Summers for many in the Gulf states are usually a time for travel to cooler climates. With temperatures reaching as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) and the school year ending, many people leave the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and return in time for the new school year. But with the latest UAE government travel announcement for citizens and residents, many people are opting to stay put.

After months of low occupancy and closed doors, many hotels are carefully curating relaxing getaways for guests who want a staycation but are hesitant due to fears about the coronavirus pandemic.

Dubai, the commercial capital of the UAE, has seen a rise in staycations.

Olivier Louis, managing director of the One and Only Royal Mirage and the One and Only Palm, told Al-Monitor, “Although the recent few months have been interesting, we are pleasantly surprised with the number of guests who come to our properties. We have two properties in Dubai that we have kept open the entire time. On our Palm property, there are four villas with pools and 10 suites with pools, so those are very popular and over the weekends we have reached up to 70% occupancy. These are mostly families with children.”