Wizz Air, Europe’s fastest growing and most sustainable airline, is launching 20 exciting new routes from Bucharest, Budapest, Catania, Larnaca, Milan, Naples, Rome, Sofia, Tirana, Venice and Vienna to Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The airline introduces a new era of extended travel opportunities at ultra-low fares between Europe and the Kingdom to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s global connectivity.  Tickets for all routes are already on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app, with fares starting from 54.99 €.* The new routes will majorly enhance Wizz Air’s presence in the Kingdom that will boost the growing Saudi Arabian tourism sector and contribute to the Vision 2030 programme to triple the country’s passenger traffic by 2030. Just alone this expansion will bring over one million additional travellers to Saudi Arabia next year. Jozsef Varadi, CEO of Wizz Air, said: “Saudi Arabia is one of the most exciting countries in the world for aviation portraying an eclectic mix of travel opportunities with unmissable destinations, countless exciting attractions, and a thriving cultural scene. Today’s announcement follows the Memorandum of Understanding we recently signed with the government enabling us to contribute to Saudi tourism’s growth and its entire ecosystem.  Not only does Wizz Air offer incredibly low fares to travellers given our operational efficiency, but we also fly one the youngest, most modern, and sustainable fleet of aircraft in the world. I see the Kingdom as a long-term strategic market for Wizz Air where we will continue to innovate and carry the flag of low cost flying for the benefit of  Saudi residents and visitors as well as the country’s diversifying economy.” Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the …

This season is no exception and Global Village as guests can look forward to a wide range of enhancements, additions, and upgrades across the destination when Season 27 opens on October 25, 2022. Improving guest experience is a fundamental part of every season’s planning and preparation for the region’s leading multicultural family destination for culture, shopping, and entertainment. The introduction of a third entrance, Happiness Gate, will give guests an alternative to enter the venue helping traffic flow and ensuring shorter distances from car parks. Guests will also welcome the return of valet parking, which will be situated at the new Gate. The highly popular Premium self-parking option will still be available at Gate of the World and revamped signage will support improved traffic flow. Aligned to Happiness Gate, the ever-popular Happiness Street is getting a facelift and has been both extended and enlarged. The new layout has been designed to give guests plenty of room to discover the vast street food offering available at the Global Village fan favourite. Global Village is also introducing a range of new premium experiences for Season 27. Beautifully designed Cabanas will be available to book for friends and family groups of up to 8 people. Guests can relax in style as they watch the world go by with their private butler on hand to cater to their every need. For those who enjoy the thrill and excitement of the much-loved Global Village stunt shows, guests can now upgrade to Star Seating to ensure the perfect spot to watch the award-winning, death-defying performances that have come to be a hallmark of the destination. Mohamed Sharaf, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Holding Entertainment, said: “We …

Connecting local car owners and travelers has become more efficient than ever. With operations in Dubai earlier this year, the expansion of the car-sharing service GetRentacar.com in the Turkish market provides more attractive offers and a more convenient procedure to get a car for a period of time. The core advantage of the innovative service depends on cutting-edge algorithms. Enhanced by AI technologies, the platform provides passengers with the offers that will be most suitable to them. Using the service, travelers can choose the location and date of their future journeys and set the price they are ready to pay for rent and the type of car they need. The offer is personalized for every customer so they can find the one that suits them best. Another good thing about the service is its internationality. Turkey is one of the world’s top travel destinations and the country is getting more and more popular every year. Even with the influx of travelers from around the globe, the language barrier should not be a huge problem for users of GetRentacar.com. The interface is available in 20+ languages besides English. Communication with the car owner is carried out through the online client service, so any negotiations are simple and mediated. The accessibility of the service is also highly valued both by car renters and car owners. It takes just a couple of clicks to get a car, including the owner’s offer, vehicle characteristics and parameters, and service fees covered by the system. The newly launched mobile app assists travelers from around the planet with renting cars in an even more convenient way by using phones. – Our approach to work is based on …

As travellers kick-start the search for their next holiday, Emirates is announcing that it will restore its non-stop A380 services to and from Auckland and Kuala Lumpur, starting from 1 December. The airline currently operates to both cities with a linked Boeing 777-300ER service, which makes a stop in Kuala Lumpur before continuing on to Auckland. The start of A380 flights will see both cities delinked and served with direct services to and from Dubai. The latest update to the airline’s schedule will offer customers greater levels of flexibility and much needed seat availability. The new services will also provide more opportunities to travel across the Emirates network with reduced transit times after the delinking of services, and faster connections to and from Europe, the Middle East, South Asia as well as Africa. The non-stop services between Dubai and Auckland will also reclaim its title as the longest route on the Emirates network, clocking in 14,200 km, in addition to being one of the world’s longest non-stop scheduled commercial flights. Emirates’ direct flight EK448 from Dubai to Auckland will depart at 10:05hrs and arrives at 11:05hrs the next day. The return flight will depart Auckland at 21:15hrs and arrives in Dubai at 05:25hrs the next day. All times are local. Emirates’ A380 service to Kuala Lumpur, EK 346 will depart Dubai at 0330hrs, landing at 1435hrs. EK 343 will depart Kuala Lumpur at 0145hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0505hrs. The reintroduction of the airline’s flagship A380 to Auckland and Kuala Lumpur will provide more choice for tourists looking to discover these exciting destinations, and also offers travellers a chance to experience the A380’s signature products and services across all classes. …

Radisson Hotel Group is proud to announce the opening of its seventh hotel in Morocco, and its second Radisson Blu Resort in Saidia. Radisson Blu Resort, Saidia Garden is located on one of the longest beaches in Morocco that stretches across 14 km. The resort brings together the tranquility of coastal living with the luxury of a golf getaway. Travelers can enjoy the local natural bird preserve that surrounds the town, private beaches, shopping malls, and a multitude of attractions and sporting activities. Saidia is a coastal city, located at the Algerian – Moroccan borders, near the city of Oujda in the Oriental “Blue Pearl” region of Morocco, famous for its 14km of fine sand beaches which make up Morocco’s longest coastline. First discovered in 1883, the town has become one of northeastern Morocco’s most frequented bays, popular with locals and international travelers alike. Saidia is known as the “Blue Pearl” for its beautiful blue waters of the Alboran Sea, filled with a variety of fish species, perfect for divers and water sports enthusiasts or nature-lovers looking to explore the local beaches and hiking trails. Radisson Blu Resort Saidia Garden features 150 rooms across six different room categories, all with 11sqm private terraces that allow guests to take in the stunning local scenery. The rooms are elegantly decorated in a soft color palette that reflects the local Mediterranean ocean color and glorious sunsets, and feature  modern amenities like Nespresso machines, soft bedding, and elegant furniture. The Superior and Family Stay rooms offer interconnectivity for colleagues on a work visit or a family holidaying together. The hotel includes a specially designed Kids & Co program, which keeps young guests entertained with …

In an exclusive interview with Daniel Rosado Bayón, Director – Spain Tourism Office, Tourism Counsellor GCC stated that they received almost 80% of visitors as per pre-covid time. “In the first six months of the year Spain received over 30 million international visitors which is about 80% of 2019. In respect to expenditure it was about 89% as 2019. When you take UAE, we saw a spike of around 30% from UAE as pre-covid level.” One of the key factors that matter when visiting Europe is obtaining the visa, however according to Rosado Director Spain tourism office, there is now good news to be heard very soon from the European Union. “During this summer we saw a surge in Visa requests. This goes in line with the huge come back of tourism. After two years of restrictions, this summer has become very similar to a pre-covid summer. With the spike in travelling, that some call revenge tourism, we have witnessed how different sectors, from aviation to hospitality or infrastructures, faced difficulties to cope with this sudden surge. Not long ago there was not too many people travelling, and now we have more than before, as people have realized that we only live once and that we need to do the things we like better now than before. Visa issuance is no different, the amount of request is so high that they cannot be processed all in time. Resources are limited and given the importance of controlling the borders of the countries the visa process cannot be speed up. Having said this, Visa offices have experienced a high demand but are doing a very good job on processing as much as …

Abu Dhabi Maritime announced it has licensed more than 1,000 jet skis via its Musaffah-based Licensing and Inspection Centre for Jet Skis since its transition from Abu Dhabi Police to Abu Dhabi Maritime in December 2021. Promoting easy access to licensing services, the Abu Dhabi Maritime Administration website and dedicated portal, with the support of AD Ports Group’s Maqta Gateway, offers a streamlined process for the licensing of new jet skis, licence renewals, and technical inspection bookings. The service is both free of charge and time efficient, with the full process taking only half an hour. Established by an agreement between AD Ports Group and the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), Abu Dhabi Maritime has a mandate to implement effective maritime services and state-of-the-art infrastructure. Capt. Saif Al Mheiri, Managing Director, Abu Dhabi Maritime, said, “Abu Dhabi supports a thriving maritime community and is today one of the region’s prime destinations for aquatic tourism and sports. By leveraging Abu Dhabi Maritime’s fully integrated digital licensing services, water sports enthusiasts can navigate the emirate’s waters in confidence knowing that their equipment meets the highest safety and security standards. “In line with our mission to further position Abu Dhabi as a leading maritime activity centre, our team of Emirati technical experts are always on hand to help applicants finalise all procedures within half an hour from the moment they apply online, which includes booking inspection appointments at the location of their choice.” Required documents for jet ski licencing include a jet ski ownership certificate, valid insurance policy and a UAE ID. To finalise the licence issuance, applicants should book an inspection appointment at the location of their choice to ensure vehicles …

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) experienced strong passenger growth in 2022, with 11.6 million passengers carried during the first half of 2022, which represents a 80% increase over the same period in 2021. The number of scheduled and chartered flights increased by 33% to reach 80,500, while total flight hours were measured at 212,000, a rise of 71%. During the first half of 2022, nearly 4.8 million international guests flew SAUDIA, an increase of 242%. SAUDIA operated 28,600 international flights during H1 2022, an increase of 156%. SAUDIA’s global network continued to expand in the first half of 2022 with direct flights to new destinations including Amsterdam, Bangkok, Entebbe, Marrakech and Malaga. This remarkable growth embody the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy, which aims to connect the Kingdom to the world. Domestically, SAUDIA transported 6.2 million guests around the Kingdom on more than 52,000 flights, an increase of 32% and 5%, respectively. “These achievements are the culmination of the efforts of every SAUDIA employee, be it in the planning, implementation, or operational stages,” said Eng. Ahmed Alwusiyah, Chief Operating Officer at the national airline. “These special accomplishments also reflect our guests’ confidence in our air and ground operations, which we are constantly working to refine and streamline for an ever-better traveling experience.” To help welcome visitors to the Kingdom, SAUDIA has been sponsoring major events and activities such as Formula E Racing, the Riyadh Season and Jeddah Season. SAUDIA will continue its efforts to promote the rich culture and tradition in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to achieve the aspirations of the Saudi tourism ecosystem, which is in harmony with Saudi Vision 2030. SAUDIA currently flies to more than …

DayAway, the world’s leading online destination for guests to discover and book curated luxury daytime experiences, has announced its arrival in the United Arab Emirates. Perfect for both travellers and residents who are searching for unique, engaging and restorative daytime escapes, DayAway connects guests with a variety of accessible, enjoyable experiences spanning wellness, dining, adventure and more.  With seven luxury launch partners currently on board, DayAway’s offerings in the UAE includes a Precious Pearl Experience at the palatial Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, a Bedouin Desert Adventure at Telal Resort Al Ain and the Ultimate Island Daycation at InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah that includes a 90-minute Spa treatment. Founded by lifestyle and technology leader Martha Waslen, DayAway launched in Singapore in 2021 with prestigious hotel partners such as Raffles Hotel Singapore; the group expanded to Hong Kong and Thailand in late 2021 before launching in Australia in May 2022. “We are delighted to have expanded into the UAE, a dynamic destination that has a reputation for providing a diverse range of luxury experiences. Our mission at DayAway is to elevate the everyday, and we’re defining a new era of luxury experiences that we hope will provide our community with opportunities to experience their favourite hotels in exciting and meaningful ways,” says Martha Waslen, Founder and CEO of DayAway. “Luxury hotels have a unique opportunity to connect with the growing experience economy by repurposing their underutilised assets as curated daytime escapes for both local guests and international travellers. The DayAway platform provides hotel partners with the technology and marketing tools to diversify revenue, while simultaneously engaging a new community of guests searching for experiences to relax, recharge and reconnect,” adds Waslen.

Qatar Airways resumed services to its fifth destination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qassim, with three weekly flights from 22 August. The airline will increase to four weekly flights from 2 September 2022. The award-winning airline will also introduce additional four weekly flights to Riyadh starting 18 August 2022, bringing the total to 20 weekly flights to meet the growing inbound and outbound travel demand. Qatar Airways currently operates 93 weekly flights to four key cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The addition of Qassim and the four additional flights to Riyadh will increase the number of Qatar Airways’ weekly flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to 101 non-stop flights. The resumption of services and enhanced capacity is part of the state-owned airline’s ongoing efforts to expand its services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to provide greater choice and seamless connectivity to its passengers. Passengers flying from and to Qassim will enjoy seamless connectivity to over 150 destinations within the airline’s extensive global network in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas via the World’s Best Airport, Hamad International Airport. Passengers can also enjoy the airline’s newly integrated rewards currency, Avios, providing them even greater opportunities to accumulate points and leverage exciting innovations in redeeming and spending their rewards. In addition, Qatar Airways loyalty programme members will retain their well-earned rewards balance and will be able to continue enjoying the redemption opportunities they currently have.