It was revealed at the end of the 21st WTTC Global Summit in Manila, Philippines that the 22nd Global Summit will take place in Riyadh, the capital of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 29th November to 2nd December 2022. WTTC’s global summit was attended in Manila with over thousand delegates, which included world’s business leaders and key decision makers from across the global travel and tourism sector to discuss the recovery of the industry. In her farewell address Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “It has been a privilege to bring together so many leaders from across the global Travel & Tourism sector to the beautiful city of Manila. This Summit is living proof that nothing beats getting together, sharing ideas, debating the challenges, and finding consensus. We still have a lot of work to do to bring down post-pandemic barriers, open economies and harmonise health data for seamless travel. But the future looks bright, and the next decade is there for the taking. We look forward to our 22nd Global Summit later this year in Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to mark the next chapter in the sector’s ongoing recovery.” Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Board Member of the Saudi Tourism Authority, said “We are excited to welcome the world to experience the excitement and the energy of Saudi. We promise you that the next summit will be fresh, inspiring, and rewarding.” WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Report also revealed the Travel & Tourism sector was expected to create nearly 126 million new jobs within the next decade and Travel & Tourism’s contribution to GDP could reach pre-pandemic levels by 2023. WTTC’s major ‘Hotel Sustainability Basics’ sustainability initiative …

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and its knowledge partner ForwardKeys, forecast a major increase in global international flights bookings as international travel takes off. The booking bounce back was revealed at WTTC’s prestigious 21st Global Summit, taking place this year in Manila, as the world continues to reopen from the pandemic. News of the strong recovery highlights a promising prospect ahead for summer holiday travel, with sun and sea destinations, such as the Caribbean and Latin America, leading the international inbound bookings. According to ForwardKeys, leading travel and analytics company, the country’s leading the ranking of top 20 best performing destinations for the summer are Costa Rica, Aruba, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica, all of which rely heavily upon international travel. These destinations lead the pack with bookings already surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Last year, the industry’s gradual recovery was significantly slowed by the surge in Omicron cases. However, the future is looking brighter for 2022 with positive booking data worldwide. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said: “WTTC 2022 booking data from ForwardKeys is a firm signal of the strong recovery of the global Travel & Tourism sector. “Travel to the Asia-Pacific region shows impressive signs of improvement as destinations gradually reopen their borders to visitors, in line with customer demand.” Olivier Ponti, ForwardKeys Vice President Insights, said: “It is very encouraging that Asia has finally begun re-opening, which is driving the return of both travel to Asia and within the region, both of which are clearly going to be instrumental in driving the global economic recovery.” According to the data, Q1 and Q2 figures for this year are showing triple-digit growth for inbound flight bookings around the world, …

World tourism executives and  delegates from across the global travel and tourism sector gather in iconic Manila for the 21st World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit under the theme, “Rediscovering Travel”. In her speech during the opening ceremonies of the summit, dubbed as the most influential event in the travel and tourism industry, Philippines Department of Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat expressed optimism about the growth and resurgence of the country’s tourism sector as the Philippines becomes one of the first Asian countries to reopen with the simplest requirements for fully-vaccinated tourists in a bid to revive the pandemic-hit sector. “With nature revisited, and sustainability reinforced, we move for the normalization of standards we have put in place for a safe, seamless, responsible, and fun travel,” said Puyat. We have strived to promote programs that ensure the return of confidence in traveling. We also saw a significant shift in tourist behavior and preference, and we seized this opportunity to shift the status quo to regenerative tourism, which seeks to leave a destination in a better state than it was before,” she added Puyat was joined on stage by WTTC Chair and Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald and WTTC President and CEO Julia Simpson. With the country’s first-ever hosting of the WTTC summit held annually, Puyat emphasized that now is a time to revive connections and engagement with people, and how both governments and the private sector can accelerate recovery and sustain growth. She also noted that the Philippines has remained committed to combat the effects of the changing climate and promote green tourism. According to the WTTC’s projection in its latest Economic Impact Report (EIR), travel and tourism in …

At the opening of the global summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Julia Simpson, President and CEO WTTC in her welcome address shared the agenda for the summit and the new initiatives to be launched. “Ma-bu-hi. It’s incredible to think of what we have been through since we gathered for WTTC’s last Summit. But we are here in Manila to Rediscover Travel… together. Dear Members, Excellencies, WTTC Friends. I am honoured to address you at our 21st Global Summit and my first as President & CEO. In times of crisis we have seen the true grit and resilience of the Travel & Tourism sector. During the COVID pandemic our airlines transported vaccines and PPE; our airports became vaccination centres; and our cruise liners used their connections to help repatriate people. Hotels opened their doors to the homeless and today are giving shelter to 1000s of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. The pandemic rewrote the rule book on how we live and how we travel. It showed how totally inter-reliant we are. Businesses and governments need each other to make travel happen. And our whole sector relies on the communities who host us. For over 30 years WTTC’s mission has been to highlight our sector’s economic and social value. But, it took a pandemic for leaders to really understand our worth.For almost a decade our sector’s growth outstripped that of the global economy. COVID changed all that. Now, recovery is in our sights. It is not uniform, it is faltering, but it IS recovery. Here in Asia-Pacific the reopening is just beginning. I congratulate the Philippines, a nation that has shown determination and courage to reignite travel. But the great powerhouse …

Cruise Saudi’s six-month long Winter Season 2021/22 which began in November last year came to successful close last week. About a third of the 30,000+ passengers sailing in the Winter Season were international guests, representing more than 80 nationalities aboard. The Winter Season itinerary saw the region come together to develop three, four, or seven night itineraries including ports of call in Jordan as well as around the Saudi coastline for the first time. Two of Saudi’s six UNESCO World Heritage Sites were also available to visit as part of 14 different tour programs available, Hegra in AlUla and Historic Jeddah, the Gateway to Makkah. Cruise Saudi has activated a total of three cruise ports – in Jeddah, King Abdullah Economic City and Yanbu – and ensured they are equipped with the necessary infrastructure and facilities to welcome cruise lines and passengers. A fourth port in Dammam on the Arabian Gulf is ready to receive cruise ships soon. Cruise ships from four international cruise lines – MSC Cruises, Scenic Group, Viking and Silversea – were welcomed and conducted more than 70 safety and security incident free sailings in total around Saudi waters, with above average NPS scores. This included both MSC Bellissima and Scenic Eclipse home porting in Jeddah throughout the Summer and Winter Seasons. Cruise Saudi CEO, Lars Clasen, commented on the milestone saying: “The successes achieved in such a short span of time, from developing the necessary infrastructure for the cruise industry to partnering with government entities and international cruise lines and welcoming passengers from all across the world, have left us humbled. Cruise Saudi’s aim is to catalyze the development of the local cruise industry by promoting …

Air Arabia announced the resumption of its direct flights between Sharjah and four cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Taif, Al Jouf, Gassim, and Hail, starting April 28, 2022. Passengers will enjoy flying directly from Sharjah International Airport to these cities, where frequencies will increase during summer. Schedule to Taif, effective April 28, 2022 (all times local): Schedule to Taif, effective April 28, 2022 (all times local):   Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Frequency  G9 1187 Sharjah 12:30 Taif 14:10 Airbus A320 Mon/Thu G9 1188 Taif 15:10 Sharjah 18:50 Airbus A320 Mon/Thu   Schedule to Al Jouf, effective April 28, 2022 (all times local):   Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Frequency  G9 1221 Sharjah 14:25 Al Jouf 16:00 Airbus A320 Mon/Thu G9 1222 Al Jouf 17:00 Sharjah 20:30 Airbus A320 Mon/Thu   Schedule to Gassim, effective April 28, 2022 (all times local):   Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Frequency  G9 1181 Sharjah 15:30 Gassim 16:30 Airbus A320 Mon/Tue/Thu /Fri/Sun G9 1182 Gassim 17:30 Sharjah 20:20 Airbus A320 Mon/Tue/Thu /Fri/Sun   Schedule to Hail, effective April 28, 2022 (all times local):   Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Frequency  G9 1197 Sharjah 11:15 Hail 12:30 Airbus A320 Thursday G9 1198 Hail 13:30 Sharjah 16:40 Airbus A320 Thursday   Customers can now book their direct flights from Sharjah to the four cities in Saudi Arabia by visiting Air Arabia’s website, by calling the call centre or through travel agencies.

The Middle East’s aviation industry is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 6 percent during the period 2022-27, according to data from research firm Mordor Intelligence. The news comes as the global travel and tourism community prepares to gather in Dubai for Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022, which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from Monday 9 to Thursday 12 May. Although the recovery estimated for international passenger traffic is gradual, Mordor Intelligence shows that the Middle East’s private and domestic aviation segments remained resilient during the pandemic and are continuing to display signs of growth. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME – Arabian Travel Market, said: “The latest market analysis suggests that budget carriers such as Air Arabia Abu Dhabi and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will drive demand for new narrow-body aircraft during the coming years. “The Middle East’s aviation sector has also witnessed high demand for private travel during recent years, thanks to corporations and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) opting for business jet and helicopter journeys during the pandemic,” she added. “As such, the Middle East’s aviation sector will represent a major focus at ATM 2022, thanks to a dedicated session on the ATM Global Stage, plus a number of related events and forums throughout the event. We also look forward to exploring long-term opportunities related to the future of transport,” she added. On the second day of ATM 2022, ‘Airlines Evolving for the Future: Hear From the Industry Leaders’ will address pandemic-related challenges faced by the industry. Moderated by John Strickland, Director of JLS Consulting, speakers including Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group and Adel …

The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in China held a webinar on District 2020, the dynamic Dubai development that has evolved from Expo 2020, as part of efforts to showcase the huge potential it offers international entrepreneurs and investors, while reaffirming Dubai’s position as a destination of choice for global travellers. The webinar titled ‘District 2020: A lasting legacy after Expo 2020 Dubai’ was held in collaboration with District 2020, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.  Among the participants at the virtual forum were diplomats, senior officials and representatives from the media and businesses community. Among those who addressed participants at the webinar were His Excellency Dr. Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri, Ambassador of the UAE to the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency E. Zhang Shenfeng, Vice Chairman of the China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and Commissioner General of the China Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai,  Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) and Sanjive Khosla Senior Vice President of Transition Unit – District 2020. They shared the successful results of Expo 2020 Dubai and the China Pavilion, as well as providing information on the tourism and business sectors of District 2020 to Chinese audiences. The speakers at the event stressed that Dubai will continue to attract global visitors in the post-Expo era. China is a key market for Dubai’s tourism industry, which continues to be at the forefront of global tourism recovery. After 182 days of memorable experiences, Expo 2020 Dubai successfully drew to a close on 31 March, having attracted over 24 million visits by residents …

Valor Hospitality Middle East announced its first hotel in Muscat, Oman, adding to its portfolio in the Middle East. The upscale, full-service hotel in Muscat, Oman is scheduled to open in Q1 2024, after complete renovation, refurbishment and rebranding. When open, the hotel will feature 201 guest rooms, ballroom and conference facilities, leisure and fitness amenities and multiple bars and dining venues. Located in the centre of Muscat, in Qurum, the hotel will offer a great location and diverse room mix for both short and long stays, corporate and leisure travellers. “After our recent hotel opening in Dubai, UAE, it gives us great pleasure to expand our third-party hotel management services in the Middle East by partnering with Mustafa Sultan Enterprises for our first of, hopefully, many hotels in Oman,” said Julien Bergue, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Valor Hospitality Middle East. “We are working closely with the ownership on the full renovation plan and in identifying a suitable brand fit for the fully revamped hotel” Bergue continued. Shabeer Mustafa Sultan, Chairman of Mustafa Sultan Enterprises, said, “We are thrilled to partner with Valor Hospitality for operating an international branded hotel in Muscat, Oman and to provide the best possible guest experience.  This collaboration points to a full renovation and rebranding investment that supports our mission to create long-term value for the tourism, real estate and leisure sectors across Oman. With our shared values and Valor Hospitality’s global expertise in managing hotels, we are confident the hotel will add great value to the vision of Oman’s leaders, particularly in the upscale hotel segment. We look forward to delivering an engaging and positive experience for all our guests”.

The Ascott Limited (Ascott) announces the re-opening of its fully renovated Qatar-property, Somerset West Bay Doha.  The revamp is in line with the group’s tenacious expansion plans for the region. Owned by Katara Hospitality, Somerset West Bay Doha originally opened in 2008 with a total of 200 units comprising of two- and three-bedroom apartments and was primarily focused to cater to long-stay guests. In line with changing traveller needs, the newly revamped property now offers 228 units in one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and is the perfect choice for solo, business, and leisure travellers. Mr. Vincent Miccolis, Ascott’s Managing Director for the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and India, said: “We are delighted to announce the re-opening of our newly renovated flagship Qatar property, as we introduce stylish urban living in the heart of Doha once again.  Sharing the neighbourhood with some of the country’s most iconic establishments, we are confident that Somerset West Bay Doha will provide an elevated accommodation offering for our existing traveller base as well as new markets. This much awaited re-opening is among the many exciting upcoming projects we have planned for the region in the coming months and beyond.” Offering style, comfort and a sense of home, the fully refurbished rooms exude a warm setting, inspired by contemporary and Arabesque décor. Each guest room is complete with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide breathtaking views of the gleaming Doha skyline, along with a range of modern appliances, a fully-equipped kitchen and a dedicated living and dining area, to make each stay convenient and memorable. A range of recreational facilities, lifestyle activities and business support services are available at the property, including a swimming pool, gymnasium, business centre, …