will enjoy at least 13 days off as public holidays this year. Residents previously told Khaleej Times how they are able to take three vacations a year thanks to this. Expatriates typically use their annual leaves to travel to their home countries, and public holidays for vacations or staycations.
Four of the seven official holidays translate into extended weekends for UAE residents this year. After the long weekends to mark New Year 2024 and Islamic festival Eid Al Fitr, the country will offer holidays to mark Eid Al Adha (June), Islamic New Year (July), Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday (September) and UAE National Day (December).