Qatar - Airfares to some of the most popular holiday destinations have increased significantly as more citizens and residents look to travel during the Eid Al Fitr celebrations.

Though Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr air travel remains far behind pre-pandemic levels for most GCC countries, inbound travel has recovered faster.

With the announcement that the first day of Eid will be today and several travel restrictions already removed in the region and globally, more people are looking to take advantage of the long Eid break to travel.

According to Irfan Omer, General Manager of Happy Dreams Travels, fares have increased by almost 30 to 35% for flights to top spots due to high demand compared to regular costs.

A quick search revealed that the least expensive flights from Doha to Dubai usually cost between QR790 to QR1,050. However, the same route now goes for as high as QR1,170 to over QR2,000.

“As of now and for the coming days, airfares are going higher for the London, Istanbul, and Dubai flights,” Omer said, adding that places like Maldives remain attractive because the travel costs are relatively similar, while Beirut and Muscat see significant interests.

He said that medical trips to Thailand remain on the rise, making the country a popular destination for travellers from Qatar.

Places like Georgia, Turkiye, Thailand, Dubai and the Schengen Area have been the most popular over the past few years.

“Request for the Maldives has been good because the travel package has not increased much, and the weather is good now. Lebanon and Oman are also doing okay, as the fares are almost the same and close to Qatar. Kuwait also has a little demand compared to before. However, despite the rise in fares, the cities like London, Dubai, Bangkok and Istanbul remain attractive to travellers,” he added.

Thanks to Qatar’s strategic location at the crossroads of East and West, the country is, on average, 6-7 hours away from major international travel hubs.

Around 80% of the world’s population is within a 6-hour flight from Qatar which makes it easier for people to book trips to surrounding tourist spots.

Doha resident Mikel said he booked his flight to Dubai last week in anticipation of the Eid rush, despite not being sure if Eid would be today or Saturday.

“I have not travelled out of Doha since the pandemic. With the Eid, I have about a week off work and I took a leap of faith that’s why I bought my ticket earlier in the week,” he said.

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