The longest official holiday of the year is less than a week away, and airports in the UAE are prepared to welcome millions of passengers as residents take advantage of the 6-day Eid Al Adha weekend, followed by a two-month summer break.
According to dnata Travel, the majority of summer bookings are for Eid Al Adha. They reported that 80 percent of bookings are for international travel, while the remaining 20 percent are for UAE staycations. They also revealed the top 10 most popular holiday destinations for the summer of 2023, which are Thailand, Turkey, Italy, UK, Greece, Maldives, Bali, Mauritius, Switzerland, and Oman.
Experts have noticed an 18 percent increase in international holiday bookings from June to September 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
Thailand is the most popular destination, accounting for 23 percent of dnata Travel bookings for the summer. Within Thailand, the top three locations for UAE travelers are the capital city Bangkok, as well as the islands of Phuket and Krabi.
Meerah Ketait, the head of Retail and Leisure UAE, mentioned that there is a strong desire among travelers to explore more of the world, including lesser-known places and various locations within popular hotspots. Greece, in particular, has seen a significant increase in travel compared to the same period last year, along with growing interest in Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa, Denmark, Austria, Spain, Singapore, and Sri Lanka compared to 2022.
