Top Eid Al Adha destinations

WITH summer officially over and the ‘big’ Eid to look forward to, travellers from the Middle East are already looking at holiday destinations for their Eid al Adha breaks.

Topping the list for tourists from the Gulf is Malaysia, with the country’s tourism board recently announcing that it is targeting 400,000 tourists in 2012 from GCC countries. Malaysia, a Muslim country, is already nestled firmly within the top 10 destinations favoured by GCC locals, who seek excellent facilities, cultural familiarity and good weather.

“Travellers are already planning their next holidays, and we’ve seen a lot of favourability towards Malaysia and India, both within reasonable flight times from the Gulf,” said Kapil Aggarwal, director of sales and marketing for Hyatt International – South West Asia.

The newly-opened Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, the group’s first hotel in Malaysia, provides an ideal base for Middle Eastern travellers. With 370 guest rooms and 42 suites, the elegant hotel promises business travellers, tourists and local guests ‘a sophisticated ambience’.

It is located in Kuala Lumpur City Centre, close to the iconic Petronas Towers, parks and the Golden Triangle shopping and entertainment district and was designed by award-winning architecture firm, Bilkey Llinas Design.

The ground floor lobby of the hotel is decorated with specially-commissioned art pieces. A circular art feature inscribed with a well-known welcoming Quranic verse ‘A thousand dinar’ is well-positioned at the main entrance warmly inviting guests from the GCC in.

All of the hotel’s guest rooms and suites were designed with floor-to-ceiling windows offering expansive views of the city, the greenery of KLCC Park or the Petronas Twin Towers.

Many travellers tend to visit destinations within a four-to-six hour flight from the GCC countries. India, in particular, is popular with local visitors, with the Indian Minister of State for Tourism announcing this year that the country is considering visa-on-arrival facilities for GCC nationals.

A key Indian destination is Chennai, capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, and the fourth largest city in the country. The more than three century-old city lies on the Bay of Bengal, and has the second longest seashore in the world.

The culture of Chennai is known to be distinctly different from any other city in India. Arts, music and dance continue to flourish in the city and the architecture ranges from ancient temples to modern high-rises. Visitors to Chennai in late October or early November can take part on the colourful Diwali festival, or the festival of lights – one of the most culturally significant celebrations for Hindus.

Opening in October, the Park Hyatt Chennai aims to offers visitors a contemporary design and a personal address in this historic city. With 201 luxurious rooms and suites on offer, the property is located alongside the Guindy Forest Reserve, and is a serene sanctuary offering a discrete nod to Chennai’s rich cultural history.

An alternative to Chennai is Hyderabad, a city rich with tradition and history, located in Southern India on the banks of the Musi River and on the Deccan Plateau. The city is split into Central, North, South, East and West Zones – all containing different historical sites, entertainment and dining options and authentic shopping experiences.

The modern, eight-story Park Hyatt Hyderabad includes 185 guest rooms and 24 suites on the first six floors with 42 serviced apartments on the two top floors.

Guests staying at Hyatt properties can also take advantage of leading fashion and food outlets housed within the hotels.