Eid Al Adha is around the corner and it is looking like there may be a six-day holiday to enjoy.
The exact dates of Eid Al Adha will depend on the sighting of the moon, but the holiday is expected to start on June 27, with a day off for Arafat Day.
There will be a further three days off for Eid, followed by the weekend, meaning UAE residents could be on track for a six-day break.
And with the holiday coinciding with the last week of term time for many schools, the long break could be a good time to escape the UAE summer and fly off for a change of scenery.
From an African safari in Kenya to an island-hopping escape in Greece, these nine getaway deals are valid over the Eid season.
1. Greek island-hopping in Mykonos and Santorini
Greece’s islands are a summer staple for many and a great destination for couples, families and friends. A little over five hours from the UAE, the country is famous for its picturesque islands and Travel Wings’ four-night Greek getaway includes visits to some of the most famous islands.
Starting in Mykonos, an island famed for its nightlife but with much more to offer, travellers will head out on a walking tour that takes in the coastal road, Manto Square and the fashionable district of Matagoianna. Next day, catch the ferry to Santorini – perhaps Greece’s most picturesque island. Explore the city and enjoy some of the best sunset views in Europe. On the last day, sail the high seas with a cruise to Nea Kameni, to hike to the island’s active volcano. Stop off at Palea Kameni where travellers can swim in natural hot springs, and then sail to Thirassia, a charming village and hidden gem, just across the water from Santorini.
Cost is Dh5,999 per person, including return flights with flydubai, transfers, hotels, ferry tickets and all mentioned tours; www.travelwings.com
2. Go on an African safari in Kenya
If the idea of spending Eid waking up to the sun rising over an African savannah and getting up close and personal with exotic wildlife appeals, then Air Arabia Holidays' Eid trip to Kenya might be worth considering.
Just five hours from the UAE, Kenya is the original safari destination and has a lot for travellers seeking for a bucket-list break. Arriving in Nairobi, Kenya’s bustling capital, travellers will spend the first night at 254 Ole Sereni, right opposite Nairobi National Park. Next morning, it’s an early start and a four-hour drive south to Amboseli National Park, where the animal magic begins. Crowned by Mount Kilimanjaro and known for its herds of African elephants, the park is also home to leopards, cheetah, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, lions and more than 600 species of bird life.
Enjoy an afternoon game drive on arrival, before spending the night at Amboseli Serena Lodge, in the heart of the national park. Next morning a full day of wildlife spotting is on the cards, with endless opportunities to see Africa’s wildlife in their natural habitat.
Dh10,161 for two people including return flights, meals, accommodation, tours, game drives and transfers; holidays.airarabia.com
3. Experience summertime in Prague
Europe in the summer is always a good idea and holiday hotspot Prague is a great choice for travel in June. Temperatures in the Czech capital will be ideal for sightseeing with sunshine during the day, and cooler evenings, especially along the Vlata Riverside.
Go with flydubai holidays and check-in at the centrally-located Deminka Palace, a historic palace that's been converted into a four-star hotel. The City of a Hundred Spires offers a multitude of things to see and do, including visiting Prague Castle and Prague Astronomical Clock and discovering history in the Old Town. Families can head to Aquapalace, central Europe’s largest water park, or take a cable car ride to the top of Prague’s highest vantage point, the 318-metre Petrin Hill.
From Dh9,975 for two adults, including return flights and three nights of accommodation; www.holidays.flydubai.com
4. Enjoy an eco-wellness escape in Thailand's Koh Lanta
June is Thailand's green season, when rains refresh the landscapes and nature starts to flourish. And at Pimalai Resort & Spa, the first five-star resort on the island of Koh Lanta, travellers can enjoy an wellness-centric, eco-friendly escape.
Surrounded by topical jungle, the hotel is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s Considerate Collection, meaning it's lauded for its social and eco-conscious offerings and that’s something couple and families staying at the remote escape can get involved in. There are regular beach cleaning days and programmes where trained divers can help with local coral propagation efforts.
Over Eid, the hotel’s summer wellness package is available for guests booking at least a five-night stay. Designed to give travellers a chance to enhance their well-being, the package includes complimentary yoga and fitness classes, outdoor activities such as bike-rides, paddleboarding and windsurfing, and free lessons on how to deliver therapeutic massages. World-class halal cuisine and authentic Thai dishes cooked with local ingredients are also on offer at this jungle-surrounded retreat, which has its own private beach.
From Dh3,085 per room for a five-night stay; www.pimalai.com. Reach Koh Lanta by travelling from Dubai with flydubai to Krabi, fares start from Dh3,205. From there it's a one-hour ferry to Koh Lanta; www.flydubai.com
5. Experience Khareef season in Salalah
Neighbouring Oman is a good pick for travellers that want a change of scenery, but don’t want to contend with lengthy flights or time differences. In June, the south of the sultanate experiences Khareef season — when the monsoons roll in, bringing cool temperatures and mist-shrouded mornings. One of the best places to experience the season is Salalalah, the capital city of the country’s Dhofar province.
Famed for its banana plantations and filled with natural beauty, the city transforms into a lush green landscape every Khareef with verdant valleys and seasonal waterfalls. Abu Dhabi's Capital Travel is offering a four-night getaway to Salalah this Eid, inclusive of accommodation at the four-star Salalah Gardens Hotel. Days can be spent exploring waterfalls, wandering around ancient ruins and enjoying traditional Omani hospitality. Travellers can also visit the Frankincense Land Museum at Al Balid Archaeological Site to find out more about this enchanting spice and to learn about Oman’s maritime history.
Dh1,899 per person, including flights, accommodation and airport transfers; www.capitaltravel.com
6. City sightseeing in Singapore
If Singapore has been on your visit list for a while, then Eid Al Adha might be the time to check it off as Musafir is offering a four-night trip to this South-east Asian capital, with packages starting at less than Dh5,000 per person.
Included in that price are return economy flights with Vistara Airlines and four-nights of accommodation at the four-star Village Hotel Katong, located in the colourful Katong district. The travel agency will also take care of any necessary visas.
Known for its diverse culture, excellent shopping and open-air hawker centres, the Garden City offers plenty for travellers to do including Orchard Road and its myriad shopping, Tiong Bahru with its hipster boutiques and Marina Bay Sands – one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks. Travellers visiting Singapore with Musafir can also enjoy a half-day city tour visiting places such as Chinatown, Little India and Gardens by the Bay, and a trip to Universal Studios Singapore. A not-to-be-missed visit to Sentosa Island is also included, offering visitors the chance to explore the butterfly park, hit the beach and ride a cable car to take in one of the best viewpoints in Singapore.
From Dh4,599 per person, including accommodation, breakfast, flights, tours and transfers; www.musfair.com
7. A budget beach break in the Maldives
Indian Ocean holiday stalwart the Maldives is best known for its luxury offerings geared towards couples and honeymooners, but the archipelago is also a great choice for a family holiday, and not every visit needs to break the bank.
Fly with low-cost airline Wizz Air to Male, then head to Adaaran Club Rannalhi in the South Male atoll. Bursting with everything you’d expect from a Maldivian getaway, the resort has overwater villas and pristine beaches, excellent snorkelling and scuba-diving opportunities, along with first-rate Maldivian cuisine. Even better, it’s an all-inclusive resort, meaning there will be no scary bills at the end of your stay. Standard rooms come with garden or ocean views, with ground-floor properties having spacious terraces and upper-level rooms having balconies that are ideal for drinking in the sunset views.
Dh3,195 per room for a three-night stay, on an all-inclusive basis, excluding taxes and mandatory speedboat transfers; www.adaaran.com. Wizz Air return flights from Abu Dhabi to Male start from Dh1,838 over Eid; www.wizzair.com
8. Spend Eid in the heart of London
With Eid Al Adha coinciding with the start of the UAE school holidays, it’s going to be a busy time for getaways and as one of the most popular destinations with travellers from the region, London is likely to see an influx of visitors from the Middle East.
June is a great time to visit London as summer has begun, bringing with it better weather, festivals, events and more. If you fancy joining all those heading to the UK’s cosmopolitan capital for a few days of shopping, theatre, country walks and culture, then Emirates Holidays' Eid offer is worth considering.
Fly direct to London Heathrow with the Dubai airline and check in at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel in the heart of the city. Easily reachable via a 15-minute train ride from the airport, the hotel is well situated, with Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and Paddington Station all within walking distance. Rooms come with great views of the city skyline and the hotel’s Tyburn Kitchen offers upscale sustainable dining, with 90 per cent of its ingredients sourced from within a 150km radius of the hotel.
Dh9,991 for two people, including return flights and accommodation on a room-only basis; www.emiratesholidays.com
9. Georgian delights in Tbilisi and a mountain getaway
Travel to the Caucasus city of Tbilisi to sample the Georgian capital's evolving nightlife, dining and arts scene, then head to the mountains of Bakuriani for an alpine escape. A little over three hours from the UAE, the country is a great choice for a short summer escape.
Fly direct to Tbilisi from Sharjah with Air Arabia and then get set to explore, visiting Narikala Fortress, the Bridge of Peace and the historic sulphur baths. After two nights in the city, make haste for the mountains with a coach transfer to Bakuriani in the country's south. The summer climate in this elevated destination is much cooler than in the city – and days can be spent enjoying long mountain walks surrounded by pine trees and wildflowers, bike-riding and sampling Georgian mountain cuisine.
Holiday Factory has three Georgian packages to choose from this Eid. All include two nights at a mountain hotel in Bakuriani and two nights in the blossoming capital. Budget-conscious travellers can choose the three-star stay, with rates starting from Dh2,899 including a stay at the Light House Old City Hotel, Tbilisi. Those seeking something a bit more upmarket can go for the five-star option, which includes a check-in in at the Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi, ideally set on the shorelines of the Tbilisi Reservoir, and with a temperature-controlled indoor pool and sun lounger-lined boulevard; www.holiday-factory.com
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Small%20Things%20Like%20These
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The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
SPECS
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FIGHT CARD
1. Featherweight 66kg
Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg
Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg
Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg
Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg
Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
9. Featherweight 66kg
Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
The UN General Assembly President in quotes:
YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”
PALESTINE: “There is no easy fix. We need to find the political will and comply with the resolutions that we have agreed upon.”
OMAN: “It is a very important country in our system. They have a very important role to play in terms of the balance and peace process of that particular part of the world, in that their position is neutral. That is why it is very important to have a dialogue with the Omani authorities.”
REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: “This is complicated and it requires time. It is dependent on the effort that members want to put into the process. It is a process that has been going on for 25 years. That process is slow but the issue is huge. I really hope we will see some progress during my tenure.”
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULTS
Bantamweight:
Zia Mashwani (PAK) bt Chris Corton (PHI)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) bt Mohammad Al Khatib (JOR)
Super lightweight:
Dwight Brooks (USA) bt Alex Nacfur (BRA)
Bantamweight:
Tariq Ismail (CAN) bt Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Featherweight:
Abdullatip Magomedov (RUS) bt Sulaiman Al Modhyan (KUW)
Middleweight:
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) bt Christofer Silva (BRA)
Middleweight:
Rustam Chsiev (RUS) bt Tarek Suleiman (SYR)
Welterweight:
Khamzat Chimaev (SWE) bt Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA)
Lightweight:
Alex Martinez (CAN) bt Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Welterweight:
Jarrah Al Selawi (JOR) bt Abdoul Abdouraguimov (FRA)
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
The biog
Year of birth: 1988
Place of birth: Baghdad
Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany
Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
RESULTS
2.30pm Jaguar I-Pace – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt)
1,600m
Winner Namrood, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi
(trainer)
3.05pm Land Rover Defender – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D)
1,400m
Winner Shadzadi, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
3.40pm Jaguar F-Type – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner Tahdeed, Fernando Jara, Nicholas Bachalard
4.15pm New Range Rover – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
Winner Shanty Star, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
4.50pm Land Rover – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner Autumn Pride, Bernardo Pinheiro, Helal Al Alawi
5.25pm Al Tayer Motor – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 T) 1,000m
Winner Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm Jaguar F-Pace SVR – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner Scabbard, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
