Turkey and Lebanon are now the preferred holiday destinations of many Saudis this summer, according to executives of travel agencies. And to those who want to be nearer home, Dubai is still number one on the list, according to Essam Al-Hassani, general manager of Minhal Travel & Tourism Company in Riyadh. Hassani said for those who have tight budgets, spending the summer holidays within the Middle East is still the best option. Despite the high fares for those who book late, many are still traveling to nearby destinations to spend the remaining weeks before Ramadan. Some airlines increased their airfares by 10 to 15 percent in July, while hotels too have hiked their room rates because of the huge demand, according to executives of travel agencies. The cost of air tickets has gone up by as much as 30 percent to all destinations for latecomers, according to Dammam travel executive Bilal Iqbal Ahmad. He said the monthly rates advertised before the peak season are no longer on offer, and what is now available are seats that are priced much higher. “Those who have just decided to travel will be paying more than those who booked months ahead,” he said. A round-trip economy seat to anywhere in Europe is now between SR5,000 to SR6,000, while those going to the Asia-Pacific region must pay SR3,500 to SR4,000. __
