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Travel agencies in Bahrain are experiencing mixed fortunes ahead of Eid Al Adha holidays, with some reporting an increase in the number of travellers and others witnessing fewer bookings due to the upcoming summer break.
Bahrainis have a long weekend with ministries and public institutions closed for Arafah Day and Eid Al Adha until Tuesday.
Since the official Eid holidays fall on Friday and Saturday, they are being compensated on Monday and Tuesday as well, meaning citizens can travel with their families or alone taking advantage of the six-day break.
Bahrain International Travel general manager C D Singh, however, said fewer people were jetting off for Eid as the summer holidays are fast approaching.
“Not too many people are choosing to travel this time around, especially compared to last year,” Mr Singh told the GDN.
Mr Singh
“With summer holidays just around the corner, most people, especially families, said they would prefer to wait as they can go on longer trips as opposed to a short trip for Eid.
“Most clients cannot afford to have two holidays in less than a month, and so they are choosing to forgo travel during the Eid Al Adha holidays.
“Many of them have already booked trips for July and August, with Bahrainis travelling for leisure and expats choosing to go back home.
“Among Bahrainis, the most popular destinations this time around are Georgia, Azerbaijan, Dubai, Cairo, Thailand, the UK, especially London, and Austria.
“Armenia has been a rising destination among travellers this year, and might slowly see more Bahraini and GCC travellers in the future.”
To attract as many Bahraini visitors as possible, destinations around the GCC, especially Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Yas Island, are offering Eid packages not just for families but also for solo travellers. Some people have reported clinching multi-night packages to Yas Island, including free entry to the amusement parks, for as low as BD150 per person.
Other agents are actively offering travel packages for Southeast Asia, with Thailand and Malaysia being the most sought-after, although Vietnam seems to be experiencing a rising popularity as well.
Magnum Travel Services travel and tours general manager Haifa Oun also said that most Bahrainis were choosing to wait for the summer to travel.
“Eid is a short holiday with a longer one just around the corner and families are preferring to go abroad over the summer,” she said, adding that the school year had just ended and families do not want to travel yet.
“For those who are travelling, Turkiye, Baku, Abu Dhabi, Cairo and the UK are popular destinations. There has also been a higher demand for China as Bahrainis no longer need a visa to travel there.”
Public schools in Bahrain closed for the summer earlier this week after students got their final examination results on Sunday. Students will return for the new academic year on the first week of September.
Dadabhai Travel director Adnan Aziz, however, said the upcoming summer break and the end of the school year have helped travel rather than deter it.
“Bookings are high with many people planning to travel during the (Eid) holidays,” Mr Aziz told the GDN.
Mr Aziz
“It is a bonus that the end of the exams and the school year fall within the same period. Compared to last year, bookings are slightly higher.
“We are seeing a big demand in travel to the Far East this year, especially places like Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
“We believe it is due to low costs and a rising preference for that part of the world compared to Europe and other regions.
“Eid Al Adha packages were popular, with most people selecting dates that fall within the holidays or for slightly longer.
“Based on our experience, we haven’t seen an effect on summer travel plans as most people plan their vacations around national holidays to maximise the time they can spend travelling.”
Authorities in Bahrain have recently worked on expanding visa-free entries for Bahrainis to other countries.
On May 28, China announced that it was extending its visa-free policy to not just the people of Bahrain, but also the rest of the GCC on a trial basis from June 9, 2025 to June 8, 2026.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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