Latest: UAE stays on UK red list as Ibiza, Majorca and Minorca move to amber
Tens of thousands of UAE holidaymakers are planning last-minute getaways for the upcoming Eid Al Adha break, as more global destinations open up for visitors.
Private and public sector workers will get a four-day break next week, and booking agents said searches for holidays have soared as people look to make the most of the long break.
With more than two-thirds of the total population now fully vaccinated, travel agents said people now feel more confident going abroad, despite mandatory Covid-19 testing in many destinations that costs $100 or more.
Countries such as Bosnia, Georgia and Ukraine, where there are limited or no travel restrictions, were high on the list for UAE residents.
We have also seen interest in trending destinations that are open to tourism, with fewer restrictions, such as Ukraine, Bosnia, Georgia
Muzzammil Ahussain,
Seera Group
“When it comes to travel abroad, destinations such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon and Spain are popular,” said Muzzammil Ahussain from Seera Group, a travel and tourism company in Dubai.
“We have also seen interest in trending destinations that are open to tourism, with fewer restrictions, such as Ukraine, Bosnia, Georgia.
“The Maldives is also a favourite for an island getaway.”
Mr Ahussain said the average length of stay has increased by 10 per cent, from 4.2 to 4.6 days, which she said was the result of people having a longer break this year.
Emirates warned this weekend would be one of the busiest for Dubai airport, with hundreds of thousands of passengers passing through its terminals.
For hotel bookings, the average group size is 2.6 travellers, which indicates couples and families are travelling this Eid.
Staycations are popular for a large majority of families, with Ras Al Khaimah a popular choice for hotel getaways.
“Staycations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah top the list and make up more than 50 per cent of our Eid booking volume this year,” Mr Ahussain said.
“For flights, we can see a large number of individual bookings, which indicates that people are taking a holiday to travel back home.”
Emily Jenkins, head of leisure UAE at dnata Travel, said there was a surge in bookings for destinations easing requirements and opening up for vaccinated travellers.
Ahead of the summer travel season, 81 per cent of the overall search traffic for dnata Travel was for international destinations.
“Traveller confidence has grown, particularly in travel to destinations which have been open for some time and with clear regulations, offer quarantine-free travel, and direct flights,” she said.
“An ideal example of this is the number one international destination of choice for Eid al-Adha 2021 with dnata Travel, the Maldives, which has been open for UAE travellers since July 2020.
“Seychelles and Zanzibar continue to prove popular summer holiday destinations of choice for UAE travellers too.”
In terms of those looking to travel to Europe, Ms Jenkins said Turkey and Greece had a lot of interest in recent weeks, as well as Italy and Georgia, both of which are gaining traction, as are beach breaks in Cyprus.
She said the length of stay is up 30 per cent for summer 2021 compared with last year, with more customers booking seven nights plus, compared with an average of three to five-night stays in previous years.
“Of the total number of Eid Al Adha holiday bookings made with UAE travellers via dnata Travel for 2021 so far, the majority are for couples, about 42 per cent, followed by families at about 37 per cent, then groups of friends and solo travellers.”
Locally, Vinayak Mahtani, chief executive of bnbme holiday homes in Dubai, said Eid bookings picked up over the past seven days.
“We have seen huge demand [for property rentals] in beach areas, specifically Bluewater Island, Jumeirah Beach Residence and Palm Jumeirah," Mr Mahtani said.
“We have had interest in properties in Citywalk and Downtown Dubai too.
“Most of our bookings are from local residents, couples and families.
“Many families with younger kids do not have the opportunity to get back to their home countries so are opting for staycations.”
He said prices this year were far more attractive than they were last summer when tighter travel restrictions meant more people were choosing to book staycations. As a result of that demand, prices have soared.
This month, Mr Mahtani said a one-bedroom luxury apartment on the Palm during Eid ranges from Dh500 to Dh700 per night, which includes beach access.
This week, Abu Dhabi expanded its quarantine-free travel green list, which now contains 35 countries, up from 31 last month.
The latest changes mean travellers can now fly to and from more destinations and not have to self-isolate on arrival in Abu Dhabi.
Canada, Jordan and several popular European destinations, including France and Ireland, were added to the list.
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
CHELSEA SQUAD
Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, James, Kenedy, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Havertz, Lukaku.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Score
Third Test, Day 1
New Zealand 229-7 (90 ov)
Pakistan
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
bundesliga results
Mainz 0 Augsburg 1 (Niederlechner 1')
Schalke 1 (Caligiuri pen 51') Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Miranda og 81')
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
MATCH INFO
Austria 2
Hinteregger (53'), Schopf (69')
Germany 1
Ozil (11')
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster with a decades-long career in TV. He has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others. Karam is also the founder of Takreem.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Result
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 – Group 1 (PA) $65,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Brraq, Ryan Curatolo (jockey), Jean-Claude Pecout (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (Turf) 1,800m; Winner: Bright Melody, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
7.40pm: Meydan Classic – Listed (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Naval Crown, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $195,000 (T) 2,810m; Winner: Volcanic Sky, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
8.50pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Star Safari, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm: Meydan Challenge – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Zainhom, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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'Skin'
Dir: Guy Nattiv
Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Results
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Rasi, Harry Bentley (jockey), Sulaiman Al Ghunaimi (trainer).
7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m; Winner: Ya Hayati, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Magic Lily, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Eynhallow, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
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Australia men's Test cricket fixtures 2021/22
One-off Test v Afghanistan:
Nov 27-Dec 1: Blundstone Arena, Hobart
The Ashes v England:
Dec 8-12: 1st Test, Gabba, Brisbane
Dec 16-20: 2nd Test, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (day/night)
Dec 26-30: 3rd Test, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Jan 5-9, 2022: 4th Test, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Jan 14-18: 5th Test, Optus Stadium, Perth
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Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
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