Beyond European borders: digital solutions for Sussex travellers exploring Turkey, Egypt and the UAE
Brits increasingly choose the Middle East for their travels, with Dubai alone welcoming over 1.3 million UK visitors in 2024. Travellers from Sussex, like many across the UK, enjoy travelling not just for holidays, but for cultural experiences as well. This trend has grown stronger in the post-Brexit era, as UK holidaymakers look beyond Europe for new destinations.
However, one thing travellers might not have accounted for is the high cost of staying connected in non-EU countries.
Why Sussex travellers need to plan ahead for Middle Eastern connectivity
Connectivity issues often depend on the location you travel to. Geographical challenges between resort areas and inland regions can affect mobile coverage during holidays in Turkey. Egypt travel data plans are known for having variable coverage between major tourist zones and remote exploration areas. As for the UAE, there are high expectations for connectivity, but they come with high roaming charges.
When COVID-19 first struck, Vodafone controversially increased roaming charges for Brits stranded in Turkey — a move that made headlines.
Since travel resumed, Sussex travellers have returned to familiar favourites in Turkey (Antalya, Bodrum, Istanbul), Egypt (Sharm El Sheikh, Cairo, Hurghada) and the UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi), yet roaming fees and connectivity problems remain a common frustration.
The hidden expenses of Middle Eastern connectivity
To understand the costs of staying connected in these regions, consider the following scenarios. A family of four on a 10-day holiday trip to Egypt would pay a daily roaming fee, averaging £7.50/day for a Zone 2 pass. Assuming they limit themselves to light usage of 100-200 MB per day, they would have to pay £6/day for 4 members for 10 days, totalling at least £240.
Following a similar pricing structure, a retired couple visiting Turkey for two weeks would pay £5 per person per day for a Zone 1 pass, totalling around £140, while a young professional on a 5-day Dubai city break would likely face charges around £25.
Costs may differ depending on your provider. EE, for example, offers travellers to Egypt a daily roaming pass for £7.50 for Pay Monthly customers.
Vodafone has eSIM deals for 44 EU destinations, but charges $27 for 15 days, offering 15 GB of data. The fair usage policy caps data at 25 GB, with £3.58 per GB in additional charges if you go over the limit. O2 offers a very similar deal.
As for Three, it offers £2 for Go Roam in Europe, £5 for Go Roam Around The World, and £7 for Go Roam Around The World Extra, but a fair usage policy only gives you 12 GB. If you think that might be enough, consider how much data you might use during your holiday. Using a map can require anywhere from 20MB to 100MB a day. Uploading photos and videos to social media can go up to 1GB per day, while video calls home to Sussex can consume anywhere from 60MB to 120MB of data for a 20-minute call.
Many UK carriers have also seen considerable roaming pass price boosts, which was shocking for many customers.
Digital Solutions for Sussex Holidaymakers in the Middle East
There are various connectivity options for Turkey, Egypt and the UAE that you might consider to avoid roaming charges in the Middle East. However, they often come with notable drawbacks.
Using UK carrier travel passes, for example, is often quite expensive outside of Europe. EE will charge you £7.50/day for Egypt and £5 for Dubai
Other UK roaming alternatives include using local SIMs, which may have different availability issues, language barriers, or even ID requirements. Hotel or resort WiFi also comes with limitations, as WiFi has questionable security and reliability.
The best alternative for Sussex travellers to stay connected in the Middle East is to use eSIMs. Providers like Yesim offer coverage across Turkey (£14.40 for 10 GB / 30 days), Egypt (£39.60), and the UAE (£16.20), with rates current at the time of writing. You can pre-activate your eSIM before leaving home — whether from Gatwick or another airport — and choose data packages tailored to your destination and holiday duration.
With an eSIM, you’ll enjoy uninterrupted connectivity — from navigating Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar to staying online between your Egyptian resort and the Pyramids, or browsing affordably while exploring all that Dubai has to offer.
A Sussex traveller’s guide to implementing eSIM solutions
To prepare your eSIM for travel in the Middle East, follow these steps:
1. Confirm that your device is compatible with eSIMs
2. Purchase your eSIM plan before heading to the airport
3. Make sure to manage your data usage in photo-heavy destinations by limiting uploads
4. Use a VPN and try to avoid public WiFi to stay safe
Once set up, your eSIM will give you near-unlimited connectivity in places like Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It is also the best way to stay connected in Turkey while visiting popular destinations or to maintain a connection between resorts and excursion locations in Egypt.
Just make sure to prepare your device(s) before leaving Sussex, and if you are less tech-savvy, your local support can help you set things up before your trip.
Understanding the limitations of Middle Eastern connectivity solutions
One thing to note is that you might encounter situations where you can avoid roaming charges in the Middle East by using alternative options instead of eSIMs.
If you have an older device that doesn’t support eSIM, you won’t be able to use it, as it requires an iPhone XS or newer, or a Samsung Galaxy S20 or newer.
You might also visit an ultra-luxury resort with comprehensive WiFi — in that case, an eSIM might not be necessary.
This is also the case if you make very short city breaks and won’t even have time to go sightseeing.
Enjoy worry-free connectivity on your Middle Eastern holiday
Sussex travellers looking to visit Turkey, the UAE and Egypt may encounter difficulties when trying to stay connected. Traditional methods such as local SIMs, WiFi and roaming can be overly complex, unsafe and highly expensive. Many are finding eSIMs the right way to approach the issue, especially since they might have special deals on typical holidays. Before your next Middle Eastern adventure, compare connectivity options and consider installing Yesim’s eSIM to save substantially on staying connected.