The destination Dubai is in turmoil as stays in 5-star hotels, fine restaurants and cruises are booked
Welcome to Dubai – the expected end-of-year push is going as planned. For confirmation, try to book in trendy places in the city from December 20.
Image Credit: Virendra Saklani / Gulf News
Dubai: Try to make a reservation at a five star hotel in Dubai, it doesn’t matter whether it is in the business district or by the beach. Chances are, you won’t get one, or you’re willing to spend more than you budgeted for.
The same can be said for any sort of rest and leisure activity planned in Dubai for the last half of 2021. In fact, until the end of January, all tourism-related activities in the city are solidly booked, according to industry sources. “Most of the flights, restaurants and hotels are already full,” said Avinash Adnani, managing partner of Pluto Travels.
“Ground transportation is difficult to obtain, as are short cruises; and staycations are also busy. There’s a lot of movement planned until the end of January, and it’s mostly from non-Asian markets like Kuwait, Europe, Russia, etc.
The rates for five-star rooms are well within the range of MAD 3,000 and above, and hotels are expecting a new phase of strengthening in the coming days.
New experiences

There is always a new experience in Dubai – and Ain Dubai is as new as it gets, having opened its 48 cabins on October 21.
Image Credit: Evangeline Jose / Gulf News
The city has been busy adding new experiences for its residents and visitors alike, most notably the Ain Dubai wheel that towers over this part of the city. For those who want to be always connected, the 48 cabins of Ain Dubai come with 5G connectivity, nothing less.
“The city continues to create new destinations and each one adds to the overall feel of Dubai,” said one hotelier.
It is therefore fitting that the latest tourism-focused campaign launched by Dubai brings together all of the city’s strengths. The #DubaiDestinations promotion, launched on Monday, December 14, aims to create more stories about what it means to visit / stay in Dubai. These will be narratives framed and disseminated by residents and the community at large.
“Thanks to the Christmas festivities and New Year’s celebrations, we are seeing spikes in room rates during these phases,” said Praveen Shetty, president of the Fortune Group, which operates six four-star properties in the city. “Dubai has always been seen as a must-see destination for the New Year.
“DSF 2021 starts earlier this year, so we expect things to rebound by the last week of December. “
Hotel rentals
Hotels in the United Arab Emirates and the wider region are back in hiring mode, according to a senior official at CatererGlobal.com.
“This is due both to existing operators who are expanding their teams to meet the growing demand for occupancy and to new hotel openings which have generated a need for top talent as quickly as possible,” said Jeremy Vercoe, Director global sales, CatererGlobal.com. “We expect this trend to continue through 2022 as important events shine the spotlight on the region, which will make the competition for talent even fiercer for all concerned. ”
Everything is good for vacation homes
With the occupancy rate of five-star hotels rising to over 80 percent, some of this rush in demand is rubbing off on vacation homes as well. “On the luxury side of the vacation rental market, we are seeing rates increase by North American, European and Russian travelers,” said Vinayak Mahtani, founder of bnbme, a vacation home operator. “Even the volumes coming from Indian visitors are on average higher even if the flights from India become more expensive.
“Overall this is a great mix for Dubai, where the client is focused on finding experiences and wanting to enjoy Dubai rather than looking for discounts.”
Yousuf Fakhruddin, CEO of Fakhruddin Properties, testifies to this. “The demand for short-term rentals and hotel apartments has increased as it allows travelers who want a comfortable place to stay without checking into a hotel. There has also been a significant increase in the number of local expats opting for short term rentals over traditional rentals. one-year lease format. They meet the key end-user requirement of having a place to relax with no deposits, no commissions, no hidden fees, no penalties and no monthly end-of-month payments. “
Could have been higher
But some market sources believe the influx of Indian tourists could have been higher. “The Indian tourism and travel market is not growing at the speed we wanted,” Adnani said. “The main reason is that a return ticket will cost no less than $ 2,000.
“In addition to this, the policy of mandatory rapid PCR testing at airports and the rise of the Omicron variant has created a sense of uncertainty for travel from India. We may have to wait until the end of January before the real traffic from India begins. “
The four stars face contrary winds
After a sharp increase in demand in October and November, four-star hotels are experiencing a slight decline.
“So far, December prices compared to November 2021 have unfortunately turned south, by 10% to 15% in budget hotels,” said Praveen Shetty of Fortune Group. “There have been a few cancellations, but we expect a quick rebound. We just hope that Omicron’s impact won’t be that bad and that our grocery markets don’t have any strict travel restrictions.”