São Paulo – Who says there is nothing to do during New Year’s Eve in Dubai, Casablanca, or Tunis? The Arab world is a good option for those travelling on the holiday season and several tour agencies in Brazil are offering packages to visit the region in the period. The firework display and the gigantic shopping malls in Dubai, the desert tours in Tunisia, and Morocco’s historical attractions are among the reasons to visit the Arab world during the New Year’s Eve mentioned by the tour operators interviewed by ANBA.
“For this season, the most sought-after destination is Dubai, which features one of the largest firework displays in the world. Dubai also has gigantic shopping malls, mosques, desert safaris, indoor ski slope and the tallest building in the world (Burj Khalifa),” says the International Product manager at travel agency CVC Viagens, Rodrigo Tobias. According to the businessman, Arab destinations such as Egypt and Dubai have maintained last year’s demand for New Year Eve’s packages this year. He believes this is due to the packages being promoted in the Brazilian market.
The vice president at Flytour Viagens, Michel Barkoczy, points out that desert tours are one of the main attractions for Brazilians in the Arab world, both in the end of the year and in other periods. He says desert tours are now very comfortable. According to Barkoczy, Brazilians are becoming more interested in Arab destinations. The most sought-after destinations are Morocco and Dubai, but the vice president at Flytour is also keen on Tunisia. In his opinion, Dubai’s lure lies in modernity and those interested in going shopping are likely to choose this destination. As regards Morocco, the main appeal is the history and intellectuals usually look for this option.
Helena Romano, director at HR Turismo, a travel agency specializing in Tunisia, explains there is nothing extraordinary about New Year Eve’s in that country. “But as it is a beautiful country, we organize a trip there at this time of the year,” she says. The agency offers New Year vacation packages to Tunisia. According to Romano, this destination is most sought by over-50 married or widowed women in the A and B income brackets. The director, however, says that the demand for the destination is smaller. “Due to misinformation, people believe Tunisia is also unsafe because of terrorism. As Tunisia is in Africa, people believe it might be at a risk of an Ebola outbreak!!!”
According to Tobias, from CVC, Arab tourist destinations are mainly targeted by high-income families. “Dubai and Egypt are two stand-out destinations in the Arab world. Besides our strong promotion work for these countries, the fact that they no longer have internal conflicts helps boost tourism,” says the manager. CVC’s cheapest New Year package to the Arab world is to Egypt and costs US$ 2,228 (air ticket prices not included).
Barkoczy, from Flytour, says Tunisia is currently the most affordable destination in the Arab world. He says nowadays people from all income brackets can afford the packages, because they can be paid in instalments. The agency accepts payments in up to 24 instalments to some destinations. The demand for Arab countries, according to Barkoczy, is even throughout the year. The company’s vice president celebrates the launch of a Royal Air Maroc flight from São Paulo to Casablanca, which is used by Brazilians going to Tunisia, by the way. But he says campaigns to promote Arab tourism destinations in Brazil are still needed.
HR Turismo
According to information supplied by Romano, travellers can buy New Year vacation packages to Tunisia from HR Turismo for US$ 2,790 with everything included, beverages and air tickets not included. Ticket prices start at US$ 1,600. The accommodation is in four- and five-star hotels, and New Year’s supper, rides, monitoring since Brazil, airport transfer, a tour guide, land transport in buses and 4-wheel drive vehicles are all included.
CVC Tours
Holiday season options available from CVC include seven-day packages to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, leaving Brazil on December 26th. The options include visa, airport transfer, a seven-night stay in a hotel with breakfast included, a Brazilian guide and New Year’s Eve gala dinner in Dubai. Package prices start at US$ 2,868.
There is also an eleven-day package to Egypt, including Abu Simbel (an archaeological complex) and the White Desert (Egypt’s Western desert). This option includes visa, airport transfer, four nights with breakfast included in Cairo, a one-night full-board stay in Bahariya, another in Daklha, another in Kharga, and four nights full board in a cruise ship, air ticket between Aswan and Cairo, road transportation between the cities, a tour guide and New Year’s gala dinner in Cairo. Package prices start at US$ 2,228.
Both packages are for double apartments and can be paid in ten instalments. CVC also offers packages with regular flights all year round to Egypt, Emirates, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Lebanon.
Flytour Viagens
Flytour Viagens suggests a New Year vacation package of eight days to Casablanca, Fez and Marrakech, in Morocco, leaving on December 27th. The package, which includes only land transportation, costs R$ 3,177 (US$ 1,217) and can be paid with a down payment of R$ 636 (US$ 261.72) and nine instalments of R$ 283 (US$ 116.46). The company also offers regular flights to other destinations in the Arab world. They even offer a carnival package to Dubai.
Service:
HR Turismo
www.hrturismo.com.br (in Portuguese)
(5511) 35398140
Flytour
www.flytour.com.br (in Portuguese)
0800 11 8687
CVC Viagens
www.cvc.com.br (in Portuguese)
(5511) 3003 9282
*Translated by Rodrigo Mendonça
