Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is making it easier to bring people together by combining in-person and virtual settings in a reimagined meetings and events offering. Hybrid Meetings by Four Seasons combines creative design with the latest audio-visual technology, and an unwavering commitment to health and safety, to enrich every meeting with human connections wherever in the world attendees may be. Four Seasons has long been a leader in creating unforgettable meetings and events, helping planners create customised, one-of-a-kind experiences that make lasting impressions on attendees. While the meetings and events landscape has changed as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Four Seasons remains more committed than ever to creating innovative and engaging meetings and events. “We have adapted to a world where we are connecting virtually more than ever before. Until we can gather safely again, we are creating ways to combine advanced technologies with a human approach that is distinctly Four Seasons,” says Ben Trodd, Senior Vice President, Sales and Hotel Marketing. “Time apart from colleagues, clients, friends and family has only reinforced the importance of meetings and events and the need to connect in meaningful ways. Hybrid Meetings offer the service excellence, innovation and creativity that Four Seasons is known for, while elevating the safety and care required to bring people together in the current environment.” Trodd continues, “While the format of these meetings and events may look slightly different, our ability to foster deep connections and create exceptional experiences for our clients and guests remains. Each event is brought to life through industry-leading technology, a focus on health and safety through Lead With Care, and by our incredible people who are dedicated to making each …

Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown, today announced its creative partnership with the leading short-form video platform, TikTok, with a common goal to promote and set the stage for young talent across the UAE. Starting from 26 April the hotel will be scouting young creatives across the city, from musicians, artists, designers, and dancers, to identify their talents. The shortlisted candidates will then be given an opportunity to showcase their talents via a professionally shot video, at the stunning boutique hotel. Talking about this unique initiative, Laura Eggleton, General Manager of Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown said, “Digital platforms provide incredible opportunities for young talent to get discovered. However, with the vast volume of content being uploaded online it is sometimes difficult for talent to shine. At Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown, along with TikTok, we aim to give emerging young talent the support needed to guide them on their journey as they share their talents, story and make a name for themselves in this competitive market.” Head of Video and Creative at TikTok Middle East, said, “We are proud to announce yet another partnership with a brand that favors the interest and future of rising young talent. At TikTok, we offer our community space where they feel comfortable being themselves and where they can creatively express themselves with spontaneity and authenticity. Through this special partnership with Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown, we are joining forces to offer future rising stars the platform to stand out and shine with their talents.”

Etihad Airways has launched a sale on fares to Greece, as travellers from the UAE are not required to quarantine on arrival. Fly from Abu Dhabi to Athens in Economy for just AED 995 return or AED 9,995 in Business. Fares are valid until 3 May 2021 for travel until 20 November 2021. Etihad operates twice a week to Athens with convenient departures on Thursday’s and Saturday’s, with the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner offering Business, Economy and Economy Space options. Whether travellers are staying in Athens to explore archaeological sites or connecting to the beautiful white-sand beaches of the Greek Islands, restaurants, beaches and entertainment venues are open for visitors to enjoy the ultimate break. Flying to, from, and via Abu Dhabi is supported by the airline’s fully redesigned sanitisation and safety programme, Etihad Wellness, which ensures the highest standards of hygiene are maintained at every stage of the customer journey. This includes specially trained Wellness Ambassadors, a first in the industry, who provide essential travel health information and care on the ground and on every flight, so guests can fly with greater ease and confidence. All passengers travelling with Etihad receive complimentary Covid-19 insurance, which is valid for travel until 30 September 2021. Etihad was the first airline in the world to announce it is operating with 100% of its crew on board vaccinated. To give guests peace of mind, Etihad is the only airline in the world requiring 100% of its passengers to show a negative PCR test before departure, and on arrival in Abu Dhabi.  

Marriott International launched its Tahseen programme for the third year in Saudi Arabia, reinforcing its commitment to developing Saudi Arabia’s future hospitality leaders. Launched in 2018 in partnership with Cornell University, Tahseen aims to fast track the next generation of hospitality leaders in the Middle East. This year’s programme in Saudi Arabia will see 52 candidates join the 12-month curriculum, which will accelerate their development as future leaders in the industry. Francisca Martinez, Chief Human Resources Officer, EMEA for Marriott International said, “We are excited to launch the third year of our Tahseen programme in the Kingdom. Through Tahseen, we remain committed to advancing local talent and providing them with a platform to be able to contribute to the success of the country’s travel and tourism sector. The programme offers great opportunities for candidates to develop the necessary skills and gain the experience needed to succeed in their careers and become future leaders in the hospitality industry.” Abeer Alreefi, who graduated from the Tahseen programme in 2018, has since moved on as a Recruitment Lead for The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah. Looking back at her experience with the programme, Alreefi commented, “Throughout the programme, I had the opportunity to learn about time management, leadership skills, working under pressure and understanding the value of each department at a hotel. After graduating, I continued to learn and grow and become a better version of myself. I have implemented what I learned during the Tahseen programme throughout projects I managed including ‘Saudi Career Day’ and a recruitment trip outside the country.  Learning and developing throughout the programme with the rest of the Tahseen candidates was an amazing experience. I can’t help but feel proud for …

Emirates has announced it will resume four weekly services to Mexico City (MEX) via Barcelona (BCN) from July 2, re-opening connectivity and boosting trade and tourism while providing customers worldwide with more connectivity, convenience and choice. The BCN-MEX route will be operated with a two-class Emirates Boeing 777-200LR which offers 38 Business Class seats in a 2-2-2 configuration and 264 seats in Economy Class. The resumed service between Dubai-Barcelona-Mexico will serve Emirates’ customers in Mexico and offer more choice to travellers heading from Europe, India, South East Asia and the Middle East via Dubai or Barcelona. The service will also provide additional connectivity to global markets for Mexican exports such as avocados, berries, mangoes, automotive parts and medical supplies. Emirates SkyCargo has been flying freighters to/from Mexico City since 2014 already, marking seven years of operations to the country this month. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Emirates SkyCargo continued its cargo connectivity to Mexico City on freighter and passenger freighter flights, bringing in much-needed PPE and COVID-19 vaccines into the country while continuing to support Mexican exports.

Emirates and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) have begun to implement full digital verification of COVID-19 medical records connected to testing and vaccination for travellers based in the UAE. Emirates customers who have undertaken a PCR test in Dubai can choose to check-in without presenting their physical COVID-19 PCR test report. Moreover, customers who have received their COVID-19 vaccination at a DHA health centre in Dubai can, together with their COVID-19 PCR test results, have their documents synchronised during flight check-in. The new streamlined verification procedures will enable secure and faster processing times for customers departing from Dubai International Airport. The information will then be matched up with the entry requirements of the destination. Emirates will only process the relevant information specifically related to the COVID-19 entry requirements of the customer’s destination. Once check-in formalities are completed, information related to COVID-19 medical records will be immediately discarded from the Emirates systems. The integration comes less than two months after the signing of the MoU between Emirates and the Dubai Health Authority and is a first-of-its-kind agreement between an airline and a government health authority. The integration also makes Dubai one of the first cities in the world to implement full digital verification of traveller medical records related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination. Adel Al Redha, Chief Operating Officer for Emirates Airline said: “The UAE government has been very supportive and is one of the leading countries in the use of technology and digital applications. This initiative is in line with the government’s vision and we are delighted to take this step within the aviation sector to cooperate with DHA in linking our systems together to enhance the customer experience by …

Turkish Consulate General in Dubai, Gateway Management and VFS Global inaugurated its newly renovated Turkey Visa Application Centre on 25 April 2021 at the Wafi Mall, Level 3, Falcon Phase 2, Umm Hurair 2, Dubai, UAE. The centre is now operational and accepting visa applications for all categories from Sunday to Thursday between 9.00am to 3.00pm. The centre was officially inaugurated by H.E. Mr. Mustafa İlker Kılıç, Consul General of Turkey in Dubai, and Mr. Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO for South Asia, MENA & Americas, VFS Global, in the presence of dignitaries from the Turkish Consulate General, Gateway Management and VFS Global staff members, as well as project partners. Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO for South Asia, MENA & Americas, VFS Global said, “We are excited to take our partnership with the client Government of Turkey to the next level with the launch of a dedicated centre. The UAE has a large number of travellers to Turkey for leisure and business, and a dedicated centre will make the visa application process more seamless as well as promote Turkish tourism. Travellers applying for Turkey visa would be able to submit applications and enroll their biometrics all under one roof, thus saving time and ensuring a seamless customer experience from start to finish.“

Qatar Airways to operate three weekly flights to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire via Accra from 16 June 2021 becoming the fourth new destination in Africa announced by the national carrier of the State of Qatar since the start of the pandemic. The Abidjan service will be operated by the airline’s state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class. His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways said, “We are delighted to be launching flights to Abidjan, our fourth new destination in Africa since the start of the pandemic. At Qatar Airways, we remain committed to the African market, expanding our network across the continent and offering seamless connectivity to the largest network of destinations across Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America. We are thankful to the Côte d’Ivoire Government for their support to launch these flights, providing an opportunity to reunite family and friends with their loved ones across the globe.  We look forward to working closely with our partners in Côte d’Ivoire to steadily grow this route and support the recovery of tourism and trade in the region.”

Etihad Airways operated its first ecoFlight for 2021, continuing research and testing under the Etihad Greenliner programme to assess environmental sustainability initiatives during scheduled services. This is Etihad’s fourth ecoFlight, operated on the airline’s signature Greenliner aircraft which is fully offset for all operations through 2021 as part of the airline’s mission toward carbon neutral flying. The maiden 2021 ecoFlight, EY83, departed Abu Dhabi for Rome on April 17, testing a range of flight and engine optimisation initiatives, as well as onboard product enhancements to reduce weight and single-use plastics, with successful trials to be incorporated into regular scheduled operations. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “Etihad made a significant and tangible commitment to sustainability and the future of aviation over a year ago, first when we launched the Greenliner programme in partnership with Boeing, GE and other aviation leaders, then with our commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and halving our net emission levels by 2035. ‘Since then, and throughout the pandemic we have remained on track, with a number of ecoFlights during 2020, as well as partnering with Boeing, NASA and Safran on the 2020 ecoDemonstrator programme. Now in 2021 we are stepping up our efforts so eco testing won’t be confined to quarterly dedicated ecoFlights, but instead an always on, ever present part of operations to test, refine and implement sustainability initiatives. This kind of incremental, real world testing is the foundation of the Greenliner programme, which will allow us to continue R&D efforts into decarbonization opportunities. “This isn’t about solving only Etihad’s emissions, but about supporting the entire industry to address the biggest challenge we face over the next three decades.”

Dubai Way created by Dubai College of Tourism has been reimagined to offer a series of new and engaging practical courses in a bid to uphold the world-class hospitality experience the city is known for. Dubai College of Tourism has refreshed the courses in keeping to domestic demand and global travel trends in light of the evolving situation faced by the global tourism industry. The Dubai Way platform provides the opportunity to broaden the knowledge and enhance the skills of government and private sector staff engaged in tourist-facing roles, such as those working at hotels, airlines, airports, malls, transportation systems, theme parks and tourism attractions to help them become more knowledgeable and therefore more resourceful to visitors seeking to know more about Dubai. By better understanding the tourism industry, Dubai’s unique selling points and the key pillars of the Dubai brand, learners will feel confident to interact with both visitors and residents from all cultures and nationalities. Essa Bin Hader, General Manager at Dubai College of Tourism, said, “As a leading destination, we truly believe in ensuring that every tourist arriving in Dubai must enjoy the most exceptional experiences and hospitality at all tourist touchpoints across the emirate. The new courses that are being introduced by the College will further highlight the important role played by the Dubai Way platform to ensure that people employed in tourist-facing roles are equipped with the required knowledge, market insights and excellent customer service skills when engaging with domestic and international travellers. As Dubai strives to achieve the goal of becoming the best place in the world to live, stay and visit, there is no better time than now, in this landmark year of …