The Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC) for the handling and processing of all waste within the Authority’s jurisdiction. The agreement also covers future cooperation between DGDA and SIRC on research, investment opportunities, deployment of solutions, operations, and management. The MoU was signed by the Chief Executive Officer of DGDA, Jerry Inzerillo, and his SIRC counterpart Eng. Ziyad bin Mohammed Al-Shiha. Under the scope of the MoU, DGDA, and SIRC will collaborate on citywide waste management solutions that adhere to world-class Practices for handling, recycling, and disposing of all kinds of waste. This will be done using cutting-edge, efficient technologies, cooperating on technical and investigative studies, and knowledge and skill-sharing workshops. Inzerillo stated that the partnership with SIRC reflects DGDA’s commitment to achieving environmental sustainability, maximizing returns on investment in waste management, and taking all the necessary measures to ensure the quality-of-life standards set in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 meet the satisfaction of Diriyah’s community. He highlighted that this was especially important given the city’s importance as the cradle of the First Saudi State and the Arab Capital of Culture for 2030. Eng. Shiha expressed his pleasure with the signing of the MoU, which sets a framework for collaboration and sharing administrative functions, investment opportunities, and technical expertise between both parties, saying that the agreement would help explore ways to diversify sources of revenue in the recycling sector.

Abu Dhabi holiday home operators are being reminded to register their properties in the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi’s (DCT Abu Dhabi) online system ahead of the final deadline of 1st August, to comply with regulations established to safely manage holiday homes in the local community. Individuals interested in renting out a holiday home should follow a simple online application procedure, which includes providing several documents, including a Licence application form, a photocopy of the passport or Emirates ID of the owner, the unit’s certificate of insurance, the unit’s deed, and any additional documentation requested by DCT Abu Dhabi. Hamad Mohammed Saeed Alsudain, Licensing & Regulatory Compliance Director at DCT Abu Dhabi said: “In line with international best practices, we are reminding  holiday home operators that the deadline to obtain their licence and lawfully take part in the temporary home letting business is 1st August. Our aim is for residents and visitors alike to feel comfortable and safe at holiday homes across the emirate, making Abu Dhabi an even more attractive destination for business and leisure travellers. We thank all operators and members of the community for their cooperation and understanding.” The requirements for operating holiday home rentals in the emirate came into effect last year following a decision by the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The regulations ensure that private accommodation operators maintain a standard of excellence whilst providing a wide variety of safe and secure options. The system also serves to support the increased demand for alternatives to established hotels and hotel apartments. With this, DCT Abu Dhabi is safeguarding high-quality holiday homes by supporting residential communities. Existing holiday homeowners in the …

Almosafer has experienced its best month ever for consumer travel bookings in Saudi Arabia in June 2022, with volumes exceeding pre-pandemic levels in June 2019 by 28%. The growth in bookings reveals a strong appetite for consumer travel as pent-up demand is unleashed with the removal of pandemic restrictions across the world. Data collated from across Almosafer’s omnichannel booking platforms has revealed the booking behaviours of Saudi travellers for this summer period. Saudi travellers continue to enjoy luxury experiences, opting to book stays at luxury accommodations with five-star hotels accounting for almost 50% of hotel bookings this summer. As people return to travel, they are spending more money for meaningful experiences as average order values for bookings has increased by 66% for hotels and 19% for flights, compared to the summer travel season in 2019. Travellers are also displaying resilient confidence in the travel industry as they continue to book their holidays in advance, with an average booking window of 36 days in summer 2022. With travel restrictions being eased, or removed entirely, across the world, there are now much less sudden changes to international travel rules which could jeopardise travel plans leading to growing consumer confidence. Spending on domestic travel in Saudi Arabia has also increased by 7% as Saudis continue to explore the many attractions in the Kingdom. Abha, the culturally rich capital of the Aseer region, is becoming an increasingly popular destination this summer with bookings up by 125% compared to summer 2019. For international travel, Dubai, London, Cairo, Paris and Sharm El Sheikh ranked as the most popular destinations for Saudi travellers. Bookings for London this summer have increased by 133% compared to summer 2019, driven …

At a recent interview with Tracy Lanza Group Head of Global Brand Development at The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) shared, “The Red Sea International Airport (RSI) will be operational in 2023, providing a luxury transportation experience where sustainability is considered in every detail. The eco-friendly airport design focuses on using shaded areas and natural ventilation to minimize the reliance on air conditioning. The entire infrastructure of the destination, including the airport and wider transport network, will be powered by 100% renewable energy. This includes our boats and seaplanes.” The Red Sea Project is a luxury regenerative tourism destination situated on Saudi Arabia’s west coast. It spans over 28,000km2 of pristine lands and waters and includes a vast archipelago of more than 90 pristine islands. The project is being developed by The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), a closed joint-stock company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia. It is located 500km north of Jeddah, between the Saudi towns of Al Wajh and Umluj. At the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, 250 million people will be within three hours flying time, and an estimated eight hours flying time for 80% of the world’s population.

Etihad Airways has become the country’s first airline to join the In-Country Value (ICV) Program. The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) is expanding the program’s scope to include new sectors like aviation as part of the national industrial strategy to sustain economic growth and raise the efficiency and competitiveness of the industrial sector. The In-Country Value Program, part of the UAE’s Projects of the 50, is a pillar of the national industrial strategy and benefits certified companies by increasing local demand for their products and services. By joining the ICV program, Etihad Airways will prioritize local suppliers and UAE companies in the procurement process. It will also encourage global suppliers to establish branches in the UAE, attracting more foreign investments to the country. The signing ceremony was witnessed by His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, His Excellency Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology, and His Excellency Mohammed Ali Al Shurafa, Chairman of Board of Directors of Etihad Aviation Group. The MoU was inked on behalf of MoIAT by His Excellency Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry and for Etihad Airways, Tony Douglas, Group CEO of Etihad Aviation Group. Etihad Airways joins 18 other leading national institutions and 45 federal entities that have joined the ICV program since it launched on a federal level late last year. The program redirected more than AED 41 billion in 2021 from implementing entities purchases and services expenses, compared to AED 27 billion two years ago. His Excellency Omar Al Suwaidi said: “The In-Country Value Program is one of the pillars of the national strategy for advanced industry …

Among key hotel markets in the Middle East, Dubai’s gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) came in seven times higher than the 2019 comparable, according to STR’s May 2022 P&L data release. Helped by strong international arrival numbers, as well as an earlier Ramadan, Dubai’s May GOPPAR reached US$115.37. That level was 776% of the pre-pandemic comparable. Just a month earlier during Ramadan, the market was at 79% of 2019 GOPPAR. Also reporting significant month-over-month improvement in the region, Qatar posted a May GOPPAR of US$60.87. That level was 466% of the pre-pandemic comparable after the market had fallen into negative territory using the same comparison in April. Saudi Arabia’s GOPPAR was just 39% of the 2019 comparable, down from 325% in March.

In an effort to encourage and facilitate domestic tourism, Oman Air announces new lower fares for Omani Nationals on travel between Muscat, Salalah and Khasab. The new fares are intended to encourage domestic travel and generate economic activity for local communities, both of which will contribute to strengthening the level of competitiveness across the country’s tourism ecosystem. Mr. Ahmed Ali Al Mahrouqi, Regional Vice President Sales – Oman & GCC, stated that the lower fares initiative reflects Oman Air’s commitment to local communities as the official carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, as well as its ongoing efforts to actively contribute to the revitalization of domestic tourism and economic activity. “Lower fares allow Omanis to discover (and rediscover) the geographical, historical, and natural richness that set the Sultanate of Oman apart from other places in the region as a distinct destination to be enjoyed year-round.” By planning and booking their travel in advance, Omanis can take advantage of the following special economy class fares available on omanair.com: Sector Price OMR Advance Purchase Minimum Stay Maximum Stay MCT-SLL- MCT or SLL – MCT-SLL 45.200 Up to 20 Days before departure date 7 Days Up to 1 Month 59.200 Up to 5 Days before departure date 7 Days   Up to 1 Month 64.200 2 Days MCT-SLL or SLL-MCT 32.900 Up to 5 Days before departure date 35.900 Up to 3 Days before departure date MCT –KHS -MCT or KHS – MCT-KHS 25.200 Up to 7 Days 35.200 Up to 1 Month MCT-KHS or KHS- MCT 17.900   Flights between Muscat and Salalah are operated by Oman Air’s wide-body fleet, including Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus 330 aircraft (in addition to Boeing …

Malaysia Airlines announces to double its capacity between Kuala Lumpur and Doha with a second daily nonstop flight commencing 10 August 2022, in response to high passenger demand on this route. The additional daily service will depart from Kuala Lumpur at 2:55am via MH164 and from Doha at 8:05am via MH165. It is in addition to the existing daily services MH160 departing Kuala Lumpur at 9:20pm and MH161 departing Doha at 1:30am, bringing the number of Malaysia Airlines flights to Doha to 14 flights weekly. The twice-daily flights will be operated by the A330-300 aircraft with 27 state-of-the-art seats in Business Class, 16 seats in Economy with extra legroom, and 247 seats in Economy Class. The additional daily service will be opened for sale from 25 July and will include Qatar Airways codeshare in both directions. This additional service strengthens Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways’ strategic partnership, allowing passengers to travel to over 96 codeshare destinations and enjoying seamless and most convenient connectivity, via the partners’ key hubs in Kuala Lumpur and Doha. The arrival and departure times of the double daily Malaysia Airlines flights offer customers full access to Qatar Airways’ unrivaled network to the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the US via the world’s best airport, Hamad International Airport. While simultaneously building perfect connectivity to Malaysia Airlines’ network to states within Malaysia, as well as South East Asia, North Asia and also to Australasia. Group Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Airlines, Captain Izham Ismail, said: “We are delighted to increase our frequency to Doha, after a successful launch of daily service in May. We recognise the importance of collaborating with our partners such as Qatar Airways, more so …

People travelling through Dubai International (DXB) now have access to a new customer contact centre that provides always-on access to DXB customer service professionals anytime, anywhere, at their convenience on their channel of choice. The new contact centre blends live and technology-enabled services for travellers to access support via phone, email, live chat, social media on @DXB and @DubaiAirports platforms, as well as WhatsApp for business, which is coming soon. Dubai Airports began testing the new integrated DXB service earlier this year to ensure seamless operations and guest support. The contact centre includes 24/7 bilingual support as well as the most updated and consistent information across all channels, including automated flight status check without having to speak to an agent. When needed, automated routing is available to key DXB partners including Emirates, dnata, the General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), Dubai Customs and the Road Transport Authority. “The new DXB contact centre exemplifies how Dubai Airports is making significant enhancements to the guest experience at every customer touchpoint. It is our commitment to deliver a best-in-class guest experience with every conversation while creating a safe, smooth, fast, and enjoyable journey,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. “The investment in customer service excellence at DXB supports the vision of the Dubai government to deliver innovative and integrated customer service. Our customers can now enjoy timely and efficient support across all contact centre channels in real time and on their channel of choice.” Dubai Airports is partnering with Teleperformance, a leading provider of integrated business services, to deliver this best practice omni-channel solution by combining an integrated blend of human and digital tools to support guests quickly and easily …

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), announced the launch of the Dubai Metaverse Assembly, a global event bringing together regional and international experts in Dubai to shape the future of the metaverse and explore its promise and potential applications. The Dubai Metaverse Assembly, to be organised by the DFF on 28 and 29 September 2022 at the Museum of the Future and Emirates Towers, will explore how the revolutionary technology can be deployed across vital sectors to create a better future and quality of life for humanity. The assembly will host more than 300 global experts, policymakers, thought leaders, and decision-makers from more than 40 organisations. Delegates will participate in sessions and workshops to take a deep dive into the metaverse, understand its impact on humanity, discuss the potential of humanising its applications, and identify the best ways to leverage opportunities across strategic sectors of countries, governments, and companies. Estimates of the value of the metaverse market globally vary between $10 trillion and $30 trillion within 15 years, underscoring the massive potential of the new platform. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said: “The metaverse is a promising digital world. We aim to harness this technology to enhance the quality of life in the UAE and across the globe.” His Highness Sheikh Hamdan highlighted that the Dubai Metaverse Assembly embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for Dubai to become a global hub for innovation …