Over 400,000 Saudis will fly to Dubai to spend upcoming school vacation 

(MENAFN - Arab News) More than 400,000 Saudis will fly to Dubai to spend the upcoming school vacation, as the examinations are due to end next week, a source in the travel industry said.

Most of the seats were sold out about three weeks ago, even though the ticket prices of all airline companies were considerably higher.

"All flights in the Saudi"Dubai sector are booked nearly full, and the few remaining seats are sold at 60 percent higher than the normal rate," said the deputy chairman of the transport committee at the Council of Saudi Chambers, Sultan Al-Najjar.

Even those who booked early had to pay up to 35 percent higher than the normal price, Al-Najjar said.

"While a round-trip ticket was available at SR1,300 in normal seasons, now it reached SR1,750," he said. The increase in other classes has been 60 percent.

Al-Najjar said some airlines were demanding a higher price for the return trip than the outward trip.

This pricing trend is attributed to the increasing pressure on airlines because of the rush of Umrah pilgrims from the United Arab Emirates.

Most of the Saudi families also require hotel reservations in Dubai. "The demand for hotel accommodation by Saudi visitors this year has grown by 45 percent compared to last year," Al-Najjar said.

Major factors that attract Saudi families to Dubai are the pleasant weather and enormous shopping facilities apart from the amusement facilities, Al-Sharq daily newspaper reported on Monday.

There are also other factors such as the turmoil in Syria, which a considerable number of Saudi families used to visit during vacations, apart from the developments in the countries in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.

According to a statistical report, more than 400,000 Saudis traveled to Dubai to spend the 10-day long spring vacation early this year.