London was the most popular overseas destination among Middle East travellers during the Eid Al Adha break, according to a hotel price comparison site.
The United Kingdom capital beat last year’s favourite, Istanbul, by a small margin, according to Hotels-Combined data on online hotel booking demand in the lead-up to Eid.
“I think the weather played a big factor. London still had nice weather,” said Amer Al Halabi, the regional manager Middle East and North Africa (Mena) for Hotels Combined. “Second, most GCC travellers had spent enough time in the popular destinations like Dubai during the last Eid, and the airlines had very good offers during these periods.”
The longer break also played a part, making it worthwhile to travel farther afield, he added.
Tourists to London spent an average of Dh11,880 on accommodation, significantly higher than Dubai, which remained the top destination in the region and had an average stay value of Dh7,380.
“Dubai’s emphasis on family focused events and its 48-hour shopping sales throughout Eid attract a lot of interest among Mena travellers, especially those from Saudi Arabia,” said Mr Al Halabi.
However, Abu Dhabi, which was second in the GCC and had an average stay of Dh4,752, made headway, with a 100 per cent increase in demand.
“It gained a lot of searches this year compared to last year with the new hotels and resorts that they have,” said Mr Al Halabi.
Other top Eid destinations included Kuala Lumpur and Paris.
gduncan@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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- In 2014, she became the first woman to lead the US Federal Reserve
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ON%20TRACK
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Company%20Profile
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap $60,000 1,400m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
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Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
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Winner: Folkswood, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
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TOURNAMENT INFO
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
Thursday results
UAE beat Kuwait by 86 runs
Qatar beat Bahrain by five wickets
Saudi Arabia beat Maldives by 35 runs
Friday fixtures
10am, third-place playoff – Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
3pm, final – UAE v Qatar
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
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