Egypt ranks first among the most popular tourist destinations for Arab tourists, especially Emiratis, on the Eid al-Fitr holiday according to a report from UAE-based Gulf news.
Travel agents in Abu Dhabi said that Egypt was the number one preferred travel destination among UAE travelers during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, while India, Thailand and the Philippines topped destinations for those looking to spend their holidays in Asia.
Travel agencies in the UAE saw a rise in hotel reservations ahead of the Eid holiday, the Gulf News reported, with Egypt coming on top of the most popular destinations for UAE nationals in the Middle East, followed by Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Jordan.
Since the holiday period for public and private sector workers may last for three to four days UAE residents prefer to spend the holiday abroad instead of staying at the usual local hotels, according to Abu Dhabi travel agents.
Managing Director of MENA and India regions at Wego.com, Mamoun Hmedan, also said that Egypt topped the most popular destinations for UAE nationals followed by Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey, Jordan, Indonesia and Thailand.
Hmedan said that when it comes to holiday time, 40 percent of passengers searched for shorter trips for less than three days, and 60 percent were looking for four day trips.
He added that more than 64 percent of travelers tend to search for their trips and hotel stays using their smartphones – a trend that is expected to increase over the next few years. The travel and hotel sector has seen a dramatic shift in online bookings in recent years, he said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
