Expedia unveils top 10 trending winter destinations for UAE travellers

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snoopy island fujairah uae shutterstock 2579008519

Snoopy Island in Fujairah, UAE

Online travel company Expedia has released data showing the trending destination searches of UAE travellers for trips to be taken during the three-month winter period from 1 December 2025 to 28 February 2026.

Based on lodging searches made on Expedia.com between 21 July and 26 October 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, the figures show that Fujairah in the UAE is among the trending destinations, with the number of searches rising by 60%, showing an appetite for staycations in laidback locations.

New accommodation options in Fujairah include Parvara, set amid the Jabal al-Hamri mountains, a hybrid ultra-luxury camp-style hotel concept, while Minor Group has announced plans to open its first Avani resort in the emirate in 2028.

Meanwhile, Fujairah Adventures has joined forces with Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) to develop a cross-emirate hiking trail.

Render of Parvara pavilion in the mountains in Fujairah

The highest growing destination on Expedia’s list is Madrid in Spain, with an increase in searches of 165%, followed by Amsterdam in The Netherlands, up 155%, perhaps reflecting rising demand for cultural escapes and ‘coldcations’.

Searches for Krabi in Thailand are up 135%, placing the white-sand island third and suggesting that UAE demand for short-haul winter sun holidays prevails.

In fourth place, luxury Swiss ski destination St Moritz saw a 125% rise in searches.

Minor Hotels to open Avani+ in UAE’s Fujairah

UAE to introduce first cross-emirate hiking trail

The top 10 trending destinations, based on an increase in the number of lodging searches on the Expedia platform, are:

1. Madrid, Spain (+165%)

2. Amsterdam, The Netherlands (+155%)

3. Krabi, Thailand (+135%)

4. St Moritz, Switzerland (+125%)

5. Fujairah, UAE (+60%)

6. Marrakesh, Morocco (+60%)

7. Prague, Czech Republic (+50%)

8. Kyoto, Japan (+40%)

9. Toronto, Canada (+35%)

10. Cairo, Egypt (+35%)

Optimum Travel Times

The Expedia report also highlighted the most affordable and least busy times to travel between 1 December 2025 to 28 February 2026.

An Expedia Group spokesperson said: “This winter, UAE travellers are embracing variety like never before, from tropical escapes in Thailand and festive European city breaks in Madrid and Amsterdam to ski adventures in St Moritz. To make the most of these trips, timing is key.”

While the busiest travel dates in the winter period are 22 and 28 December, the least busy are 3 and 4 January 2026, according to Expedia. As for expense, 21 December and 2 January are the most costly days to travel, while the cheapest are 3 and 15 February, which could lead to some cost-effective romantic retreat bookings around Valentine’s Day on 14 February.

For more information, visit www.expedia.ae