Global Village has revealed that the recently launched Etihad Baggage Claim Challenge has been welcomed with a positive reception by enthusiastic guests. The park partnered with Etihad Airways to provide guests with a unique opportunity to travel the world. Since its launch on Sunday, April 4th, the unique promotion has captured the imagination of those visiting the destination, with hundreds of participants entering daily for the chance to win. As the latest Silver Jubilee Season activation, the Global Village guest that guesses the 5-digit combination code of the large locked travel trunk located in the Park will receive one million Etihad Guest Miles, AED 25,000 cash for their travels, and AED 25,000 to shop at Global Village as they prepare for the trip of a lifetime. Every few days, a number is being released until a winner cracks the code, and these are being published on various channels including the Etihad Guest website (www.EtihadGuest.com) and mobile app, Arabian Radio Network stations, and Global Village Instagram channel and mobile app. Two of the five numbers have already been revealed and with more digits set to be published soon, guests are urged to follow Global Village social media platforms and download the app to increase their chances of winning.  This exciting activation is part of the Ramadan Nights program where guests can enjoy time with friends and family every evening from 6pm until 2am.

SriLankan Airlines is strengthening its presence in the North American and European markets through the expansion of its existing codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways, with additional connections to serve various cities in these regions. This codeshare would expand across 10 cities in 06 countries covering Canada, Hungary, Azerbaijan, Scotland, Ukraine, and Turkey. Vipula Gunatilleka, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines said, “The expansion of our partnership with Qatar Airways is an important element in SriLankan’s ongoing initiatives to provide seamless connectivity for our valued passengers across a wide range of destinations, apart from increasing the number of cities that we fly to.” Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said, “The expansion of codeshare cooperation between Qatar Airways and SriLankan Airlines is a natural next step in the strengthening of our close partnership. We look forward to working closely with SriLankan Airlines to offer passengers more flexible travel options via the Best Airport in the Middle East, Hamad International Airport.”

Radisson Hotel Group announced the debut of its fourth brand in the United Arab Emirates, with the opening of Radisson Hotel Dubai DAMAC Hills. This latest addition brings the group’s presence to 14 hotels in the United Arab Emirates and 77 hotels, resorts and serviced apartments in operation and under development across the Middle East. Located in a newly-developed, family-friendly neighborhood, the Radisson Hotel Dubai DAMAC Hills is a perfect home base for both business and leisure travelers alike. The hotel is conveniently situated close to a range of activities and attractions including the nearby IMG Worlds of Adventure, Global Village and Dubai Autodrome. An ideal location for golfers, Radisson Hotel Dubai DAMAC Hills is in close proximity to five golf courses such as Trump International Golf Course and Els Golf Club, some of the finest in the Middle East. “We are delighted to introduce our fourth brand, the fast-growing upscale Radisson, to the United Arab Emirates and open the doors of our fourteenth hotel in the country. The UAE remains a key market for us with a robust pipeline of hotels scheduled to open within the next 24 months. The tourism sector in Dubai continues to grow and flourish as a result of the Emirates’ remarkable vision in creating a world-class destination for entertainment and culture and we are excited to contribute to this growth,” says Tim Cordon, Area Senior Vice President, Middle East and Africa, at Radisson Hotel Group. Siddhartha Sattanathan, General Manager Radisson Hotel Dubai DAMAC Hills, commented, “No matter if for business or leisure, with our dedicated team and modern facilities, we aim to create more meaningful and memorable experiences for our guests. Located in the …

After the second successfully concluded Gulf Travel Show 2021, Tourism Malaysia held the draw to select a total of 26 winners from media and travel agents that attended the event. The event was held at the Tourism Malaysia Dubai office attended by the officials Shahrin Mokhtar: Director, Mirza Ghalib: Deputy Director, Amir Hanif: Marketing Manager, Felisa Faisal: Marketing Executive and MC for the event Mohamed Lotfy: PR & Communications.

Ras Al Khaimah continues to make waves amongst the adventure and outdoor communities globally, with the Emirate set to host the first-ever ‘Highlander’ hiking experience in the GCC this November. Highlander, the only certified international hiking association in the world, is widely renowned for its one-of-a-kind curated hiking experiences. Currently there are 20 thrilling, life-enhancing adventures taking place annually in 15 countries worldwide. Ras Al Khaimah will join the ranks of iconic locations such as Austria, Bosnia, Croatia, Egypt, Greece, Russia and Portugal, all of which have played host to Highlander hikes viewed as the most significant events to take place within the global hiking community. Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “Ras Al Khaimah is a firm favourite amongst the hiking community in the UAE and within that spirit, our partnership with internationally-recognized HIGHLANDER will only elevate our stunning mountain terrain to a global audience. This launch marks the latest in a series of new, sustainable and nature-focused experiences as we look for ways in which to immerse our guests in the natural beauty of our Emirate and protect its diverse surroundings for generations to enjoy for years to come. We cannot wait for everyone to enjoy this new adventure on Jebel Jais.” Fadi Hachicho, Managing Director of HIGHLANDER UAE and Founder of Adventurati Outdoor, added: “Bringing the HIGHLANDER experience to Ras Al Khaimah is something we are immensely proud of as the rugged mountain terrain and the Emirates commitment to sustainable tourism aligns so well with the HIGHLANDER ethos. We are building the HIGHLANDER community internationally to embody the philosophy of “Take only pictures and leave only footprints” and see the …

Retail Abu Dhabi indicates record sales figures of AED 2.4 billion were achieved on Visa cards in participating stores alone during the recent Abu Dhabi Winter Shopping Season. Alongside global partner, Visa, it is reported that total transactions using Visa cards during the campaign grew by 17% compared to last year, engaging 21 malls and over 3,500 participating stores in the emirate. “Following on from Retail Abu Dhabi’s successful 2020 Unbox Amazing summer campaign, which demonstrated the sector’s strong COVID-19 resilience, the emirate’s retail sector has once again shown its maturity and agility with Abu Dhabi Winter Shopping Season,” said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi. “As our most effective winter season campaign to date, the winter campaign has consolidated Abu Dhabi’s standing as a leading regional shopping destination, amplified with robust strategic alliances delivering first-in-region consumer experiences. This includes the introduction of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Beauty Week, which underlines Retail Abu Dhabi’s position as a platform for innovation across multiple retail segments. “The legacy of both Abu Dhabi Winter Shopping Season and Abu Dhabi Beauty Week presents a slew of opportunities to expand the emirate’s retail and beauty sectors for future editions and leaves us very optimistic as we continue to navigate this ‘new normal’ together.” Rabih Al Hajri, Acting Executive Director of Abu Dhabi Business Center, Department of Economic Development – Abu Dhabi, praised the strong collaboration: “The Department of Economic Development aims to support the rebound of Abu Dhabi’s business and tourism sectors. In partnership with DCT-Abu Dhabi, the seasonal retail campaigns, including the Abu Dhabi Winter Shopping Season, played an active role in supporting the recovery …

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is set to reopen two of the park’s most beloved family attractions, the Junior Training Camp and Nello’s Adventureland. Both attractions will be open during Park’s operational hours on a first-come-first-serve basis at a reduced capacity to ensure social distancing and frequent sanitization. Children aged seven and above seeking an exciting experience can tackle different challenges at Ferrari speed with the Junior Training Camp experience. The vast play area is designed for children to advance their climbing agility and develop problem-solving skills in exciting Ferrari style. While the Hexagonal Tower’s will challenge older climbers to brave new heights, younger champions (with a minimum height of 140cm) can master their climbing technique on low suspension bridges. While children, aged 4 to 12, will love playing in the soft adventure play area created especially for younger children. All that excitement ought to work up quite the appetite. The theme park is home to a mix of six restaurants and cafes that offer best of Italian and international cuisines. Whether guests crave a quick bite on the go or a leisurely lunch in an Italian trattoria, there’s a dining experience to delight every taste. There is also a special menu just for kids at Mamma Rossella’s, the theme park’s signature Italian eatery.

flydubai has added two seasonal summer routes for passengers from Dubai and across the region. The carrier, which operates to Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Turkey, will also operate to Milas-Bodrum Airport (BJV) and Trabzon Airport (TZX).  Flights to Bodrum, the main gateway to the Turkish Riviera, will operate twice a week from 04 June until 01 September. Trabzon, a popular city on the Black Sea coast of northeastern Turkey, will be served with three weekly flights from 13 May until 01 September. Commenting on the announcement, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, added, “We recognise that since the pandemic it has not been possible for our customers to travel as much as they would have liked. Adding Bodrum and Trabzon to our seasonal schedule will provide passengers with more options to travel this summer. We have steadily grown our network to more than 75 destinations and we will continue to launch flights to more destinations in the region as restrictions ease.  Flights are available to book on flydubai.com.” This summer will see the number of destinations on flydubai’s network reach 78 points. This includes seven points in Russia as well as flights to popular destinations including Baku, Bucharest, Colombo, Maldives, Minsk, Tbilisi, Tel Aviv, Tirana and Zanzibar.

New research from global traveller experiences expert Collinson has found that in the future, 76% of travellers in the UAE and 80% in KSA have said they’ll be prioritising their mental wellbeing more when they travel now than they did before COVID-19. Despite there being a pent up demand for travel in the region, the majority of travellers (62% in the UAE and 67% in KSA) think travel post-pandemic will be more stressful in the current climate. When asked what travel brands could do to help the situation, in both countries, 38% of travellers said they would value propositions from providers that prioritise their mental wellbeing. Travellers also highlighted additional services that they would be willing to pay for to improve their wellbeing at the airport. These included spaces such as airport lounge access, as many as 37% would pay for this in KSA whilst 30% of UAE respondents would pay for a quiet place in which to sit and relax. 18% in the UAE and 28% in KSA have also said they would pay extra for access to airport sleep pods. Priyanka Lakhani, Director South Asia and Commercial Director Middle East and Africa at Collinson said, “In the context of travel during Covid-19, it’s often the conversation around physical wellbeing that has dominated so it’s very insightful to understand more about the importance passengers in the region place on the emotional and mental wellbeing aspects of their journey. While hygiene measures are critical, looking after travellers’ all-round wellness across the travel experience will be just as important and will help the travel industry shape its offering to encourage and rebuild traveller confidence. The travel industry needs to stay flexible, …

Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche is offering unmissable staycation packages, so you can spend quality time with your loved-ones during the Holy Month of Ramadan.  Book a staycation in a deluxe room with a relaxing view of the Arabian Gulf for as low as AED299/ per night. This rate is inclusive of breakfast or suhoor for two people. Half-board options, which include suhoor and iftar, or breakfast and lunch OR dinner for guests who are not fasting start is priced at AED379/ per night, while the full board package starts at AED429/ per night. For Iftar, Gourmet Garden will serve a special Ramadan spread featuring a range of traditional Ramadan dishes and beverages from the region, alongside a selection of international cuisine. Originally priced at AED199/, Gourmet Garden offers a special rate of AED99/ for the iftar buffet throughout the month of Ramadan. Kids aged six and below dine for free.