UAE residents make last minute plans for Eid break

Dubai - At least one top tourist destination has reached its quota for online visa applications.

There has been a surge in the number of residents making last-minute bookings to popular destinations abroad for the long Eid break, which begins on September 9.
At least one top tourist destination has reached its quota for online visa applications.
"We have been getting a lot of queries from customers asking about our travel packages, but since it's now closer to travel date, prices are higher because air fares have gone up," Albert Fernando, chief operating officer of Travel Wings, a Dubai-based online travel agency, told Khaleej Times on Monday.
"Take for example our travel promo to Tbilisi, Georgia, which was just Dh2,200 per person (inclusive of fare and four-night stay) a couple of weeks ago is now being offered for Dh2,599 - and it's already sold out," Fernando said.
People can still book a trip, he said, but they have to adjust by at least a day to find seats, but even then the prices could still be higher.
Fernando said those who did not travel during the summer break are very keen to go abroad. "Forty per cent of our customers have made their plans, while 60 per cent were compulsive travellers who booked their trip after hearing about the long break," he said.
Many people are expected to take advantage of the long Eid Al Adha holidays, which is nine days for the public sector, if the two Fridays and two Saturdays sandwiching the five-day Eid break from September 11 to 15 are counted. The private sector can enjoy a five-day break (September 9 to 13) if Friday (September 9) is included.
Robin Parry, vice-president of Emirates Holidays, told Khaleej Times: "The top holiday destinations are Indian Ocean Islands (Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles and Sri Lanka in that order), followed by Thailand, Malaysia, London and Switzerland.
"We also see a surge in traffic into the UAE as well."
angel@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE