Hospitality and travel operators in India and the UAE are set to make a windfall gain from a series of high-profile, adrenaline-rushing film-to-racing-to-music events in the UAE capital over the next few months, starting from Friday, September 27.
Online portals such as MakeMyTrip and EaseMyTrip and Dubai-based destination management company Rayna Tours are among a host of players offering special packages for IIFA 2024, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the Coldplay concert.
EasyMyTrip, the ‘Official Travel Partner’ for IIFA 2024, is offering exclusive packages and passes for the IIFA event, for prices ranging from $442 (INR 36,999) to $777 (INR 64,999).
Its package includes access to the event, luxurious accommodations, convenient airport transfers and guided tours.
“This year, the celebrations [at IIFA] promise to be bigger and more spectacular than ever.
“As a part of our association, we’ve curated IIFA-specific holiday packages for our customers and a chance for a few lucky winners to win and attend the event,” Nishant Pitti, CEO and Co-founder of EaseMyTrip, said.
Rayna Tours, a tour and destination management company in Dubai, is offering packages ranging from AED 350 for bronze tickets to AED 450 for silver tickets for IIFA.
The Indian film extravaganza is to run from September 27 to 29 at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
The IIFA Awards return to the UAE capital city for an iconic third edition this year.
Hosted by the charismatic Shah Rukh Khan with Karan Johar and Vicky Kaushal, the event promises an extraordinary blend of music, comedy, dance, and stunts, ensuring an unforgettable experience from start to finish.
Excitement builds for IIFA, Grand Prix, and Coldplay
While some of the firms said their packages for IIFA are already sold out, portals such as MakeMyTrip are currently aggressively marketing their special packages for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at prices starting from $1,792 (INR 149,999).
The packages include flight tickets, airport transfers, stay and event tickets.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket prices for the General Admission are on Abu Dhabi Hill ranging from $245 (AED 899) for 2 days to $340 (AED 1,250) for 3 days.
Trip Advisor has listed $583 in hotels like Yas Island Rotana to $1,318 in Hilton for a 5-day stay during the race event on December 5-8, 2024.
Interestingly, the Grammy-winning pop band Coldplay’s concert in Abu Dhabi seems to be a much sought-after event for fans from India.
Coldplay will play at the Zayed Sports City Museum in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, on January 11, 2025.
The Abu Dhabi concert offers a variety of ticket rates, ranging from AED 195 for standard seating to AED 1,495 for a deluxe experience.
Tickets for the performance will go on general sale on September 27.
Executives at tour and travel firms said the demand for the Coldplay event is significantly higher in India as it offers a rare opportunity for the Grammy-winning pop band’s Indian fan base who missed their Mumbai event.
The rush for Coldplay’s India event was so high that tickets for their concert in Mumbai on January 18, 19, and 21, 2025, were sold out, the executives said.
Surge in travel demand to UAE
Travel industry sources said airlines are seeing a significant spike in demand for travel to the UAE capital from multiple Indian cities, especially from Mumbai and Delhi for the three events.
The surge in demand is also pushing up airfares on these routes, they said.
A senior executive at a Mumbai-based travel firm said Coldplay seems a broader event, with Business Class fares for that week from India to Abu Dhabi are already comparable to the Business Class fares for the IIFA event tomorrow (September 27).
Even the economy class fares for that week of January – the concert is on January 11 – are already 60 per cent higher than for the IIFA event starting on Friday, the executive said.
Senior executives in the UAE hospitality sector said the sector is gearing up for a busy period, especially with key events and business travel ramping up.
“We are already experiencing a surge in booking starting this month, with occupancy rates at 25 percent more than the previous month,” Thomas Kurian, Manager at Leva Hotels, said.
“These numbers will improve, as the weather cools and Dubai becomes a prime destination for leisure and business travellers, besides the expected influx of fans for the three high profile events,” he said.
Kurian said bookings are expected to pick up significantly by late September, aligning with these major events, and we anticipate this momentum to carry through the final quarter of the year.
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