The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the not-for-profit travel trade association serving government, tourism offices, hotels, airlines and other travel-related companies within the Asia Pacific region, opened its annual summit in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE graced by His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) opened the summit officially as the host destination, welcoming all the delegates to Ras Al Khaimah, “We are delighted to host the Pacific Asia Travel Association for the first time in the Middle East. As a dynamic and forward-looking Emirate, we are placing all aspects of sustainability (environment, culture, conservation and livability) at the centre of our investment and development strategy. We look forward to driving the sustainability agenda with key opinion leaders from around the world to build a stronger and resilient tourism economy for the future.” Exploring the theme ‘Reconnecting the World Sustainably’, the programme covers critical industry topics such as destination resilience, sustainable travel recovery strategies, supporting women in micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs), global hotel industry trends, sustainable gastronomic tourism, the voice of the next generation, and the decarbonization of transport. This is the first time PATA’s Annual Summit takes places in the Middle East. Hosted by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) at the Al Hamra International Conference Center, the three-day event brings together international thought leaders, industry shapers and senior decision-makers who are invested in driving tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific. The PATA association network consists of both public and private entities representing every facet of the travel ecosystem – government, tourism …

Saudi Tourism Authority welcomes the extension of Saudi’s multi-entry visa, available to visitors holding the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Hayya Card. For the first time ever, visitors will be able to enter and secure a visa for Saudi free of charge. To make it easier than ever for Hayya Card holders to enter Saudi, the visas will now allow for ‘Hayya with me’ (1+3) – meaning that Hayya Card holders can invite and bring three additional travel companions with them. The three companions must also hold a valid Hayya Card to enjoy free-of-charge entry to the unique, incomparable authentic home of Arabia. Visas will allow a 60-day stay in Saudi beginning 10 days before the tournament, without fees to issue the visa. Holders of the Hayya Card will be able to apply for their visas online and book a trip to the authentic home of Arabia with confidence, before, during, and after the World Cup, without having to enter Doha first. All Hayya Card holders are eligible for the Saudi visa, providing an opportunity to bring friends and family to visit Saudi with Hayya 1+3. The announcement encourages first-time and returning visitors alike to explore destinations in close proximity to the World Cup. Saudi is a short hop away making it a practical and convenient destination for World Cup attendees to visit or make a home base during the games. Saudi is expecting to welcome football fans from around the world. The Hayya Card is required for all World Cup attendees and provides entry into Qatar and the stadiums. Beyond proximity, travelers can enjoy Saudi’sauthentic Arabian culture, and adventure and round out their experience while in the region. Saudi will be hosting a dynamic program of …

Barceló Mussanah Resort has entered into two long-term agreements with Nowa Itaka and Cedok that will introduce additional flights from Poland and the Czech Republic to Muscat for the first time, commencing in October 2022. The agreement was signed between Barceló Mussanah Resort and Itaka Nowa during Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, UAE. The first flight coming from Prague, the Czech Republic landed in Muscat International Airport 24th October and this week flights from Warsaw, Poland will follow. The visiting guests will stay at Barceló Mussanah Resort, South Al Batinah for seven and 14 nights stay. The visitors will have a specially formulated itinerary that will give them a taste of Oman’s culture and heritage, as well as its famed hospitality. “These agreements with Nowa Itaka and Cedok are a significant milestone for our stakeholders and a valuable contribution to the tourism sector in the region. We look forward to providing an authentic Omani experience to our guests throughout their stay at the resort,” said Dermot Birchall, General Manager, Barceló Mussanah Resort. According to World Economic Forum, Oman is one of the safest countries to travel to and has been consistently voted as a must-visit destination by international media organisations. The number of visitors to Oman during 2022 has seen a substantial increase compared to previous years and is expected to grow even more. The new agreement includes weekly flights from Warsaw and Prague to Muscat till March 2023, welcoming 380 guests per arrival to the region. Speaking on behalf of Nowa Itaka, Piotr Wrześniewski emphasized “Muscat and Al Batinah are relatively unexplored destinations for Poland, we are very excited to open this new destination within our portfolio.”

Vienna records more than 112.231 bed nights in July and August 2022 from Arab countries in Asia, which is around 80% of its pre-Corona volume from 2019. The United Arab Emirates top the list with 41.191 bed nights spent in Vienna only, followed by Saudi Arabia with 30.885. While two thirds of the overnight stays are divided between these two countries, the last third is made up of the remaining neighboring Arab counties. During the summer months of 2022 there were again numerous direct flights from the GCC counties to Vienna. The airlines operated several times a week: the most frequent flights to Vienna were from Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with an average of between 10 and 14 connections/frequencies per country per week. Airlines from Kuwait also landed in Vienna on average 4 times a week. Around half of the overnight stays from the Arab region that are made in Vienna are generated in July and August. In total, there were 2.788.720 overnight stays in Vienna in the months of July and August. The strongest source markets are Germany, Austria, and the USA. “I am very happy about the excellent summer in Vienna, where overnight stays from the GCC region and its neighboring countries have already reached 80% of the 2019 volume again. The city highly values this group of guests who come to Vienna to enjoy its exclusive shopping opportunities, family friendly activities and unique flavours. Vienna offers as a year-round destination many new experiences for our guests from the GCC like the recently opened Mythos Mozart and the sightseeing platform on the Giant Ferris Wheel among others” says Matthias Schwindl Media Relations Manager Middle East, Vienna …

Coral Beach Resort Sharjah, managed by Hospitality Management Holding (HMH), announced the launch of market leading AMSAAN technology to ensure that the visitors with hearing disability can fully enjoy their exciting services and facilities. Gulf People of Determination Information Technologies launched their new platform AMSAAN that allows hard of hearing guests to select any of the available sign languages on the tablet and immediately connect with an online interpreter. The first step, which has already been implemented, includes Ukrainian and Russian sign languages, with Arabic, British, and international sign languages to follow soon. ‘People with hearing disability can easily communicate with other hard of hearing people but communicating with the hearing world can be more complicated. Ensuring that our hotel is hard of hearing friendly and barrier free is very important to us. We are committed to removing those barriers, so that our guests with hearing disability receive the same high-quality, personalised service we deliver for all of our hotel visitors,’ commented Iftikhar Hamdani, Area General Manager – Northern Emirates. ‘More than 9% of the world’s population suffers hearing loss of varying degrees,’ added Mr. Vitalii Mykhalchuk, CEO  of Gulf People of Determination Information Technologies. ‘Our company develops and implements complex IT solutions for deaf people and people with hearing loss that are easy to use. The key objective of AMSAAN software is to implement a distinctive approach for travellers who have hearing difficulties and promote tourism without barriers. Our global goal is to attract tourists with hearing loss from all over the world as well as to make the UAE as one of the most accessible and comfortable countries for the deaf people and we are delighted to have …

With just over a month until the International football spectacle kicks off on 20 November, leading travel company Skyscanner shares a deep dive into the global appeal of Qatar highlighting: The top football nations travelling to Qatar in November and December The global increase in bookings to Qatar this year The halo effect and increase in bookings to UAE and Saudi Arabia this year Game plan to find the best travel deals on Skyscanner for those lucky enough to bag last-minute tickets The top football nations travelling to Qatar for the global football event* A deep dive into Skyscanner data reveals the UAE as the biggest origin country for football related bookings to Qatar for the duration of the football spectacle, followed by the UK and Japan.  Dubai, unveiled as the top city destination for travel to Qatar during the global event, reflects how local and international football fans are using the UAE as a travel hub en route to the event.  In fact, global bookings to the UAE during the international sporting event have increased steadily since the beginning of the year with bookings increasing in September by 114% compared to the previous month.   Top booking origin countries for travel to Qatar during this year’s sporting spectacle United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Japan South Korea Spain   Top booking origin cities for travel to Qatar during this year’s sporting spectacle Dubai London Tokyo Seoul Madrid   Qatar is rising in popularity in the global ranks** As result of the global event, Qatar is surging in popularity as a destination globally in 2022.  This is most notable for countries with teams taking part in the sporting spectacle with bookings …

Oman Air will offer four flights a week between Muscat and Phuket, one of Thailand’s most popular resort islands, starting from 15th November 2022. The flights will operate on (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday). The Tuesday flight from Muscat will depart at 09:40 and arrive in Phuket at 18:50. The Thursday flight from Muscat will depart at 22:50 and arrive in Phuket on Sunday at 08:00. The first flight on Saturday will depart Muscat at 09:40 and arrive in Phuket at 18:50, while the second flight will depart at 22:50 and arrive on Sunday at 08:00. Economy Class tickets start at OMR 299 and Business Class tickets start at OMR 650, inclusive of taxes. Guests travelling to Muscat and Phuket should ensure they are aware of official requirements to enter or transit through the country. Guests can also book a customised Phuket holiday package through Oman Air Holidays.

SAUDIA Group is proud to announce its strategic sponsorship to the third edition of Riyadh Season, which kicked off in the Saudi capital on Friday with a grand opening ceremony under the slogan “Beyond Imagination”. Supporting the largest cultural and entertainment event in the Kingdom falls in line with SAUDIA Group’s commitment to contributing to Vision 2030 through promoting key sectors such as tourism, entertainment, culture, and civil and logistical transport, which are essential for Saudi Arabia to become one of the top tourist and entertainment destinations in the world. Last year, SAUDIA Group contributed to the transfer of more than one million visitors from 125 international destinations for the second edition of Riyadh Season, which ran under the slogan “Imagine More”. This year, SAUDIA Group has expanded the scope of its sponsorship by supporting the promotion of the event and help it further achieve its goals. Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Logistics Services Company (SAL) are strategic partners for this season, while Flyadeal will contribute as a co-sponsor to support the event. Moataz Alandijani, General Manager – Partnerships and Sponsorships at the SAUDIA Group said: “For the third consecutive year, we are proud to be strategic sponsors to Riyadh Season. I invite everyone to visit the largest entertainment event in the region and enjoy a unique and impressive experience, which includes exclusive and distinctive surprises provided by SAUDIA.” As the Wings of Vision 2030, SAUDIA Group seeks to contribute to the Kingdom’s aspirations by sponsoring several forums and cultural and sports events in Saudi Arabia to help transform the country into the leading tourism, culture, and entertainment destination in the …

Global Village, the region’s leading family destination for culture, shopping, and entertainment, opened its doors yesterday, marking the official start of its 27th season. This year, Global Village brings together 27 pavilions, over 3,500 shopping outlets and more than 250 restaurants, cafes, and street food options. Featuring 40,000 shows, guests can experience a new lineup of some of the world’s best performers, famous characters, world-class concerts, street entertainment and the region’s only water-based stunt show. More than 175 rides, games and attractions are also available for guests to enjoy, including the new Global Village Big Balloon, a one-of-its-kind Helium Balloon Ride providing spectacular 360-degree views across Global Village and its wider surroundings. Mohamed Sharaf, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Holding Entertainment, said, “Global Village has been a regional and international phenomenon for close to three decades, helping cement Dubai as a global hub for entertainment and tourism. Since the end of Season 26, our teams have been using guest feedback and data to find new and unique ways to take the guest experience to the next level. This would not be possible without our extraordinary teams and partners, who work tirelessly to bring the beautiful cultures of the world to Dubai’s Global Village. We are delighted to welcome our guests from across the globe to the 27th Season of Global Village with another unmissable line-up of attractions, shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences.” Celebrating the opening of Season 27, Global Village is bringing a unique fleet of some of the world’s most recognisable and iconic cars to the streets of Dubai. The Global Village “wonder rides” feature taxis from New York, Cuba, Japan, Thailand, Mexico, and Lebanon. Global Village will also …

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (the Alliance) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) committing both organisations to closer collaborative working, focusing on improving the environmental and social impact of the global hospitality industry. Through the MoU, WTTC and the Alliance have pledged to promote a united voice for a more sustainable future for the hospitality industry, cooperating on new research projects to foster understanding of the latest in sustainability innovation. The two organisations will also work together to raise awareness of new initiatives and suc-cess stories, launch new commissions and advisory bodies, further advance understanding of innovation and key sustainability indicators and partner on critical issues such as youth em-ployability, human trafficking, and climate action. Hotels and other tourist accommodation such as short-term rentals (STR) are at the heart of the hospitality industry, unlocking entire local economies through nearby restaurants, events, culture, and music venues. By working together, the industry can become a driving force toward a more sustainable future for the industry. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance has been a valuable supporter of our Hotel Sustainability Basics which are the first step in the ladder to advance sustainability in the industry. Although the hospitality industry has transformed dramatically in recent years, we recognise that there is still more that we can do together. Our collective efforts will enable the hospitality industry to continue moving towards a greater positive impact through this new partnership.” Glenn Mandziuk, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance CEO, said: “We are proud to be partnering with WTTC on promoting sustainable growth. This partnership combines the Alliance’s sector-specific expertise with WTTC’s scale and reach to …