Press release
Dubai, 7 March 2023: Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), revealed the top booking trends for Ramadan.
Ramadan is just around the corner, and with it comes a surge in demand for hotel bookings across the UAE. Ramadan brings in a vast number of tourists and locals alike, looking to indulge in the traditions, customs, and festivities that are part and parcel of this holy month. Travellers worldwide are showing an increased willingness to venture beyond their immediate surroundings, leading to a rise in travel-related activities.
Spike in airfare rates
As we enter the month of Ramadan, airfares from the UAE are expected to increase compared to the same period last year. Cheap flights may be harder to come by as the prices for flights to India and the UK have already risen between 13 to 32 percent, according to our data. This year’s Ramadan is coinciding with school breaks, which could be a reason for the instant spike in travel demand. We expect to see a further increase in airfares as we approach the Eid break.
We saw that the price for flights to India, for instance, have increased to Dh713.06, up from Dh627.37 in 2022. Similarly, travel to the UK and popular European destinations also experienced rate hikes compared to February 2022.
High occupancy rates for hotels
Dubai’s hospitality sector saw a strong rebound in 2022 after the COVID pandemic, with 14.36 million international visitors arriving in the emirate and daily occupancy remained over 70% throughout the year. Due to a busy event schedule and the upcoming Ramadan season, hotel rooms in Dubai have experienced slight price increase and limited availability compared to last year. Many hotels were close to full occupancy due to conferences and the Dubai Duty Free tennis championships, resulting in expensive rates for those without prior bookings.
Rise in hotel room rates
With bookings for Ramadan, Easter, and Eid showing a positive trend, this is expected to continue. Average hotel price on Wego in Dubai last month reached Dh807 ($219.76), with hotel occupancy at 80.5%, around 7% higher than in the same month in 2022.
Additionally, spillover from the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex) in Abu Dhabi is also contributing to the trend. To keep up with the growing demand, an extra 48,000 new rooms will be made available in the UAE by 2030, with Dubai providing 76% of the total supply.
Increase in airline reservations
The resurgence of travel in recent times has had a positive impact on various sectors of the travel industry, with not only hotels but also flight bookings. Bookings for flights in February have already seen a significant rise compared to the previous year, and this trend is expected to grow due to Ramadan.
In terms of popular travel destinations on our platform in the GCC, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait are popular among UAE travellers. As for international travel, Egypt, India, Pakistan remained as firm favorites.
