Eid staycation not a priority for many despite special offers

AMMAN — Although Eid Al Fitr is on the horizon, demand is low for Eid staycation, according to Kamal Abu Diab, secretary of the Jordan Society of Tourism and Travel Agents (JSTA).

“The very small number of travel agencies that still operate have rounded up special Eid packages and deals, but demand for staycations is low,” Abu Diab told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

He added that agencies are offering Eid holiday packages at “cheap” prices in a bid to attract the public and revitalise the Eid season.

Tourism agencies and the hospitality sector usually cash in on Eid offers and deals, Abu Diab said, adding that local tourists prefer going to Aqaba, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea during holidays.

“No one wants to go on a staycation to stay inside the hotel or resort they checked in. Instead, people want to go out, go to restaurants, shop and simply roam around,” he added.

Mervat Hasan, a young Jordanian who usually goes with her family on staycation during Eid, told The Jordan Times that this year she and her family are not thinking of going anywhere, because they are still not “quite ready” to travel or go on a holiday.

“We are waiting to get vaccinated, and I think after that we will be more comfortable with doing things,” she said.  

Meanwhile, Ola Mohammad, a 35-year-old Jordanian, said that she and her family rented a private villa for two days during the Eid holiday.

“I do not want to go to a hotel and not be able to go out, so a private villa is the best choice for the time being,” she said.