Saudis wishing to spend a few days abroad before schools reopen after the summer break continue to clog the Kingdom’s airports.

MADINAH — With Ramadan over, Saudi families are busy making travel plans so they can spend the rest of the summer vacation either abroad or within the Kingdom.

Travel agencies have reported a spike in domestic and international bookings with Dubai the most popular destination followed by Turkey and Malaysia, Al-Madinah daily reported.

Abu Omar Al-Suhaimi said he enjoys traveling abroad because he gets to experience different cultures and traditions and he also enjoys learning new languages.

“A person must break the routine of work and boredom by traveling for several days so as to relax and cleanse the soul from exhaustion and pressures of life. Traveling brings peace of mind,” he said while adding that the Kingdom should develop its tourism industry.

“I dream of good domestic tourism destinations at reasonable prices because high prices cause me and others to pack up and fly overseas.”

Abu Haitham Al-Ahmadi said his aim is to travel abroad to relax and forget about his job, which he has had for nearly a year.

“The children have completed a long academic year and they are looking for change so they can return fresh and energized. I have not picked a destination due to the difficulty in getting reservations and if the booking problem is solved, we will travel abroad. Otherwise, our destination will be within the Kingdom and this will cost me a lot of money,” he said.

Ali Al-Harbi spends every summer enjoying the picturesque views and moderate climate of Taif, Al-Shafa and Al-Hada. Afterwards, Al-Harbi takes his family to Makkah where they perform Umrah before returning to their native Madinah.

Ahmed Aqeel Al-Atawi loves exploring new countries and most of his vacation are to the US, Europe and China. “I love to discover new places and I love adventures too. I enjoy every minute in the countries I visit,” he said.
Abu Fawzi Al-Muhammadi said summer vacation is very important to his family and they anticipate it with all eagerness.

“It doesn’t matter if we go abroad or stay in the Kingdom. The only thing that matters is that we get a break from the daily routine and stresses of the past 11 months,” he said.

 
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