An increasing number citizens have cancelled their holiday plans to stay back during the summer season in solidarity with the country, says travel industry sources.
Most Qataris travel to European designations such as London, Berlin and Paris during holidays as well as to places like the Georgian capital Tbilisi and to Bosnia.
“European cities like London and Paris are the favourite summer holiday destinations of most Qataris. But this year many Qatari passengers cancelled their holiday plans. They say are not keen in travelling when the country is in a crisis situation. Some of our regular passengers did not even make their summer holiday bookings,” said a travel adviser.
“Some passengers called up and said not to process with their hotel booking and other travel arrangements,” he added.
According to travel industry experts, many Qataris usually spend more than a month of their summer holidays outside the country. Some even spend three months in different countries.
“Many Qatari passengers have cancelled their leisure travel plans. Usually they travel as a family, some even take their domestic helps with them. Some passengers travel to European or South East Asian destinations for a month, there are others spend around three months in different places,” said a travel agent.
“We received such reservations during April and May from Qatari passengers. But many of them cancelled the holiday bookings saying they have decided not go on leisure travel to show solidarity with the country. Several passengers who had scheduled to travel in July and August, initially postponed their plans and some of them eventually cancelled the bookings,” she added.
However, expatriates who prefer to spend the Eid holidays and school summer breaks in their native countries have travelled home as usual.
“Expatriate passengers are travelling as usual to their home countries. Flights to South Asian countries are fully booked. But leisure travel plans have been cancelled by many Qatari passengers,” said a travel consultant.
