Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind two of the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism projects, The Red Sea and AMAALA, has announced new partnerships with The Ocean Race (TOR) for the next two editions of the Race, and with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) who will amplify their stories around the world. The Ocean Race has provided the ultimate test for sailing teams since 1973. Known as ‘sailing’s greatest round-the-world challenge’, it is widely recognized as the pinnacle of achievement for sailors across the world, and has created legends of the sport throughout the years. Beyond the race itself, The Ocean Race acts as a global platform to raise awareness of the environmental challenges facing the world’s marine environment and drive positive change. Over the years, it has brought together like-minded partner organizations from across the globe with a shared vision of protecting and enhancing our oceans, seeking to mobilize policymakers and industries in host countries to take action on an international scale. “We are proud to become the Regenerative Project Partner of The Ocean Race. Sustainability sits at the very heart of our work at Red Sea Global, so The Ocean Race – and its impressive ambitions when it comes to ocean health – makes them a natural fit as a partner,” said John Pagano, Group CEO of Red Sea Global. “The sea has always been an important part of Saudi Arabia’s history and heritage – dating back to the ancient spice trade routes, and creating thriving communities along its coasts. Through this partnership, we hope to support the efforts of The Ocean Race to raise awareness of the challenges facing our oceans globally today, and protect the outstanding …

Diriyah. The City of Earth. begins a new chapter in its history as At-Turaif, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the original home of the Al Saud family, and the seat of governance of the First Saudi State, opens its doors to the public for the first time on the 4th of December 2022. The opening season will include a vibrant public program of events, performances, and activities for all visitors to experience which will celebrate and bring the heritage site and birthplace of the Kingdom to life. Located in the heart of Diriyah, north-west of the capital Riyadh, At-Turaif is the birthplace of the modern Saudi state founded in 1727 and is regarded as one of the country’s most important heritage sites and a symbol of Saudi identity. For over fifty years, this area served as the principal residence of House Al Saud and the administrative district of Diriyah, the center of a state that spanned the Arabian Peninsula. Visitors will be able to walk through a vast heritage site of restored mudbrick palaces, mosques, former defensive towers, and curated galleries that tell the definitive story of Saudi Arabia’s formation and the rise of the Saudi dynasty. A beautiful example of the distinct Nadji-style architecture, At-Turaif is one of the most historically significant and architecturally impressive mudbrick settlements in the world. Open all year round and with no ticket required on weekdays until 4 pm, visitors will be able to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site across a variety of mediums to suit their own interests. From guided tours, offered every 30 minutes in Arabic and English; to Nuzul, an immersive theatre across an entire street of the district bringing …

The International Fund for Houbara Conservation Releases 51 Houbara to Celebrate UAE’s 51st National Day The symbolic gesture is in collaboration with Mohamed bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School with the participation of veterinary medicine students from the United Arab Emirates University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 30 November 2022: The International Fund for Houbara Conservation released 51 Asian houbara to mark the 51st National Day of the UAE in collaboration with Mohamed bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School and the participation of a group of UAE University’s veterinary medicine students. Each of the birds signifies a year of the 51 years since the union of the Emirates, the years of its development and the successes the nation has achieved. The occasion also coincides with the 40th anniversary of the hatching of the first houbara at Al Ain Zoo as part of their conservation program. Commenting on the occasion, Mohammed Saleh Al Baidani, Director General of the International Fund for Houbara Conservation, said: “With the symbolic release of houbara on this joyous occasion, we celebrate the fulfillment of the vision of the late founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, of sustaining our heritage and protecting houbara as a continuation of the houbara conservation programme he established in the 1970s. His vision came into reality with the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, under the mandates of the Board of Directors of the International Fund for Houbara Conservation.” This year, a group of veterinary medicine students from the United Arab Emirates University participated in the houbara release in conjunction with the launch of the higher education programme of the …

New research from global travel site Skyscanner has revealed UAE holidaymakers are expecting another strong year of travel despite economic uncertainty, but price-led decision making will drive change in 2023. With 88% of UAE travellers planning to spend the same if not more on travel abroad next year, how they are going to spend will differ. The extent of these changes is revealed in Skyscanner’s detailed Travel Trends 2023 report.   Key trends to come out of the report show that UAE travellers don’t want the holiday to stop on a Monday morning, but to work where they could holiday too. UAE travellers are also craving experiences grounded in nature and wellbeing. A way to reset and feel normal again.  Expect friends to ditch each other in favour of solo adventures, sneaky smartphone travel searches in the workplace and holidaymakers navigating the cost-of-living crisis to ensure their time away remains a priority. For travel in 2023, there’s a lot we want to do differently and some bold expectations on what future travel will entail. Future gazing sees almost one in three people expecting holidays amongst the stars to be a mainstream reality in their lifetime, whilst closer to home, advances in supersonic technology could re-define short-haul travel. Naomi Hahn, VP of strategy comments: “It is clear that we’re hungrier than ever to discover something new – even though we might have less in our pockets next year. The aftermath of a pandemic has made travelers look for ways to make up for lost time and create new experiences and memories.  Consumers have become savvier to value post pandemic – the squeeze on personal spending has shown that consumers will still …

During the closing session of the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Global Summit in Riyadh, the Rwandan capital of Kigali, was announced as the host city for 2023, marking the first time the event will visit Africa. Rwanda, the home of the International Gorilla Conservation Programme, will showcase the power of sustainable tourism to protect biodiversity and create thriving communities. WTTC closed its largest ever Global Summit today with more than 3,000 delegates attending the event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The global tourism body’s Global Summit saw speakers such as former UK Prime Minister Theresa May, former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, and actor, filmmaker, and Golden Globe winner, Edward Norton. The most influential Travel & Tourism event in the calendar, WTTC’s record breaking Global Summit, was attended by more than 85 countries and over 50 ministers. More than 250 media delegates from around the world attended the event, with many thousands of people around the world watching remotely. During the event, WTTC and the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom Saudi Arabia launched the Environmental & Social Research (ESR). This groundbreaking new data details the climate footprint of the global Travel & Tourism sector, and in a world-first, this the research covers 185 countries across all regions, and will be updated each year with the latest figures. WTTC also launched its Cities Economic Impact Report (EIR). Sponsored by Visa, the report shows cities remain the powerhouses of global tourism and will drive the recovery of the sector and economies around the word. Addressing delegates during her closing speech, Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said: “Saudi Arabia will be the next major destination for visitors as it invests $800 billion in …

On the occasion of the United Arab Emirates national day, Etihad Airways has collaborated with creative Emiratis to highlight the country’s legacy, culture, and promising future vision. The project emphasises the principles and values of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the UAE, which have been the basis of the union since its inception on 2 December 1971. The UAE’s national airline launched a digital booklet created by three Emiratis, Nadia Alnajjar, writer; Noura Khoury, co-author and translator; and Alya Alhammadi, illustrator. The booklet depicts the beauty of the UAE’s seven emirates narrated by a traveller landing in the country on an Etihad Airways flight. The booklet takes its scenes from Abu Dhabi’s beautiful beaches, Dubai’s architectural Museum of the Future, and Sharjah’s “Dar Alhikmah”. Continuing through the Northern Emirates the booklet depicts the traditional sailing dhows in Ajman, Falaj Al Mualla fort in Umm Al Quwain and rides on the world’s longest zipline at Jebel Jais mountain in Ras Al Khaimah. The tour of the Emirates ends with an encounter with a rare fish at Wadi Al Wuray’ah in Fujairah. The digital booklet is available on Etihad’s inflight entertainment system, E-BOX. Limited edition hard copy booklets, produced by the National Library and Archive, will also be distributed to guests on board. In addition, a video inspired by the booklet has been produced by the Emirati filmmaker Aiysha Alzaabi and will be featured across Etihad’s social media channels. During the UAE National Day celebrations, Etihad Airways will be serving guests a special menu with an Emirati touch, created by Emirati Chef Khalid. The airline has decorated the aircraft seats and its Business and First class lounges at …

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) launched its Cities Economic Impact Report (EIR) at the 22nd Global Summit in Riyadh sponsored by Visa, the report shows cities remain the powerhouses of global tourism and will drive the recovery of the sector and economies around the world. The Cities EIR analyses 82 international city destinations and shows that prior to the pandemic major cities were popular travel destinations, accounting for almost half of all international visits, both as standalone destinations and as gateways to other tourism hotspots within countries. COVID-19 had a devastating impact on Travel & Tourism and in particular major cities around the world as countries closed their borders in response to the pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, and as borders began to reopen, leisure travellers swapped major metropolises for less-populated destinations such as coastal and rural hotspots, leaving economies of international cities to battle through an incredibly tough three years. Thousands of hotels, restaurants, and attractions in cities around the world were forced to close, with hard working people losing their jobs as businesses struggled to stay open during these challenging times. The Cities EIR shows how both leisure and business travellers are flocking back to cities, as their draw as iconic destinations are once again becoming the beating hearts of international tourism destinations, and business centres for overseas visitors. According to the report ten of the 82 cities analysed are projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels in terms of direct Travel & Tourism GDP contribution to the city economies this year. Qatar’s capital Doha is forecast to see the largest increase from 2019 to 2022, in terms of international traveller spend as well as in direct Travel & …

‘Better Travel & Tourism, Better World’ a new report developed through a partnership between the Saudi-based Sustainable Tourism Global Centre (STGC) with Systemiq, the world’s leading independent system change advisory firm, finds that The Travel & Tourism industry could reduce its emissions by more than 40% by 2030 by taking radical action to contribute to the race to net-zero. The new report was launched at the 22nd Global Summit of the World Travel & Tourism Council being held in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia under the theme “Travel For A Better Future.” It is based on extensive consultation with leading stakeholders around the world representing hospitality, transport, OTAs, governments, investors, NGOs and academia. The global Travel & Tourism industry creates opportunities for societies around the world, the economy and nature. However, the analysis of the report showed that the industry today is generating significant environmental and social costs and is responsible for 9-12% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. The report found that without significant change these emissions will rise 20% by 2030, representing one-third of the total (net zero) global carbon budget of that year. This puts the viability of the industry itself at risk. The Travel & Tourism industry has a vital role to play in slowing down climate change, restoring nature and strengthening communities. This landmark report is the first to estimate a fully costed strategy for shifting the Travel & Tourism industry to a net-positive model by 2050. It calls on industry leaders and policymakers to move urgently to implement a reform agenda centred around five priorities: reduce emissions, protect and restore nature, strengthen communities, shift traveller behaviours and increase resilience to climate change and other shocks. …

Saudi Arabia has made a call to action for worldwide collaboration among likeminded National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) in creating a new Tourism Innovation Index (TII) to enable sustainable, competent and innovative tourism landscape across the globe. The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) is collaborating with the largest industry intelligence and news platform Skift to establish a framework for the potential index. STA brings its public sector experience and perspective and Skift its private sector tourism expertise. The call to action came during the 22nd World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in Saudi Arabia, where delegates heard how the proposed TII has the potential to contribute to resilient tourism ecosystems, destinations, and experiences. In the future the TII could provide thousands of national and international organizations with data that will drive elevated sector services, inform policy reforms to boost and enable country-level innovation.  The Index will continue to grow with inputs from countries around the world sharing insights, expertise and best practices. The planned index has been structured to incorporate international best practices as well as global tourism and innovation indices. The proposed new index builds on the work that the World Economic Forum, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the World Tourism Organization are doing among others. It would be based on surveys and hard data collection, and provide a holistic smart tourism score that measures performance across three pillars – the ecosystem, the destination, and the experience. At the Summit, STA and Skift made a joint call to action for other tourism organizations around the world to help them in refining the methodology and framework required to publish the first index findings and set a powerful …

The Higher Organizing Committee of the Sheikh Zayed Festival revealed the schedule of events and activities for the Festival’s 51st National Day of the UAE celebrations, which include drone shows, a huge fireworks display, the Union Parade (on December 3rd), the Global Civilization Parade, the Emirates Fountain Shows and many other cultural and heritage festivities. As part of the country’s 51st National Day celebrations, the Festival has prepared a line-up of events beginning at 2 pm (instead of the usual 4 pm) until 1:00 am over the course of three days, starting December 1st until the 3rd. The program combines several cultural and heritage entertainment attractions held in a joyful family-friendly environment that is meant to bring the celebratory spirit into the hearts of the Festival’s visitors coming from different parts of the country, including tourists from around the world who will take part in the 51st National Day of the UAE program. On December 2nd and 3rd, under the theme “Together for the Future”, the Festival skies will light up with state-of-the-art drones that will showcase spectacular art formations, fireworks displays, in addition to the impressive Emirates Fountain and Laser Shows that will illuminate the Al Wathba skies with the colors of the Emirati flag to tunes of Emirati traditional songs. Visitors of the Festival will have an opportunity to watch the live broadcast of the official UAE 51st National Day celebration on various screens set up around the Festival premises. On December 4, the Ministry of Interior will hold a military show to celebrate the joyous occasion at the Festival with the mounted team, the motorcycle team, bicycles, sand bikes, police dogs and the GTR patrol. The Festival …