A large increase in tourism is expected in United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the wake of Eid al-Adha, one of the main Muslim festivities. National carrier Emirates is forecasting the busiest weekend in months, and Dubai’s entry requirements got updated to the state they were in before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Citizens holding a passport of one of 70 selected countries now can get a visa on arrival to Dubai, a possibility that had been suspended when the lockdown was enforced.
Emirates issued a statement urging their customers to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before the flight, as high passenger numbers are expected. Coupled with social distancing requirements the situation is bound to create difficulties if not handled correctly.
A number of safety measures were implemented for the period, including distribution of complimentary hygiene kits containing face masks, gloves and hand sanitizer to all customers, Emirates states. In addition, the airline said it has committed to cover all COVID-19 related expenses should its customer be diagnosed, which includes medical and funeral costs of up to €150,000.
All policies come in addition to UAE’s requirement to provide a negative COVID-19 test certificate taken no more than 96 hours before the flight.