UAE residents planning to visit Europe have been given a double early Christmas present as Schengen visa processing times having been shortened while fares have been reduced.
According to Shahnawaz Khan, founder of Trips Away, Schengen visa processing time is getting back to two weeks or lower compared to October to end December when they were stretching to one or two months.
“Demand is expected to spike in April during the Eid holidays,” said Shanawaz Khan, founder of Trips Away, specialising in travel packages to Europe.
This trend follows an exceptional winter travel phase, where scores of UAE and GCC residents flocked to European holiday destinations during Christmas and New Year. “However, their wait times for Schengen visa appointments was well over one month,” said Khan.
As of now, European embassies in the UAE have opened up booking slots, and visa processing times are averaging two weeks.
Airfares to various cities across Europe have dropped to under Dh3,000. The April demand during Eid holidays will likely take in trips to Spain, Switzerland, Italy, France, and Germany.
Last year, travel demand to Europe was at least 40-50 per cent higher compared to 2019 levels.
By Desmond Nleya , Daily Times
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow Daily Times on instagram Channels.
