UAE residents embrace autumn travel surge amid cooler climes and diverse destinations

Call it the Great Autumn Migration. And no, this isn’t a piece about the wildebeest, but about UAE residents booking more autumn breaks as the season becomes a new peak travel period for outbound getaways.

The months between the school holidays and UAE National Day were typically spent locally, but now travel agents are seeing last-quarter activity trending upwards. It echoes a global trend that trades August heat for the shoulder season, with its cooler weather and wider hotel availability.

“Bookings for October to December travel are already up by around 2.4 per cent so far, compared to the same period last year, and traveller numbers have grown by close to 19 per cent,” says Meerah Ketait, Head of Retail and Leisure at dnata Travel. “With October still ahead – the peak month for securing holidays – we expect this upward trend to continue.”

It’s responding with season-specific packages. For example, a three-nights Oktoberfest break at the Platzl Hotel Munich will set you back Dh4,350 per person, including return airfare. Or head to the VP Plaza España Design in Madrid instead, for Dh4,700 per person.

The two countries have replaced last year’s top destinations of France and Italy, Ketait says. “So, travellers are exploring more diverse options in Europe, seeking a mix of culture, cooler weather, and festive season experiences. We are also seeing demand for Finland, where the variety of hotels, winter activities, and the complexity of planning such trips mean residents are increasingly turning to travel experts for support.”

Others are reporting similar demand. The luxury travel agency network Virtuoso says autumn bookings across its members are up 30 per cent this year, with sales 39 per cent higher than last year.

In the US, vacations rental marketplace HomeToGo has clocked an overall 27 per cent year-on-year increase in searches for autumn retreats. GenZ globetrotters are also going leaf peeping, with searches on Airbnb up by a quarter.

What’s driving the trend? Climate change, for one. Queuing to stage the perfect IG flex in front of the Colosseum might well have become part of the late-stage travel experience, but hotter weather and bigger crowds are likely also driving the surge in autumn breaks.

“Autumn has become Germany’s second-strongest travel season, accounting for 24 per cent of total overnight stays in 2024,” says Yamina Sofo, Director of the Marketing & Sales Office – GNTO GCC, “thanks to milder weather, less crowded attractions and unique seasonal experiences.

Heatwaves, wildfires and erratic seasons mean southern Europe is too hot for Gulf travellers from June to September. Daytime highs over 30 degrees are common, with occasional days over 40 degrees, but air conditioning has yet to become widespread. This June, soaring temperatures resulted in over 1,500 fatalities across Western Europe, according to an Imperial College London study.

Then there’s overtourism. Germany is a perennial favourite, but it’s now pulling in GCC travellers who want what she calls more personalised experiences. Translation? Food markets, seasonal festivals, a chance to indulge in some forest bathing while hiking and cycling. “For UAE and GCC visitors, it’s a refreshing contrast to the busy summer holidays,” Sofo says.

Bucket-list destinations routinely report heavy visitor volumes and ensuing local resistance. That publicity – and the accompanying policies – can nudge curiosity towards less crowded months. Venice rolled out day-tripper fees ranging from €5 (Dh21.7) for advance bookings to €10 for last-minute arrivals until the end of July though the move didn’t have much of an effect.

Ibiza now limits the number of tourist cars in the city between June and September. Party hotspot Dubrovnik charges visitors a tax of €2.65 per person per night from April through September. Most famous of all, though, is Barcelona, where residents have been protesting overtourism with water pistols. The city has halved cruise ship arrivals to three per day, raised its municipal tourist tax to €6.75 per night for five-star hotels and removed a bus route from maps to reduce visitor numbers to a popular park.

Instead, tourist boards now want travellers to spread the love – and dirhams – through the year.

Roger Federer and Halle Berry are fronting Switzerland’s new Beautiful Autumn campaign, the country’s most extensive promotion of what’s usually a slow season bookended by high-footfall summers and peak winter travel, and hotel overnight stays have risen 10.3 per cent alongside over the past five years. “The film showcases the strengths of spending autumn in Switzerland: longer, higher-quality stays and more mindful travel,” says André Hefti, Chief Marketing Officer at Switzerland Tourism. The campaign leans into affordability, with special promotions on the national transport network’s Swiss Travel Pass for international tourists.

Smaller or emerging destinations are also seizing the moment. Armenia has been actively promoting October festivals, balloon events and grape harvest experiences designed for autumn visitors, highlighting mild weather, clearer skies and fewer crowds.

Industry forecasts suggest this pattern will stick. Reports for 2025 from the World Travel & Tourism Council and others show spending and travel demand remaining strong even as travellers spread visits across more months.

For Gulf families and high-frequency travellers, shoulder-season travel offers better availability, kinder weather in some markets, and a route around summer crowds.

After the summer’s heatwave, kicking back with a cool libation on the Plaza de Santa Ana is just what the doctor ordered. Dnata Travel’s Madrid getaway starts from Dh4,700 per person with flights and three nights at VP Plaza España Design Madrid including breakfast. The Spanish capital offers royal palaces, tapas bars and churros. GCC travellers will find the city’s late-night culture familiar, and there are plenty of halal restaurants. Dnatatravel.com

Dh19,300 per head fetches you the best of Finnish Lapland: Northern Lights hunts, husky safaris, reindeer rides, Santa’s Village, snowmobiles, dinner at a snow hotel, and even ice floating. All over five nights, inclusive of flights, breakfast, transfers and tours. Get there before global warming does. Dnatatravel.com

At 1,800 metres up in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, the Kasbah du Toubkal is accessible only by foot or donkey – but offers dramatic front row seats to North Africa’s highest mountain. The sustainably focused hotel is one of the last remaining corners of the world offering total escapism. Just 45 minutes from Marrakech, it’s hassle-free with transfers, meals and hikes arranged. Stays from GBP166pp per night. GCC travellers get no jet lag, safe adventures for kids, hammam downtime and Berber culture immersion. Kasbahdutoubkal.com

Salzburg is the place to channel your inner Von Trapp – just don’t go yodelling in the Mirabell Palace gardens. Save that for the Hotel Lürzerhof, which has a seven-night stay from €1,420pp, inclusive of guided hikes, e-bike rental, €50 wellness voucher, spa access and gourmet dining. Autumn here means alpine hikes by day, sauna rituals by night – and plenty of strudel. Luerzerhof.at

The Chinese celebrate fall with the Mid-Autumn Festival, and it’s a magical time to head to Hong Kong. Decorative with lanterns hung up everywhere in honour of the Moon goddess of immortality in Chinese mythology. Kowloon Shangri-La’s Mid-Autumn offer starts from HKD 2,100 per night for Horizon Club rooms with lounge access, breakfast and afternoon tea. Halal dining options are available, complete with mooncakes. Until 31 October 2025. Shangri-la.com/kowloonshangrila

Octant Hotels’ first Douro Festival (24–26 Oct 2025) starts at €3,531 for two, and includes two nights’ stay, meals and full festival access. Michelin-star chefs, beverage pairings, yoga and chef José González set the scene. Festival.octanthotels.com