The opened Abu Dhabi did not interest Russian tourists

Despite the opening of the emirate of Abu Dhabi to tourists, this destination now practically is not in demand, according to tour operators. The reason is, among other things, in the harsh conditions of entry into the Emirate. On May 16, new requirements for the timing of the PCR test have appeared.

Since the end of April, tourists from Russia do not need to go through quarantine upon arrival in Abu Dhabi, but there has been no outflow of travelers from Dubai, the main and usually more expensive competitor, experts say.

Tour operators explain: “Clients have been waiting for the opening of this destination for a long time, asked for program options, but having seen the entry rules and significant restrictions, they lost the desire to book tours. "

All the covid researches are done at the expense of tourists. If they flew in with a local national airline, there are special rates for them at some clinics - $ 17. But the carrier asks for an additional test 48 hours before the return flight.

All this, according to experts, largely negates the price advantage of Abu Dhabi. On average, hotels of a similar star in this emirate are 30 percent cheaper than in Dubai, but due to numerous tests, holidays in them will now cost even more.

According to the forecasts of tour operators, more than 80 percent of bookings in the UAE in the summer season will still fall on Dubai. Abu Dhabi will be able to receive no more than five percent of the Russian tourist flow.