Residents in the UAE can look forward to a four-day long weekend on account of Eid Al Fitr which is expected to fall on April 21, following the holy month of Ramadan.

Ramadan began on Thursday, March 23 which means that Eid Al Fitr is expected to fall on April 20 or 21, based on the sighting of the moon.

Combining the dates of Eid with the weekend, UAE residents could likely get four days off on April 20, 21, 22 and 23.

Confirmed dates for Eid will only be announced based on moon sightings after the Ramadan period.

Across the Gulf, moon-sighting committees announced the start of the month, and many countries have introduced reduced working hours for the month.

After an official announcement by the government, certain employees in the UAE will enjoy a 3-day weekend during Ramadan, as they will work for only 4 days a week.

The emirate of Umm Al Quwain has altered the working week for government workers for the duration of the holy month.

In Umm Al Quwain, all public sector employees will work solely from Monday to Thursday, granting them a day off on Friday.

Public sector staff in the emirate will work from 9 AM to 2.30 PM from Monday to Thursday.

Airfares are expected to increase by 10 to 15 percent over Eid, but nearly 65 percent of people are looking to travel internationally says online travel agency Musafir.com.

There has been a notable increase in the number of UAE travellers seeking to venture abroad compared to last year. A significant percentage, approximately 65 percent, are seeking leisure travel while the remaining 35 percent are opting to celebrate with their loved ones, either in their home countries or nearby.

Destinations that are both budget-friendly and visa-friendly are in high demand. Consequently, countries such as Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia, which fall under the CIS region, are quite popular. In addition to these, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are gaining momentum, alongside Singapore, Kenya, Thailand, and Malaysia.