Domestic tourism in the UAE continued to flourish in the first quarter of 2021 amid ongoing global travel restrictions, with Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah seeing significant increases in bookings.
That’s according to the head of Dnata Travel, the UAE’s longest-standing travel provider, who said travellers are exploring more of the country than ever before, continuing a trend seen during the pandemic in 2020.
Dnata Travel reported a 415 percent increase in travel bookings for Ras Al Khaimah between January and April compared to the same time last year.
Emily Jenkins, head of dnata Travel Leisure UAE, said: “We witnessed strong demand for domestic travel overall in 2020, with Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah seeing particular increases in bookings and room nights compared to previous years. We are seeing similar trends in 2021 so far, with staycation bookings in demand across the country, and Ras Al Khaimah once again coming out on top in terms of growth.
“We are also seeing growth of international holiday traffic from the UAE in 2021. Traveller confidence has grown, particularly in travel to destinations which have now been open for tourists for a significant time and with clear regulations, offer no rules for quarantine on arrival, and direct flight options.”
She said popular holiday destinations include the paradise Indian Ocean islands of the Maldives, Seychelles and Zanzibar, the mountains of Georgia and the historic cities of Egypt.
“With pent-up demand for travel at an all-time high, UAE residents continue to discover new places locally, whilst also making plans for international travel. We have witnessed an enhanced appreciation for the incredible landscapes, attractions and unrivalled range of luxurious resorts on our doorstep, with the UAE continuing to represent our number one travel destination,” she added.
Raki Phillips (pictured above), CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “Our strong tourism strategy and enhanced safety measures has helped our hospitality industry to bounce back quickly resulting in impressive occupancy rates across our hotels at the beginning of this year, where we led in average daily rate across the nation.”
He added: “We are looking forward to continuing strong hotel occupancy rates in the near future, driven by ongoing interest from the domestic market, as well as increased international access via new flight routes between key feeder and emerging markets, including Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
“We also have an exciting pipeline of new adventure and cultural attractions coming to the emirate, that is set to drive further interest in Ras Al Khaimah as a must-visit destination, as travel restrictions are eased.”
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