Doha was officially recognised as the Arab Tourism Capital 2023 by the Arab Tourism Organization for Tourism at a commemoration ceremony. Commenting on the occasion, Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “It is an honour to see Doha being named as the Arab Tourism Capital 2023 by the Arab Tourism Organization. One of the industry’s most prestigious accolades, the Arab Tourism Capital award is a testament of our exceptional achievements in leisure and hospitality. I am proud of our city’s tireless efforts that have culminated in this honourable recognition and look forward to further cementing Doha’s position as one of the world’s most sought-after leisure destinations.” The Arab Tourism Organization declared Doha as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2023, in its 25th session at the Arab League General Secretariat Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. The session was chaired by Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Nayef Fayez, amongst other prominent Arab leaders. Cities were evaluated based on a selection of criteria including tourism management, infrastructure and resources, safety and security, diversity of tourism activations, and preservation and protection of the environment. By continuing to host internationally renowned events, investing in hospitality offerings and expanding into more specialised areas of tourism, Qatar is in a perfect position to meet its goal of welcoming six million visitors a year by 2030. Held under the patronage of His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani at the Katara Cultural Village. The event took place on Arab Tourism Day (February 25), and was attended by tourism ministers, ambassadors and prominent leaders from the nations that are …

The latest addition to the Red Sea Project is the inland and overwater luxury accommodation with 73keys which entails reflective overwater orbs and inland luxury villas. A 45-minute boat ride from the mainland, a stay on Sheybarah guarantees ultimate exclusivity and bliss. Surrounded by crystal clear waters and away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, guests can enjoy water-based activities or choose to unwind on one of the island’s many white sandy beaches. The island features a spectacular 30 to 40-meter reef drop-off close to the beach providing the ultimate spot for exploring ocean life. Each overwater orb weighs around 150 tons and they complement the horizon with reflective mirror surfaces. The inland villas are inspired by sand dunes. Each villa will be set apart to give guests a sense of privacy. RSG appointed Mammoet for transport and installation of Sheybarah Island Resort’s villas, a key part of the Red Sea Project in Saudi Arabia. The Red Sea Global appointed Dubai-based Killa Design, one of the region’s leading architectural design firms, to design, one of the region’s leading architectural design firms, to design overwater and inland villas on Sheybarah Island. Sheybarah is one of their most ambitious islands, with futuristic steel orbs that float over the water, reflecting the sea, sky and reef below. The designs of the overwater villas are inspired by the natural surroundings, particularly the corals in their purest form, which make up the circle effect. The circle represents unity, integration, and wholeness, giving guests a sense of completion, confidence, and harmony. The inland villas are inspired by sweeping desert sand dunes and are set apart to give guests a sense of privacy. The design …

Emirates Airline now ventures on a new voyage with its Emirates Sealine, widely considered the QE2 among airlines and beloved by millions worldwide for its sumptuous services in the air and on land, will now be sailing across the seven seas with its newly-launched maritime arm, Emirates Sealine. Lucky ship-spotters and cruise aficionados witnessed glimpses of the first liner as it majestically sailed round Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah earlier today on its maiden sea trial – click here. Emirates Sealine is promising cruisers top-tier and never-before-imagined experiences as they voyage to rarely-before-seen ports of call. It placed a titanic, multi-billion-dollar order for an initial 10 cruise ships which are currently being fitted with the latest and the best. Having identified significant gaps in the industry’s offering, Emirates Sealine will give a wide berth to convention, offering a cruise calendar outside traditional seasons. The first cruise is scheduled to flag off from Dubai Harbour on 01 April 2024, with Karachi as the maiden port of call – harking back to the airline’s first-ever flight in October 1985. Itineraries and bookings will be open from 31 June. Emirates Sealine’s liners will dock at major cruise ports – charting a course from US to New Zealand – supported by the airline’s colossal network. Captain Jack Shallow, the newly appointed Chief Maritime Officer at the helm of Emirates Sealine said: “Emirates is no stranger to the seas, having been associated with powerboat racing in Dubai to Emirates Team New Zealand and more recently, the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team. While cities worldwide remain moored to challenges, Dubai is sailing smoothly at unimaginable knots and has outstanding cruise and other multi-modal transport infrastructure. “Technology, AI and …

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has issued resolutions,  with the approval of the UAE Federal Supreme Council, to appoint His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Minister of Presidential Court, as UAE Vice President, alongside His Highness Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, has issued an Emiri decree appointing Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

Emirates and United have activated their codeshare partnership, allowing Emirates customers to enjoy easier access to an expanded choice of U.S. destinations. Starting today, Emirates customers will be able to fly to three of the nation’s biggest business hubs – Chicago, Houston or San Francisco – and connect easily to an expansive network of domestic U.S. points on flights operated by United. Tickets are available to purchase from today on emirates.com as well as through trade channels including travel agencies. With the launch of the partnership, Emirates customers heading to the U.S., can now look forward to access to more than 150 U.S. cities in the United network, via the three gateways. Similarly, Emirates customers in the U.S. planning trips to Dubai and beyond have a myriad of choices and can utilise United’s services to easily connect to Emirates operated flights bound for Dubai, via Chicago, Houston or San Francisco. The world just got bigger for U.S. travelers journeying to Emirates’ extensive network beyond Dubai, including many unique destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. On the flights, passengers can enjoy Emirates’ award-winning services and a host of convenient travel benefits afforded by the agreement. Travellers with itineraries on Emirates’ codeshare flights can plan their entire trip on a single-ticket and take advantage of the airline’s baggage allowance, in addition to convenient bag check-through to the final destination. Emirates is also enabling its Skywards members to earn and redeem miles on all flights across United’s worldwide network. The partnership unlocks a host of popular destinations accessible from Emirates gateways such as Atlanta, Austin, Denver, Minneapolis and Phoenix. Emirates passengers planning trips to destinations such as …

Etihad Airways and China Southern Airlines are set to explore deeper and broader cooperation opportunities following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide passengers with an enhanced travel experience. Following Etihad’s move to Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX), which is also China Southern Airlines’ hub, the MOU provides scope for expansion of the current codeshare co-operation and allows the partners to explore extending global flight networks beyond the two carriers’ hubs, providing passengers with a more valuable, convenient and high-quality travel experience. This is further enhanced by Etihad services to China Southern’s home hub at Guangzhou Baiyuan, introduced in October 2022. The MOU also contains plans for mutual procurement opportunities across ground handling, cargo handling, bonded warehousing, catering, and maintenance, repair and overhaul in either Guangzhou, Beijing or Abu Dhabi, broadening cooperation opportunities in the airline supply chain. Mr. Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “This MOU will serve as a platform for a stronger ongoing relationship between the two airlines. Etihad looks forward to working with China Southern Airlines to explore comprehensive and pragmatic ways in which the two carriers can work more closely together, to drive greater value through our unique strengths at Beijing Daxing International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and further extend the reach of our joint network . Advanced cooperation between the two airlines sends a very strong signal to the industry and brings further hope of recovery for the global aviation and travel markets.” Zhang Dongsheng, Deputy Director General, Commercial Steering Committee of China Southern Airlines, said: “The signing of the MOU opens a new chapter of win-win cooperation between the two carriers, which will further strengthen our …

Maintaining its momentum from last year’s global tournament, Qatar welcomed a total of 730,000 visitors in January and February 2023, marking an increase of 347% from the previous year. The start of the year saw 340,000 international visitors in January 2023, a 295% increase year on year, and 389,000 visitors in February 2023, a staggering 406% increase from the same period last year. The month of February marked the highest number of international arrivals to Qatar in the past 10 years, with the exception of the months of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, making it the busiest month for tourism in the country. Having firmly established itself as a leading tourism destination with its high safety record, seamless public transport, pristine beaches and cultural sites, tourists from around the world continue to head to Qatar to experience the country’s unique blend of authenticity and modernity. The start of the year will have also seen visitors arriving to the peninsula to enjoy the line-up of festivities offered as part of Qatar Tourism’s “Feel Winter in Qatar” campaign, including performances by celebrated regional and international artists, the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition and other family-friendly events. Doha, the Arab Tourism Capital of the year, also hosted numerous world-class sporting events in the first two months of the year, including the Visit Qatar GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup 2023, Qatar TotalEnergies Open, and Qatar ExxonMobil Open, helping to promote the destination even further. Commenting on the record figures, Berthold Trenkel, Chief Operating Officer at Qatar Tourism, said: “We are excited to see the progress we have made towards achieving our 2030 strategy, which aims to welcome 6-7 million visitors annually, increase employment …

Etihad Airways began its first scheduled flight between Abu Dhabi and Beijing Daxing Airport, the inaugural flight EY888, operated using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, marked the move of regular flights from Abu Dhabi to Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX). Previously Etihad operated to Beijing Capital International Airport. Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “With China’s reopening and the restart of the aviation and tourism industries, we are very glad to see the long overdue move of our scheduled services to Beijing Daxing International Airport, which will further strengthen our commitment to the country’s aviation market development and Chinese travellers.” “The integrated transportation facilities at Beijing Daxing International Airport will give Etihad Airways access to a huge catchment area around Beijing West Rail Station. We will be working closely with local partners to transfer Etihad’s rich experience in Europe working with intermodal rail service operators to Daxing to allow greater choice at a competitive fare on a single connecting ticket through air-rail modality.” 2023 also marks the 15th anniversary of Etihad Airways’ services in China and its Abu Dhabi-Beijing route. With the continuous consolidation and strengthening of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the UAE and China, political, economic, trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries have become more frequent. Etihad Airways maintains its unwavering support for and commitment to its Chinese partners and the China market, and its contribution to the growing bilateral relationship. Mr. Wang Yaqi, General Manager of Aviation Business at Beijing Daxing International Airport, said: “Abu Dhabi Airports Company signed an MoU to build a sister-airport relationship with Beijing Daxing International Airport in 2019, which strengthened the capital-to-capital link. Etihad Airways is one of …

Aloft Hotels announces plans to open Aloft Muscat in Spring 2023. The highly anticipated opening is expected to mark the brand’s debut in the Sultanate of Oman. Designed for the next generation of traveler the hotel will be a new vibrant destination and will feature eclectic spaces, distinctive design, live music programming, and 199 modern loft-style guestrooms complete with the brand’s signature amenities. The hotel is expected to feature three dining outlets, places for guests to come together, including a Californian style eatery, an international restaurant with a Mediterranean twist, and the brand’s signature bar W XYZ®.  Other facilities will include a rooftop pool and gym. Danny Al Chayeb will take the helm of the new hotel as General Manager. With more than two decades in hospitality across the MENA region, Al Chayeb brings a wealth of experience to Aloft Muscat, including a proven track record of creating new food and beverage concepts and providing the highest guest service standards. A hands-on GM, he aims to turn moments into memorable stays for guests, with a desire to lead by example while driving business. “We are thrilled to debut Aloft Hotels in Oman. A brand known for its design-driven and tech-savvy ethos, Aloft Muscat will bring a modern, friendly, and comfortable option for global travelers and a new hotspot for residents in the Sultanate,” said Danny Al Chayeb, General Manager. Aloft Muscat is located 10 minutes from Muscat International Airport and is nearby to the city’s attractions including The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Royal Opera House Muscat, Mall of Oman, Oman Avenues Mall, Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Oman Convention and Exhibition Center, and three major golf courses.