A “reverse march” of residents is seen during the Eid holidays across Qatar.
While residents from other areas flock to Doha on normal weekends, the weeklong vacation during Eid witnesses the movement of people in the opposite direction - from the capital towards the north, west and south of the country.
Besides, many residents who can afford frequent journeys travel abroad during such vacations.
While many such residents, including citizens, are understood to have already flown out of the country, others go to places such as Mesaieed, Dukhan and northern locations such as Shamal and Al Ghuwairiya to spend their holidays in the new resorts or other facilities that have come up in recent years.
Trips to some of the above-mentioned places give one a clear picture of the outward movement of residents since the holidays begin.
Meanwhile, it was learnt from some car rental companies that they were unable to deliver adequate number of four-wheel-drive vehicles even to regular customers due to heavy bookings made well in advance. Similarly, there have been a number of enquiries for mini vans as well.
“Some groups were looking to hire mini vans that could carry no less than 20 persons. After the first two or three days, most of these groups return the vehicles,” said the fleet manager of a prominent city rental firm.
Similarly, the days prior to the holidays were a busy period for workshops that undertake the repair of buggies. After a week, the workshops would again be flooded with repairing orders, said an expatriate in Najma, who operates a buggy maintenance workshop.
He said his mechanics are in great demand these days as they are asked to reach desert locations at short notice by vehicle owners. The hiring rates “vary from person to person and vehicle to vehicle”. On an average, it is anywhere between QR200 and QR500 per hour, depending on the demand in each location.
The sight of pick-up vans transporting three or four buggies is common these days on highways leading to Dukhan, Mesaieed and Shamal.