DUBAI A survey by hotel booking website Hotels.com has confirmed what we already suspected. Dubai is the most preferred Valentine’s Day destination for couples in India.
It has beaten Singapore, Patong, Bangkok and Bali to emerge as the top overseas destination for Indians searching for romantic escapades online in the run-up to Valentine’s Day, the survey said.
Delhi-based interior decorator Karan Ahuja, 42, who is travelling to Dubai with wife Sapna on a four-day trip this weekend said Dubai was an automatic choice.
“Our 10th wedding anniversary falls on February 14 which is a Sunday and a holiday in India. Dubai suited us perfectly as it’s just a four-hour flight from Delhi. The weather is perfect to enjoy a desert safari and romantic dhow cruise dinner. We made our hotel and flight bookings two months ago,” he said.
Automatic choice
But it’s not just Indians who are headed to relish some cosy moments with their loved ones.
Although Dubai doesn’t figure in the list of top 10 Valentine’s Day destinations for Britons, many of them have chosen it over conventional romantic hotspots like Amsterdam and Vienna.
Among them are lovebirds Kathryn Ross and Jack Boath. The couple, both in their mid-20s will be flying into Dubai on February 11 and will be spending three days in the city.
“I am very excited and cannot thank Jack enough for this wonderful Valentine’s Day gift,” said Kathryn, who is pursuing a degree in Musical Theatre and Drama at a UK university. “Jack has lived in Dubai, but it will be my first time there. I have heard so much about Dubai’s hospitality and can’t wait to be there,” she said.
Real estate agent Angus, 45, from Wales said he was planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Paris, but changed his mind when he found out that none of his friends was going there.
“A colleague suggested Dubai and I immediately made my bookings,” he said.
Drop in rankings
The French capital has long been considered the most romantic city in the world, but following the devastating terror attacks which left 130 dead, it has now dropped out of the five favourite destinations for a Valentine’s Day getaway, according to TravelSupermarket.
This year it slipped six spots in the top 10 list and is only the eighth most popular destination.
(With inputs from Anjana Kumar, Staff Reporter)
