Dubai: Residents in the UAE can look forward to kicking off a short break a little over a week from today.
The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) announced that Eid Al Fitr holiday for employees at federal ministries and authorities in the UAE will begin on June 24, Saturday, or the 29th day of Ramadan.
"If Eid falls on Sunday, 25th June, work will resume on Wednesday (June 28th). If Eid falls on Monday, 26th June, the holiday will still begin on Saturday, 29th Ramadan, with work resuming on Sunday, 2nd July," a statement from Emirates News Agency (WAM) reads.
According to an astronomer in Dubai, he is certain that the new moon, which will signal the end of the month-long fasting and prayer, will be spotted on June 24. If the moon is sighted in the evening of the 24th, then the festivities will start on the 25th.
“On [June] 24th, the moon will set at 7.32pm while the sun sets at 7.11 pm. So the moon will be visible after sunset. In all likelihood, Eid should be on 25th,” the astronomer, who asked not to be named, told Gulf News.
The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources on Wednesday conveyed greetings to President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Their Highnesses Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates.
The authority also offered greetings on the occasion to the people of the UAE and the Arab and Muslim nations around the world.
Meanwhile, holidaymakers are already busy securing bookings for outbound trips in time for the special occasion.
Flights to Maldives, Thailand, Salalah in Oman and Georgia, among others, are now highly in demand.
The official list of holidays released earlier by the Abu Dhabi government had initially designated June 25 as the first day of Eid.
Premjit Bangara, manager for travel at Sharaf, said there has been a “steady increase in both flight and hotel bookings for the Eid holidays".
“[Our customers] are booked primarily on the outbound between 23rd and 25th of June and the return between the 26th and 29th of June,” Bangara told Gulf News.
“There has been a steady increase in bookings for holiday packages abroad and the main destinations are Kenya, Georgia, Armenia, Salalah in Oman, Maldives, Thailand and Malaysia.”
