Famed for its rich history and stunning landscapes, the island of Malta has had a 290 per cent increase in flight bookings. Photo: Visit Malta
Famed for its rich history and stunning landscapes, the island of Malta has had a 290 per cent increase in flight bookings. Photo: Visit Malta
Famed for its rich history and stunning landscapes, the island of Malta has had a 290 per cent increase in flight bookings. Photo: Visit Malta
Famed for its rich history and stunning landscapes, the island of Malta has had a 290 per cent increase in flight bookings. Photo: Visit Malta

Mexico, Malta and Albania top UAE travellers’ bucket lists


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

Bucket-list trips are back on the agenda as travellers look to get back to properly exploring the world, after the easing of the majority of Covid-19 restrictions.

A new survey from online travel agency Skyscanner found that 37 per cent of global holidayers are planning bucket list travels this year.

Of the 4,000 travellers surveyed, more than 41 per cent are planning to go somewhere new this year, and in the UAE — the number one coveted destination is Mexico.

Flight bookings from the UAE to Mexico have increased 348 per cent, compared to 2019 figures. Famed for its rich culture, much-loved cuisine, beautiful beaches and Mayan history, Mexico leads a list of the top trending destinations for flight bookings from the UAE. Emirates restarted flights between Dubai and Mexico City in July last year, and the airline recently announced it was boosting capacity on the route to a daily service, with more than 2,000 seats each week.

Malta is the second most popular destination for those planning a getaway from the UAE. The tiny island destination is famed for its rich history and stunning landscapes which might be what’s driving the reported 290 per cent increase in flight bookings to the archipelago.

Undiscovered Albania is the third most popular destination for travellers from the UAE this year. Nestled between northern Greece and Montenegro, Albania offers stunning coastlines, snow-capped mountains and myriad archaeological sites. Flight bookings to the capital Tirana are up 275 per cent from the UAE compared to pre-pandemic data.

Top trending destinations for UAE travellers

Mexico tops UAE travellers' wishlists. Photo: Tom Robak / Unsplash
Mexico tops UAE travellers' wishlists. Photo: Tom Robak / Unsplash

1. Mexico

2. Malta

3. Albania

4. Colombia

5. Austria

6. Bosnia and Herzegovina

7. Canada

8. Greece

9. Portugal

Far-flung destinations on the radar

Emirates recently increased flights between Dubai and Mexico to a daily service. Adam Schreck / AP
Emirates recently increased flights between Dubai and Mexico to a daily service. Adam Schreck / AP

Flights between the UAE and Mexico have a journey time of nearly 24 hours and Skyscanner says more travellers are booking longer flights for travel this year and the next, with Canada and Colombia also featuring in the top 10 list of destinations.

Holidaymakers in Saudi Arabia are also craving big trips, with flight reservations to some of the world's best-known paradisiacal destinations on the up. Bookings from the kingdom to the Maldives and Mauritius have increased 59 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively in 2022, compared to 2019.

Destinations in Europe and South Africa round up the top 10 places that Saudi travellers want to go to in 2022 and next year, according to Skyscanner.

Seven new destinations for UAE travellers to visit this summer — in pictures

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

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MATCH INFO

Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')

Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)

Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)

Results

5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m

Winner No Riesgo Al Maury, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)

5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m

Winner Marwa W’Rsan, Sam Hitchcott, Jaci Wickham.

6pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m

Winner Dahess D’Arabie, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi.

6.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m

Winner Safin Al Reef, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,200m

Winner Thulbaseera Al Jasra, Shakir Al Balushi, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.

7.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh 80,000 2,200m

Winner Autumn Pride, Szczepan Mazur, Helal Al Alawi.

The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

  • be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
  • not be younger than 25 years old
  • not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
  • be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
  • have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
  • undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
  • A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The specs: Macan Turbo

Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October

SPEC SHEET

Display: 10.9" Liquid Retina IPS, 2360 x 1640, 264ppi, wide colour, True Tone, Apple Pencil support

Chip: Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

Memory: 64/256GB storage; 8GB RAM

Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, Smart HDR

Video: 4K @ 25/25/30/60fps, full HD @ 25/30/60fps, slo-mo @ 120/240fps

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR, Centre Stage; full HD @ 25/30/60fps

Audio: Stereo speakers

Biometrics: Touch ID

I/O: USB-C, smart connector (for folio/keyboard)

Battery: Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi; up to 9 hours on cellular

Finish: Space grey, starlight, pink, purple, blue

Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m, Winner SS Lamea, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer).

5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m, Winner AF Makerah, Sean Kirrane, Ernst Oertel

6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m, Winner Maaly Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi

6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,600m, Winner AF Momtaz, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m, Winner Morjanah Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi

7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,200m, Winner Mudarrab, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy

Sunday's fixtures
  • Bournemouth v Southampton, 5.30pm
  • Manchester City v West Ham United, 8pm
Meydan racecard:

6.30pm: Handicap | US$135,000 (Dirt) | 1,400 metres

7.05pm: Handicap | $135,000 (Turf) | 1,200m

7.40pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (T) | 2,000m

8.15pm: UAE Oaks | Group 3 | $250,000 (D) | 1,900m

8.50pm: Zabeel Mile | Group 2 | $250,000 (T) | 1,600m

9.20pm: Handicap | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m

The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)

Engine 5.2-litre V10

Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch

Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm

Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est) 

RESULT

Kolkata Knight Riders 169-7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals 144-4 (20 ovs)

Kolkata win by 25 runs

Next match

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders, Friday, 5.30pm

Afghanistan fixtures
  • v Australia, today
  • v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
  • v New Zealand, Saturday,
  • v South Africa, June 15
  • v England, June 18
  • v India, June 22
  • v Bangladesh, June 24
  • v Pakistan, June 29
  • v West Indies, July 4
BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

DUNE%3A%20PART%20TWO
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Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
EVIL%20DEAD%20RISE
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STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Updated: July 20, 2022, 10:44 AM