Latest news with #holidays
Arabian Business
2 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
Revealed: Eid Al Adha 2025 top destinations for UAE travellers
The UAE has officially declared Eid Al Adha holidays for both the federal and private sectors, with a break from Thursday, June 5, and work resuming on Monday, June 9, 2025. Travel demand has surged during this period. According to recent data from Wego, there is a noticeable uptick in early travel planning, with strong interest in both short-haul getaways and long-haul destinations. 'Eid holidays continue to be a key travel period for UAE residents,' said Mamoun Hmidan, Chief Business Officer at Wego. 'We're seeing more demand for immersive and culturally rich destinations that are easy to access and offer good value.' Top destinations for Eid travel from the UAE 1. Baku, Azerbaijan Visa: 90 days visa-free for UAE nationals Average airfare: USD 274.37 Highlights: Affordable, accessible, historic and modern blend 2. Bangkok, Thailand Visa: 90 days visa-free Average airfare: USD 449.08 Highlights: Culture, street food, nightlife 3. Tbilisi, Georgia Visa: 1-year visa-free entry Average airfare: USD 374.58 Highlights: Wine culture, mountain scenery, old-town charm 4. Kathmandu, Nepal Visa: Visa on arrival Average airfare: USD 283.03 Highlights: Spiritual sites, nature, heritage 5. Bali, Indonesia Visa: Visa on arrival Average airfare: USD 563.89 Highlights: Beaches, temples, tropical retreats 6. Phuket, Thailand Visa: 30 days visa-free Average airfare: USD 623.70 Highlights: Luxury resorts, beaches, relaxed atmosphere 7. London, United Kingdom Visa: ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) Average airfare: USD 815.55 Highlights: Urban culture, shopping, sightseeing 8. Yerevan, Armenia Visa: Visa-free Average airfare: USD 232.00 Highlights: Cultural escape, budget-friendly, close to home Wego encourages travellers to explore lesser-known and eco-conscious destinations using its travel tools and real-time search data. Earlier this month, Arabian Business reported that Emirates added 13 flights to their existing routes to meet the surge in demand during Eid. The flights will operate to/from regional destinations, including Amman, Dammam, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Trade Arabia
2 days ago
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Indian travellers seek more, ready to spend higher: Survey
Indian travel market is a picture of a booming sector with 85% of people responding to a survey planning to increase their frequency of holidays and a significant number intending to boost budgets by up to 50%. The survey, India Holiday Report 2025, released by Thomas Cook (India) Limited, India's leading omnichannel travel services company, and its Group Company SOTC Travel, is a comprehensive study capturing the evolving aspirations and travel behaviour of Indian consumers. The survey conducted across digital platforms covering over 2,500 respondents (a combination of past Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel customers, as well as non-customers) over a month, reflects a significant shift driven by rising disposable incomes and the growing aspirational value of travel, including experiential holidays. Experiential and event-led travel such as polar/ icebreaker cruises, music concerts, global sporting events, wildlife safaris, gastronomy and vineyard trails, stargazing camps and phenomenon travel (Northern Lights, Cherry Blossom, Midnight Sun, etc.) are at the forefront of Indian travellers' preferences, it said. Phygital journeys, blending digital discovery with human touch-points, continue to influence and drive bookings. Additionally, travellers are showing a clear inclination towards longer holidays – both domestic and international. Today's new-age Indian traveller is also keen on spiritual travel, hidden-gems and distinctive accommodation like igloos, treehouses, chalets-chateaux, it found. Key findings include: 1. Key Holiday Drivers: Travel has now become a necessity – an essential part of the Indian lifestyle and is driven by factors like: • Influence of Social media, OTT platforms and Movies: 60% respondents indicated that social media, OTT platforms and movies are increasingly shaping their travel decisions • Simplified visa processes and easy access: 44% respondents are more likely to visit countries offering simplified visa processes like e-visa or visa-on-arrival options such as Thailand, Malaysia, UAE, Sri Lanka; while countries that issue long-term visas are also seeing uptick like the Australia, Japan, USA • Enhanced connectivity: 43% Introduction of new routes and direct flights are significantly improving accessibility - fuelling travel demand not just from metros, but significantly from India's rapidly growing Regional Tier 1 & 2 markets • Indian consumers continue to remain value-seekers: 39% prefer to actively seek promotions, highlighting the strong influence of discounts/special offers on their purchasing decisions. Promotional campaigns & deals from tour operators and tourism boards are driving travel interest. At the same time, there is a clear shift towards trusted travel brands for premium holiday experiences, reflecting a focus on reliability • Word of mouth still relevant: 30% of respondents reported that recommendations from friends, family and colleagues continue to impact their holiday decisions 2. Increased frequency of holidays and longer stays: • Holidays set to double/triple: 85% of respondents plan to increase their holidays from 2 per year to 4-6 trips annually • Smart planning fuels mini-cations: 47% of respondents intend to leverage long weekends/ public holidays for short getaways • Equally, Strong shift towards longer trips with 54% respondents preferring longer holidays by extending for an additional 5-10 days, to create holidays of an average of 8-15 days 3. Strong holiday spend intent: • Approximately 84% of respondents plan to increase their travel spends by 20-50% in 2025, with over 18% intending to boost budgets by a significant 50% • This mirrors a broader trend, where travellers are allocating more budgets to gastronomy, experiences and shopping - including premium outlets like McArthurGlen and Bicester Village 4. Evolving travel companion preferences: • Travelling together remains the preferred mode, with 90% opting for company. Multigenerational families (65%) lead the chart, followed by couples (60%) and a rising segment—'frolleagues' (colleagues who double as friends) at 28%; Solo at 10% • Family bonding trips on the rise: There's been an increase in travel experiences focused on family connections, such as mother-daughter trips and sibling/cousin holidays • Growing subsets, including solo female travellers, also in older age groups and empty nesters, reflecting diverse companion preferences across demographics 5. Experiential travel takes centre stage: • Close to 75% respondents indicating strong interest for experience-led holidays • Over 45% of respondents are prioritizing phenomenon-based travel (like Northern Lights – Norway, Murmansk; Japan-S Korea's Cherry blossoms; Midnight sun –Iceland, Russia) - a pivot towards bucket list experiences • Uptick in safaris, self-drives, outdoor adventures (32%) • Gastronomy (26%) reflecting - evolving palates and desire to experiment - with France, Spain, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea • Event tourism—global music concerts, sporting events and festivals are also on the rise, aligning with a focus on entertainment-driven travel experiences (22%). Australia, Abu Dhabi, Thailand • Spa-Wellness (19%) Relaxation & rejuvenation seeing demand – especially in destinations like Thailand, Bali, Kerala 6. Premium & Luxury Holidays on the Rise: • Over 36% respondents are opting for premium experiences like transportation via super cars/bikes, luxury cruise holidays (Scandinavia, Mediterranean, USA), private island dining in Australia, upscale stays in boutique hotels, French chateaux/Swiss chalets, heritage properties in India, glacier landings in New Zealand 7. Destination Preferences: • Internationally, Europe continues to top the list (50%) led by Switzerland, France, Austria, Germany; Eastern Europe's Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia emerging well. Short-hauls like Southeast Asia follows with favourites like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore (46%); also Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Ras Al-Khaimah (37%); Japan & South Korea (35%) and Australia-New Zealand¬ (26%); Island locales – Mauritius, Maldives, Bali, Sri Lanka (22%); South Africa & Kenya (12%) • Central Asia's Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan (32%) signal growing interest for unique short hauls with easy access and affordability • Morocco, Iceland, Greenland (8%) emerging on the radar • For travel in India and subcontinent: Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand (55%) remain top favourites; North East (25%); Bhutan (32%); Rajasthan & Kerala (21%). Island/beach escapes like Andaman & Lakshadweep (3%); are also gaining strong momentum; Goa (13%) 8. Increasing Demand for New Travel formats: Indians are increasingly opting for new and unique travel formats • Cruises (45%), self-drives (35%) and scenic train journeys (20%) have entered the top three holiday travel formats apart from flights, as more travellers seek unique, curated, comfort-first experiences. • Cruises across domestic and international for both ocean and river options, are emerging as popular choices • This shift reflects the growing appeal of slow, immersive travel over rushed itineraries, including sustainable options like scenic train journeys in Switzerland 9. Booking Patterns: Travellers are increasingly using a blend of digital platforms for research, contact centers and retail outlets for bookings, making phygital journeys a key driver of conversions • 58% prefer a mix of online convenience with offline guidance (phygital), 59% opt for in-person visits to tour agency or talking over the phone while 68% book online • While digital adoption is growing, there remains a strong dependency on in-person visits to agencies, valued for the human touch, personalized guidance and expert recommendations 10. Travellers equally divided across travel styles: The report reveals a near-equal distribution in travellers preferences for type of holidays • 35% prefer partially guided tours, valuing a balance of structure and autonomy • 33% respondents opted for fully packaged and guided tours, seeking a seamless, worry-free experience. Interestingly an equal number of respondents (32%) opted for entirely self-planned journeys 11. Sustainability focus: 37% of respondents are increasingly prioritizing sustainability and eco-conscious practices in their travel choices 12. Impact of AI & Tech on Travel Planning: The rise of AI and technology is transforming travel planning, with 35% of travellers using digital platforms for research, bookings and itinerary planning Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India), said: "The Indian traveller story is no longer just about destinations—it's a reflection of evolving lifestyles and rising aspirations. Our Holiday Report 2025 clearly signals the emergence of a bold, experience-first traveller mind-set. Indians are not only travelling more, but also increasing spends - choosing depth, discovery and emotion over traditional sightseeing tours. While multigenerational family segments continue to lead, we are seeing strong emergence of new travel subsets like frolleagues and solo travellers. 'Our Holiday Report 25 reflects a strong shift towards offbeat travel and emerging destinations like phenomenon travel - whether it's experiencing cherry blossoms in Japan/South Korea or witnessing the midnight sun in Scandinavia/Russia. At Thomas Cook, we're excited to witness the rapid evolution of Indian travellers and are curating exciting holidays that reflect this experience-first outlook.' S D Nandakumar, President & Country Head - Holidays & Corporate Tours - SOTC Travel, said: 'Our Holiday Report 2025 reflects evolving travel formats, with Indians moving away from rushed itineraries in favour of comfort-first, immersive experiences. Slow travel is seeing an uptick, with river and ocean cruises and sustainable rail journeys offering unique opportunities for exploration. Additionally, spiritual/pilgrimage tourism is on the rise – with our 'darshans' portfolio coupled with adventure tourism is gaining popularity – interestingly from young India's millennials and GenZ. 'Booking behaviours have also shifted—while Indians are researching online, they continue to value expert guidance, making SOTC's phygital approach a key driver of trust and convenience. At SOTC, we're proud to offer experiences to suit every Indian traveller segment. With over 75 years of experience and a deep understanding of Indian travellers' evolving needs, SOTC ensures that every journey is memorable and enriching.' – TradeArabia News Service
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Gen Z heads home: How to navigate the evolving parent-child relationship as kids become adults
As a professor of child development and family science, every year I witness college students heading home for the holidays after a few months of relative independence. Anecdotally, most students express excitement about returning home and say they're looking forward to relaxing with family and friends. However, it also can present a challenge for parents and their grown children. Parents may wonder: 'What should I expect of my child when they return home after living away?' Adult children may be thinking: 'I'm an adult, but I'm in my parents' home. Do I need to ask permission to go out? Do I have a curfew?' The adult child's return home, even for a few days or weeks, may produce some stress for both generations. But, the parent-child relationship is always evolving, including negotiating – and renegotiating – power and control as children age. In fact, families have been preparing for these new role changes for years. Think about when children enter middle school. They spend less time under their parents' direct supervision. Parents must begin to find ways to stay connected with their children while encouraging independence. The challenge is the same with young adults, only their interests and the appropriate level of independence has changed. Generally speaking, the parent-child relationship is relatively stable over time. And the good news is that most people navigate this transition successfully. Understanding a bit more about what developmental and family scientists know about this time of life might help ease the path forward. Many countries and societies consider you an adult once you turn 18. However, neuroscience research reveals that parts of the brain that are crucial for adult skills such as planning ahead, decision-making and controlling impulses do not finish developing until the mid- or late 20s. So, from a psychological perspective, the onset of adulthood is not universal and not determined by a specific age. In 2000, psychologists introduced the concept of a period of development that spans ages 18 to 25: emerging adulthood. It's a kind of in-between period, when people say they don't feel fully adult. It's important to note that this developmental period is not something that everyone experiences. It's most common in Western or industrialized countries, though there is research on the experiences of emerging adults in other cultures. This period of exploration and experimentation, however, is a luxury not available to all, with adolescents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds reaching milestones of adulthood such as financial independence or parenthood earlier than those from more affluent backgrounds. But this life stage has become increasingly common in the 21st century, partly due to societal changes that give young adults more opportunities to explore identity and focus on themselves. For instance, the availability of birth control made sex without marriage more feasible for young adults. Many people take time before full-time work to pursue higher education. Today's young adults can experiment with ideas and opportunities that weren't available to them during adolescence. You can probably imagine why emerging adult children and their parents might butt heads when under the same roof. The two generations' differing opinions and ideals can set up conflict, especially when the child feels like an adult but the parent still sees them as a child. If parents can keep in mind that these young adult offspring are still navigating a distinct developmental phase, it may help them be supportive during this stage. When children leave the nest, the parent-child relationship goes through a period of adjustment. This is typical and, importantly, a necessary part of becoming an adult. There's likely to be a bit of trial and error for both the parent and the child as they figure out how to establish new ways of connecting and relating. But this isn't the first time in a child's life that a developmental transition has triggered the need for renegotiating the parent-child relationship. During adolescence, parents begin to provide their children with more freedom to make independent decisions; this requires parent and child to make adjustments in how they interact and relate to one another. Psychology researchers point to several qualities of healthy parent-adult child relationships. Parents need to get comfortable with a low level of control over what their grown kids do. Parents can expect to know less about their adult child's whereabouts when out for an evening and whom their adult child spends time with, something that parents monitor during adolescence. Maintaining a warm dynamic and encouraging independence are also key. Together, these attributes help parents promote success in their adult children, helping them grow into mentally healthy and well-adjusted members of society. These tweaks in approach may initially be uncomfortable for parents. But with a little effort, they can successfully make this transition. It helps if they've maintained a good relationship with their kid all along. Psychologists typically define effective parenting during emerging adulthood as a relationship characterized by providing warm emotional support; supporting the child in making their own decisions; and refraining from using guilt to change a child's beliefs. 1. Be flexible and don't compare. Every family is different, and each will navigate adult children returning home in unique ways. Likewise, there may be a need to adjust – and readjust – expectations and rules. Be comfortable with tweaking things to best suit your family. 2. Prepare by connecting. Discuss expectations from both generations before or shortly after the adult child returns home. Being proactive with communication will provide opportunities to connect and find common ground. 3. Establish boundaries and guardrails. Parents should communicate house rules for their adult children, and adult children should state their preferred boundaries. These guardrails should be developmentally appropriate and based on mutual respect. 4. Adjust expectations as needed. Parents should keep in mind that their child is in transition to adulthood. They should expect behavior that reflects having one foot in adolescence and the other in adulthood. Warm, supportive parenting continues to be a good influence on development through the emerging adulthood years. Therefore, it is not surprising that emerging adults continue to seek guidance from their parents. Most parents and adult children find their new, more egalitarian relationship lets them connect in new, more mature ways. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Amy Root, West Virginia University Read more: Life's stages are changing – we need new terms and new ideas to describe how adults develop and grow Yes, more and more young adults are living with their parents – but is that necessarily bad? How parents can play a key role in the prevention and treatment of teen mental health problems Amy Root receives funding from National Institute of Child, Health, and Human Development.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Carolyn Hax: Girlfriend is suspiciously fine with her family's consumer excesses
Dear Carolyn: I was very fortunate that my parents raised me to appreciate simplicity and avoid greed and excess. Now I'm in love with a wonderful woman whose family lives what I consider a toxic lifestyle. Examples: They serve too much food for parties and holidays — more than can be eaten not just on that day, but on several days; they exchange so many useless gifts at every giving occasion (Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc.); their closets are stuffed with more clothing and shoes than you could wear in a lifetime; their home is overflowing with furniture, tchotchkes and other useless things.
Khaleej Times
5 days ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
Eid Al Adha 2025: Dubai announces holidays for public sector employees
Dubai on Thursday announced Eid Al Adha holidays for public sector employees. This year, government workers will get four days off, with their break beginning on June 5 and lasting till June 8. The Dubai Government Human Resources Department said that those who work on a shift system or whose roles involve serving the public or managing public service facilities are excluded from this advisory.
