Mangaluru: While Indians return home for vacation or exergy have won the opportunity to return to work and save their work in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), limited options available until now burning holes in their pockets.
But with the Emergency Management Authority and the National UAE crisis tweeting on Tuesday that people who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and holding legitimate residency permits will be allowed to enter the UAE from Thursday, the old trial expatriates might end.
The only available option is the quarantine package that involves traveling to other countries under the UAE green list, quarantine for 14 days and then entering the UAE.
However, this option is expensive: it is 10-15 times more expensive than oneway tickets, and there is no guarantee that when expatriates complete their quarantine, the rules will not change, except the entry into the UAE.
Until now, the available options include rented flight from India to the UAE through Tashkent in Uzbekistan or through Armenia, and individual packages through men in Maldives and Doha.
All this option is a valuable at least Rs 1.3 lakh for double occupancy to stay in a quarantined country, or above the 1.7 lakh Rs for a single occupancy in a three-star or similar hotel.
The travel industry source said the quarantine package began in mid-May and continued even now.
Even though they don’t have the right number, travel agents here estimate that 700-800 people have traveled to the UAE, implementing these options.
William d’Souza, MD, Globe Travels, said the only quarantine package available directly from Mangaluru was to Doha in Qatar, which cost Rs 2 lakh at a double occupancy rate for one person.
Eulalia d’Souza from Lia Tours and Travels, said when Chartered Flight Options starting from Bengaluru, Kochi and New Delhi, only Doha options were available directly from Mangaluru, and to Maldives from Bengaluru.
Package prices include food (because these people cannot go outside), visa fees, airport transfers and RT-PC test fees.
In Welcome News, the Emergency Management Authority and the UAE National Crisis posted on Twitter who were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and held a legitimate residency permit to be allowed to enter the country since Thursday.
Tourists need to apply for an online entry permit before traveling, and requires a negative RT-PCR test taken 48 hours before departure.