Holiday travel bookings from Bahrain at record low due to MidEast political crisis

TDT | Manama                                                 

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Zahra Ayaz

In Bahrain, the winter season has always been synonymous with overseas travel to celebrate Christmas and New Year's and relish in the joy of snowfall. However, travel agents are expressing worries due to an unusually low demand for flight bookings during this festive period.

Typically, travellers secure their flight tickets well in advance to avoid the steep prices often associated with the holiday season, and finding available seats becomes increasingly challenging due to the high demand.

Yet this year, travel agents are noticing a significant decrease in bookings, leaving them searching for explanations. Travel Knits & Vacanza director Thaha Marzooque sheds light on the reasons behind the unexpected trend of low demand for winter holiday flight bookings in an interview with The Daily Tribune.

Marzooque expresses concerns regarding the lack of bookings and speculates on potential factors contributing to this decline.

Factor

One factor he highlights is the current political scenario and ongoing conflicts, which may be dissuading travellers from making holiday plans. The uncertainty surrounding these events could be a major deterrent.

However, Marzooque acknowledges that the political situation alone may not provide a complete explanation, as ethnic traffic has consistently been low since September. Marzooque further points out that popular winter holiday destinations like the UK and Turkey are also experiencing fewer bookings compared to last year.

Nevertheless, he remains hopeful, stating, “We are optimistic and anticipate an increase in bookings during the second week of November.” Despite the overall decrease in demand, specific holiday packages are being offered to take advantage of the upcoming Bahrain National Day holidays.

Packages

“Fixed departures to Azerbaijan and Turkey are available, and other travel agents are promoting packages to Georgia. Moreover, early-bird discounts on National Day holiday packages to Azerbaijan are being offered, with a BD52 discount in celebration of the 52nd Bahrain National Day,” he added.

Marzooque pointed out the popularity of mini vacations during the National Day period. With the three- to four-day holiday available, many people opt to extend their time off and embark on nearby country getaways.

As the travel industry grapples with the unexpected decline in winter holiday flight bookings, travel agencies and airlines are closely monitoring the situation. There is hope that the second week of November will bring an upturn in bookings as travellers embrace the festive spirit and finally make their long-awaited travel plans.