The Middle East has become increasingly accessible in recent years for Romanians looking for exotic holiday destinations. After Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah was also among the preferences of those looking for holiday stays.
Ras Al Khaimah. Source: visitrasalkhaimah.com
Vacation packages in the Middle East, Asia and Africa are increasingly sought after by Romanians, the travel companies that offer them benefit fully from the growing demand, and places considered in the past years as exotic and hard-to-reach destinations are within the reach of families with income above average.
These are some of the conclusions drawn by the tourism operators, who have diversified their offers of exotic holidays for Romanians.
Exotic holidays in the Middle East
Many Romanians scheduled their vacations in advance, during the holidays, in the Middle East, and the most sought-after destinations were, according to the representative of a travel agency, the cities of Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Doha, in Qatar.
For a tourist package that starts from 2,000 euros per person, reaching over 5,000 euros – depending on the luxury sought, the Romanians secured a few days of relaxation in Arab cities known for the high level of security enjoyed by guests and for their expansion as tourist areas in recent years.
“The city of Ras Al Khaimah has started to gain more and more ground because it is a bit cheaper than Dubai and offers a lot of opportunities for active and adventure tourism. The people who come here are those who don’t want to spend their time just sitting at the beach or shopping in the malls. Other Romanians make a combination, between Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah”inform the representatives of the Eturia tourism agency.
Located “in the shadow” of the much more famous Dubai and about an hour’s flight from it, the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is sought after for its diverse landscape, for its over 60 kilometers of clean beaches, for the Jebel Jais mountain which is the the highest peak in the United Arab Emirates, where tourists find the longest zip line in the world, almost three kilometers long.
Ras Al Khaimah has been awarded the title of Tourism Capital of the Gulf, thanks to the safe environment for visitors, informs the official page of the emirate. Also, the city with about 400,000 inhabitants, almost ten times more crowded than in the past (half a century ago), located at the modern intersection of Europe, Asia and Africa, is accessible to a third of the world’s population within a flying time for four hours, show the representatives of the emirate.
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Ras Al Khaimah Source Wikipedia visit ras al kaimah (3) jpg
For the New Year, the authorities in the Arab city are preparing an unusual show:
“A huge display will light up the night sky on the waterfront between Al Marjan Island and Al Hamra Village in a spectacular farewell to 2024. The Ras Al Khaimah New Year’s Eve fireworks display will feature a stunning fusion of vibrant colours, dazzling lights and cutting edge laser drone technology that will ring in 2025 like never before. Stretching along the waterfront between Al Marjan Island and Al Hamra Village, the event will be breathtaking“, informs visitrasalkhaimah.com.
Exotic holidays in Asia and Africa
Vacations in Doha have become even more attractive for Romanians with the lifting of visas for Romanians, the reduction of formalities and the introduction of direct flights to Qatar. The popularity that the country enjoyed after hosting the World Cup in 2022 also mattered.
“Holidays in Qatar are sought after because they are also very safe. Although for some Europeans it may seem like a country with strict rules regarding activities or clothing, they are within the limits of decency, and direct flights to this destination make it accessible“, informs the tourism agency.
Qatar is seen as a country that offers some religious freedom, at least to tourists. “Although an Arab country, Christmas decorations were not lacking, on the contrary, in some places they even rivaled Western ones“, reports a tourist from Romania, after a holiday stay in 2023, in Qatar.
Those who booked early could pay even less than €1,000 for a seven-day holiday package at the end of the year in popular Middle Eastern cities. Currently, stay prices start from 1,500 euros and go up to over 5,000 euros, depending on the luxury offered by hotels in Doha or Dubai.
For holiday stays, Asian destinations were also sought, according to travel agency representatives. One of the offers booked by tourists was a 17-day circuit between December 2024 and January 2025, which includes tourist destinations in Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam, at 3,750 euros per person.
The Maldives Islands are also increasingly sought after by Romanians, due to their prices and accessibility. In Africa, Kenya was among the favorite places of Romanians looking for exotic holidays. Both Kenyan and Maldives stays could be booked for less than €2,000.
“The Romanians who book such stays are entrepreneurs, freelancers, corporates, families with an above-average budget. There are people who go on two exotic vacations a year or one, but who can afford to pay a thousand or so euros per person and even more. They are educated about it and afford such vacations, knowing also the benefits they bring: relaxation and coming into contact with many cultures”, says a tour operator.
