Directors and officials from travel and tourism agencies in the country reported a rise in travel ticket prices to Arab and international destinations, with increases reaching up to 50% during the Eid al-Adha period, compared to prices in June. They explained to "Emirates Today" that the increase in demand for travel is attributed to the coincidence of the holiday with the summer break for schools, as many families did not travel last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, airlines' desire to compensate for losses during the halt has contributed to the price hike. They noted that current bookings are mainly focused on Arab and European destinations, while there has been a significant decline in bookings to Asian destinations due to lockdowns and the pandemic situation there.
**Main Cause**
Specifically, Salah Khaled Salem, Sales Manager at "Happy Line Travel and Tourism", stated that there has been an increase in ticket prices to Arab and international destinations ranging from 20% to 50% during the Eid al-Adha period compared to prices in June. Salem highlighted that the overlap of Eid with the school summer break is the main reason behind the price increase, alongside the high interest in travel due to many families not traveling the previous summer due to the pandemic.
**Arab Destinations**
Salem indicated that current bookings are concentrated in European and Arab destinations, while Asian destinations have seen a severe decline due to the ongoing lockdowns and health situations in those regions. He mentioned that Egypt has topped the bookings of residents in the country, alongside bookings from Emirati citizens. Additionally, Jordan ranks second, followed by Lebanon, noting that ongoing quarantine measures in some Arab countries have limited travel there.
**European Destinations**
According to Salem, the key European destinations currently seeing concentration in bookings include Austria, Switzerland, and Bosnia. He pointed out that there have been many inquiries from citizens and residents regarding health conditions in those and other destinations. Furthermore, Salem noted that several countries, such as Georgia and Azerbaijan, have recently announced their reopening to tourists, with expectations that other countries will announce similar measures in the near future.
**High Demand**
Travel and tourism consultant Riyadh Al-Faisal agreed with Salem on the increased ticket prices ranging from 20% to 50% during Eid al-Adha. He attributed this to the high demand for travel stemming from the coincidence of Eid with summer vacations, especially as many families have not traveled since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Al-Faisal mentioned that the travel sector is experiencing significant activity, which is encouraging for a swift return to pre-pandemic levels.
He elaborated that Arab destinations are leading in bookings, particularly Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, alongside European destinations like Austria and Britain, while Asian destinations have seen a decline.
**Natural Increases**
In parallel, Akram Sharaf, General Manager of "Al-Masood Travel and Tourism Agency," confirmed an increase in travel ticket prices during the Eid al-Adha period exceeding 20% compared to June. He considered these increases natural given the pressure on travel and the substantial rise in demand following the resumption of travel this summer, after a significant decline last summer due to the peak of the pandemic.
Sharaf stated that Arab and European destinations dominate bookings for citizens and residents, while Asian destinations are facing a significant drop due to closure in many areas and concerns regarding health situations there. He noted that Egypt is at the forefront of Arab destination bookings, with high demand for travel to Jordan, Lebanon, and Sudan, while bookings to previously popular Arab destinations have declined due to fresh lockdowns.
**Variability**
In the same context, Omar Al-Ali, CEO of Projects and Development at "Nirvana Travel and Tourism," reported variable increases in ticket prices during the Eid al-Adha period depending on the destination. Al-Ali explained that European destinations, particularly Austria and Switzerland, are dominating the bookings for both citizens and some residents, while some favored European destinations remain fully or partially closed due to the pandemic fallout, with Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon leading in resident bookings, especially since most residents did not travel last summer. He also mentioned that bookings for Asian destinations are experiencing significant decline due to shutdowns in many locations.
**Peak Month**
Omar Al-Ali further stated that July is expected to be the peak travel month of this year, due to the Eid al-Adha holiday coinciding with the end of the academic year in late June, and with schools resuming at the end of August, making July a preferred travel time for many families.
