Staycations a popular choice this summer

Sultan Nawaf holds daughter Mira while watching his other children play ice hockey at Wanasa Land in Al Wahda mall. Delores Johnson / The National

ABU DHABI // Keeping the kids entertained is big business this summer as companies deal with twice as many participants as last year.

A trend in staycations rather than vacations seemed to be the reason, with residents opting against travelling to save money or hold on to leave days.

Zabna Amer, co-owner of Junior Gym, said 40 children took part in their summer camp this year, twice that of last year.

“The morning sessions are fully booked and working mothers asked us to open the camp from 8am,” she said

Staff at the Kids Factory in Al Wahda Mall are having their busiest summer since they opened with 50 or more children on some days.

“This year we are mostly receiving new customers, but there are also our loyal ones,” said Jeff Juav, of Kids Factory.

Meanwhile, Sultan Nawaf entertained his daughters Mira, 17-months-old, and Sarah, nine, on the rides at Al Wahda Mall’s play area.

His wife and three teenage sons stood watching, but soon engaged in the games, too.

“This is what we have been doing all summer – malls and the pool at Emirates Palace,” said the 35-year-old Emirati father.

“My wife and I used up our vacation time when we travelled in March, so we couldn’t go in the summer.”

Dubai resident Saiqa Sayed saved Dh20,000 by not taking her teenage son home for the summer, a decision she did not regret.

“We usually spend our summers in Mumbai, our hometown,” said the 38-year-old, who works at a private school.

“This year we thought ‘let’s experiment with our holidays in Dubai’.

“Going to Mumbai means buying gifts for relatives in India, tickets, and entertainment. The living cost for a month-long stay in Mumbai [would be] more than Dh20,000.”

However, Ms Sayed said she found it challenging to keep her son entertained.

“Like most teenagers here, my son has also found it boring to spend time at home,” she said.

“It was too hot so he couldn’t go outside. He spent most of his time at home with gadgets and with a newfound love for Pokémon. On the weekends, he would go to the cinema and dinners with friends.”

Tahir Naseem, 42, from Pakistan, saved Dh25,000 by skipping winter and summer holidays to stay in the UAE.

“We used to visit home twice a year but this year, because of lots of uncertainty in the job market, I realised it’s better to save money rather than spend it on holidays,” said Mr Naseem, who works in the oil and gas industry. “One never knows what happens next and should have enough savings for rainy days.”

He enrolled his three children, from five to nine years old, in a summer camp. “It’s difficult to keep children within the four walls of an apartment, so we admitted them in a nearby ­summer camp, which appeared to be less expensive than going away for the holiday,” he said.

For the first time in her five years in the UAE, Mrs S Akbar and her family stayed in Dubai rather than going away for their summer holidays – a decision made by her husband losing his job a few months ago.

“Every year, we explored different places in the world but this year our plans fizzled out because of this unforeseen situation,” said the 42-year-old homemaker from Pakistan. “My husband’s company has given him six months to find a new job or return home.”

Mrs Akbar said it was difficult to convince her two children aged, 10 and 12, that it was not necessary to go away this summer.

“The fact is we spoiled ourselves and our children with luxuries, like expensive holidays, despite realising that every year, situations cannot be the same,” she said.

“We promised our children a grand holiday next year. I sincerely hope my husband gets a new job soon.”