What You Should Know While Travelling to Dubai

Did you know Dubai is also known as the “Las Vegas of the Middle East?” It is a city that houses many of the ‘firsts’ in the world. From the world’s tallest skyscraper to the first man made palm shaped islands, you will find all that and much more right here. It has a tourism industry, which is growing at a fast pace and provides great opportunities for tourists to spend a memorable holiday. It is also one of the most liberal of the seven emirates that make up the UAE. So, if you plan to visit the city, the first step is to get your Dubai visa and follow some tips while travelling to ensure that you make the most of your trip.

Tips on Travelling to Dubai

Although the time between November and April is considered to be the best to visit Dubai, this tourist destination offers memorable holidays all through the year. Here are some tips for you to follow on your trip to Dubai.

1. Dress Modestly: Although it is quite a liberal emirate, you should make sure you dress modestly. It is an Islamic state and you might end up hurting the local customs with revealing dresses. And you would enjoy this sensational city the best if you blend in with the locals.
2. Avoid Public Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol may not be banned in the city but being a tourist, you would not be able to buy it from the local stores. Even the local people need a license to buy liquor. You can buy drinks at bars and restaurants. But the laws for public drunkenness are quite strict in the city, so make sure you don’t do anything you might regret.
3. Get Travel Insurance: Dubai is considered one of the safest places by the international tourist industry. But uncertainty is the only certain thing in life. So, make sure that once you’re done with your Dubai visa, you also take up a travel insurance policy to be financially immune to any unforeseen emergencies.
4. Double Check Your Dubai Visa: Make sure you apply for your Dubai visa well before your travel dates. For nationals from certain countries, a Visa on Arrival (VOA) is available, but for many others (including Indian nationals), you have to get one issued before hand.
5. Drive Safely: If you plan to get around the city by a car driven by yourself, make sure you have an International driver’s license or a temporary Dubai license. Otherwise, you won’t be able to do so. A rental company might be able to get you one too. Go through the traffic rules followed there before you get on to driving.

A trip to Dubai, the city of sand, sun and shopping, can be an exciting. So, make sure you make all your arrangements carefully, especially obtaining a Dubai visa.

How to Get a Dubai Visa through a Hotel

Be it for the love of traveling or for the adventure of exploring the unknown, your visit to Dubai could be one you might never be able to forget. From luxurious hotels to the exotic Palm Jumeirah, Dubai is full of majestic splendor. It exhibits man made magnificence at its best. Being a tourist, there is no dearth of places to visit in Dubai that might leave you spellbound. But before you plan your trip further make sure you get your Dubai visa. Here is how you can get a Dubai visa through a hotel.

About Dubai Visa through a Hotel

Tourists can apply for a Dubai visa through a hotel by getting reservations done at least for the first night. The visa is valid for about 14 days from the date of issue. Visa fees and the security deposit are applicable, depending on the country you belong to. The security deposit taken on a per person basis is refunded after you leave the country.

Documents Required

The following documents will be required by the hotel to get you a Dubai visa:

• Visa charges along with security deposits
•  An agreement letter carrying the signature of the cardholder
• A scanned copy of the credit card used (front and back)
• Copy of the passport of the card holder and accompanying visitors

It is to be noted that colored and clear scanned copies of the documents are to be sent to the hotel for the visa process.

Standard Procedure for Applying for the Visa

Once you have made reservations in a hotel, you can ask the hotel authorities to get you a visa. Along with the authorization letter, you will need to send all the required documents with the fees and security deposit. The hotel will then complete the process of getting you a Dubai visa. Make sure that once the hotel has your visa approved, they send you a copy of it too.

The original visa can be obtained at the Dubai Airport, which can be collected from passport control. Once the visa has been applied for, the fee paid towards getting it becomes non refundable in cases where rejection, expiration or booking cancellation occur.

For the hotel to process the visa, the visitor has to put up at the same hotel for their entire stay. It takes around three working days for the visa to get processed.

Make sure you have a Dubai visa well before the commencement of your journey to avoid any last minute hiccups.

How to Book Flight Tickets

It is easy to book flight tickets online. All you need is to plan ahead in an organized way, so as to get the best deal. There are simple steps which should be followed when booking your air tickets. This article outlines those steps and some simple yet useful tips. 

Tips to Book Flight Tickets

The first thing to do is to recognize your requirements. Are you flexible with your journey dates, so as to get some discounts on the pricing? Do you prioritize the comfort of your journey over pricing? Once you know answers to these questions, you can use the following steps to start finding tickets. 

•    Plan your travel dates: Appropriate planning of your travel dates can help you land low airfare. Some travel websites also offer discounts for booking in advance.

•    Opt for return tickets wherever possible: Booking tickets for round trip can help you save on the cost of tickets. Moreover, the last minute rush for getting a return ticket can be avoided by planning well in advance.

•    Compare fare: It is Important to compare airfare of different airlines. This helps you know which deal suits you the most. You can customize your search based on the number of stopovers, the time of the departure of the flight. By comparing the search results, you can get the best deal for you.

•    Book tickets to or from a small airport - A small airport can significantly alter the ticket price. For instance, if you are going to Mumbai, you can also opt to fly to Pune and then travel to Mumbai by Road.  You can do some research on the fare difference before opting for this option.

•    Use credit card\debit card for payment: By making payment through credit or debit cards, you can accumulate frequent flier miles, which can be used later on to get an extra ticket for free or to upgrade your class without having to pay anything extra.

•    Create your account on travel websites: If you travel frequently, one good idea is to create an account on your preferred travel website. Registered users usually get quicker services than the unregistered users.

Also Remember

•    To note down your PNR number. It is a unique number with all your ticket details. In case you lose your ticket, you can request for a fresh one by using your PNR Number.

•    To keep your identification details with you, as it might be needed.

Keep these simple steps in mind to book flight tickets quickly and with ease!

The Best Time for Flight Ticket Booking

Do you know that a slight difference in the demand of air tickets can vary its price by a few thousand rupees! It is, therefore important for you to choose the right time and period for your flight ticket booking. It can be achieved by a little planning and research. Let us take a look at the various lean periods which give the flier the best value for money.

Flight Ticket Booking: When You Should Book

There are controversial opinions on the best time to book a flight. Here are some the most useful tips on flight ticket booking.

•    Book six weeks in advance: A study from Airlines Reporting Corporation reveals that the best time to buy air tickets is six weeks before the scheduled travel date. This is because the prices tend to drop below the average fare around this time.  Therefore, it is always better to plan ahead and book your tickets in advance to avail the best price.

•    Take a red eye flight: “Red eye” flight refers to a flight that departs at late night. These are the cheapest flights but they operate only on some limited routes.

•    Avoid travelling during festival seasons: The price of flight tickets experience a steep hike during festival seasons. As such, it is better to avoid booking air tickets for this period, unless it is unavoidable. In general, you should avoid booking tickets for flights during major festivals, such as, Dussera, Diwali, Christmas and New Year.

•    Opt for early morning and late night flights: Early morning and late night flights are better priced, as there is lower demand of tickets during those times. You can also book flights that would fly during or after lunch time or around the dinner time.

•    Choose to fly on a Wednesday: Wednesday is the best day for air fare deals as the frequency of fliers is the lowest on that day. This fact has been substantiated with research; therefore if you can plan your travel accordingly, chances are that you will get a great deal.

•    Avoid flying on weekends: Price of air tickets during the weekends is usually higher than on the weekdays. Saturday flights can be quite expensive, so are the Friday night flights.

Another good idea is to opt for last minute flight ticket booking. Many airlines drop their prices, if they find that the seats for the upcoming weekend trips would not be filled. Airlines inform these offers to the fliers through e-mails. You should register with an acclaimed travel website to keep getting updates on these offers and discounts.

Common Flight Booking Mistakes to Avoid

People very rarely do their flight bookings through travel agents nowadays. Travel websites and online trip planners let most of us plan and book our trips ourselves. Nevertheless, it remains a tricky job. Here are some common mistakes that you can avoid when making your next flight booking.

Flight Booking: What Not to Do

Have a look at the following list of mistakes that flyers often make when going for flight booking.

1.    Booking very early is a mistake. You may not always get discounts by booking too early. Similarly, booking very late might not be a good strategy, since it may backfire badly, resulting in a steep rise in prices due to increased rush resulting from capacity cuts and belt tightening. Fifty days in advance is usually the best time for flight booking.

2.    Another mistake is not accounting for seasonality. Different destinations will have different peak travel seasons and higher demand always means steeper prices. Research well and plan a holiday to a destination that isn’t experiencing a peak season. On the other hand, guard against going to places witnessing extreme weather. Destinations that have a relatively lower cost of living can help compensate for the airfare as well.

3.    Ignoring the difference between direct flights and the ones with stop-overs can cost you. Direct flights are costlier and therefore you should confirm whether you are booking a direct flight or a hopping one.

4.    Booking long-haul flights from a budget airline can make your trip a harrowing experience, firstly because you don’t get reasonable compensation in case of flight cancellation and secondly because of the hassle of having to go through airport security multiple times, if you’re on a connecting flight.

5.    Ignoring the importance of reviews can leave you discontented as well. Always look for user reviews before making a flight booking. Make a rational choice after having read through both positive and negative feedback.

6.    Booking for very tight connections is a mistake. Always look for connections that come with a gap of more than an hour, more so if you know that your connecting airports would be large, with terminals spread out.

Flight bookings using credit cards are also a mistake since airlines charge up to 5% for every booking. One way to ensure that you buy flight tickets easily, conveniently and at a good price is by booking via an acclaimed travel website. Look for the features of the website before you book tickets from it.

Top Destinations to Book Flight Tickets For

According to an article in the Economic Times in August 2013, the best time to travel is the “lean season.” Yes, you read that right. The off season is fast becoming the trendy and most-opted for times of the year for travelers to book flight tickets for. To those of who wonder why, consider going to a place that isn’t already crowded, with extra money that you have saved on the airfare. What more could you ask for to experience the perfect getaway?

Top 3 Destinations to Book Flight Tickets For

Here are some of the most scenic and exciting locations that you could book flight tickets for when you plan your next holiday:

Mauii, Hawaii

Without a doubt, one of Hawaii’s more beautiful haunts is Mauii. This destination is frequented by tourists mostly in the summer months of June, July and August, or else in winter. You can book flight tickets for Mauii in either the spring or the autumn seasons. This allows you to avoid the crowds of tourists and enjoy the tranquility of this tropical paradise. For the profits you earn with the finances, it is a double whammy. While resort and airfares are already low, you can splurge without quite burning a hole in your pocket.

Iceland

The chilly country at the top of the world is emerging as the new hot favorite for those who want to holiday in the fall season. For travelers who want to save hugely when they book flight tickets and are not so worried about the destination, this country has much to offer. Recently, Iceland Air offered exciting fall deals when one booked flight tickets. The affordability of Iceland is well-known, and with the currency falling against the euro, tourists can participate in outdoor sports, hiking and sightseeing that is affordable.

Miami, Florida

To most vacationers, the idea of touring Miami while the hurricanes wreak havoc isn’t going to sound comfortable. However, to optimists, this can really be a wonderful prospect, since you are certain to save big when you book flight tickets to Miami during the lean season. With hotel rates down by a third, complimentary nights, and food and gas, the trouble is worth ignoring.

There are a lot of places around that world that have slashed rates for accommodation and fares to encourage tourism during the lean period. Similar incentives are being offered to travelers by various South African airlines as well. Airfare till the end of November remains low by big margins. In addition, the off-season is witnessing a transition from winter to spring, and that South Africa is home to exotic flora and fauna makes for an enviable value proposition. But make sure you book flight tickets early to avoid any last minute disappointments.