Emirates has reaffirmed its long-standing partnership with the Maldives by extending a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Tourism. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group met His Excellency Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Republic of the Maldives, at the Emirates Pavilion in Expo 2020. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Ahmed Khoory, SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean at Emirates and Dr Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism Maldives, and Mr Thoyyib Mohamed, CEO and Managing Director, Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation. The ceremony was also attended by: Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates; Abdulla Al Olama, Regional Manager Commercial Operations Far East, West Asia & Indian Ocean at Emirates; Chandana De Silva, Manager Sri Lanka and Maldives at Emirates; Hamad Ustadi, Business Analysis Manager at Emirates; Fathimath Nilfa, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Tourism Maldives; Mohamed Khussan, Senior Policy Director Ministry of Tourism Maldives; and Fazeela Ali, Executive Director Ministry of Tourism Maldives. Ahmed Khoory, SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean at Emirates said: “Maldives is a very integral market in Emirates’ network and we are very pleased to be renewing our commitment to the island-nation today. Emirates has proudly served the country for more than 34 years and we look forward to continue strengthening our long-standing partnership, and to boosting the country’s trade and tourism industry.” Dr Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism Maldives, said: “With over 1,000 flights and visits from 170,000 passenger arrivals to the Maldives this year, Emirates Airline continues to be a very important partner in Maldives Tourism success story. Ministry of Tourism is confident that this tri-party MOU between …

The Dubai-based network of 600 independent hotels and groups adopts D-EDGE’s suite of solutions to develop the sales of its member hotels and support its expansion. D-EDGE Hospitality Solutions, a leading provider of SaaS and digital marketing solutions for hoteliers, announces a new partnership with ResNet World. Thanks to this agreement, the 600 hotels of the network will migrate to D-EDGE’s CRS* and will benefit from MediaGenius, the first multi digital media platform dedicated to hoteliers. Over the last 24 months D-EDGE has accelerated the development of its offering with the addition of a Central Data Management Platform offer, the launch of the first multi digital media management platform for hotels, and has developed connectivity with more than 50 additional partners/third-party solutions. The addition of ResNet hotels to its customer portfolio is a strong endorsement of D-EDGE’s technology and of the company’s ability to serve the growth and ambition of hotel chains. On the choice of D-EDGE, Shane Mansell, co-founder of ResNet World explains: “At ResNet World we know what independent hotels are looking for in our markets. They need technology that is flexible, reliable and makes their lives easier and they need great support and a fair price point from their CRS partner. And most of all our hoteliers need a technology company that focuses on its clients. That is why we are making this switch to D-EDGE: they care about the success of our hoteliers across all aspects of the business and provide us with the tools, attitude and technology we are hungry for to grow our company and to help hoteliers manage their properties.” D-EDGE already equips 12,000 hotels worldwide. Thanks to this deal, it will strengthen …

Oman Air will resume flights between Muscat and Paris from 31st October 2021. The flights will operate three times weekly on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, departing Muscat at 14:45 local time and arriving in Paris at 19:25 local time. Flights from Paris will depart at 21:10 local time and arrive in Muscat at 07:10 local time on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. All flights are scheduled to operate with Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Oman Air will maintain its comprehensive safety program throughout all elements of the travel journey to ensure that guests fly confidently. Masks are required when guests are on board the aircraft and in Oman’s airports. Distancing is maintained while guests board and exit the aircraft, which are carefully cleaned after each flight and at the end of every day. Cabin crew all wear a full set of personal protective equipment, meal service has been modified to further ensure safety, and a number of other measures have been implemented to ensure that the airline’s guests and crew are safe at all times. Guests who are planning to travel to Muscat should visit the Civil Aviation Authority website, caa.gov.om, to ensure they are prepared to comply with requirements to enter the Sultanate. Guests travelling to Paris should ensure they are aware of official requirements to enter or transit through the country. Guests departing from Oman should also ensure that they are aware of all pre-departure requirements and requirements during their flights, which are provided at omanair.com      

Qatar Airways has announced it will operate flights three times a week to Odesa, Ukraine from 9 December 2021, becoming the second destination to be served in Ukraine by the national carrier of the State of Qatar. The service will be operated by the airline’s state-of-the-art Airbus A320 featuring 12 seats in Business Class and 120 seats in Economy Class. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We have been operating to the Ukraine since August 2017 and our launch to Odesa marks a milestone in our history with the country. Odesa is rightly known as the pearl of the Black Sea and we look forward to bringing visitors from around the world to explore its rich cultural history as well as further afield along the coast and inland in the south west of Ukraine. “Equally we are excited to offer leisure travellers from Ukraine access to our expanding network such as our Indian Ocean winter sun destinations including the Maldives, the Seychelles and Zanzibar. The route will also connect Ukrainians with friends and family across the globe from Sydney, Dubai and Bangkok.” With flights to more than 85 destinations in Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East passengers wanting to travel to or from Odesa can now enjoy seamless connectivity via the ‘Best Airport in the World’, Hamad International Airport. Equally, passengers can look forward to great hospitality onboard delivered by our much admired cabin crew serving award-winning cuisine, and entertained with a huge variety of movies, TV shows and music on Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system. Environmental concerns are of huge importance to Ukrainian customers, and Qatar Airways’ strategic investment in a …

Cruise Saudi, the company facilitating the development of the cruise industry in Saudi Arabia, has confirmed that it has become a member of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Launched in January 2021 at the Future Investment Initiative (FII), Cruise Saudi has made rapid progress in its mission to bring a global cruise industry to Saudi Arabia a new component of the country’s tourism plan outlined in the landmark Vision 2030 program. The company has already worked together with stakeholders such as the Saudi Port Authority MAWANI to guide the construction of a new cruise terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port, Saudi Arabia’s largest port. It has signed agreements with several leading global cruise operators to bring their ships to Saudi waters. MSC Bellissima, owned by MSC Cruises, the world’s largest privately owned cruise line, and luxury liner Scenic Eclipse, have both been sailing the Saudi coastline during the summer season. The membership of WTTC, which advocates for the development of the travel and tourism sector as a driver of sustainable economic growth, will further establish the Saudi cruise industry just as international leisure travel begins to resume following the COVID-19 pandemic. Joining the Council will allow Cruise Saudi to better shine a spotlight on the year-round potential of the Saudi market to tour operators, travel agents and cruise lines, in addition to sourcing key data on international travel trends and learning from the best practitioners in the global cruise sector. Saudi Arabia certainly has an enviable and as yet largely undiscovered tourist proposition for international cruise passengers to explore – whether as a stop on a wider regional itinerary or a destination in its own right. The crystalline waters …

Ishraq Hospitality, a Mohammad & Obaid AlMulla Group division, announced the successful upgrade of all Holiday Inn Express hotels in Dubai to a three-star rating. This milestone is in line with Ishraq Hospitality’s plans to expand the Holiday Inn Express (HIEX) chain – the single largest hotel brand in the world – in the Middle East, with eight new hotels to be opened in the next seven years. Alexander Suski, Acting CEO of Ishraq Hospitality, said: “Ishraq Hospitality is committed to maintaining ambitious growth plans in the region and providing consistent quality services in the hospitality industry. The recent upgrade to three stars, an important milestone, will allow our hotels to accommodate new markets and audiences enabling further average rate growth for the portfolio, facilitate more smart travel guest services, and continue to deliver guest satisfaction.” Renovations across the hotels include new services such as a 24/7 kiosk and a coffee lounge, where guests can work and socialize in a vibrant environment. Rooms and features are also undergoing renovation, with a new front office look for Holiday Inn Express Dubai Airport. The Brick Wall Sports Bar is now present in Holiday Inn Express Jumeirah and Holiday Inn Express Dubai Airport. At Holiday Inn Express Internet City, the award-winning casual Mexican restaurant, Muchachas, also offers a takeaway menu. Holiday Inn Express is one of IHG’s fastest-growing hotel brands, a first choice for the increasing number of travellers who need a warm, comfortable place to rest, recharge, and work. Ishraq Hospitality, which operates Holiday Inn Express under the IHG® franchise, currently owns four Holiday Inn Express hotels in the UAE in partnership with IHG®.  

RX Global, organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), has revealed that 2022 could witness a resurgence in brand conscious travellers, following commentary it received from delegates attending its 2021 in-person and virtual seminars about responsible tourism. “The feedback we received, has enabled us to identify a particular profile of traveller, that now actively looks for ethical brands to follow and wants to see tangible evidence of that brand practicing what it claims to be. “This potential vertical shows a combination of characteristics attributed to outdoor adventurers, wellness, eco-tourists, digital nomads on ‘workcations’, experiential tourists and socially aware travellers,” said Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market. “Naturally we will be showcasing this emerging trend during our 2022 hybrid event which takes place live and in-person at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 8-11 May 2022, with a virtual edition on 17 and 18 May 2022. “Our conference programme for ATM 2022 is still being created but already we have sessions that will address the challenges facing airlines, hotels and other destinations, in the near future, such as health and safety, technology and equity in health, education, and economic opportunity,” added Curtis. During our aviation seminars at ATM 2021, experts felt that it would be short haul leisure breaks, favouring low-cost operators would be the first to recover in the wake of the pandemic. Although that may still seem to be the case, this emerging market segment certainly won’t be confined to one location, will likely choose longer haul destinations and stay over a longer timeframe, interspersed with periods of work. “The bottom line here is very similar though. These tourists will still want to see brands committed to health …

Al Khoory Group, is getting ready to open its sixth hotel – Al Khoory Sky Garden – in Dubai as Expo 2020 has started to attract international tourists to the UAE. Al Khoory Hotels, the hospitality arm of Dubai-based Emirati family-owned diversified business conglomerate. The opening of Al Khoory Sky Garden comes as the tourism industry in Dubai and the UAE starts to grow after 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic – that was effectively handled by the UAE authorities. “The opening of Al Khoory Sky Garden Hotel reflects our strong commitment to the UAE economy and especially the tourism industry,” says Abdullah Khoory, Vice-Chairman of Al Khoory Group, which is also reaching 50 years soon after the Golden Jubilee of the UAE federation. “We prepped ourselves for the opening of Al Khoory Sky Garden Hotel during the COVID-19 pandemic – a very challenging time – which also reflects our strong commitment towards the long-term sustainability of the UAE economy and Dubai’s tourism industry,” he said. “We are pleased with our readiness to serve the tourism industry and contribute to the UAE economy. Soon, Al Khoory Sky Garden will start to offer international and regional tourists the best of our hospitality services.” Dubai welcomed 2.85 million visitors from January – July 2021 and is set to accelerate growth in the fourth quarter of this year with milestone events including Expo 2020 and the UAE Golden Jubilee celebrations. Dubai ranks second globally in terms of hotel occupancy with hotels enjoying 61 percent average occupancy levels in first seven months of 2021, according to the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). Ideally located on the Airport Road, Al Khoory Sky Garden is …

As the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) prepares to welcome visitors once more, it is continually introducing new activities for tourists to enjoy while ensuring that all international safety regulations are followed at various destinations. Promotion of new attractions in various locations is one of these strategies. In the Eastern Visayas Region, the department recently launched its inaugural hybrid edition of its Regional Travel Fair, bringing together stakeholders through a tourism webinar, a one-day business-to-business (B2B) session, and live selling. A virtual business venue and onsite activities at Summit Hotel Tacloban allowed over 1,500 registrants to participate. The Philippines is a location unlike any other, with over 7,000 islands offering visitors a one-of-a-kind experience. Whether it is relaxing on the beaches or in the mountains, indulging in the vibrant life in the city, or immersing oneself in indigenous culture, the Philippines offers unique experiences for all types of travellers. “It is indeed more fun in the Philippines, with various activities being readied by the DOT to offer a new and unique experience for international tourists. At the same time, the Philippines government is also readying its welcome for travellers with infrastructure development, such as the improvement of our domestic and international airports and new roadways that will offer faster access to our regional destinations,” said Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Secretary, Department of Tourism. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has given the Philippines Department of Tourism a SafeTravels Stamp in recognition of its adoption of ‘health and hygiene global standardised protocols’ that will ensure safe travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Philippines Department of Tourism conducts thorough inspection and assessment to ensure that only those who are accredited are allowed to …

Spain Tourism is all set to host its first post-pandemic travel and trade roadshows in Saudi Arabia as part of its initiative to target travellers of the region. The first event will take place in Jeddah on the 25th of October 2021, at Jeddah Hilton, with a following one in Riyadh on the 26th of the same month, at Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya. This will be the first time Spain Tourism hosts such an event in Saudi Arabia after the pandemic, having stated earlier this year that the destination is set to strengthen its marketing presence in the region and expand its engagement and promotional activities within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia specifically. About 40 participants are expected to attend the events, provided that the total attendance does not exceed 50 people as demanded by health regulations in the Kingdom. The attendees will include key players from the Saudi tourism, hospitality and aviation industries, giving key agents in Saudi Arabia the opportunity to have one-to-one meetings with representatives from Spanish destinations, DMC’s and hotels. Speaking about the Spain Tourism Roadshow in Saudi Arabia and heading the Spanish delegation, Daniel Rosado, Director of Spain Tourism – GCC commented: “Spain Tourism is extremely excited to host its first post-pandemic roadshow in Saudi Arabia as part of our dedication to further engage and develop our connections with the Saudi market. As part of our continuous efforts to strengthen the connections between Saudi’s outbound travel professionals, MICE specialists and Spain Tourism’s travel industry partners, the event will prove a great opportunity to further develop new joint opportunities, create new holiday packages for Saudis and increase visitation from the Kingdom to Spain.” SAUDIA airlines currently …