Etihad Airways unveiled its new Airbus A350-1000, registration A6-XWB, on a special inaugural commercial flight from Abu Dhabi to Paris. The aircraft is the first A350 to be operated by a UAE airline, and the first of five A350s set to join Etihad’s fleet over the coming months. The first flight departed Abu Dhabi for Paris Charles de Gaulle at 7.30am with a delegation including diplomatic dignitaries, Etihad and Airbus representatives, media, trade partners and other VIPs. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, commented: “The Airbus A350 is an absolutely incredible aircraft, and we are proud to introduce it into the Etihad Airways network today. Our teams have worked closely together to craft a product and travel proposition that will ensure every journey with Etihad is a choice well made – both for our guests and for the planet. With highly efficient fuel consumption and CO2 savings, the A350 will support our goals to reduce carbon emissions and deliver an unmatched flight experience for our guests.” Mikail Houari, President, Airbus Africa and Middle East, commented: “Etihad Airways has been a long-standing partner of Airbus in the UAE and we are excited to continue our collaboration. The A350-1000 is setting new standards of air travel, offering unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions. This marks the start of a promising new chapter for the UAE’s aviation sector, led by innovation and a commitment to sustainability. We look forward to many more years of partnership and working together to support Etihad Airways expand its network through our most technologically advanced and efficient aircraft.” The aircraft, named Sustainability50, carries a unique livery in recognition …

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the Malaysia Pavilion has secured over RM70 billion worth of trade and business leads through its 6-month participation in Expo 2020 Dubai. The trade and business leads achieved cover a wide range of sectors based on the 26 thematic weekly business programmes organised by the Malaysia Pavilion including agricommodities, digital economy, Industry 4.0, energy, health, education and tourism, agriculture, technology and innovation and others. The weekly programmes were led and participated by 21 different ministries, 70 agencies, 5 state governments, almost 500 Malaysian companies, involving over 10 industry verticals. The Prime Minister announced this at an appreciation luncheon at the 2020 Club by Emaar in Expo 2020 Dubai’s site. “This historic Expo has provided the global business community a platform to engage each other in recovering from a post-pandemic fallout,” said the Prime Minister. “Malaysian companies have leveraged this opportunity to grow their network and promote their products to a global marketplace,” he added. “Prior to our participation at the Expo, Malaysia had set a target of achieving between RM8 billion and RM10 billion in potential trade and investment opportunities throughout our six-month participation,” said the Prime Minister. The luncheon event was also attended by Ambassador of Malaysia to the UAE His Excellency Dato’ Mohd Tarid Sufian; Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry The Honourable, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali; Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, The Honourable Dato’ Sri Dr. Adham Baba; Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Honourable Dato’ Sri Saifuddin Abdullah; Secretary-General of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) cum Commissioner-General of Malaysia for Expo 2020 Dubai, Datuk Zainal Abidin Abu Hassan; as well as other …

Bahrain Airport Services (BAS) has signed a contract with SITA to deploy SITA Airport Management, enabling BAS to manage its ground handler operations as cost effectively as possible and ensure the services are delivered in a timely manner, avoiding flight delays.  A key component of the technology upgrade is SITA Mobile Resource Manager which calculates optimal staffing levels, creates optimized rosters, and gives a real time view of task allocations and activities at Bahrain International Airport (BIA). Through the new system, agents will be offered mobile access to enable data entry at the time and place of their operations. The system can also be used by all BAS staff working on shift rosters. SITA Mobile Resource Manager provides an innovative way to connect mobile wireless devices in the hands of employees with the back-office systems and people needed to make things happen. Real-time updates improve and accelerate decision-making as events unfold, enabling more effective planning and allocation of resources. Automatic task logging increases the accuracy of billable services, boosting revenue generation and dramatically reducing time spent on charging disputes. Commenting on this upgrade, Mohamed Khalil, CEO, BAS, said: “As we phase out manual and paper-based operations, the SITA solution offers the next generation of mobile resource management systems that will enable us to significantly improve our planning and rostering activities. The system will optimize resource deployment for ground handling management at BIA while also assisting us in enhancing planning, operational efficiency, employee management, and customer service.” The approach ensures the involvement of ground operations staff by using digital personal devices to replace paper-based records of advocacy services provided to airline customers. This technology will also help BAS to assess all …

The Ascott Limited (Ascott) announced the opening of its latest property in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA): the highly-anticipated Somerset Downtown Al Khobar. Serving as the newest addition to Ascott’s burgeoning Middle East, Africa and Turkey portfolio, the property marks the group’s 12th operational property across the region and sets the pace for an exhilarating start to property openings across the region. Located in the heart of Al Khobar, Somerset Downtown Al Khobar offers guests comfort and exclusive living in the city’s prime entertainment and business district, the Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Road. The property is part of a dynamic neighbourhood that is home to a melting pot of diversified experiences, with an ever-growing business sector and an array of entertainment options that include shopping malls, beaches, gardens, museums, water sports and culinary treats, all within close proximity for guests to explore. The city of Al Khobar is accessible via the King Fahd International Airport, King Abdul Aziz Port, and the Bahrain-Khobar causeway. Commenting on the signing, Mr. Vincent Miccolis, Ascott’s Managing Director, Middle East, Africa, Turkey and India, said: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of Ascott’s largest growing markets in the Middle East, and the opening of Somerset Downtown Al Khobar is the latest milestone in our unparalleled expansion plans for the region. We are thrilled and look forward to welcoming guests to Somerset Downtown Al Khobar to experience its world-class amenities and inspiring living spaces, coupled with Ascott’s award-wining hospitality for the perfect home-away-from home retreat. Whether planning a long stay or a little getaway, Somerset Downtown Al Khobar is the perfect choice for travellers who enjoy balanced living.” Somerset Downtown Al Khobar is a …

Dubai Autodrome announced that the 2021-2022 motorsport season recorded a contribution of AED 17.9 million to the UAE’s tourism and economy sectors. Dubai Autodrome hosted several regional and global championships during the season, spanning six months from October 1, 2021 to March 13, 2022. Dubai Autodrome hosted several major international sporting events, starting with the Historic Dubai Grand Prix Revival, the Hankook 24H Dubai, the Asian Le Mans series, Formula 4 UAE, Formula Regional Asian Championship (formerly known as F3 Asia), the Ferrari Challenge APAC, the Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East, the Gulf Radical Cup, the Sportsbike Racing Series and the NGK UAE Procar Championship. In addition to offering an exciting experience for fans, the sporting season also made a positive impact on the country’s tourism sector, resulting in more than 20,426 sold-out hotel rooms from November 2021 to March 2022. The figures also reveal that bookings worth AED 6 million have been made for over 3,000 inbound flights, as a direct result of international drivers and teams in-bound to the UAE. When it comes to the logistical requirements of the championships, over 258 containers were shipped to Dubai for the motorsport events further enhancing the economic impact of the season. Faisal Sahlawi, General Manager, Dubai Autodrome, said: “We are proud of how the motorsport season has contributed to the UAE’s tourism industry and economy, through several major sporting events in Dubai. Hosting some of the biggest motorsport championships and drivers in the world is extremely rewarding and showcases why the city of Dubai is widely regarded as one of the  greatest sporting destinations in the world. The events were attended by motorsport professionals from all over the world, and …

As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s entertainment industry continues to grow, emerging partnerships indicate the sector’s increasing strength in the country. One critical development is the partnership agreement between Al Hokair Group for Tourism and Development and the entertainment brand Brass Monkey. The partnership will see Al Hokair Group develop a range of destinations across several regions where customers can enjoy Brass Monkey’s unique approach to entertainment and fun. Established in the United Arab Emirates, Brass Monkey has been combining good times with delicious dining featuring American and Asian dishes since 2020. The brand has enjoyed substantial success in a short time by focusing on creating happy moments filled with dynamic activities. Across its venues, it offers over 60 arcade games, bowling alleys, basketball, hockey, and nostalgic favorites, like Pac-Man, which appeal to all ages. Fahad Al-Fawaz, CEO of Al-Hokair Group, and Ziad Al-Senussi, owner of the Brass Monkey project, signed the agreement in the presence of several officials from the two companies. Mohamed Attia, Al Hokair Group’s General Manager of Entertainment, expressed his optimism regarding the partnership, noting, “We are pleased to sign the partnership agreement with Brass Monkey, a promising entertainment brand that has achieved remarkable success during the past two years. We are working in Al Hokair Group’s entertainment sector to enhance our portfolio and maintain our leadership position in the industry.” Al Hokair Group has been a dominant force in hospitality and entertainment for decades and is the recognized leader in tourism for Saudi Arabia and the wider Arabic world. Founded in 1975, the Group has invested in the entertainment and hospitality sectors under Sheikh Abdulmohsin Al Hokair’s leadership. Over the past five decades, the Group’s …

Kuwait Airways announced the operation of its scheduled commercial flights to the city of Mykonos in Greece, commencing 6th June 2022, with two flights per week on Mondays and Wednesdays. In this regard, Kuwait Airways Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Maen Razouqi stated, “Kuwait Airways is pleased to announce to its customers the operation of its flights to the city of Mykonos in Greece. The destination of Mykonos is one of the most important and new destinations of Kuwait Airways, selected after extensive and systematic research due to its historic and touristic attractions along with its rich, diverse culture, in addition to its distinction as a suitable destination for spending the summer vacation.” Razouqi added, “The launching of Mykonos destination emanates from within the framework of the Company’s strategy to expand its network to various destinations and locations, especially for the summer season, during which we expect to witness recovery and tremendous demand from passengers, that will significantly encourage tourism and travel around the world and develop it for the benefit of the tourism and hospitality sector. Moreover, Kuwait Airways is relentlessly striving to provide diverse and newer options that meet the requirements and aspirations of its customers to travel.” In the same context, Kuwait Airways Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Maen Razouqi received the Ambassador of Greece to Kuwait, H.E. Konstantinos Piperigos, in the presence of KAC’s Board Members, Mr. Adel Al-Sane and Mr. Ahmed Al-Ibrahim, where they discussed methods to enhance joint cooperation and bilateral relations between the two countries and seek to develop them in all fields related to the aviation sector. In this regard, Razouqi said, “We are honored by the visit of Ambassador Konstantinos Piperigos to the …

Travellers from the UAE are planning to go away for longer and spend more than usual on their summer holidays this year to make up for a lack of breaks abroad over the past two years. The new data, released today by Marriott Bonvoy, the travel loyalty programme, shows that amongst the 85% of people from UAE who already know they will be heading abroad this summer (June-September), 98% say they will be spending more than they usually would – on average by AED11,832 per person. This is compared to their typical spend on summer holidays pre-Covid. This increase in spend is being spearheaded by older holidaymakers aged over 65, who plan to spend an average of AED25,416 more than they usually would – more than any other age group. Meanwhile those aged 45-54 are most likely to be going on holiday (92%). It’s not just more money travellers plan to spend on their summer holidays this year – they also plan to spend more time away than usual. Amongst those heading abroad, nearly three-quarter (73%) say they plan to go away for longer than normal, rising to 83% older travellers aged over 65. Many travellers have not been on a long break in quite some time. In fact, 43% have not been on a holiday of two weeks or longer in three years or more. But that looks set to change this year, with 62% of those going away planning to do at least one holiday of a fortnight or more. Figures from Marriott Bonvoy’s own data strongly back-up this trend, showing that in Europe and the Middle East, the proportion of holidaymakers booking longer 8-14 day stays for …

Marriott Hotels announced the opening of Jeddah Marriott Hotel Madinah Road nestled between the Kingdom’s two Holy cities, Mecca and Madinah. Located in the central business district of Jeddah, the new hotel made up of two tower buildings is within close proximity to the city’s picturesque Corniche Waterfront, Jeddah International Exhibition & Conference Center and the King Abdulaziz International Airport. The hotel is designed to reflect the newest global design vision for Marriott Hotels, featuring sophisticated and intuitively designed spaces for today’s modern traveller, enabling guests to relax, work and find inspiration during their stay. On behalf of the owners of the Jeddah Marriott Hotel Madinah Road, Engineer Faisal Mohammed Al Malik, Chief Executive Officer of Abdulmohsin Al Hokair Holding Group commented, “We have always been pioneers in the tourism industry by investing in developments in key growth markets.  We are proud to contribute to the Kingdom’s tourism industry which is experiencing unprecedented growth and attracting investors and travellers from across the globe.   Through this collaboration with the Marriott International, we aspire to achieve success and believe that this hotel is a high-value addition to the hospitality landscape in Jeddah and the Kingdom overall.” Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East, Marriott International added, “We are excited to further expand the presence of our signature brand, Marriott Hotels, in Saudi Arabia.  The brand is an ideal fit in Jeddah with its thoughtful service and intuitive spaces that enable guests to be inspired during their stay.” Setting the scene on arrival, guests are welcomed into a bright lobby surrounded by expansive glass windows and lined with flourishing olive trees. This sophisticated and serene space offers a place for guests to relax …

Premier Inn has opened Premier Inn Barsha Heights, bringing a new, contemporary hotel, a diverse range of dining and leisure offerings and the best of British hospitality to one of Dubai’s most vibrant urban neighbourhoods. The 11th Premier Inn in the MENA region and the seventh in Dubai, Premier Inn Barsha Heights is owned by MBT Hotel Management & Hospitality, a division of the renowned, Abu Dhabi-based hotel development and hospitality management company, MBT Development Group. Premier Inn Barsha Heights is MBT’s first hotel project in the UAE. With redesigned guest rooms, a new look lobby and fresh concepts in F&B, Premier Inn Barsha Heights is the showcase for evolution of the already deep-rooted brand in the MENA region. Simon Leigh, Managing Director, Premier Inn MENA, said: “Premier Inn is firmly established as the hotel brand of choice for high value, high quality accommodation in the MENA region.  The opening of Premier Inn Barsha Heights is a key milestone in our continued expansion, reinforcing our commitment to the region and to playing our part in contributing to the Government of Dubai’s tourism goals. “Our unique new hospitality offering bears all the hallmarks of our much-loved, award-winning brand – an enviable location, excellent value, exciting places to eat and drink and of course our good night guarantee – with a stylish new twist. We’re delighted to bring our famous British charm to this buzzing community and are confident that Premier Inn will quickly become Barsha Heights’ chosen destination for quality accommodation, great food and classy yet casual leisure, appealing to a wide range of guests, including short term business travellers, family holidaymakers, local residents and nearby businesses.” Niveen Ibrahim, Chief Operating …