Bookings up 195% year on year for Eid al-Fitr holiday

The Maldives, UAE, Turkey, Mauritius and Oman top dnata Travel’s sales list

UAE-based dnata Travel has revealed that the volume of local and international travel bookings for the Eid al-Fitr holiday is up by 195%  compared with the same period in 2021.

Demand to travel internationally this year has grown significantly. Dnata reported that 65% of UAE travellers have booked to travel outside the country for the first Eid public holiday in May, up from 32% for the same holiday period last year. Staycation bookings have fallen to 35%, down from 68% in 2021. 

According to dnata, the top-five most-booked destinations by people in the UAE for travel over the Eid al-Fitr holiday are the Maldives, UAE, Turkey, Mauritius and Oman.

Dnata Travel Leisure general manager Emily Jenkins said: “In 2021, UAE staycations and the Indian Ocean proved most popular for travellers from the UAE looking to take a well-deserved break over Eid al-Fitr. While these destinations remain ever-popular for travellers, this year, with more destinations opening, we are seeing a broader range of travel options starting to trend, across Asia, Europe and North America.

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“The demand for travel is at a high as many countries are opening their borders to tourists once again, or relaxing or removing Covid-19 travel regulations, easing a passenger’s journey. Newly-opened and accessible, Bali and Singapore in particular are starting to gain traction, while Thailand is fast-climbing our top-10 list of most-booked destinations for Eid al-Fitr.

“The Maldives has remained the number-one destination of choice, with a spike in demand witnessed in early-March after the island nation removed PCR-testing requirements for fully-vaccinated travellers.”

Dnata travel experts also identified trends including increases in average length of stay and average booking values as customers look to extend their trips. The operator said more customers were opting to book fuller holiday packages including hotels, flights, transfers, in-destination experiences, insurance and more.

For more information, visit www.dnatatravel.com or visit a dnata Travel retail outlet across the UAE