Emirates announced that it will be restarting services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 11 September and St Petersburg from 8 October 2021. The resumption of these services build on Emirates’ growing global footprint, the continued lifting of entry restrictions as well as demand recovery across the airline’s network. Dubai continues to top the must-see destination list for Russian holidaymakers, providing a great combination of warm weather, world-class hotels for every budget, shopping and an unparalleled set of new attractions that encourage repeat visits. From 8 October, flights between Dubai and St Petersburg will operate four times a week, and the airline will increase its services to daily flights from 21 October. All flights will operate on the Boeing 777-300ER in a three class configuration. Emirates flight EK 173 and 174 will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while EK 175 and 176 will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturday and Sundays. EK 173 departs Dubai at 0910hrs, arriving at St Petersburg Pulkovo Airport at 1415hrs. EK 174 leaves St Petersburg at 1645hrs, arriving back in Dubai at 2345hrs local time. EK 175 takes off from Dubai at 1545hrs, arriving in St Petersburg at 2050hrs and EK176 leaves Pulkovo Airport at 2315hrs, landing in Dubai at 0615hrs the next day. From Saturday, 11 September, Emirates will begin operating 24 weekly flights to Saudi Arabia, including daily flights to the capital Riyadh, daily A380 flights to Jeddah, daily flights to Dammam and three weekly flights to Medina. Flights to Riyadh will increase to double daily from 16 September, and plans are underway to boost frequencies across the other gateways by the end of September. To Riyadh, Emirates will operate EK 2817 daily, …

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s inaugural flight to Manama, Bahrain commenced departing from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) and arriving in Bahrain International Airport (BAH). The new route will strengthen connectivity within the GCC by providing an alternative and ultra-low fare travel option for passengers between the two Gulf countries. The first flight to Bahrain closely follows the recent announcement made by the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee removing the need to quarantine for all vaccinated travellers arriving into Abu Dhabi from all international destinations, effective on Sunday, 5 September 2021. This welcome announcement indicates a positive outlook for the travel and tourism industry in Abu Dhabi. Since launching at the start of the year, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has announced a wide range of exciting routes to and from the UAE capital. These include Athens, Alexandria, Bahrain, Belgrade, Odesa, Sarajevo, Tirana and a number of others (see full list of routes here), with demand expected to increase following the change in travel guidelines. Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said: “Today is an important milestone for us at Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, and we are pleased to mark the occasion alongside our partners – Abu Dhabi Airport Company (ADAC) and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC). The addition of the Abu Dhabi-Manama route provides a low-fare travel option for those wishing to fly the popular Gulf travel route. This new destination is the first route to be added to our flying roster since this week’s update to the travel guidelines regarding vaccinated passengers – it is an exciting moment for us all!” Shareef Al Hashmi, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, commented: “Today is another …

Wego records exponential growth in the flight searches from Saudi Arabia to the UAE following Saudi’s announcement on welcoming travelers from the Emirate again. Saudi Arabia has been handling the pandemic very well and is rolling out its vaccination drive across the country. Travelers are feeling more reassured where airports are reinstating the confidence in travel. With stringent precautionary measures followed and safety measures that meet the high standards, we will see a quicker recovery for the tourism sector. Mamoun Hmedan, Managing Director, MENA and India, Wego, said: “The region was eagerly awaiting this announcement. Saudi Arabia is one of the most preferred destinations for MENA travelers. Through our platform, we saw a 1,700% increase in flight searches from Saudi Arabia to the UAE in the last two days. We expect to see more growth in flight searches and bookings in the coming days.” Around 50% of travelers are looking to travel within a week from the announcement and 60% of the people are searching for a short stay around 3 days. Solos are dominating the type of travelers searching for flights with 80%, followed by families and couples. Dean Wicks, Chief Flights Officer, Wego, said: “Flight searches from the UAE to Saudi Arabia have jumped by 1000% just days after the announcement. Saudi Arabia continues to be one of the favorite destinations for UAE travellers. The massive spike in searches between the two countries shows how much pent up demand there is for travel within the region.” Wego brings the best offerings to its users to help them get the best rates and deals from over hundreds of hotels and flights.

In a recognition ceremony held at the Training Centre Auditorium at Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority, 71 Oman Air volunteers were recognized for their commitment to community wellbeing as part of the Ministry of Health’s National Vaccination Campaign at the Oman Conference and Exhibition Centre. On hand to personally thank volunteers and hand out certificates of appreciation was Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Oman Air Chief Executive Officer, accompanied by Hilal Al Siyabi, Oman Air Senior Vice President – People, who led the initiative, as well as other senior executives. “Oman Air has a social responsibility to the communities in which we operate,” said Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi. “I’m delighted and immensely proud of the overwhelming response of Oman Air staff in the National Vaccination Campaign at OCEC. They have shown, through their dedication in the last three months, compassion and consideration toward fellow citizens in an overarching objective to protect public health. That Oman has been able to diminish the spread of COVID-19 is due to the many volunteers who continue to make an impact, every day.” In addition, the Kingdom’s vaccination campaign continues to gather pace. A total of 38,455,901 people in the country have so far been inoculated against COVID-19, including 1,609,631 who are classified as elderly. More than 63 percent of the population have received a first dose, and just over 45 percent have received both doses. At the current rate of vaccination, 70 percent of the population is expected to have completed both doses by the beginning of November.

Majid Al Futtaim has announced the launch of a coding program designed specifically for women – and the private sector’s first of its kind for the region. The announcement is in line with the government led initiative, ‘Projects of the 50’, aiming to attract 100 coders every day to the UAE’s workforce and attain the highest percentage of female coders per capita in the world in the next five years. Following the launch of the UAE’s National Programme for Coders in July, which aspires to develop talent, expertise and innovation in the field of coding, Majid Al Futtaim will provide a prominent platform for women in tech to make their mark on the industry. Aimed at training 5,000 women over the next five years, the program will target university students, recent graduates and career women, as well as upskilling MAFers. Early focus will be to create a dedicated tech community for interactive knowledge sharing in collaboration with the UAE Government, industry and academia, which will include outreach to universities across the Emirate to spark interest in tech subjects and encourage women to enter the sector at a greater pace. This program, in combination with other company-wide initiatives, will ensure Majid Al Futtaim achieves its goal to employ more than 35 percent women in advanced technologies and digital roles by 2023. Commenting on the launch, Alain Bejjani, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim Holding said, “There are numerous invisible barriers that discourage women from pursuing a career in the digital space which has a knock-on effect, further widening the skills and gender gap. Research suggests that women make up only 28 per cent of the global tech sector’s workforce and with …

Barceló Hotel Group partners with world-famous football organization LaLiga and Spanish Extravaganza Festival to host the second edition of this gastronomic festival in UAE, taking place from 15th to 17th September 2021. This international event is set to celebrate the rich gastronomic heritage, culture and traditions of Spain in general, and this year will focus on the Principality of Asturias. Barceló Hotel Group welcomes guests to commemorate the flavourful festival across Dukes The Palm, A Royal Hideaway Hotel and Occidental Al Jaddaf, at the new authentic Spanish restaurant Carmen. This year, Spanish Extravaganza will be partnering with ASTUREX, the Trade Promotion Agency of the Principality of Asturias, to offer guests a unique culinary experience showcasing exceptional Asturian gourmet products and its culinary creations. Revered Michelin Star Chef, Ricardo Sotres will be the host for a series of unique live gastronomic experiences to be delighted at the two hotels. José Canals, Managing Director Middle East and Asia at Barceló Hotel Group says, “We are proud to host the second edition of this festival at our properties. As the leading Spanish hotel chain in the Middle East, it gives us great pleasure to support the international recognition of Spanish culture with residents and visitors of the UAE and introduce them to authentic Asturian gastronomic cuisine. We are honoured to partner with LaLiga and Spanish Extravaganza for the second consecutive year.” Maite Ventura, LaLiga Managing Director MENA adds, “Spanish Extravaganza is an international reference festival in the promotion of Spanish gastronomic culture and working hand in hand for the second consecutive year with Barceló Hotel Group is a motivating project for us. LaLiga clubs and the culinary tradition of each region to which …

Disney Wish – the newest ship to join the Disney Cruise Line family – sets sail in summer 2022. Be among the first to experience the all-new enchantment on board, where fantastical worlds and beloved stories from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar are bought to life like never before. Here’s 20 reasons to stand up and take note! Imaginative dining Dining meets storytelling aboard the Disney Wish. Step into the magical worlds of some of your favourite Disney stories and feast upon delectable, gourmet specialties at 3 all-new upscale family restaurants. Arendelle: A “Frozen” Dining Adventure  – For the First Time in Forever. Be a part of the world’s first Frozen-themed, theatrical dining experience as you’re magically transported to the enchanting Kingdom of Arendelle aboard the Disney Wish. Queen Anna and Kristoff are celebrating their engagement and have invited you, their honoured Guest, to join them. Behold festive musical performances from Elsa and Olaf as you devour hearty Norwegian-inspired cuisine made by Oaken himself. It’s a dinner worth melting for! Worlds of MARVEL Assemble for a heroic dining adventure of epic proportions! Explore state-of-the-art tech at the Avengers Technology Showcase while indulging in flavourful global cuisines—from classic all-American fare to rich African flavours—inspired by some of your favourite heroes. During dinner, leap into your own action-packed Super Hero story, where an Avenger or two might turn to you to help them save the day! Innovative experiences Combining inventive design, cutting-edge technology and classic storytelling, the Disney Wish seamlessly brings Disney magic to life in new and unexpected ways, while creating the next generation in family entertainment. First–ever Disney attraction at sea Join Mickey and Minnie on an exhilarating water …

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed an agreement with Uber, an e-hailing giant, to enhance the training of chauffeurs of RTA limos. The aim is to use Uber’s e-hail methodology, which leads the world in this field of the industry. “This initiative stems from RTA’s keenness to enhance the level of services delivered to all community segments. It is part of RTA’s efforts to realise the government directives to make concerted efforts and strategies to transform Dubai into the smartest and happiest city in the world,” said Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of Public Transport Agency, RTA. “Smart mobility is one of the key pillars of smart cities. As such, this agreement with Uber opens a new channel that will contribute to the happiness of residents using taxi and limousine services. Besides offering a superb service to tourists and residents, the step is poised to enrich the experience of customers, serve their needs and raise their satisfaction and happiness. Thus, it contributes to realising the vision of RTA to become ‘The World Leader in Seamless & Sustainable Mobility’. “Under the agreement, a smart video-based training methodology will be set up and will be integrated to RTA’s official drivers’ training programme. The methodology will be delivered to the existing and new chauffeurs and added to the basic training courses delivered to drivers. A short and intensive methodology will be set up for the complimentary training courses called: Uber Methodology,” added Bahrozyan. Saad Pal, General Manager of Uber for the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, said: “We are keen to work with RTA in delivering more accessible technological services to all riders of limousines in the emirate in a bid …

Emirates announced that it will be expanding its operations in and out of South Africa, boosting its schedule to 28 weekly flights by October. This is the airline’s largest weekly schedule to South Africa since the start of the pandemic, which aims to bring more competitive choices for customers wishing to visit Dubai, and through Dubai to the airline’s network of over 120 global destinations. The ramp up of operations will see double daily flights to Johannesburg, including the introduction of Emirates’ iconic A380 on one of the daily flights, in addition to daily services to both Cape Town and Durban. The new frequencies and capacity increases across all of the airline’s gateways in South Africa are effective from 31 October 2021. From 1 January 2022, Emirates will serve Johannesburg with double daily A380 services. The airline’s flagship and customer favourite will offer South African passengers the best experience in the sky with signature features like First Class private suites, luxurious Shower Spa, the ever-popular Onboard Lounge, in addition to spacious seating in Economy and Premium Economy Class cabins* featuring the industry’s largest seatback screens for customers to enjoy over 4,500 channels of on-demand entertainment on ice. Emirates’ flight schedule expansion comes in response to a surge in customer demand to Dubai as tourist visas have opened up for all nationalities, in addition to the easing of restrictions across some destinations that now allow quarantine-free entry for South Africans. Emirates is also firmly committed to supporting the recovery of South Africa’s tourism industry through facilitating enhanced connectivity for international visitors into the country. Dubai has long been one of the most popular holiday getaways for South African travellers, and remains …

​Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) presented various models of the latest next-generation aircraft seats in both business and economy classes which will be included in the airline’s upcoming new Airbus A321XLR aircraft deliveries. During the two-day event held at the SAUDIA Club at the airline’s headquarters in Jeddah, guests from the Al Fursan loyalty program along with media representatives, were invited to experience and share their views and votes for their preferred models. The votes will be grouped with the decision of stakeholders which will eventually be taken into consideration for choosing the final seat on the new aircraft. During the seat selection event, the Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim Al-Omar, engaged with a number of guests at the event and heard their input and comments with regards to current onboard products and services. The seat manufacturers featured in the event included Thompson Aero Seating, Safran Seats, Stelia, Collins Aerospace, Geven, Haeco, and Recaro. The models presented include a new business-class suite featuring a 180 degrees fully-flatbed seat with sliding doors. Some of the presented suites also include a 24-inch HD screen. The spacious economy class seats come fully equipped with the latest amenities, together with storage areas and 13-inch seat-back entertainment screens. Captain Ibrahim S.  Koshy, CEO of SAUDIA, stated that the main goal of providing high-quality products is to provide comfort and industry-leading ergonomic features. Koshy indicated that the first of Saudi Arabian Airlines’ Airbus A321XLR aircraft is expected to arrive in 2024. SAUDIA has ordered a total of 15 Airbus A321XLR, which will serve regional, European, and Asian routes. Captain Koshy further asserted that the company is forging ahead with several customer-focused development …