Hoteliers in the UAE are gearing up for a surge in residents' bookings due to the impact of the Iran war on regional travel during Eid Al Adha.
The increased cost of flights, discount deals and uncertainty over the Iran-US conflict are all playing a key role in enticing many UAE residents to opt for staycations during the Eid holidays, rather than fly abroad.
The expected increase in residents seeking staycations over Eid will come as a timely boost for the country's hotels, after tourism numbers took a significant hit from the Iran war, leading to a downturn in visitor numbers and causing widespread disruption to travel.
Hotels are primed to capitalise on an extended Eid Al Adha break, with public sector staff starting a five-day holiday on Monday and private sector employees off for four days from Tuesday.
Deterred by 'absurd' flight prices
Krittika Nadar, a Dubai resident from India, chose W Yas Island as a three-night staycation option for her group of friends and their children. They had initially planned to leave the country for a holiday but after seeing inflated airfares, they decided to change tactics.
"Our plan was to leave the country, but we were undecided and now the ticket prices are absurd," she said. Ms Nadar is "absolutely" planning more staycations in the coming weeks, encouraged by deals her friends have shared. She is keen to experience Dubai as a tourist rather than a resident, with luxury experiences coming at cheaper rates than usual.
"When you live in Dubai, you don't get to do these things generally," she said. "[My friends and I] are making the most of the great price cut."
Commercial planes heading in and out of the UAE and across the Gulf region have faced significant disruption since the conflict started at the end of February.
Global airfares are expected to keep rising, as the Iran war continues to restrict airspace and limit flights available to and from the Middle East, experts previously told The National.
Another UAE resident, Maeve O'Neill, from Ireland, said she was looking forward to the coming break, and to getting more for her money due to deals being offered by hotels.
The Dubai resident decided to splurge on a night at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort, deep in the Empty Quarter.
"That's been a bucket-list staycation for me for a while," she told The National. "Usually there's a bit of an Eid premium but I'm not seeing that as much [this year], so it definitely makes it more worthwhile to do a staycation."
Ms O'Neill will stay another night in Abu Dhabi in a different hotel, booking a staycation deal she learnt of from a WhatsApp group chat.
Staycation across the nation
Resort and beach destinations are in high demand this Eid, said Jan Hanak, managing director for the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt and Iraq at Radisson Hotel Group, with bookings particularly strong at its properties in Ras Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah.
"UAE residents continue to prioritise convenient, experience-led getaways that offer a true change of pace, without the need for international travel," he said.
"Across the market, longer public holidays typically drive stronger demand for beachfront and resort stays, as travellers look for relaxation, family experiences and destinations within easy driving distance."
A significant amount of last-minute bookings are expected in the coming days as well. Since the Iranian attacks began, the average time of booking in advance has fallen from 10 to 15 days to within 24 to 72 hours.
Thomas Kurian, general manager at Leva Hotels, anticipates an occupancy rate of 75 per cent to 80 per cent during Eid Al Adha. Last year, during the same period, it was 85 per cent.
"The lead period for any bookings right now that most hoteliers like me are seeing is very short," the hotelier said. "There will be a rush. We are expecting a good occupancy level."
For Rove Hotels, which has 11 properties in the country, the Eid outlook is also a source of optimism.
"We've seen very good demand already across our leisure properties," Dubai-area general manager of Rove Hotels, Naveen Advani, told The National. "For Rove La Mer and Rove Al Marjan in Ras Al Khaimah, we're already seeing them nearing full occupancy.
Summer shores
The rise in interest among UAE residents opting for staycations could last long beyond the Eid Al Adha break, according to Mr Kurian.
"Staycations are here to stay," he said. "Once the schools are closing down, local population [will be] using the staycation options available in various Emirates."
There is a glimmer of hope, however, for the international tourism market – a small number of Gulf Co-operation Council visitors have booked for the Eid break.
"We're looking forward to the bounce back, Dubai has done it in the past," Mr Advani said. "Q4 is looking at least better [for international bookings]."
He believes that community and togetherness are essential to surviving the uncertain period. "We're looking to see what more we can do with the community, to help them. Over the next few months, a big part is all of us coming together, working on how we can help each other, not just in hospitality, but for the broader community that is in Dubai," he said.
