Top hotspots to escape recession blues

With recession blues slowly fading away, the travel industry is buoyant over a bumper holiday period this summer, which has already resulted in a 25 per cent increase in bookings over last year for many agents.

However, ask local industry experts and they seem divided over which markets would emerge as the top draw for the UAE travellers this year.

"Traditional markets over the summer season are always popular with Arab nationals," said John Felix, Senior Vice-President, Emirates Holidays. "While it will be business as usual for the United Kingdom, Germany will really surprise us with Munich emerging as a hot contender."

Felix was also bullish on the Gold Coast, Australia, this summer marking it as an ideal tourist spot that will attract families – especially UAE nationals and Westerns expatriates.

Kanoo Holidays' General Manager for UAE and Oman, Rajiv Vats, said that safety was emerging as a key component for holidaymakers this summer.

"Riots in Thailand, ash clouds in Europe, and volcanic rumblings in Indonesia – people are scared to take a chance," he said. "In that respect, short holidays to island destinations such as Mauritius and Sri Lanka are turning into good bets."

He added that the Middle East regional tourism was also looking strong.

When quizzed, Samer Ascha, General Manager of Sky Line Travel, Tourism and Shipping, stated he has also marked this region for summer 2010.

He said: "Travellers are looking at shorter holidays, with the assurance of safety and meeting budgetary constraints. In that respect, Cairo is fast drawing in the customers, followed by Jordan and Syria."

With industry experts pointing the way, Emirates Business has compiled a list of the top 10 summer destinations that have emerged as top draws for UAE holidaymakers this summer.

United States

With both Emirates and Etihad expanding their reach across the United States, the country continues its rise as a popular holiday spot for the UAE travellers. Family vacations to Disneyland, Florida, along with New York, are still popular.

France

With an Emirates A380 flying daily to Paris, the country remains a hotspot despite the backlash on the full burqa ban that reared its head this year. According to state-owned French tourism body, Atout France Near & Middle East, tourists from this region account for a little more than 725,000 annually.

Egypt

With low-cost carrier Air Arabia launching its Alexandria hub earlier this month, along with Dubai's budget carrier flydubai jetting to three Egyptian destinations, the country is emerging as a top summer destination for those on a tighter budget. Experts say, Cairo is fast selling out.

Mauritios

With Emirates flying nine weekly flights to the island destination in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius' popularity has only steadily increased over the years. While no recent figures were available, in 2008, over 930,456 tourists visited Mauritius, which was a 2.6 per cent rise in arrivals from 2007.

Sri Lanka

With the end of the political unrest in Sri Lanka, it is fast emerging as a top draw with expats. According to its tourism bureau, Mideast travel to the island increased by 106 per cent in Q1 2010. With flydubai launching flights to Colombo this month, now's the time to grab that summer bargain.

Australia

Call it a surfer's paradise or simply a 70km stretch of heaven, but the Australian Gold Coast is the top choice for UAE nationals and expats, alike, according to Emirates Holidays' John Felix. Popular resorts include Palazzo Versace, offering two and three-bedroom condos for families.

Thailand

After months of turmoil, Thailand is expected to make a recovery according to experts, with Thai Airways even increasing capacity on the Dubai-Bangkok route over the summer to accommodate a surge in traffic. The carrier is confident demand from the Middle East is expected to increase.

Japan

Tokyo is emerging as a summer sizzler with the region's top carriers, Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways all flying to Japan's capital. While Etihad did not divulge the load factors, Emirates said in a statement its expected seat factor will be more than 80 per cent during the first year of operations.

United Kingdom

"The UK is a traditional market for the UAE," said Emirates Holidays' John Felix. "Plus, it caters to Muslims, which is vital with Ramadan in August." A recent survey also indicated that UAE tourists spent Dh1.61 billion in the UK last year.

Germany

According to recent statistics released by the Munich Tourist Office, the city saw over 77,949 arrivals and more than 270,891 stays from the Gulf in 2009, indicating a 22 per cent year-on-year increase from 2008. Plus the shopping is great.