Mark you date for the fourth Arabian Travel Awards on 21st November 2021 at Le Meridien Hotel and conference center in Garhoud as they prepare to applaud the heroes of the industry of travel, tourism and hospitality. It will be a night of celebration for all those who strived under the pandemic to not just keep their heads above water but to make a difference in the new normal. San Jeet Director Arabian Travel Awards shares, “Arabian Travel Awards this year will hold a special place for each individual and company that will carry one home with them as it is a momentum of their hardships and challenges which led them to overcome to the best of their ability. Applications are still open to vote for those in the industry and who has been in the forefront promoting and proactively working during the pandemic and beyond as of today. Currently, borders  are slowly and steadily opening and there is a demand from travelers, those who did not travel before covid are now willing to travel, those who were price conscious before are now willing to spend it on a vacation and safety has become the foremost ingredient in every way. The great resilience in the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates in particular which opened doors to everyone and combatted the hard days with its great leadership is something that we are all thankful for, the proactive efforts to protect the communities that live here and to also uphold to protect the travelers and provide them with the best of care and the vaccination drive which opened to everyone in the UAE are commendable efforts which has brought us …

Oman Air has revamped its Sindbad Loyalty Program, replacing distance-based miles accrual with spend-based miles accrual. Delivering on its customer promise to offer a superior loyalty program, the overhaul simplifies the way members earn Sindbad miles and attain Sindbad tiers, and offers a more transparent and generous accrual experience. The new reward system applies to all eligible flights operated by Oman Air, provided flight tickets are issued by Oman Air.   Officially rolled out on 8 September 2021, the shift from distance-based accrual to spend-based accrual lets Sindbad members earn four, five and six Sindbad miles per USD spent, for their current tier level—Blue, Silver, and Gold.  Members can earn additional miles on prepaid baggage, seat assignment, lounge access, and a suite of Primeclass add-ons such as arrival/departure meet and greet services, customs and security fast track services, and more.   Oman Air CEO Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi said, “Our revamped Sindbad loyalty program answers current traveller requirements with a more generous accrual model and can scale to meet future needs and evolving loyalty technologies. Oman Air has always prioritized innovative products and services for our members and we are proud to be the first national airline in the region to offer a spend-based loyalty program.”   A shift in tier qualifications has also simplified the way members attain their Sindbad tiers, making it easier to reach Sindbad Silver and Sindbad Gold which offer greater benefits and privileges. Instead of Tier miles or Tier sectors, members will now earn Tier points based on class of travel and four flight zones, with destinations in each zone having fixed Tier points. Members can qualify for Sindbad Silver tier with 500 Tier points …

All eyes were on the vibrant, multi-faceted lifestyle destination Bluewaters Island today as Madame Tussauds Dubai opened to the public for the first time. Excitement levels have been building for months now and reached a fitting crescendo pioneering Emirati athlete, and Olympic weightlifter Amna Al Haddad, as well as radio host and serial entrepreneur Kris Fade were given the honour of cutting the official ceremony ribbon and declaring the attraction open, in an atmosphere that can only be described as electric. Established in London in 1835, Madame Tussauds is nothing short of a global institution and this hugely anticipated launch represents a truly special moment for the region. The Dubai edition is not only the 25th version of the celebrated wax figure attraction internationally, but the very first of its kind in the GCC and introduces something entirely new and unique to the regional entertainment landscape. Bringing together handcrafted, like-for-like figures from the worlds of movies and television, sport and science, music, history, art, pop culture, politics and more, Madame Tussauds Dubai is quite simply a one-of-a-kind destination. With seven themed zones to explore and over 60 amazingly lifelike wax figures to discover (including 16 all-new figures from the Middle East such as Maya Diab), the attraction will intrigue and delight all ages and is the perfect destination for a family day out (ideal for the upcoming half-term holidays), exciting date night or fun place for a group of friends to gather and take selfies galore. Ambitious in scale and cutting edge in its offering, Madame Tussauds Dubai is intended to impress and amaze, and guests are encouraged to get immersed in each and every area at their own pace. The …

The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) announced that the Mysk Moon Retreat has begun welcoming guests and bookings to experience the emirate’s first-of-its-kind luxury glamping destination, and unveiled four new luxury hospitality projects in Sharjah’s Central and Eastern regions which are: Al Jabal  Resort in the city of Khorfakkan, a luxurious hotel in the city of Kalba, a hotel in the city of Khorfakkan which will feature UAE’s first waterpark in the east coast; and Al Bridi Resort at the Sharjah Safari project in the city of Al Dhaid. Exciting range of desert adventures The family-friendly Mysk Moon Retreat comprises 10 single-bed domes with private pools, 4 family tents with private pools, and 2 single-bed tents. Each unit is self-sufficient and fitted with all essential amenities that guests would require, including a private barbeque area, in addition to a lobby, and a common area. The Mysk Moon Retreat is part of Shurooq’s Sharjah Collection brand, managed by Mysk by Shaza, which includes the Mysk Kingfisher Retreat in Kalba, Mysk Al Faya Retreat in Mleiha, and Mysk Al Badayer Retreat in the heart of the Al Badayer desert. HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Executive Chairman of Shurooq said: “With Mysk Moon Retreat now welcoming guests and bookings, this marks an exciting expansion of Shurooq’s portfolio of boutique hospitality offerings in the central region of Sharjah. It is the latest destination in a series of projects developed here, namely, the Mysk Al Faya Retreat, Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism, and the Mleiha Archaeological Centre.”   Al Sarkal pointed out that the eco-luxury retreat provides visitors with the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities like trekking, dune bashing, and …

The third edition of the Gulf Travel Show, the most important virtual event in the region concluded successfully closing with 2500+  one on one business meetings connecting the trade in the Middle East with some of the most important tourism boards, hotels, resorts, destinations, attractions etc from across the globe. Seema Pande, Co-Founder Elev8 shared, “The Gulf Travel Show, as always, did not disappoint. From the set-up, to the demo calls and having a personalized contact during the show all go towards making this a success. Pre-set appointments are always sent to the exhibitors and while being an on-line show, you can end up missing a few, your personal contact will ensure they find their way back to the booth. It was a great platform to re-connect with old contacts and make some new ones. We attended the show with two of our partner hotels, Le Duc de Praslin, Seychelles and the JW Marriott Mauritius Resort and given our experience, I would highly recommend GTS to my industry colleagues.” In the auditorium the sessions conducted by various experts in the fields of travel, hospitality and technology in the region were viewed and shared by the visitors. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was the key topic everyone was looking at as they recently opened its borders and resumed visa on arrival for leisure travelers of the 49 countries that were announced earlier. Saudi Arabia’s vision 2030 has provided a whole new outlook for the tourism industry Sanjeet Director DDP in conversation with Muzzammil Ahussain EVP Seera Group finds out more information with regard to the latest tourism projects in the kingdom. Another important factor currently promoted in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is …

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and Al Rostamani Travels announced a partnership that will allow the Al Rostamani Travel to market NCL’s cruises across the Group’s multiple businesses and distribution channels. The agreement marks the beginning of a long-term partnership to grow NCL’s market share in the Middle East while enriching Al Rostamani Travels portfolio with the line’s renowned cruises that sail to more than 300 destinations worldwide, including Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas and its resort destination Harvest Caye in Belize. Commenting on the agreement, NCL’s Regional Vice President Business Development Middle East & Africa, Nick Wilkinson, said: “We are delighted to partner with a dynamic and distinguished group such as Al Rostamani, who share our vision of innovation and putting customer experience first. We are seeing great demand for our cruises from the U.A.E and GCC markets and are striving to further strengthen our position in this high-potential region through strategic partnerships.” “We are excited to announce our partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and add sea-cruising to our diverse and growing products portfolio. NCL is a popular brand in our market, offering a wide range of cabins in different categories, so there is always something to suit every customer’s budget who wish to choose cruising as their holiday option. We have the NCL product offering ready for our B2C, B2B & B2E customers and this partnership will help our team to serve the passionate as well as new cruisers effectively and bring value for every dollar they spend. To book NCL cruises, travellers can contact us on email art-holidays@alrostamanigroup.ae or by phone 800-ART”, said Bimal Jain, General Manager of Al Rostamani Travels

utu, the travel tech startup, has announced a partnership with Emirates Skywards, the award-winning loyalty programme of Emirates and flydubai, in a bid to disrupt the VAT refund sector. Emirates is the world’s first airline to offer rewards on tax-free shopping. An industry first, the utu Tax Free app offers travelers the opportunity to upsize the value of their tax refund by 25% and earn 4,167 Skywards Miles for every 100 USD on any VAT or GST refund across 50 countries. Shoppers need to download the app, register for the virtual utu Tax Free Card and use the card number on any tax-free form to earn Skywards Miles. To celebrate the launch of this industry-first proposition of rewarding VAT refunds, Emirates Skywards and utu are offering 5,001 Skywards Miles for every 100 USD of VAT refund starting from 11 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. There is no minimum spend requirement or maximum Miles earning limit. Both Emirates Skywards and utu believe in delighting their customers with curated rewards for members to enjoy. “We are thrilled to have Emirates Skywards on board as our launch partner,” said Asad Jumabhoy, Co-founder and CEO of utu. “Collaborating with the Emirates Skywards team has been a seamless process focussed on giving the best to our customers,” he added. “By making a tax refund a reward, we are able to delight shoppers through value and choice while including participation across the travel and tourism spectrum, a win-win for all.” Dr Nejib Ben Khedher, Divisional Senior Vice President Emirates Skywards, said: “At Emirates Skywards, we pride ourselves on putting members at the heart of everything we do. This has enabled us to build a loyal …

Guests visiting Global Village in Season 26 are set to experience numerous enhancements that have been made across the park. The UAE and wider region’s leading multicultural family destination for culture, shopping, and entertainment is working around the clock to complete key attraction and infrastructure improvements ahead of this month’s official re-opening. Guests at Global Village will once again be able to discover unforgettable experiences, explore their favourite attractions, enjoy unmatched shopping, see awe-inspiring entertainment and savour exquisite treats from around the world from October 26, 2021. The walkways have been modified to avoid bottlenecks on busier days and smooth guest flow between popular outlets and pavilions. In addition, more seating areas have been introduced in key areas to improve guest comfort. Muhannad Ishaq, Senior Manager – Guest Relations at Global Village, said: “We listen to our guests and improve the experience every season based both on guest feedback and data that we gather concerning guest flow or observation. It’s very important that we constantly question ourselves so we can continually surpass guest expectations. As part of this season’s infrastructure upgrades, we have introduced more seating areas, adjusted some of the paths to improve guest movement, improved our main stage experience and much more. We will continue to strive to make every visit as enjoyable and comfortable as possible, and satisfy our guests’ growing appetites for wonderful entertainment and family fun.” At Global Village, exciting experiences come alive in new ways with key developments in the vast outdoor space. The seating area around the Main Stage has been expanded to accommodate a greater number of guests, and enhancements are underway to improve the Audio Visual quality. The digital experience at …

The second day of the Gulf Travel Show 3.0 closed with over 700 one on one business meetings. It was the perfect networking opportunity with agents sharing their enthusiasm to meet partners  attending the event. HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa Chairman Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority shared, “GTS continues to be a valuable platform for the Gulf Travel Industry, providing opportunities to engage and reconnect with key industry players from all over the region.  The engaging panel discussions and sharing of knowledge made GTS 2021 an informative and fruitful experience. We, at SCTDA, were very pleased to participate at this event, taking the chance to showcase Sharjah’s natural and cultural attractions alongside the emirate’s newest hospitality and infrastructural developments and ongoing safety measures as we move forward into a new and successful tourism chapter.” Auditorium sessions were in full swing today with travel expert Nasir Jamal Khan – CEO Al Naboodah Travel opening the floor under the theme “Strategies for attracting visitors post covid” the panelists included three of the most proactive tourism boards during the pandemic Daniel Rosado – Director – Spain Tourism, Siobhan Naughton – Marketing Executive Middle East and Asia at Tourism Ireland and Claude Zammit–  Senior Manager Destination Marketing –  Malta tourism. New partnerships and way forward in travel was the next in the agenda with travel professional Manu Mehrotra – General Manager – Al Tayer Travel with panelists Pierre Thomas – Cruise Director – Swan Hellenic Cruises and Stephen Winter – International Cruise Director – Ponant Cruises. Next on the agenda was Malaysia the World’s Healthcare Marvel moderated by Devika Jeet  – Director DDP with panelists Norhaslina Othman Vice President Facilitation – Malaysia Healthcare …

The German Federal Government has included Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to the German safe list, reducing COVID-19 implemented restrictions for travellers. The news follows the previous inclusions of Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to the list. The reduction in restrictions applies to all travellers twelve years and above regardless of individual vaccination status, with visitors now able to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of travel, a valid vaccination certificate, or proof of recovery. “The new travel regulations for GCC visitors makes travel to Germany easier and more appealing for travellers,” commented Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales and Marketing of the German National Tourist Office. “The winter season remains an important travel period for Germany, and this news will support regional travellers’ interest in exploring the array of festive seasonal markets, spa and wellness retreats, and outdoor sporting activities across Germany.” The EU issues and updates its recommendations to member states regularly. The safe list is reviewed and revised every two weeks by the EU authorities and members states. For full entry requirements to Germany, visitors are advised to refer to www.bmi.bund.de.