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First Unique Digital Marketplace – ExploreTECH set to launch in Emirates, Middle East & Africa

UAE-based ExploreTECH is set to launch on the 2nd of February 2022 with the aim of connecting hospitality and travel professionals and tech providers from the Middle East and Africa. The platform allows technology providers to showcase their products and services to hospitality professionals who are looking for a go-to source to find and compare tech solutions. A feature of this marketplace also enables professionals to gain subject matter expert advice on navigating challenges and creating long-term strategies to facilitate improvements in business processes and profitability. The first-of-its-kind marketplace offers three different subscription modules for commercial technology providers, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes and budgets. Launching in Arabic and English, the marketplace will bring value to an industry looking for a greater return on investment on current digital offerings. Ralph Melis, Co-founder of ExploreTECH said: “Our goal is to drive a new era of digital transformation across the industry by positioning our platform as the go-to marketplace of the future. By creating such a unified platform, we are enabling a new kind of digital strategy development for users and providers alike.” ExploreTECH taps into a major gap in a sector which is increasingly dependent on effective digital strategies. The user-friendly format allows businesses to gain the maximum benefit from the platform with the easiest assimilation possible. “The feedback we hear is that there is a massive need for a single entity that can act as a medium for accessible and credible tech solutions that can form part of a continuous and consistent strategy for businesses to extend their reach and connect more effectively with their target audiences.” says Antoine Medawar, another co-founder of ExploreTECH. ExploreTECH is creating …

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UAE Capital to Celebrate Culinary Excellence with Launch of 50 Best Week Abu Dhabi

In celebration of Abu Dhabi hosting the inaugural Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards on 7 February, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced the launch of 50 Best Week Abu Dhabi — a culinary festival featuring experiential dining experiences, cooking masterclasses and unique collaboration dinners. Taking place from 4 to 11 February 2022, the eight-day culinary festival will showcase the city’s vibrant gastronomic experiences and some of its finest restaurants. Ideal for food-lovers looking to explore Abu Dhabi’s diverse culinary scene, the event will be filled with mouth-watering moments to enjoy, with renowned international chefs coming to the UAE’s capital city to display their skills, and homegrown Emirati talent showcasing their own stellar abilities. Culinary leaders will provide insights into their food philosophy inspiring food lovers of their dishes, ingredients, stories and experiences. The esteemed restaurant awards and gala dinner will recognise 50 outstanding restaurants from across the region highlighting their culinary excellence and dining experiences. Fatima Saeed Al Baloushi, Acting Director of DCT’s Abu Dhabi Events Bureau, said: “We are thrilled to be celebrating culinary excellence across Abu Dhabi, catering to residents and visitors, and both seasoned food lovers and more casual diners offering them a taste of our diverse food, and to experience great dishes by some of the world’s leading chefs who are heading to our multi-cultural capital city next month.” The events include three interactive Masterclasses taking place on Friday 4 February, where acclaimed chefs from around the world will showcase their skills while preparing signature dishes in front of a live audience. The chefs – Tim Raue of Restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin; innovative …

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Global Village welcomes 120 Concierges for a meeting of the prestigious Hotel Concierge Association Les Clefs d’Or

Global Village hosted Les Clefs d’Or, the professional association of hotel concierges with 120 hotel concierges from the most prestigious Concierge association in the world participated in an event. After their meeting, the guests dined at the Nowruz Persian Restaurant, which is one among the several famed world cuisines at Global Village. The group were later free to explore Carnaval, the Pavilions and many other attractions at the renowned open-air park, including Harbour Force – the first water stunt show in the region and then enjoyed the rest of the exciting Global Village offerings. Jaki Ellenby, Executive Director Marketing at Global Village said: “Les Clef d’Or members are the gold standard for hotel concierges. They are important destination advocates who play a key role in driving tourism growth and promoting the UAE as a global destination. We are honoured to have been able to welcome the top hotel concierges in the country to Global Village for the first time in our history. This opportunity is a sign of Global Village’s growing repute amongst tourists and the strengthening of our relationships with hotels across the country.” Abey Sam, UICH Zone Director Arabian & Western Asia and National President of Les Clefs d’Or UAE said, “We are proud to have our first monthly meeting hosted by Global Village where people from all over the globe meet in Dubai to share their cultures.” Les Clefs d’Or (translated as The Golden Keys) is a professional association of hotel concierges with approximately 4,000 members working in over 80 countries and 530 destinations across the world. Easily identified by the golden cross keys on their lapels, the members are an elite fraternity, globally connected, committed to …

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Saudi Arabia aims to raise Global Bar in Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia aims to become a world leader in sustainable travel, not only by protecting its beautiful ecosystems but actively regenerating them for future generations to enjoy. Hailed as the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism development, Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Project will be entirely carbon neutral from its first day of operation, which CEO John Pagano hopes will inspire the wider industry to follow suit in embracing practices that protect the state of our planet. “We are setting the bar very high because our consumers will demand it and forcing others to follow our lead,” said Pagano, who also heads AMAALA, speaking at a World Majlis event panel during Dubai Expo 2020’s Travel and Connectivity Week, which concluded on January 15. The Red Sea Project and AMAALA are sister projects set along the north-western coast of Saudi Arabia. Pagano said factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic and outspoken climate activists have served as a wake-up call to re-evaluate the direction our world is taking. For Saudi Arabia, this means stepping up efforts to future-proof giga developments such as those on the Red Sea. “Sustainability is more expensive, at least today, but competition will ultimately drive cost down, making sustainability more available,” he added. Though Pagano conceded that this approach requires larger upfront investments, he noted that it is nonetheless a price worth paying as there is no choice but to change course to secure the future of the planet. He stressed that the Saudi leadership backs this view as illustrated by its support for The Red Sea Project, which he called the largest tourism venture on the planet to be powered solely by renewable energy. As a …

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RoyalJet Group expands its fleet with BBJ acquisition

The RoyalJet Group – the Abu Dhabi owned and operated award winning global leader in premium private aviation –  has again expanded its growing fleet with the acquisition of yet another Boeing Business Jet. The purchase transaction was completed recently and this pristine, low time aircraft is currently undergoing technological and communications upgrades in Basel, Switzerland.  It is expected to enter into service with RoyalJet and be available for charter globally in April 2022. Rob DiCastri, CEO at RoyalJet said:  “Despite the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic, demand in the past 6 months has exceeded supply in our sector of the aviation industry and in our region.  The overall health of the global private jet market has now been strong for an extended period of time, and growth is expected to continue.” “Fleet expansion, renewal and upgrade are integral elements of our ongoing customer experience transformation, allowing us to continue to provide an even more exceptional experience to our guests,” he added. This Boeing Business Jet boasts 23 passenger VVIP interior with a forward crew rest area for long journeys, an aft private master bedroom with private lavatory and shower, and a mid-cabin open plan VVIP lounge.  It has been finished with state of the art materials and a custom configuration designed for functionality and maximum comfort and can sleep up to 12 in VVIP lie-flat seats and its queen sized bed. It has also been previously upgraded with special soundproofing to reduce in-flight noise levels, along with a low cabin altitude modification, special humidifiers and a HEPA filtration system, all designed to optimize health and comfort, leaving passengers more relaxed and fresher upon reaching their destination. To further …

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Hamdan bin Mohammed appoints Khalid bin Touq as CEO of Tourism Activities Sector and Classifications of DET

Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued Executive Council Resolution No. (6) of 2022 appointing Khalid bin Touq as CEO of Tourism Activities Sector and Classifications at the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai (DET). The Resolution is effective from the date of issuance and will be published in the Official Gazette.

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Emirates signs new distribution agreement with Amadeus

Emirates has signed a new agreement with Amadeus, extending their partnership to offer the travel trade community more flexibility, choice, and future capabilities. From 1 February 2022, all trade partners on Amadeus will be able to access Emirates’ content free of surcharge. The new agreement will also see Emirates’ NDC (new distribution capability) content integrated into the Amadeus Travel Platform, with NDC content being made available to travel sellers over the course of 2022. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer said: “We are pleased to refresh our partnership with Amadeus. This is another step forward in our goal to empower our trade partners in delivering even better customer experiences. In today’s environment, and particularly as the industry rebuilds post pandemic, everyone in the travel services chain will benefit from flexible models of engagement, multiple means to access to dynamic rich content, and the ability to offer differentiated products and services.” Decius Valmorbida, President, Travel, Amadeus, said, “This renewal is another major milestone in our distribution strategy and our ongoing retailing journey. With this new agreement with Emirates, we start 2022 building on the momentum made over the years to support modern retailing and once more demonstrating our commitment to continue offering through the Amadeus Travel Platform more travel content globally and at scale.” Catering to a dynamic marketplace, Emirates aims to provide its trade partners with a choice of connection options and differentiated products and benefits across channels, including via its own NDC-enabled direct connect platform, Emirates Gateway.

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DOT: PH to accept fully-vaxxed tourists from visa-free countries starting Feb. 10

The Philippines will start to accept fully-vaccinated foreign leisure travelers from visa-free countries   beginning February 10. Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat made the announcement today January 28 (Friday) after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved the proposal of the Department of Tourism (DOT). “We at the DOT are very thankful to our partners in the IATF-EID for approving our proposal to allow the entry of foreign leisure travelers. The Department sees this as a welcome development that will contribute significantly to job restoration, primarily in tourism-dependent communities, and in the reopening of businesses that have earlier shut down during the pandemic,’’ Puyat said. “With years of coordination between national agencies, industry stakeholders, and the various local government units (LGUs) to prepare our destinations for tourism in the new normal, we are confident that we will be able to keep pace with our ASEAN neighbors who have already made similar strides to reopen to foreign tourists,” added the tourism chief. Puyat clarified that the recent IATF-EID decision will cover only leisure travelers from countries whose nationals are allowed visa-free entry to the Philippines. It can be recalled that, last year, the IATF-EID approved the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from Green List countries/territories/jurisdictions starting Dec. 1, 2021 but was temporarily suspended due to the omicron variant. Earlier today, the IATF-EID announced the suspension of the country classification system starting Feb. 1, 2022. Also starting Feb. 1, fully-vaccinated returning overseas Filipinos will no longer be required to undergo quarantine as long as they are able to present a negative result of an RT-PCR test taken 48 hours prior to departure from point of origin.   Likewise, …

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SCTDA announces 11th edition of Sharjah Light Festival 2022

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) announced the 11th edition of the Sharjah Light Festival, which will take place from February 9-20 across nine sites in the emirate. With its tagline ‘Echoes of the Future,’ the festival will feature dazzling light and music shows designed to shine a light – quite literally – on Sharjah’s main landmarks and prominent architectural features. The announcement was made during a press conference hosted by the authority yesterday evening in Hamriya municipality, Sharjah, in the presence of His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA and a number of officials, department directors and employees of government institutions from the Emirate of Sharjah, in addition to representatives from the local and international media. The Sharjah Light Festival is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and is an initiative of the emirate’s tourism sector to encourage visitors to Sharjah. Aiming to support the course of development and progress in the emirate with artistic representations of its illustrious past, its dynamic present, and its bright future, the event has been curated to commence a new phase of post-pandemic tourism growth in Sharjah. “Over the past decade, the Sharjah Light Festival has contributed to the consolidation of Sharjah’s name as a leading destination for premium events that attract all categories of visitors from around the world. Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority’s strategic partners from the public and private sectors are vital to the success of this event, with the contribution of government departments and commercial agencies instrumental in promoting the Emirate of Sharjah as an integrated tourism …

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Marjan to develop a multibillion-dollar integrated Resort in Ras Al Khaimah with Wynn Resorts

Marjan, RAK Hospitality Holding and Wynn Resorts, Limited, the US-listed international developer and operator of luxury resorts, have announced a multibillion-dollar integrated resort development on the man-made Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The spectacular Al Marjan Island, already a leading tourism destination, is only 15 minutes from the Ras Al Khaimah International Airport and 45 minutes from the Dubai International Airport. Comprising four islands, Al Marjan Island delights visitors with over 7.8 kilometers of sparkling beaches and 23 kilometers of waterfront in addition to world-class hotels and residential developments. Al Marjan Island spans an area of 2.7 million sqm of reclaimed land extending into the Arabian Gulf. The new integrated resort on one of the exclusive islands, which covers an area of almost 250,000 sqm, will offer a pristine setting with spectacular views of the Arabian Gulf as well as sandy beaches and a marina. The development is the first beach resort being developed by Wynn Resorts globally. The current scope includes a circa 1,000 + room hotel, high-end shopping mall, a state-of-the-art meeting and convention facility, an exclusive spa, more than 10 restaurants and lounges, a wide array of entertainment choices, a gaming area, and other amenities. The integrated resort will be developed with significant foreign direct investment by Wynn Resorts. As the largest project of its kind in the Emirate’s growing hospitality sector, it will create substantial value to the local economy by accelerating tourism, creating jobs, and energising the growth of related sectors.  Set to be completed in 2026, the entire project will be developed to the highest standards of sustainability best practices. Eng. Abdulla Al Abdooli, CEO of Marjan, said the …

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