Ramadan, Eid in UAE: Residents opting for longer trips to exotic locations this festive season

More travellers are opting for longer breaks and travelling to exotic countries over the Ramadan and Eid period, according to UAE travel management company musafir.com. The company says it has seen a significant surge in travel bookings ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.

“Roughly 25 – 28 per cent of the bookings made by customers are choosing longer holiday packages,” said Raheesh Babu, COO of the company. “We are witnessing this trend because this year Eid Al Fitr holidays are aligned with school spring breaks, which means many families are able to take longer time off.”

Emily Jenkins, Senior Manager at DW Travel, agreed that they are also seeing similar trends. “We have noticed a trend towards a longer length of stay when our clients are booking holidays,” she said. “We have attributed this to the rising cost of airline tickets, likely due to increased demand and capacity restraints as well as delays and difficulties in attaining a Schengen or USA visa.”

“More companies are also offering flexible working options allowing employees to work abroad at the start or end of their annual leave,” she added.

Eid al Fitr is expected to fall on Wednesday, April 10, meaning residents are expected to get a six-day break during the time, extending from Tuesday, April 9 (Ramadan 29), to Saturday, April 13 (Shawwal 3). The sixth day of the holiday will be Sunday, which is a weekend. Most schools across the UAE have a term break beginning by mid-March.