Tag Archives: summer travel

With the Eid al-Adha break fast approaching, dnata Travel has revealed the most popular holiday hotspots over summer in 2023. In order of popularity, the ten most booked destinations are: Thailand, Turkey, Italy, UK, Greece, Maldives, Bali, Mauritius, Switzerland and Oman. dnata Travel’s experts have also revealed an 18% increase in international holiday bookings from June to September 2023 so far, compared to the same timings in 2022. As the most popular destination, Thailand is taking 23% of dnata Travel bookings across the summer. Within the country, the capital city Bangkok, alongside the islands of Phuket and Krabi are the top three locations for UAE travellers. Meerah Ketait, Head of Retail and Leisure UAE at dnata Travel, commented: “A pent-up demand is driving travellers to explore more of the world, including lesser-known places and varied locations across popular hotspots. In addition to the ever-popular destinations of Thailand, Turkey, Italy and UK, we have seen a notable increase in travel to Greece in particular, compared to the same period last year. “Thailand is our top growth destination, with demand driven by a rise in availability of flights, the country’s incredible value-for-money proposition, world-class accommodation, and varied experiences.” A majority of summer bookings are for Eid al-Adha, where dnata Travel’s top ten international destinations remain consistent. Across the summer, 80% of bookings are for international travel, while the remaining 20% cover UAE staycations. Bookings to Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa, and Denmark are trending compared to 2022, with Austria, Spain, Singapore and Sri Lanka also growing in popularity. dnata Travel experts continuously monitor trends and work with long-standing international partners to offer exclusive rates and added extras for the local market, alongside …

As travellers begin flying for the summer holidays, Etihad Airways is prepared to welcome more than 4 million passengers at Abu Dhabi International Airport between 20 June and 30 September 2023 and advises guests to follow below tips. A high volume of travellers will be joining locally in Abu Dhabi, with the remainder connecting from across Etihad’s extensive network of 66 destinations, including new summer routes to Lisbon, Malaga and Mykonos which launched over the weekend. Etihad’s upgraded online check-in allows guests to complete passport and visa checks prior to reaching the airport. The Auto Doc Check feature ensures guests have met all relevant travel and visa requirements for a hassle-free airport experience. In addition, the airline’s self-service bag drop facility provides a quicker and more efficient check-in process, accommodating a greater number of guests and minimising queue times. Once checked-in online, the self-service facilities allow travellers to seamlessly retrieve their booking, print the bag-tag and process their bags in less than two minutes. Shaeb Al Najjar, General Manager Hub Operations, Etihad Airways, said “In addition to hosting guests as they fly into their summer holidays, we are also looking to welcome pilgrims, whether they are starting their journey from the UAE or connecting from other destinations across our extensive network. Thanks to Etihad’s award-winning cabin crew, family-friendly offerings, and cabin propositions, guests can expect the best possible travel experiences. By also embracing cutting-edge technologies, we can deliver a more seamless and personalised experience for our guests.” During peak times, Economy check-in for non-US flights opens four hours before departure and closes one hour before departure. Business and First check-in closes 45 minutes before departure. For US flights check-in closes …

With the summer travelling season coming up, Air Arabia presents multiple options to facilitate smooth travel for its passengers during the expected rush at departure airports, especially with the low-cost carrier offering access to various destinations for the Eid break and summer months with a plethora of added benefits. To avoid long queues at the airport, passengers can utilise the online check-in service which allows you to conveniently check-in from the comfort of your home or office. Customers are required to fill in their reservation number, name, flight date, and numbers 36 hours prior to departure time. Enjoy convenience and flexibility by dropping off luggage within 24 hours up until 8 hours prior to flight departure at one of Air Arabia’s six City Check-in facilities located in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Al Ain. Travelers can also collect their boarding passes at the facility, allowing them the opportunity to proceed directly to their flight upon arrival at the airport. Holidaymakers are advised to ensure they arrive three hours before departure, providing them with ample time at the airport. Travellers also need to be at their designated gates 45 minutes before take-off.

Emirates recommends passengers take time to plan their travel journey this June and July, as departure numbers peak significantly just before Eid al Adha on 24 June, and again on the 1 July as many families set off on summer holidays. With more than 80,000 passengers expected to depart Dubai on busy days – Emirates advises passengers to arrive to the airport up to 3 hours before a flight, take note of their boarding time to ensure they reach the departure gate on time, and take advantage of multiple check-in and baggage drop options to reduce time at the airport. Passengers are encouraged to download the Emirates app on their mobile phone and are reminded that when departing from Dubai – boarding passes are now issued in digital format on the app, or by email when passengers check in online via Emirates.com. Both options allow customers to book and change flights, download a digital boarding pass for most destinations, check what meals will be served onboard, book a chauffeur drive service and even pre-select and plan movies to watch via ice inflight entertainment. Online check in and app check in are both open 48 hours ahead of flight departure time. To save time, Emirates passengers can drop off luggage at the airport the night before travel at no charge. Passengers who are departing from Dubai can check-in early and drop off their bags 24 hours before departure, or 12 hours before departure if flying to the US or Tel Aviv. Then closer to departure time, they can arrive to the airport and proceed directly to immigration. For a slick start to summer travels, passengers can try the brand-new City Check‑in …

Oman Air has increased the frequency of flights to Moscow as part of its summer schedule. Offering maximum comfort and convenience to its guests, the airline will be flying daily using its popular Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft. The non-stop flight from Muscat will depart at 15:35 and arrive in Moscow at 20:55, while the return sector will depart from Moscow at 23:20 and arrive in Muscat at 06:30. Guests travelling to Muscat or Moscow should ensure they are aware of official requirements to enter or transit through the country. Those wishing to enhance their stay can also book a customised Moscow holiday package through Oman Air Holidays by visiting holidays.omanair.com. To book a flight or for more information, visit omanair.com.

Star gazers, camping enthusiasts, leisure and adventure lovers, culture buffs, and families are all set for a memorable summer 2022 surprise as Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) unveils a wide range of unique world-class experiences at incredible value for residents and visitors in the emirate. From exclusive discount packages, buy-one-get-one-free offers, cash prizes, and more, Shurooq has rolled out diverse activities and experiences at its destinations that give more reasons to have fun in the sun this year. Commenting on the 2022 line-up of summer promotions, Mahmoud Rashid Deemas, Director of Operations and Tourism Development at Shurooq, said: “Shurooq’s commitment to providing quality leisure and learning experiences in a safe environment lies at the heart of our carefully curated summer offers, and gives residents and visitors more reasons to explore and enjoy the diverse attractions in the emirate. Sharjah has plenty to offer visitors in the form of attractive deals and offers across our portfolio to fuel interest in new experiences and enhance the emirate’s status as a must-visit destination any time of the year.” Khalid Al Qaseer, Director of Operations, said: “With an exciting array of unique leisure and recreational summer offers at our destinations, Shurooq enables residents and visitors of all ages to enjoy a variety of unparalleled experiences as it builds on the emirate’s status as a leading family-friendly destination in the region. The expansive range of offerings across Shurooq’s destinations this summer combines the best of leisure, entertainment, and education to offer a holistic experience to our growing community and holidaymakers.” Ladies can enjoy pianist performances, Zumba and Live DJ sessions every Tuesday during Ladies Day Season 2022 until September 13. Weekends, from Thursday to …

As summer begins in the GCC, Europe once again maintains its top spot as the most travelled destination. In a recent interview with Chris Gregory-Pasha, Senior Sales Director, MEA, Sojern shared, “As we move into the Q3 peak summer months we’re pleased to see travel confidence has regained in the region. For travellers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, regional travel is proving popular to Istanbul, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, all appearing in the top five destinations across these markets. International travel is also making a strong return as destinations such as London – United Kingdom, Paris – France, and Bangkok – Thailand all appear in the top fifteen, with London the top destination. We know that the cosmopolitan cities of London and Paris with their historical sights, comfortable climates and some of the most sought after luxury brands in the world have long been favourites of regional travellers. With the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)* working to strengthen Thailand’s presence as the preferred tourist destination among Middle East travellers, we also expect to see sustained interest in visiting the vibrant cities and beautiful beaches the ‘Land of Smiles’ has to offer.” He further reiterated, “looking at today’s traveller profile well over half of travellers from the UAE (72.7%), Saudi Arabia (55.9%), Kuwait (69.6%), Qatar (70.3%), Oman (71.1) and Bahrain (68.1%) are solo travellers, with an average across the six markets of 63.1%, with approximately 27.4% of people travelling as a family and 9.5% as a couple. We also see that the majority of trips are seven days or longer, with over 50% of trips coming out of the UAE (53.93%) and Kuwait (50.27%) 15 days or …

A city for all seasons, Dubai offers its residents and visitors reasons and resources to stay mentally and physically active all year long. This summer is no different, and one can have a quintessential Dubai experience come rain or sunshine. The fourth in a series of interactive #DubaiDestinations summer guides, titled ‘Find Your Summer Hobby’, was issued by Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office. ‘Find Your Summer Hobby’ provides a handy list of Dubai hotspots offering a range of activities that can push your physical and creative boundaries, including gyms, padel academies, surfing and diving centres, performing arts studios, photography schools, and cultural centres. Entertaining, engaging, and educating – there’s an exciting roster of Dubai summer hobbies to be pursued by children and adults, families and individuals, men and women, residents and tourists, businesspersons and sports enthusiasts. The guide is part of the latest phase of the #DubaiDestinations campaign. It invites local and international audiences to enjoy an epic summer in Dubai, making it the best city to live in and visit. Running until the end of August, the campaign encourages residents and visitors to discover Dubai’s diverse leisure, dining, adventure and family-friendly activities that make the city a one-of-a-kind summer destination. Shaima Al Suwaidi, Director of Brand Dubai, said: “The ‘Find Your Summer Hobby’ guide, our fourth interactive summer guide that is part of the latest #DubaiDestinations campaign, is designed to help residents and visitors creatively channel their passion into rewarding pastimes during the summer. The guide lists hotspots that residents and visitors seeking to enjoy a recreational break in Dubai can join during the summer to explore a new passion or get …

dnata Representation Services, part of the dnata Travel Group, is growing its partnership with the Banyan Tree Group across Thailand as the country emerges as one of the most popular international travel destinations from the GCC countries this year. dnata Representation Services has acted as exclusive sales representative in the Middle East for the Banyan Tree Group’s Maldivian properties since 2016. dnata will now provide support for a range of its popular hotels and resorts across Thailand, offering regional travellers exclusive holiday packages and dedicated local support. Its representation will cover ever-popular Banyan Tree Bangkok in the capital, and multiple properties across the country’s largest island, Phuket. This includes Banyan Tree Phuket, which recently launched a new wellbeing resort – Banyan Tree Veya Phuket – as part of its cluster; Angsana Laguna Phuket, opening this year a highly-anticipated new restaurant, ATOLL, set amidst a lagoon; alongside the Homm Bliss South Beach Patong and Cassia Phuket. dnata Travel, based across the GCC, recently announced that Thailand is the most popular holiday destination for UAE travellers for summer 2022, while the brand records a surge in popularity for travel to the country across its wider regional operations including in KSA. Sébastien Doussin, DVP – Global Ground Services & Destination Management at dnata Travel Group, commented: “As one of the Middle East’s longest-standing travel providers, we remain at the forefront of latest traveller trends across the region. Our enhanced partnership with the Banyan Tree Group, owner of some of the world’s most renowned luxury resorts, enables us to support our travellers with excellent hotel packages in some of the most sought-after travel destinations from this part of the world including Thailand and the …

As travellers begin flying for the summer holidays, Etihad Airways is expanding its quick self-service bag drop facilities at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The service provides a faster check-in experience and can accommodate a greater number of guests who will then be able to skip the queues. Once checked-in online, the self-service facilities allow travellers to seamlessly retrieve their booking, print the bag-tag and process their bags in less than two minutes. John Wright, VP Network, Airports & Cargo Operations, Etihad Airways, said: “With the removal of many travel restrictions, Etihad is expecting the number of travellers to soar for the summer holidays. To make the airport experience seamless for our guests, Etihad is offering more self-service options at Abu Dhabi International Airport where they can skip the longer queues by first checking-in online and completing the extremely popular verified-to-fly process.” Covid related travel restrictions have been completely removed for travellers flying to Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Egypt, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Oman, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK. The airline is preparing to welcome large volumes of passengers at Abu Dhabi International Airport between 30 June and 15 July 2022 advising travellers to follow the below tips. Etihad Airways travel tips   Get Verified to Fly and check-in online: For destinations with travel restrictions, travellers should visit ‘Manage my booking’ on etihad.com to upload their Covid travel documents. Approval will be shared by email giving passengers confidence that all required documents are in place. Approved passengers can check-in online and obtain their boarding card, then use fast-track ‘Verified to Fly’ desks at the airport, or the self-service facilities. Early check-in at Skypark: Effective from 30 June till 31 July, guests will …