Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) announced the opening of RAK Airventure, a brand-new tethered hot air ballooning experience, available exclusively at Manar Mall, the Emirate’s most popular shopping and leisure centre. Opening to the public on Saturday 30th April just in time for the Eid Al Fitr holidays, the family-friendly experience offers breath-taking aerial views of Ras Al Khaimah’s diverse natural and urban scenery. Offering all the thrills of a traditional hot air balloon ride in a safe and fun environment suitable for all ages, flights last approximately 10 minutes to giving time to soak in the stunning views from above like never before. Seek out the majestic Hajar Mountains, rolling terracotta dunes, lush mangroves and the city’s busy markets, palaces and mosques – as you fly almost 30 meters above the ground. Commenting on the launch of RAK Airventure, Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “We are delighted to unveil Ras Al Khaimah’s latest attraction, another unique way for visitors to explore our diverse Emirate and soak up its beautiful sights. With nature, adventure and outdoor experiences at the very core of our destination strategy, RAK Airventure is a perfect addition to our portfolio, providing stunning 360-degree views of our unique landscapes.” The launch of RAK Airventure follows the Authority’s announcement in May 2021 of over 20 new sustainable tourism initiatives across the Emirate marking an investment of half a billion dirhams in partnership with RAK Hospitality Holding and RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry. These projects center on the Emirate’s new destination strategy that focuses on nature, leisure, adventure, accessibility and authenticity. Operated by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the …

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi launched an exciting new route from Abu Dhabi to Salalah, Oman’s exotic tropical paradise. The new destination, in the southernmost region of Oman, provides affordable, hassle-free travel for tourists and residents in both the UAE and Oman with year-round travel opportunities to the sub-tropical paradise. Tickets are already on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app with fares starting as low as AED 39*. Salalah, most attractive during the wet and green Summer season between June and September, boasts outstanding natural beauty with rich wildlife unique to the region. Sitting on a long sandy beach, Salalah is close to both mountains and the desert, offering adventurous travellers ample opportunities for exploration. With a long history as a centre of frankincense, Salalah is a thriving historical centre with outstanding attractions that will ensure a wonderful travelling experience. Blessed with the famous warm Omani hospitality, Salalah offers unrivalled landscapes unlike elsewhere in the region with the sub-tropical magic of exotic fruit plantations and coconut palms. Michael Berlouis, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, said: “Salalah is a unique travel destination with the best summer weather in the region and abundant wildlife. Travellers to Salalah will experience unmissable nature with a plethora of options for exploration along both the coastline and in the mountains. We are delighted at the variety of destinations in our expanding network with incredible historical and cultural experiences awaiting adventurous travellers in Salalah. We look forward to sharing our love of travel and seeing you on board our aircraft for more convenient, affordable travel soon.” Strategically located in the UAE, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi also provides ultra-low fare, hassle-free and efficient travel options …

Hospitality Management Holding (HMH) shares its key takeaways as we look back at the resounding success of Expo 2020, rising above the challenges of a global pandemic to bring the world together in celebration of humanity and our planet. Dubai reached the incredible milestone of 20 million visits by Expo 2020 on 19th March, with 192 Country Pavilions opening their doors over the last six months.  A total of 1938 government leaders, including presidents, prime ministers, heads of state and key officials, have honoured the Expo site, to open their country’s pavilions, speak at official events or celebrate their nation’s Expo National Day. ‘UAE Hospitality Industry was stimulated by Expo 2020 just when we needed it most, and we are confident that this momentum is set to continue, with strong occupancy and revenue rates throughout our hotels,’ commented Haytham Abdelaziz, Director of Operations at HMH. Expo 2020 Dubai has championed three sub-themes to demonstrate how the UAE is “connecting minds, creating the future” – sustainability, mobility, and opportunity. The focus has been on partnering to drive growth, increasing physical and virtual connectivity to share services and goods, and using resources without impacting our habitat and planet. ‘The world got a chance to experience the best that UAE Hospitality has to offer through Expo 2020, raising our profile as an exciting, accessible, and socially responsible travel destination,’ continued Abdelaziz. ‘It has also provided the opportunity to build trade agreements with countries and companies from around the world, creating and strengthening inbound tourism and MICE partnerships.  Dubai welcomed 979.7K overnight visitors in the month of January 2022 alone, with the highest number of international guests from Saudi Arabia at 105K. According to …

flydubai announced that it is expecting a record number of passengers to travel during the Eid al-Fitr break. The carrier has seen an increase in demand for flights to its popular destinations which includes Baku, Colombo, Istanbul and Maldives as well as some of its more recently launched destinations such as Ljubljana, Salzburg and Tirana. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “We are pleased to continue our growth in 2022 capitalising on the tremendous results we reported last year after a very challenging two years. We are well placed to accommodate the surge in demand as more people get ready to travel again over the busy Eid break and the summer months.” The carrier has increased capacity on some of its popular routes for the upcoming break like Baku, Tbilisi, Maldives and Sarajevo to accommodate the increase in demand over the busy Eid travel period. More than 2,200 flights are scheduled to operate between 30 April and 08 May, a significant increase from the carrier’s regular scheduled operations. The anticipated seat factor on flights to routes such as Almaty, Budapest, Colombo, Kathmandu, Naples and Yerevan is between 80+% and full capacity over the next two weekends. The carrier has seen an increase in bookings for special Holidays by flydubai packages over the period, with passengers choosing bundled hotel stays and excursions to suit their preferences whether travelling in Business or Economy. Passengers travelling during this time are advised to check in online, arrive at the airport three hours before the departure time of their flight and have all the relevant documents for travel. Passengers are required to make sure that they are up to date with the …

flydubai announced the launch of flights to Izmir in Turkey starting from 26 June with a three-times weekly service. Flights to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) will operate from Terminal 2 at Dubai International (DXB) on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. With the start of flights to Izmir, flydubai’s network in Turkey will grow to four points including Ankara (ESB), Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) and Istanbul Airport (IST). flydubai will also operate summer seasonal routes to Bodrum (BJV) and Trabzon (TZX) frpm 23 June to offer passengers more options to travel this summer. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “we are pleased to see our network in Turkey further grow with the start of flights to Izmir. During the busy summer period, we will operate 24 flights a week to Turkey, providing passengers with more opportunities to experience different cities in the country whether they are travelling for a city break or beach holiday. The new direct flights will help stimulate trade links between Dubai and one of the busiest cities in Turkey.” Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey located on the Aegean coast. It is known for its archaeological sites, rich heritage and its pleasant coastal climate. Its central location provides access to the most mesmerising coastal villages and beautiful beaches, ideal for a day trip to unwind and get away from the city’s urban atmosphere. ​ Commenting on the launch of flights, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, said: “we are committed to making travel more accessible and providing more choice for our passengers. We are confident that Izmir will be a popular choice for passengers from the …

Riyadh Airports Company, the organization responsible for managing and operating King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has announced that passenger traffic has entirely rebounded to pre-COVID-19 levels and commercial revenues in March 2022 topped those recorded in March 2019. Specifically, duty-free sales at the KKIA climbed substantially in March 2022, with a growth rate of 62% compared to March 2019 (and a growth of 243% compared to March 2021). Overall, this year’s March was the most successful month of duty-free sales ever recorded by KKIA, and the month contained the new highest and second highest sales days recorded so far. Other categories also performed strongly with F&B up 12%, Retail and Services 14% and car parking up by 29% March 2022, all compared to March 2019. Commenting on this milestone, the CEO of RAC, Eng. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Maghlouth, said, “I am delighted with the robust performance and full recovery at KKIA. This illustrates the underlying growth which we will continue to build progressively, as we work toward KSA’s Aviation Strategy and Vision 2030”. Adding to this, Ayman Aboabah, VP Operations said “The strength of passenger recovery in March is an excellent result, delivered as a product of our collective and coordinated efforts. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our stakeholders and partners, and build further on the excellent recovery as the year progresses” Speaking on the tremendous rebound recorded at KKIA, Abdulaziz Al Asaker, Acting VP Commercial at RAC said, “At KKIA, we are thrilled with these tremendous results and thank the efforts of our staff, commercial partners, and customers in helping us generate these industry leading results. Now that we are finally …

Discover Europe Travel Summit, the annual two-day event, is set to make a successful return to Dubai 7-8 May, with more than 4,000 pre-scheduled meetings taking place. The summit will bring together a delegation of 97 exhibitors from across Austria, Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland, to meet with more than 100 hosted buyers from the GCC. The highly anticipated event enables the European nations the chance to share their attractions and other strengths, as well as create lasting professional relationships. Tourism spokespeople from the four European nations will gather between May 6–9 at the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, The Palm, Dubai, with the aim of strengthening ties with the Middle East market. Held immediately before the ongoing Arabian Travel Market, the two-day Discover Europe networking event is the perfect pre-cursor to the region’s largest travel exhibition, which will involve discussions and debates on an array of topics, including new technologies and industry trends. “The GCC remains a key market from inbound tourism to Germany,” said Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales & Marketing at the German National Tourist Office, the regional office of the German National Tourist Board. “With our incredible cultural offerings and beautiful nature, we believe we offer GCC residents the opportunity to explore something different. The Discover Europe event is the perfect way for us to introduce that to key partners.” Aisling McDermott, Manager Middle East & Asia of Tourism Ireland added: “We’re really pleased to make our inaugural appearance at the Discover Europe event and are excited to see the fruits of our labour come to the fore. Joining the event was an easy decision for us as we’ve witnessed the success in previous years and it’s …

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi launched an exciting new route from Abu Dhabi to Aqaba, the southernmost city in Jordan. The exciting new destination, sitting on the northeast tip of the Red Sea, provides hassle-free travel for tourists and residents in both the UAE and Jordan with the surrounding mountains and deserts providing an ideal combination of city-life, beaches and history. Tickets are already on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app with fares starting as low as AED 69 *. Aqaba, sat amongst mountains, desert and sea, boasts a seaside charm with pristine beaches and a hospitable climate. The picturesque town provides adventurous travellers many opportunities for exploration including museums, mosques and ruins with a millennia of history. Diving in the Red Sea is the star attraction with beautiful marine life and abundant coral reefs ready to explore. The lost city of Petra, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World , is easily accessible on a day trip with the capital of the Nabataean empire between 400 B.C. and A.D. 106 steeped in history. Michael Berlouis, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, said: “Aqaba is a stunning seaside town with a rich history, breath-taking beaches, and world-class diving destination. We are delighted to expand our network in Jordan and allow adventurous travellers more opportunities to experience the very best destinations in the region with a plethora of must-see options to explore. We look forward to welcoming you on board our aircraft soon with unmissable natural beauty and incredible historical sites awaiting travellers of all ages.” Ramzi Arafat, CEO of Aqaba Airport Company, the operator of King Hussein International airport of Aqaba said: this new route will …

UAE-headquartered hospitality company TIME Hotels has outlined ambitious expansion plans to increase its portfolio by 40% to 21 properties throughout the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Sudan. The announcement, which comes ahead of the company’s participation at next month’s Arabian Travel Market, which takes place from 9 – 12 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre, will see an additional six properties added to TIME Hotel’s portfolio, with developments in Fujairah, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and three in Egypt being showcased at the Middle East’s premier travel showcase. Mohamed Awadalla, the co-founder and CEO of TIME Hotels, said: “Following the challenges of the last two years, we have seen unprecedented demand for additional rooms in key territories in the region. This, combined with our in-depth market research, has underscored the need for new, quality-driven, value accommodation. “We have witnessed resounding success throughout the UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, and we feel now is the time to expand for the company’s future success. With six new properties, totalling 781 keys, this is an important time for our expansion and growth both regionally and internationally.” As part of the company’s expansion plans, TIME Hotels will expand its offering in the UAE with the launch of the TIME Moonstone Hotel Apartments in Fujairah, located just 10 minutes from a host of amenities, including Fujairah Mall, City Centre Fujairah, and the Fujairah Corniche.  The 91-key property, which is scheduled to open on 1 May 2022, will feature 13 one-bedroom and 78 two-bedroom apartments, an all-day dining restaurant, a gym, and saunas and steam rooms. The company will also expand in Egypt with three new properties, including the 117-key Marina Hotel & Convention Centre on the …

The Emirates Tourism Council – which met under the chairmanship of H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises – reviewed the national plans to develop a tourism data system in accordance with global best practices and promote tourism in foreign markets to increase the footfall of visitors in the UAE. The first Council meeting in 2022 – which was attended by the membership of heads, directors of all local tourism departments and entities in the UAE – also reviewed the performance of the tourism sector and hotel establishments in the country in 2021 and the growth rates achieved in several tourism indicators. Al Falasi asserted that the tourism sector in the UAE continues to achieve outstanding results due to the vision and directives of the wise leadership and the concerted national efforts to develop the country’s tourism environment by providing integrated tourism products and services that enhance UAE’s position as a preferred and sustainable tourist destination for tourists from within the country and around the world. According to the data, hotel establishments in the country hosted 19 million guests in 2021, with a growth of more than 29 per cent compared to the number of guests in 2020. Domestic tourism accounted for 58 per cent of the total number of guests last year in the UAE. Hotel establishments last year generated revenues of AED 28 billion, witnessing a growth of up to 70 per cent compared to 2020. Over the past year, more than 75 million hotel nights have been booked, up 42 per cent compared to 2020, while the hotel occupancy rate reached 67 per cent, which is the highest …