Rates at some hotels have gone up by 25 per cent to 35 per cent
Dubai: Planning to enjoy a short Eid break at a hotel in UAE this weekend? You might want to ring up your favourite resort fast, as rooms are filling up and deals are being snapped up. Hotels are preparing for a busy long weekend, as thousands of Eid Al Adha holidaymakers visit the UAE and many residents take advantage of free time and enjoy a staycation.
Some hoteliers said their rooms have been selling fast in the run up to the holidays and they are expecting to be fully booked starting tomorrow, Thursday. Given the huge demand and more last-minute bookings coming their way, operators are already reporting a 25 per cent to 35 per cent increase in the summer rates.
“We have already observed a considerable pickup for the Eid period with our occupancy rates steadily rising to an additional 15 per cent to 20 per cent over the past few days,” said Wael El Behi, general manager at First Central Hotel Suites on Tuesday.
“We have kept our rates competitive, with a slight increase of 25 per cent to 35 per cent in comparison to our previously offered average summer rates.”
Starting Thursday, August 31, private and public sector employees in the UAE are getting three and four days off, respectively, for the Eid Al Adha holidays.
Islamic holidays are usually a busy time for many hotels in the UAE. Not only do properties enjoy a boost in local demand, there’s also a huge influx of regional tourists who are drawn to the UAE’s mega shopping malls, popular landmarks and family-friendly attractions. The popular Downtown Dubai alone is expected to see more than one million visitors during the holiday period.
Glenn Nobbs, general manager at Copthorne Hotel in Dubai, said they are expecting guests from the neighbouring GCC states, especially Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman. “We again expect to be running at 100 per cent occupancy over the Eid weekend, and maybe even extending a few days into the following week,” Nobbs told Gulf News.
At the properties operated by Rove Hotels, rooms are filling up quite quickly and rates are inching up. “We expect to be full during the Eid period, though we still have a few rooms left. Traditionally, the booking window for the Eid holidays is quite last minute,” said Paul Bridger, corporate director of operations at Rove Hotels.
“Room rates have slightly gone up from the summer rates, however, [they] have stayed true to our promise of providing great value,” added Bridger. Starting rates across the hotelier’s properties still average around Dh215.
Millennium Plaza hotel in Dubai is likewise expecting Eid visitors to come mainly from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, in addition to UAE nationals and residents. “We are also expecting the rates to increase further during Eid, due to the trend of last-minute bookings online,” said Nemo Acimovic, general manager at Millennium Plaza Dubai.
At Al Bustan Centre and Residence, there will be an influx of staycationers who will be taking advantage of the Eid Al Adha promotions and kids’ activities around Dubai, according to Moussa El Hayek, COO at Al Bustan Centre & Residence.
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