Sri Lanka tops Eid destination for Omanis

Muscat: The response to Eid Al Adha travel booking has been lukewarm so far but travel agencies hope that it will pick up with the holidays being officially declared.

Speaking to Times of Oman Vijai D’Cunha, assistant general manager, Marmul Travel & Tours said, “This year we have not witnessed huge bookings like always.-

Many travel agency officials feel this is because the Eid Al Adha holidays have come soon after the long summer break. In fact, most of residents had taken a summer vacation to destinations of their choice and have just returned in early September.

Varesh Chopra, senior manager at Bahwan Travels, is surprised that people did not take advantage of the expected Eid dates as well as the tentative holiday dates to plan their travel.

“What will now happen is that there will be last minute bookings. However, these people may not get the best rates they would have got had they booked well in advance,- says Varesh.

Of course, those who have booked are mostly travelling to Sri Lanka and Turkey.

“We have also had bookings to Thailand, Egypt and India. There are some who are taking cruise trips too,- says Varesh.

Vijai explains that Sri Lanka is turning out to be the most preferred destination because of it being a very tourist friendly country. “Apart from offering good hotels, visitors can explore Sri Lanka’s natural beauty and cultural heritage within a few days time with a limited budget,- adds a travel agent.

With both Oman Air and SriLankan Airlines offering good deals the country has become a chosen destination with both Omanis and expatriates.

Travel agency officials confirm that expatriates are travelling more than Omanis.

“That is because most of the nationals like to spend the festival time by visiting their families rather than travelling,- explains Abdul Balushi, a citizen.

For many of the expatriates who are not travelling outside for the five to six days of holidays, Eid provides the perfect opportunity to not only rejuvenate but also discover large parts of Oman.

The ideal locations in Oman that one would be able to go to during the Eid holidays are various beaches and parks. Popular interior locations are Nizwa, Jebel Shams, Jabel Akhdar, Wahiba Sands and Rustaq-Nakhal.

Ronald Smith, new to Oman, hopes to discover the country and indulge in some adventure. “I would like to join my friends who plan to go scuba diving, dolphin watching and snorkelling and camping,- he says. (Times of Oman)