A perfect storm of holidays and the longest winter break in memory is fueling a 35% spike in December travel, with early planners snapping up flights to destinations from Vietnam to Latvia.
DUBAI: A convergence of holidays and an unprecedented month-long school closure is triggering a major travel surge from the UAE, with industry leaders reporting a 35% jump in December bookings as residents craft their longest winter escapes yet.
The extended break, running from December 8 to January 4, allows travelers to weave National Day, Christmas, and New Year’s into a single, extended trip. This has effectively created a new peak travel season centered entirely on December.
“We are seeing a clear shift as UAE residents aren’t just travelling for leisure, but they are travelling for experiences that stay with them,” said Raheesh Babu, COO of musafir.com, noting the period after National Day now unofficially kicks off the winter travel season.
The demand is so intense that availability, not cost, is becoming the primary concern. Travel agents warn that flights are selling out rapidly. “Seats are filling fast… Even if travellers are willing to pay, they may not find seats at the last minute,” cautioned Mir Wasim Raja of Galadari International Travel.
The travel trends are split between far-flung cultural journeys and regional festivities. While Japan, Vietnam, and European capitals like Paris and Rome remain classic long-haul favorites, events such as Riyadh Season in Saudi Arabia and the Qatar Winter Festival are driving a boom in regional travel. Adventurous travelers are also venturing to emerging spots like Latvia and Uzbekistan.
A key change this year is the shift to advanced planning, driven partly by long Schengen visa wait times. Nearly a third of all winter trips have been booked well in advance, signaling an end to the era of last-minute holiday deals.
With the travel window wide open, the message from the industry is clear: the time to book is now, before the options vanish.
