# UAE travel and tourism demand trends

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/uae-travel-and-tourism-demand-trends
> Updated: 2026-10-23T11:23:04.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 3.

Travel demand in the United Arab Emirates has seen significant growth driven by festive seasons and school breaks. In late September, air travel between the UAE and India increased ahead of Dussehra and Diwali, with Air India and Air India Express scheduled to operate 272 weekly flights. During this period, Abu Dhabi also promoted itself as a destination for multi-generational family holidays.

By October, data from dnata Travel indicated that holiday bookings in the UAE rose by 31% during the mid-term break compared to the previous year. While Dubai remained the most popular destination for local staycations, international travel also surged, particularly to Spain, which saw a 65% increase in demand.

As the winter season approaches, travel demand has increased by approximately 25% compared to the previous year. Travelers are increasingly targeting European destinations for National Day breaks and winter holidays, with popular locations including London, Prague, and the Swiss Alps. To accommodate this surge, several airlines are restoring or expanding services to Dubai International Airport (DXB). European carriers such as Lufthansa, SWISS, Eurowings, and Austrian Airlines are resuming routes to cities including Munich, Frankfurt, Zurich, Berlin, and Vienna. Additionally, Aegean Airlines is restoring services to Athens, and Philippine Airlines has returned to DXB, providing more connectivity to Manila.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-23: UAE winter travel demand rises as airlines expand European routes

UAE winter holiday travel demand has risen by 25%, supported by airlines resuming major routes to Europe and the Philippines to accommodate travelers during the upcoming festive season.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/uae-winter-travel-demand-rises-as-airlines-expand-european-routes

### 2026-10-08: UAE holiday bookings rise 31% during mid-term break

UAE holiday bookings rose 31% during the October mid-term break, with Dubai leading local staycations and Spain seeing a 65% surge in overseas demand.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/uae-holiday-bookings-rise-31-during-mid-term-break

### 2026-09-29: UAE-India travel demand rises ahead of Diwali festivities

Festive travel demand is rising between the UAE and India for Dussehra and Diwali, with competitive airfares to major cities and Abu Dhabi promoting multi-generational holiday packages.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/uae-india-travel-demand-rises-ahead-of-diwali-festivities

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Cite as: UAE travel and tourism demand trends. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/uae-travel-and-tourism-demand-trends