Travel experts in the UAE report a sharp rise in holiday bookings for Eid ul Fitr, with airfares increasing by up to 20% due to overlapping school spring break holidays.
Eid is expected to fall on March 31, while UAE schools begin their spring break on March 18, leading to a surge in outbound and inbound travel.
"We've observed a 30% rise in holiday bookings during the Eid and spring break period," said Raheesh Babu, COO of musafir.com. Popular destinations include Switzerland, Italy, Latvia, Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia), Africa (South Africa, Kenya, Zanzibar), and CIS countries (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan).
Inbound Travel on the Rise
Babu also noted a 25% increase in inbound travel as UAE residents invite family and friends for Eid celebrations. "Travel fares have risen by 15-20% compared to last month due to heightened demand and last-minute bookings," he added.
To accommodate the surge, UAE-based, regional, and international airlines have increased flights.
Airfare Hike Due to Eid and School Holidays
Echoing this trend, Reena Philip, General Manager of Airtravel Enterprises and Tourism LLC, highlighted that airfares have risen by 20-30% due to Eid coinciding with school vacations.
"Typically, fares rise during Eid or school holidays separately, but with both occurring together, the increase is even higher," Philip explained. She noted strong demand for European travel, though many travellers struggle to secure Schengen visas due to appointment delays.
Meanwhile, business travel has slowed by 30% during Ramadan but is expected to recover in the third week as the fasting period nears its end.
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