6-day Eid Al Adha holiday: Top discounts, special offers for UAE residents going on staycations

Hotel occupancy is reaching nearly 100 per cent across Dubai during the long break of Eid Al Adha next week as the emirate has become a year-round popular destination, attracting both visitors and residents.

Major hotel industry players say that foreign tourists are flocking to the emirate due to more competitive rates, plenty of hotel options to choose from, exquisite dining options, world-class amenities and various indoor activities designed for the summer season.

The UAE residents will have a six-day break — the longest holiday this year — from Tuesday, June 27 till Sunday, July 2 to mark the Festival of Sacrifice. Though outbound travel is exceptionally strong this year as ‘revenge travel’ continues, staycations have also become quite popular in the UAE in the past few years, especially after the government introduced a strategy for domestic tourism.

According to booking.com data, around 98 per cent of hotels in the vicinity of Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa are not available during the Eid break, while the waterfront hotels are witnessing also exceptional demand, reaching close to 90 per cent during the busy week.

Occupancy levels in Palm Jumeirah, Downtown, and Dubai Marina stood at 88 per cent, 83 per cent, and 85 per cent, respectively, as of Wednesday. As the longest break of the year approaches, occupancy level is set to see an increase with more tourists flocking to the emirate and more residents booking for staycations.

Residents or tourists?

“Occupancy during this kind of holiday tends to be strong due to several factors, including family gatherings, religious pilgrimages, vacation travel, cultural events, tourism, special offers, and business travel,” says Juan Carlos Reina, general manager at Dukes The Palm.

He added that they attract a diverse range of guests, primarily consisting of foreign tourists hailing from the UK, Germany, and Russia and local guests, especially during summer.

Sam El Asmar, corporate vice president revenue, Rotana, forecasted occupancy across the UAE over 90 per cent at the brand’s resorts and beach properties and 80 per cent in the city hotels as residents are looking to make the most of the long weekend with staycations.

“Over the summer, we are witnessing a boost in reservations from neighbouring GCC countries, the UK, the US, Russia, China, and others,” he said.

Tarek Medhat, director of sales and marketing, Shangri-La Dubai, said they receive guests from diverse nationalities hailing from all corners of the globe.

“During Eid, we observe a notable increase in visitors from the local market and GCC countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, for the vacations,” he said, adding that the facility currently boasts 80 per cent occupancy.

During Eid Al Adha, Ayman Ashor, cluster general manager, Al Bandar Rotana and Arjan by Rotana, they have occupancy rates of approximately 90 per cent.

• UAE: 6-day Eid Al Adha weekend, 2-month summer break mean longer vacations for families