With its world-class infrastructure and state-of-the-art facilities, picturesque coastline, luxury marinas and diverse destination experiences, Dubai has emerged as a leading marine leisure destination, providing residents and visitors the opportunity to enjoy a diverse range of sea-based activities and watersports to keep cool, unwind and explore this summer season. As Dubai’s enduring connection to the sea extends to the travel and tourism sector, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism takes a look at some of the city’s maritime and aquatic leisure offerings that people can experience during the summer months in Dubai. Residents and visitors alike can utilise the services of leisure travel companies which operate yacht tours from beautiful marinas in the city including Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Creek Marina Yacht Club, Dubai Harbour and Jaddaf Waterfront Marina. The high number of quality and safety assured yachting companies offer bespoke itineraries, the latest watersport experiences, along with state-of-the-art nautical equipment, for a safe and refreshing day at sea. Guests can enjoy a tailored yachting experience, with a wide variety of dining options provided and a full day of onboard entertainment, all set to the backdrop of the impressive Dubai skyline. Moreover, when embarking on a trip at sea, guests can be selective in their routes and choose from which port to hop onboard. The vast majority of routes offered by these travel firms will include incredible views of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks, including the Dubai Marina, the Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa, whilst extended itineraries include excursions to The World Islands. Alternatively, if guests wish to enjoy a more extensive experience, yachts are available to hire for longer, extended excursions. Amit Patel, Founder and Managing Director of Xclusive …

Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), has revealed details of the authority’s exciting adventure project coming up in the Eastern area of Khorfakkan, overlooking the serene Luluyah Beach. Featuring a host of adventure activities and sports, the upcoming project comprises a zipline, giant swing, a dry-slide track, hiking tracks, mountain bike tracks, and varied amenities for visitors and tourists from the eastern region and across the UAE. The project also includes an observation deck and a restaurant on the mountain top that offers breathtaking views of the landscape and the adventure track routes. The project is set for completion in fourth quarter of 2023, said Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, adding that it aligns with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to redefine the leisure and travel landscape of Khorfakkan and bolster the emirate’s position as one of the most appealing tourist destinations in the region. Al Qaseer remarked that the project enriches the expansive portfolio of integrated projects developed by (Shurooq) and offers comprehensive solutions to the ever-growing demand for tourism and leisure experiences in the East Coast. He pointed out that the project’s unique location, overlooking the serene Luluyah Beach, brings together entertainment, sports, leisure, and adventure at one destination.  

As demand grows, Oman Air will operate 10 weekly flights instead of 7 weekly flights between Muscat and Kochi, Delhi, and Chennai in India between August 1, 2022, and October 29, 2022. “We are pleased to announce additional frequencies to Kochi, Delhi, and Chennai effective next month as part of our comprehensive plans to better serve our international markets and meet our guests’ travel expectations during the holiday season,” said Hamad bin Mohamed Al Harthy, Regional Vice President Sales – Indian Subcontinent & Asia-Pacific. The airline will operate a total of 122 flights per week between Muscat and its 8 Indian destinations with the additional 18 flights per week, offering 10 flights per week in each direction to Delhi, Kochi, and Chennai, 7 flights per week to Bangalore, Mumbai, Kozhikode, and Hyderabad, as well as 3 flights per week to Goa. Al Harthy continued, “The airline will offer wide-body service, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A330 in addition to the Boeing 737, between Muscat and destinations in India. Oman Air is renowned for its exceptional award-wining products and services, both in the air and on the ground, and for the signature Omani hospitality accessible to guests on every flight.” Oman ‘Stopover Packages’ offer Oman Air-ticketed passengers the flexibility to discover some of the most desirable tourist spots in and around Muscat. Each stopover is designed to offer visitors a distinct taste of some of Oman’s leading attractions. Enabling the country’s flourishing tourism potential is something Oman Air Holidays does exceptionally well, and the launch of its stopover packages adds to Oman’s growing inventory of custom stays and experiences. Oman Air welcomes all guests to the Sultanate of Oman …

Kuwait tourism in its effort to introduce more attractions for citizens, residents and tourists are on the way to developing a unique project as Ras Al Ard.The project aims to develop the Ras Al-Ard club site, which has an area of 35,000 square meters. The project was designed to be a contemporary and integrated facility that contains recreational and sports activities that meet the needs of participants from different groups of indoor and outdoor swimming pools and children of all ages, all year round.and visitors in general. Project sections include Kids club, Food and beverage outlets & terraces, Cabanas, Multi-use sports court, Outdoor infinity pool, Parking & driveways with landscaping, paved walkways & boardwalk.

Saudi Arabia’s best and brightest future hospitality workers have arrived at les Roches Global Hospitality Education on its campus in Marbella, Spain. The cohort is part of a new program announced by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism to equip 100,000 young Saudis with the key hospitality skills needed to pursue careers in the Kingdom’s flourishing tourism industry. Launched by His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia at the 116th session of the World Tourism Organization’s Executive Council in Jeddah last month, ‘Tourism Trailblazers’ will provide in-depth global experience to the tourism industry’s future leaders. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia said: “The program demonstrates our commitment to empowering young people by providing them with right skills, support and opportunities to shape the future of the tourism industry. “It is vital that we invest in our youth now. Creating a skilled workforce with the talent and ambition to support and drive the tourism sector regionally and globally is key to realising the Saudi Vision 2030, a unique and transformative economic and social reform blueprint that is opening Saudi Arabia up to the world.” The program has three main objectives that aim to nurture, develop and support talent in the industry. It seeks to spread a culture of professionalism, help nascent professionals gain the knowledge and qualifications needed to break into the industry, and support their success through refinement of their skills. The program will help trainees to secure jobs within the sector, including seasonal, part-time, or full-time opportunities across the Kingdom. The first cohort of students at les Roches Global Hospitality Education on its campus in Marbella will be equipped with the …

Flights to the Maldives commence from 4th October making the tropical dream island paradise more accessible and affordable than ever. From 30 October, flights to Kuwait City will begin, underpinning Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s commitment to the Gulf region. The new routes will be operated onboard Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s newest Airbus 321 Neo aircraft, which is expected to join the national airline’s fleet later this year Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the ultra-low-fare national airline of the UAE, today announces it will launch two new routes from Abu Dhabi to the idyllic island paradise of the Maldives, and the airline’s fifth key destination in the Gulf, Kuwait. The new routes will offer travellers the opportunity to explore marvellous destinations in line with the airline’s ambition to provide tourists and residents in the UAE and the region with hassle-free, affordable travel options. Tickets are on sale now on wizzair.com and on the airline’s mobile app, with fares starting from just AED 99* for Kuwait and AED 319* for Maldives. From October, Wizz Air will offer flights four times a week on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from Abu Dhabi to Male, the main international airport in the Maldives. Located in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is an unrivalled holiday destination, boasting white sandy beaches, spectacular sunsets and colourful reefs brimming with wildlife. With year-round tropical weather, this picturesque paradise promises ultimate escapism from everyday life. For those yearning to discover what the islands have to offer, Wizz Air’s new route unlocks affordable travel options for those within the UAE and for self-connecting passengers travelling from Central and Eastern Europe via the Wizz Air network. Flights to Kuwait, located in the North-Western …

Policybazaar.ae announced that there has been a significant rise in demand for travel insurance in FY21-22 in the UAE. The fintech company saw a 150% increase in sale of travel insurance policies where travelers bought more policies in Quarter 2 in comparison to the Quarter 1 of 2022. The company saw a rise in demand from top tourist destinations such as the USA, Schengen countries, Indonesia, UK amongst others – as majority of these countries have made travel insurance mandatory along with other valid travel documents. Apart from the countries where travel insurance is mandatory, the other reason behind more travelers buying travel insurance policy is due to lingering dread of the pandemic. The other major reason resulting in an increase in the sale of travel insurance policy was due to a knock-on effect on the luggage mishandling situation such as either lost or delayed baggage, due to acute shortage of baggage handlers at the airports. The global travel insurance market size was valued at $12.38 billion in 2020, and is projected to reach $119.31 billion by 2030. This translates to a growth at a CAGR of 26.1% from 2021 to 2030. While travel has picked up its pace globally, airports around the world are facing extremely high levels of flight cancellations and delays in the past few months. Having a travel insurance policy may not be mandatory for tourists in all the countries, but it is always recommended to have one when traveling abroad. Travel insurance policy compensates travelers from undue expenses in situations of a medical emergency, personal liability, or other emergencies like loss of baggage. Delaying or losing check-in baggage is one of the most common adversities …

Emirates will increase the frequency of its services to/from London Gatwick airport with the addition of a third daily flight, effective 27 July until 3 August 2022. This third daily flight will help serve high demand from customers travelling to and from London this summer. It will also provide additional seats to accommodate Emirates passengers affected by capacity adjustments on flights from London Heathrow, which will be made to help ease operational pressures at the airport. Emirates’ customers impacted by capacity adjustments at London Heathrow will be contacted directly by the airline or their travel agent. The airline is working closely with its travel partners to re-accommodate any impacted bookings and ensure smooth onward flight connections for customers to reach their planned destination. The additional daily flight to London Gatwick will be operated by a wide-body Emirates Boeing 777 aircraft offering seats in First, Business and Economy class. Flight EK011 and EK012 will operate to and out of London Gatwick in the morning. Emirates is grateful for the support of London Gatwick Airport, along other partners on the ground who have been working closely with the airline to secure sufficient ground handling resources to deal with the additional demand, and provide passengers with a smooth and reliable journey. Emirates will continue to operate its six daily flights to/from London Heathrow during this period, and its planned re-start of daily services to London Stansted will commence on 1 August.

Wego has tied up with Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to invite MNEA travelers to enjoy the best of the country in the new norm. To revive tourism in Thailand, the country launched the ‘Visit Thailand Year 2022’ campaign. The campaign under the theme “Amazing New Chapters” which the key messages will highlight the abundance of tourism products and services in Thailand that will fulfil all your travel desires, because from A to Z, Thailand has it all. The country ranks among the top 10 destinations for GCC travelers. It will be promoted across all Wego marketing channels to drive more visitors to the country and spread awareness on the new things to do and explore in the country post COVID-19. Chaiwat Tamtai Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand for Dubai and the Middle East commented: “One of the key travel trends for 2022 is workcation. As a result of this trend, Wego saw a spike in the number of searches on holiday homes 136%, hotel apartments 92% and apartments by 69% in Q1 2022 in comparison to the same period last year. And to make the country travel-friendly for workcations & remote jobs, Thailand is planning to launch a long-term resident visa for retirees, working professionals, specialists, and wealthy foreigners.” The top destinations searching for Thailand from Jan to June 2022, are Saudi which saw 56 % compared to the same period in 2021, followed by Kuwait with 15% increase, UAE with 12%, and Bahrain with 7%. 48% of people searching for holidays in Thailand are solos, followed by 27% couples, and 24% families.   Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and …

Oman Air launched its Future Leaders Commercial Graduate Programme exclusively for Omani graduates. The intensive 2-year programme is currently accepting applications from university graduates of 2020, 2021, or 2022 and will offer up to 12 selected candidates the opportunity to gain internationally recognised qualifications while being exposed to all commercial functions at Oman Air. Future Leaders, which officially begins in October 2022, is designed for the most talented Omani graduates, and expands on Oman Air’s excellence-focused culture. With job rotations that will expose students to six core commercial departments—Strategy & Planning, Revenue Management, Sales, Marketing, Product Development, and Service Delivery—graduates will receive practical experience from inside the airline’s diverse commercial department. The programme will help students reach their potential as commercial managers and provide them with the skill sets needed to enter the airline sector. Oman Air CEO Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi remarked, “We are committed to attracting, guiding and mentoring university students for a successful career in aviation, which is why we are strengthening Oman Air’s commercial department with Omani graduates. There’s no better place for them to learn the ins and outs of the airline business and develop potential for commercial management than at our headquarters in Muscat. Through Future Leaders, we aim to train the best minds to become the best leaders with hands-on learning and responsibility in a fast-paced, real-world airline setting.” Students in the programme will receive formal induction and training for two weeks before starting their employment with Oman Air. They will receive soft and hard skills training from senior commercial leadership during their first week of onboarding. Additionally, they will be given an overview of each commercial department and how they all come …