The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), under the umbrella of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), has announced its fifteenth consecutive participation at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 9 – 12. The authority will also be present at their online event, ATM Virtual, from May 17 – 18. Furthering its mission to continue boosting the UAE’s and the region’s business and investment potential in the authentic, eco-inspired travel sector, Shurooq will unveil  new hospitality projects at the 29th edition of ATM, along with showcasing its diverse and world-class portfolio of existing eco-destinations that champion the spirit of conservation and the preservation of local culture and heritage, and in doing so, are redefining the leisure and travel landscape of Sharjah and the region. With a physical presence at ATM 2022 at Stand No. ME 2150 in Hall 2, Shurooq will also be turning the spotlight on its latest projects, which will be making their ATM debut. These include Lux* Al Jabal Resort – a luxurious beach resort in Khorfakkan overlooking the pristine waters of the Soueifa Beach; the Lux* Al Bridi Resort in Al Dhaid set adjacent to the Sharjah Safari, the largest wildlife safari in the world outside of Africa, where Shurooq and EPAA will collaborate to curate unique guest interactions with the wild; and Nomad which explores the emirate’s nature through beach trailer experience in Al Hamriya. . Through its presence at the leading travel and tourism event in the region, Shurooq aims to update industry stakeholders as well as regional and international investors on their latest contributions to the emirate’s travel and leisure sector, particularly …

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi announced the introduction of a new service to Manama, the capital of Bahrain, starting from 15 May 2022. Abu Dhabi travelers will now be able to fly direct to Bahrain International Airport with competitive prices and a frequency of three weekly flights. Schedule to Manama, effective 15th May 2022 (all times local): Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Frequency 3L 010 Abu Dhabi 09:35 Bahrain 09:45 Airbus A320 Wed/Sat/Sun 3L 011 Bahrain 10:25 Abu Dhabi 12:40 Airbus A320 Wed/Sat/Sun   Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said: “Offering our customers affordable and value driven air travel from Abu Dhabi remains our main priority. The new service to Manama, Bahrain is a testament to Air Arabia Abu Dhabi’s commitment to its customers and the industry.” Bahrain’s strategic position has made it one of the region’s most significant commercial hubs. The Kingdom of Bahrain also features multiple tourist attractions, where Manama, the capital city, comes at the top of the list for its wonderful charm, colorful markets, culture, and history. The new service represents the 22nd route for Air Arabia Abu Dhabi since the launch of the carrier’s service from Abu Dhabi International Airport in July 2020. Customers can now book their direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Manama by visiting Air Arabia’s website, by calling the call centre or through travel agencies.

In line with the long-established tradition of BurJuman Arjaan by Rotana and Jumeira Rotana, the hotels once again reached out to their communities during this holy Month of Ramadan. Following 2 years of restrictions due to COVID-19, the two properties incorporated the blessings of the event under the theme of “The Act of Kindness”; 240 construction workers benefited from bags filled with dried and grocery items ensuring food rations for at least 3 days. Mr. Ulrich Hoffmeister, Cluster General Manager of BurJuman Arjaan by Rotana and Jumeira Rotana said, “It is our pleasure to organize such initiatives, especially in the most difficult times like these where the pandemic is still very much active. That being said, we are delighted to share the spirit of giving and to engage in acts of kindness by sharing something with our community.” “It is our responsibility to support the people around us through CSR initiatives, especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan,” Ulrich added. For the past years, BurJuman Arjaan by Rotana Jumeira Rotana have been active with several community services and support of non-government organizations. The hotels’ initiatives confirmed the commitment to their core values of respect and integrity, demonstrated by the desire of “giving back” to the community.

The latest data from ForwardKeys reveals that the tradition of travelling at the end of Ramadan is making a significant revival this year. As of 13th April, outbound flight bookings from the Middle East for travel covering the last ten days of the festival (22nd April – 2nd May) reached 64% or pre-pandemic levels, a 220% increase on travel during the equivalent period last year. The outbound market set to recover most strongly is Bahrain, where booked departures are up to 90% of 2019 levels. It is followed by Jordan, 86%, the UAE, 84%, Qatar, 75% and Kuwait 68%. Deeper analysis of the outbound markets reveals that a major feature is expat workers travelling home. For example, the top destinations from the UAE are Pakistan and India and from Bahrain are the UAE, India and Bangladesh. The stand-out destination for Middle Eastern holidaymakers is set to be the Maldives, ahead by 178% on 2019. Bookings for France, 2% ahead, Pakistan, 2% behind, Bangladesh, 3% behind and the UK, 3% behind, are all extremely healthy compared to the end of Ramadan last year. The next best performing destinations are the UAE, 12% behind, Turkey and the Philippines, both 21% behind, Thailand 24% behind and Spain 26% behind. Looking at bookings for the UK, which is traditionally one of the most popular tourist destinations during this period, there is a significant difference in interest from the various source markets. Flight bookings from the UAE, which is the largest, are just 2% behind 2019. Bookings from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are 17% and 10% behind respectively, whereas bookings from Kuwait and Egypt are 32% and 59% ahead respectively. The recovery is also showing …

VOX Cinemas, the dedicated cinema arm of Majid Al Futtaim, will be recognised at CinemaCon, the world’s most influential cinema conference, for its contribution to Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning cinema sector. During the International Day programme (25 April), Saudi Arabia will be honoured with the Emerging Market Spotlight Award and, as a leading exhibitor and key player in the growth of the Kingdom’s cinema industry, the award will be presented to VOX Cinemas. This is the second time that VOX Cinemas has been recognised at the prestigious event having previously been awarded Global Achievement in Exhibition in 2017. Saudi Arabia is receiving the honour following a 95% year-on-year box office increase in 2021 according to Comscore, the media measurement and analytics company, who sponsors the award. The previous recipient of the award was Nigeria in 2019. “Cinema in Saudi Arabia is growing at an unprecedented speed and, in just over four years, it has established itself as a major box office player on the global stage. VOX Cinemas will continue to play a leading role in creating a sustainable film industry and growing the cinema culture in the Kingdom by expanding its footprint and developing a dynamic content ecosystem”, said Ignace Lahoud, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim Leisure, Entertainment & Cinemas. He added, “We are proud to see Saudi Arabia’s film industry receive international recognition and are honoured that CinemaCon has selected us to accept this award.” Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon added, “With almost 80% of the worldwide box office now coming from overseas, the international market has never played a more important role the cinema industry. In particular, the Saudi film sector is the emerging market to watch …

VOX Cinemas, the dedicated cinema arm of Majid Al Futtaim, is celebrating the spirit of giving this Ramadan by hosting a series of outdoor movie screenings at workers’ accommodation sites in Dubai. The initiative reaffirms Majid Al Futtaim’s commitment to give back to the local community and promote the highest standards of worker welfare within its supply chain, in alignment with its sustainability strategy Dare Today, Change Tomorrow. Over the course of two weekends (23, 24 and 29 April), VOX Cinemas is installing outdoor pop-up cinemas at Laing O’Rourke and Khansaheb G+3 in Jebel Ali and showing a variety of movies for 1,500 construction workers. The screenings are being made possible with the support of more than 20 volunteers from Majid Al Futtaim Leisure, Entertainment & Cinemas. “Cinema has an incredible ability to bring people together and VOX Cinemas is proud to enable colleagues within partner organisations to enjoy the shared experience of watching a movie on the big screen. As part of our sustainability strategy, we are committed to making a difference in the community and these screenings perfectly encapsulate the spirt of giving and togetherness, which is synonymous with Ramadan”, said Peter Stubbs, Director of HSE and Sustainability, Majid Al Futtaim Leisure, Entertainment & Cinemas. He added, “I would like to thank Laing O’Rourke for partnering with us on this initiative and to all the volunteers who contributed their time to make it possible.” Jason Lowe, General Manager, Laing O’Rourke added, “I am extremely grateful to VOX Cinemas for bringing the magic of movies to Laing O’Rourke’s workforce. This is a great opportunity for the workers to come together and be part of this special screening of their …

flydubai is to  launch 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 UAE …

With Eid Al Fitr approaching and more travellers planning to take to the skies, Emirates is responding by offering more flights across seven cities in the GCC and Middle East. The airline is stepping up its schedule by adding 23 flights and layering on additional seats with the deployment of both A380s and Boeing 777s between 28 April and 8 May to the four cities it serves in KSA, as well as to Kuwait, Beirut, and Amman. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Emirates will be layering on two additional flights on 2nd and 8th  May to serve demand in and out of Riyadh. In Jeddah, the airline will add five flights served by its Boeing 777, and will be upgrading one of its existing flights to an A380, to become an all A380 operation. Medina will also be served with four additional flights during this time, and travelers from Dammam will also have the option of one extra flight on 28 April as they start their holidays. This year, Emirates customers in KSA will be venturing to Dubai for their Eid Al Fitr celebrations, in addition to the Maldives, Paris, Bangkok, Mauritius, Manila and Los Angeles in the US. Popular destinations for Kuwaiti travelers this year include Dubai, the Maldives, Manila, Bangkok, London, Mauritius and Paris and Emirates will be operating eight additional flights served by its Boeing 777 during Eid. Emirates will be layering on three flights served by its Boeing 777s to the airline’s existing Beirut schedule to accommodate for more travelers as they head home to visit friends and relatives. Amman flights served by the Boeing 777 will also be upgraded with higher seat capacities. Travellers …

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is set to return to the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) next month by unveiling of two campaigns to the GCC market, which will run throughout 2022. The market-leading, international travel and tourism event will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 9-12 and Germany’s presence will feature a strong focus on local culture and the diversity of its various cities. Located in the Europe Hall at stand EU1235, GNTB’s participation will reinforce Germany’s efforts of enhancing sustainable travel and enjoy the support of six delegated partners: Baden-Baden Tourism Board, Breuninger, Frankfurt Tourism Board, Düsseldorf Tourism Board, Hotel Palace Berlin and visitBerlin. Positioning Germany as a leading cultural and environmental destination, the two campaigns span nature, sustainability, and traditional culture. In essence, each highlights Germany’s key objectives of promoting enjoyable, sustainable travel with a focus on diverse local culture accessible throughout the country. “We will be celebrating the Golden Jubilee of our long-standing friendships with the UAE, Bahrain, and Oman next month,” said Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales & Marketing, German National Tourist Office (GNTO), the regional office of GNTB. “Our relationship with the region has seen monumental growth as travellers from across the GCC have been exploring Germany’s vast itineraries for years. The appetite of GCC nationals to visit Germany’s cultural sites, national parks, and urban destinations remains undiminished, and we look forward to the continuous growth of our campaigns and regional appeal.” Baden-Baden Tourism is set to highlight its latest accomplishment of being awarded UNESCO world heritage status as part of the ‘Great Spa Towns of Europe’. Despite travel restrictions within the past couple of years, GCC visitors remains a …

Over three million passengers travelled in the first quarter of 2022 through Sharjah Airport, witnessing an increase of 119.2 per cent as compared to 1.3 million passengers in the same period last year. The aircraft movement for the same term also marked an increase in the number of flights by 89 per cent with 21,336 flights, compared to 11,279 flights last year. In terms of cargo movement, the airport recorded more than 39,566 tons during the first three months of this year, highlighting an increase of 26.39 per cent compared to last year, with 14.457 thousand tons in March alone. H.E Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah International Airport Authority, said: “The ease of international travel restrictions as well as the gradual recovery from Covid-19, allowed airlines to resume their previously suspended flights, resulting in improved growth rates. This is also in line with the Sharjah Airport’s commitment to providing the highest levels of safety and security for customers during the pandemic, making traveling from and to the city of Sharjah a safe and enjoyable experience.” “Sharjah Airport has been successful in gaining the trust of passengers due to its expansion and innovative strategies, as well as promoting its partnerships by attracting new airline and cargo companies. This approach fits with our vision of being one of the best five airports in the region, promising an exceptional travel experience and leading services,” His Excellency added. Furthermore, the Sharjah Airport continued to provide customers with the most innovative and modern services, while ensuring their safety and security, during the first quarter of this year. In addition, the airport recently received the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ award in …