Hotels in the UAE say some residents are still opting for a staycation during the Eid Al Adha break despite the resurgence in foreign travel.
From Abu Dhabi to Fujairah, many hotels are full or close to capacity as people aim to make the most of the six-day holiday.
Rotana, InterContinental Abu Dhabi, Rove Hotels and other hotels on the east coast in Fujairah, such as the Royal Beach Hotel and Resort and Mirage Bab Al Bahr Beach Resort and Hotel in Dibba, say hotels are enjoying a very busy Eid.
The high occupancy comes despite a surging post-Covid travel boom.
More than 80 per cent of UAE respondents to a Skyscanner survey said they were keen to travel during the holiday.
Dubai Airport said about 3.5 million passengers are expected to fly in or out over the next two weeks, and the start of school holidays for many means a significant amount of people travelling.
With the cost of flights remaining stubbornly high, hotels say the staycation trend established during the pandemic is enduring.
Khaled Amer, cluster director of sales and marketing at InterContinental Abu Dhabi, on Monday, said staycation offers that included lunch or dinner meant they are at full occupancy on July 28 and 29.
“Our main focus was on the local market and guests who were unable to travel for a holiday but still desired to make the most of the extended Eid holiday,” said Mr Amer. He said that beach resorts were doing well this year with offers focused on those who didn’t have plans and were open to staying in the UAE with their families.
“As a result, we are currently fully booked on the first and second day of Eid.”
Rove Hotels, which has nine properties in Dubai, said it was expecting the Eid break to be “positive” in terms of staycations, particularly in regards to beach properties.
“We've seen a significant increase in demand for beach properties,” said Paul Bridger, chief operating officer of Rove Hotels, “such as Rove La Mer Beach, as well as those located near major leisure destinations like Downtown Dubai and Dubai Parks and Resorts.”
Five Hotels and Resorts said it too was close to maximum capacity at its hotels on Palm Jumeirah and Jumeirah Village. “Staycations at Five are perennially popular," said Aloki Batra, chief executive of Five Hospitality. "Five's 98 per cent occupancy over Eid is a testament to the same.”
Abu Dhabi-based hotel operator Rotana said occupancy rates at its hotels across the UAE over Eid Al Adha were forecast to reach 90 per cent, with the group launching a summer stay offer for members of its rewards “select” programme.
“Forecasted occupancy across the UAE over Eid is 90 per cent in our resorts and beach properties and 80 per cent in the city hotels,” said Amal Harb, Rotana corporate vice president of marketing.
While data on the breakdown of residents and overseas visitors were not immediately available, Ms Harb said it was a mix.
“Guests are looking to make the most of the long weekend with local staycations and exploring the Emirates.”
The UAE east coast resorts on the Indian Ocean are also proving popular with people seeking a break from city life.
Zakaria Algendy, operations manager at the Royal Beach Hotel and Resort in Dibba said its hotel was fully booked from June 28 to 30.
Mr Algendy said the majority of those staying at the hotel were residents and were drawn by the beaches and the opportunity to see turtles.
“This Eid Al Adha is longer so people are travelling [abroad] because of the hot weather,” said Mr Elgendy, “but many people are still opting for staycations,” he said.
Chalets at the resort start at Dh950 for Eid with a typical weekend costing Dh500.
Mohamed Abdou, sales manager at the Mirage Bab Al Bahr Beach Resort and Hotel, also in Dibba, said it too was fully booked over Eid with a mix of those on staycations and overseas travellers.
“Dibba is popular not only for a staycation but for those from Europe as it is a special place,” he said.
“We are popular because of a lot of things [such as] team building activities … international chef … big swimming pools and kids water park and big numbers of rooms with a sea view.”
Eid Al Adha preparations around UAE – in pictures
