Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Istanbul or Indonesia? Malaysia or Maldives? The holiday possibilities during Ramadan or at the end of the Holy Month seem endless, as far as the options available are concerned. Many prefer short break destinations which can be reached within five hours of flight. But some others, who had planned it much earlier, will add up the leave days and go for a much longer holiday. Since the schools are closed, most of the holiday makers are in the mood of a overseas family outing.
But finalising a package at an affordable price takes research and planning because during Eid holidays, usually we see airfares rise and availability plummets, according to Rajeev Thomas, Assistant Manager — Holidays, Eihab Travels LLC, a local tour operator. Experts in the holiday travel field say that this is a great time to pick a deal because many firms are able to offer plane tickets and accommodation for the same price as an economy airfare alone if booked separately.
During Ramadan and Eid, many of the GCC travellers prefer to fly to Istanbul, where the destination offers a traditional but modern way of living plus a great Islamic and cultural background to explore during the Holy Month. Other destinations most of the residents prefer are Bangkok, Malaysia, and the increasingly popular resorts of the Maldives. None of these destinations will offer much respite from the heat, but, compared to Europe, which offers cooler climes, these options are less expensive. The end of Ramadan is expected to bring an exodus of high-end travellers to places like Berlin, Paris, and Zurich, with travellers keen to take advantage of the school break.
However, one major factor dampening the Europe holiday travel plan is the non-availability of visa appointments in the concerned embassies. “Till August, the visa appointment is full in most of the embassies. For a four-member family, each one has to get an appointment for visa if they want to travel to a European country,” said Rajeev.
According to travel agents and tour operators, owing to the instability on job front and the other financial and economic factors, majority of the holiday enquiries are coming from citizens than expatriates this year. Many have cut down their travel budget and decided on travelling to the local destinations like Salalah. “This may be a reason in the overall dip in the enquiries this year than last year,” said Rajeev. Due to the online visa complications, many of the residents who prefer to go to Dubai also put aside their travel plans.
There are still some great deals on airfares during Ramadan and over Eid, so shop around using price comparison websites to do the mousework for you. Also there are some good deals on offer from the tour market in Oman. You need not spend hours waiting for connections with obscure airlines to save money. Many airlines like Oman Air and Emirates, for example, are having good holiday deals on offer.
“A number of destinations are proving popular, including Istanbul, Far East and Europe routes, with Switzerland in particular demand. With such great demand on Eid getaway flights, we advise passengers to book early at the lowest fares,” Rajeev added.
So, book now and discover somewhere new – there’s really no excuse to stay at home.
—[email protected]
Eid deals
2 Nights – 3 Days
Discover Jordan
• From OMR 369 per person
• Offer is valid for booking and travelling until 31st July 2016.
For further information, contact:
Oman Air Holidays
Call: +968 2453 1000
Email: [email protected]
Bali & Singapore
Ramadan Offer
• 4 Nights accommodation in Bali
• 4 Nights accommodation
in Singapore
• 5 Star hotel OMR369 per person onwards
• 4 Star hotel OMR237 per person onwards
For further information, contact:
Eihab Travels LLC
Call: +968 2468 3900
Email : [email protected]
Malaysia, Singapore
& Sri Lanka
• (Fixed departure trip:
July 8, 2016)
• 12 Nights/13 Days
• OMR899 (Price per person on twin sharing basis)
For further information, contact:
Bahwan Tourism LLC
Call: +968 9229 9345
Email: [email protected]
bahwantravels.com
Istanbul- Ramadan offer
(Short break)
• 4 Nights/5 Days
• 5 Star hotel OMR209 per person onwards
• 4 Star hotel OMR186 per person onwards
• 3 Star hotel OMR160 per person onwards
• Package rate – Per person based on double occupancy basis
Istanbul-Bursa
(7 Nights/8 Days)
• 5 Nights accommodation
in Istanbul
• 2 Nights accommodation in Bursa
• Package rate – Per person based on double occupancy basis
• 5 Star hotel OMR462 per person onwards
• 4 Star hotel OMR296 per person onwards
• 3 Star hotel OMR238 per person onwards
For further information, contact:
Eihab Travels LLC
Call: +968 2468 3900
Email : [email protected]
