5-day UAE weekend: Safe destinations for residents to travel to

Dubai - During this short break, some residents will opt for staycations while others will fly out to their favourite destinations.

The UAE residents will have a five-day long weekend in the first week of next month from December 1 to 5.

According to the UAE government’s website the UAE residents will have one-day holiday on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 to mark the Commemoration Day. And another two-day break on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 and Thursday, December 3, 2020. These three public holidays plus two-day weekend will get the residents much-needed five-day break.

During this short break, some residents will opt for staycations while others will fly out to their favourite destinations.

But following the outbreak of Covid-19, almost all the countries have put restrictions on foreign travellers in order to contain the pandemic. But some of the destinations have been opened for travellers and are comparatively safer to travel for the UAE residents.

Mamoun Hmedan, managing director for Mena and India at Wego, said there are a lot of options for the UAE travellers to enjoy the upcoming five-day weekend.

He said Seychelles, Maldives, Egypt, Turkey, Georgia, Saudi Arabia and South Korea are among the safest countries that are trending among Mena travellers. South Korea has been benchmarked as one of the successful models for controlling the pandemic.

While most airlines around the world have resumed flights, but they have waived cancelling fees for changing flights and flexibility in changing reservations, making it easier for the travellers to plan their trip, Hmedan added.

“We advise travellers to plan their trip, making sure they’re aware of the latest laws and procedures for their destination in order to see the latest news issued by them. However, it is necessary that they check the new regulations in place, especially those related to cancelling and changing reservations in light of the pandemic,” he added.

The fare for those destinations varies depending on seasonality, however, the average fare for a roundtrip from UAE to Seychelles is $665 (Dh2,440), to Maldives is $703 (Dh2,580), to Egypt is $388 (Dh1,424), to Turkey is $590 (Dh2,165), to Georgia is $489 (Dh1,795), to Saudi Arabia $380 (Dh1,395) and to South Korea is $1,100 (Dh4,037).

-waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE