Cost of Family Holidays to Dubai and Egypt Drops Amid Rising European Prices
Families booking summer breaks are finding better value in destinations such as Dubai and Egypt, while package holiday prices across much of southern Europe continue to climb.
By BBC News
Families planning a summer holiday could save hundreds of pounds by looking beyond some of Europe’s traditional resorts.
Analysis by TravelSupermarket shows that package holiday prices to destinations including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Morocco have fallen compared with last summer.
At the same time, the cost of holidays in several popular European destinations has continued to rise.
The largest reduction was recorded for the United Arab Emirates, where the average price of an all-inclusive family holiday has fallen by 25.4% compared with August 2025.
Prices for Egypt are down by around 8.1%, while Morocco, the Dominican Republic and Mauritius have also become cheaper.
Travel experts say weaker demand has contributed to the reductions, with some holidaymakers remaining cautious about travel to parts of the Middle East and North Africa.
Hotels, airlines and tour operators may lower prices when bookings are slower in an effort to attract more customers.
By comparison, destinations including Corfu, Croatia and Majorca have become more expensive.
Strong demand for Mediterranean breaks, combined with higher hotel, wage and operating costs, has continued to push up prices in some of Europe’s best-known holiday areas.
Average prices for seven-night all-inclusive family holidays
The following figures are average prices per person for holidays departing during August 2026:
* Agadir, Morocco: £884.94 per person — down 8.2% * Egypt: £1,136.59 per person — down 8.1% * Menorca: £1,107.33 per person — down 5.1% * Costa del Sol: £1,215.69 per person — down 2.9% * Antalya area, Turkey: £1,118.60 per person — down 2.4% * Lanzarote: £968.52 per person — down 2.2% * Gran Canaria: £952.70 per person — down 1.9% * Malta: £950.25 per person — down 0.9%
TravelSupermarket also reported larger percentage reductions for several long-haul destinations:
* United Arab Emirates: down 25.4% * Dominican Republic: down 11% * Mauritius: down 10.9%
Destinations where prices have increased
Some popular European destinations have moved in the opposite direction:
* Corfu: up 19.2% * Croatia: up 14.9% * Majorca: up 9% * Greek islands overall: up 5.1% * Spain overall: up almost 4% * Portugal: up 3%
The figures cover seven-night, all-inclusive family holidays departing between 1 and 31 August 2026, with at least one child under 16.
Actual prices will vary depending on the departure airport, travel date, hotel, room type and availability.
Families should also compare the full cost of a holiday rather than relying only on the headline package price.
Baggage charges, airport parking, transfers, travel insurance, resort fees and spending money can all make a significant difference to the final amount paid.
A cheaper package may also involve less convenient flight times or longer transfers, so travellers should check the details carefully before booking.
Families flying from Manchester Airport may have access to a wider choice of long-haul packages, including direct services to Dubai and connections to destinations in Egypt and North Africa.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport may also offer useful options for European and package holidays, although routes and availability vary.
Travellers should check the latest Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advice before booking, particularly for destinations affected by political tension or regional security concerns.
They should also make sure their travel insurance provides suitable cover from the day the holiday is booked.
Being flexible with travel dates, nearby airports and destination can produce substantial savings, particularly during the school summer holidays.
The research suggests families prepared to compare a wider range of countries may find stronger value outside the most popular Mediterranean resorts this year.