Visits to Expo 2020 Dubai continue to climb substantially, increasing to 8,067,012 in the period up to 27 December as the most significant global gathering of 2021 continues to welcome visitors safely and responsibly. Expo’s stringent COVID-19 safety measures are designed to protect everyone on site, and include mandatory mask-wearing – indoors and outdoors – for visitors, as well as all staff and participants. Venues may also close temporarily for deep cleaning and sanitisation in response to positive cases detected by extensive workforce testing protocols, as well as for maintenance, private events and staff shortages. During the past week, Expo 2020 celebrated Christmas with a series of special events, with thousands of visitors safely enjoying the festivities, with many taking advantage of the AED 95 festive pass valid until the end of December. Visitors and performers have shown collective responsibility in the face of heightened health concerns. Academy and Grammy award-winning composer A.R. Rahman, during a special concert on 22 December, thanked audiences for being responsible and encouraged everyone to wear masks – a message echoed on Christmas Day by award-winning actress and singer Lea Salonga and internationally acclaimed singer and pianist Joe Stilgoe. On 24 December, The Holy See held a prayer service for humanity, award-winning Lebanese singer Tania Kassis and the Festival Chorus performed a special carol service, while the UK’s most successful gospel choir group, the London Community Gospel Choir and American soul artist Naia Izumi delighted audiences. The next seven days promise another host of events to dazzle, entertain and educate, with a special focus on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Helping visitors ring in 2022 will be two of the world’s biggest DJs …

Mohammed Hanif Al Qassim  an Emirati hotelier and the Managing Partner at The Manor by JA hotel, has been appointed as one of the youngest global advisory council members at the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) organization. Al Qassim, who is also the only Arab member, will serve in a three year term commencing on 2022 at the advisory council of the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®). HITEC event has been produced by HFTP organization to serve as a forum for hospitality professionals to exchange information and ideas on the latest products and services. The council will produce international education programs that leverage the skills-set of the hospitality professionals and help them to be ready to run successful hotel operations in the future. In addition, HITEC council members will engage in identifying the current and the most important hospitality topics. The advisory council is also mandated to focus on the capacity building side of the hospitality industry and evaluating the relevant programs for the hoteliers and professionals around the globe. Commenting on the appointment, Frank Wolfe, CAE, FIH; CEO at HFTP said: “since 2016, our activities in the UAE have been largely regional with the HFTP Dubai Chapter and HITEC Dubai. Now with Mohammed Al Qassim joining the HITEC Advisory Council, we are fostering an increasingly international perspective for a global industry event. This is the real definition of what HFTP is about.” “As the network expands internationally, like-minded professionals have a broader source of information to draw from. And now, as HFTP grows in the UAE there is the opportunity to hear from the experiences of members in the region, considering that the UAE have a …

In a move that further contributes to realising the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to make Dubai the world’s best city to live, work and visit, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has launched an online portal that provides a ‘One-Stop-Shop’ for timeshare operators to register and apply for permits and provide insights and guidance to customers and tourists. The new portal, which facilitates a seamless experience for customers, tourists, investors and vacation operators in the city, supports the legal framework created by Dubai’s new Timeshare Law. The Timeshare Portal developed by DET in cooperation with partners allows potential operators to register and submit their applications for timeshare properties, obtain a permit as a licensed timeshare operator, and renew these permits on a yearly basis. The portal brings immense benefits to the tourism ecosystem, further strengthening investor confidence in the city and its real estate and hotel offerings. Additionally, it will speed up the approval process and provide guidance and easy access to information sought by investors, owners and operators, as well as tourists who wish to use timeshare during their visit to Dubai. The Timeshare Portal, which incorporates global best practices, aims to establish a better business environment and seamless experience for all parties and ensure customers are protected. A multi-entity Dubai-wide initiative, the portal is primarily driven by a partnership between DET and Dubai Land Department (DLD), backed by continuous coordination with Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).  The easily accessible online portal seeks to further stimulate and encourage investments in the vacation ownership sector. The Timeshare Law, which regulates the …

Radisson Hotel Group is delighted to announce the opening of the Middle East’s first Radisson Resort, Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island – a perfect beach getaway just a 45-minute drive from Dubai, offering direct beach access and panoramic views of the surrounding waters. Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island features 388 rooms and suites with sea views or balconies to enjoy the fresh sea air and spectacular vistas of the picturesque Marjan Island, a group of four man-made coral-shaped islands in Ras Al Khaimah spanning 4.5 kilometers into the sea. The unique landscape covers an area of 2.7 million square meters. The resort has a scenic panorama of the Arabian Peninsula and the surrounding Yanis and Jais Mountains , conveniently situated close to a range of activities and attractions, including the world’s longest zipline, the Jebel Jais Flight, the terracotta dunes of Al Wadi and Ras Al Khaimah’s National Museum. The emirate is home to magnificent landscapes, breathtaking coastlines, vast desert plains and 64 kilometers of white sandy beaches. Tim Cordon, Area Senior Vice President, Middle East, and Africa at Radisson Hotel Group, says, “We are honored to end the year with the opening of the Middle East’s first Radisson Resort right here in the UAE, and our first hotel in Ras Al Khaimah. The opening of Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island means that we are now present in six of seven Emirates and the new resortperfectly complements our existing hotel portfolio of 15 hotels across the UAE. Ras Al Khaimah Tourism has been doing a fantastic job promoting the destination and we look forward to contributing to the destination’s attraction with our new resort.” …

Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) continues to act on its commitment to build sustainable tourism in the country by joining the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI).  As the pandemic continues, ATB has been putting more and more emphasis on building responsible and sustainable tourism offerings as well as involving key local players in the process.  “Understanding the urgency to act for sustainable development, we are pleased to join an international initiative to reduce the environmental impact of the tourism industry in a collective effort with our esteemed stakeholders”, said Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board. By joining the GTPI, ATB commits to stimulating the elimination of problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging and items by 2025 and involving local stakeholders in this process through discussion platforms and meetings with key players such as industry experts and experts in plastic pollution.  ATB’s commitments within the initiative also include to encourage change in traveller behaviour on recycling and reuse during their journey in Azerbaijan through tour guides trained and educated in the matter in question. Developed within the framework of the Sustainable Tourism Programme of the One Planet network, the Initiative is led by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to drive the shift towards a circular economy of plastics.

Etihad Airways and ADQ announced a proposed transaction that will support the ongoing transformation of Etihad Airways and the future growth of the civil aviation sector in Abu Dhabi. As part of the proposed transaction, a number of Etihad’s businesses providing airline support services will become part of a new ADQ aviation company. Once the transaction is complete, the airline support services businesses will benefit from being part of ADQ’s broad mobility and logistics portfolio, which includes Abu Dhabi Airports and AD Ports Group. The businesses included in the proposed transaction are Etihad Engineering, Etihad Airport Services Cargo, Etihad Airport Services Ground, Etihad Aviation Training, Etihad Secure Logistics and Etihad Technical Training.   Additionally, the proposed transaction will see two Etihad businesses join Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company (ADNEC). Etihad Airport Services Catering will combine with ADNEC’s catering business Capital Hospitality, and Etihad Holidays will join ADNEC’s tourism promotion business, Tourism 365. The proposed agreement marks the start of a new chapter for Etihad Airways, allowing the airline to further sharpen its focus on its core business and respond with greater agility to market opportunities as global travel demand rebounds from COVID-19.   H.E. Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, CEO of ADQ, said: “With the proposed addition of Etihad’s experienced aviation support businesses to our new dedicated aviation company, ADQ is primed to develop an integrated aviation platform that is driven by performance and a robust financial foundation through its new company. With an integrated mobility and logistics portfolio that plays a leading role in the development of Abu Dhabi’s global connectivity, we are well-positioned to unlock the growth potential of these aviation services businesses. We see potential to capitalise on growth …

Ernesto Sanchez Beaumont, Managing Director, Amadeus Gulf  shares insights on how technology has become key to post pandemic travel recovery. After a turbulent two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the appetite for traveling is accelerating, according to recent research by travel technology company Amadeus, with 50% of travelers expecting to have taken a business flight by the end of 2021. The Rebuild Travel survey, which surveyed consumers across the UAE, France, Germany, India, Spain, Russia, Singapore, the UK, and the US, shows the need for human connection has not been dampened by the turmoil of the last two years. In fact, our “Rebuilding Hospitality: Trends in Demand, Data and Technology That are Driving Recovery” study showed global hotel occupancy increased to 60% in July 2021, nearly doubling 2020’s performance for the same month. These numbers mean that global hospitality occupancy had climbed 80% of the way back to pre-pandemic norms of around 75% for the first half of the year. For instance, the UAE registered a 62% hotel occupancy rate in the first half of the year, according to government figures That being said, traveler concerns still exist around issues such as last-minute cancellations and refunds, for example.  There is also a growing demand for apps and solutions where digital health data and travel information can be stored in one place for convenience. Digital transformation Technology plays a prominent role in combatting these concerns, particularly touchless experiences across the customer journey. Eighty per cent of travelers said technology – specifically, touchless technologies – would increase their confidence to fly. Ideally, it would reduce queues and congestion in public spaces and face-to-face/physical contact. More than half (56%) of the travelers …

Habitas, the sustainable, experience-led hospitality brand which continues to fortify its status as an industry disruptor with the recent launch of its Namibia and Bacalar properties, has opened its next “home” – this time even further off the map, in the uncharted AlUla region in the Northwest of Saudi Arabia. Launched November, 2021, Habitas AlUla rests within an ancient oasis in the desert canyons of the Ashar Valley, surrounded by sandstone cliffs and palm groves.  The serene resort pathways lead guests up to each of the 96 guest rooms which span three tiers: premium Celestial Villas, Alcove Villas and Canyon Villas, as well as to the yoga deck, wellness and fitness centers, restaurant, and swimming pool. Each of these spaces is constructed from ethically-sourced organic materials which blend seamlessly into their natural surroundings. This minimally invasive build model, along with the property’s sustainable construction methods, are the Habitas calling cards: modular-build, low impact design that does virtually no harm to the environment, creating an organic space in which meaningful experiences of all kinds will spring to life.   Habitas AlUla is the true embodiment of the brand’s six programming pillars: music, wellness, adventure, culture, learning, and culinary, all of which are meticulously developed to immerse guests within the region’s authentic culture and natural environment. This is illustrated through programming that accommodates art and culture walks, canyon trekking, yoga, meditation and breathwork. Habitas will leverage its musical roots to create and curate sounds from the region’s unique talents, and showcase them for guests through the medium of a concert series.   AlUla’s on-site restaurant Tama, aptly named after the word “here” in Aramaic, is in line with one of Habitas’ core …

Qatar Airways Privilege Club continues to honour the loyalty of its valued members by extending their tier status. This initiative will benefit all Silver, Gold and Platinum members whose tier status is due for renewal between December 2021 and December 2022. The tier validity of these members would be automatically extended to 31 December 2022. Find out more at qatarairways.com/tierextension. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “At Privilege Club, we remain steadfastly committed to our members. Their loyalty means everything to us, and we will continue to honour their choice to fly with us. As the Official Airline of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Qatar Airways will continue to innovate in rewarding and recognising our members. We sincerely look forward to enriching our members’ travel experiences, and offering them more time to enjoy the incredible benefits of their tier as they plan for their travel with us in 2022, to over 140 global destinations”. Privilege Club has continued to invest in redefining the programme, including reducing the number of Qmiles required to book award flights by up to 49 per cent and extending the validity of Qmiles to last longer than ever before. Every time a member earns or spends Qmiles, the balance is valid for an additional 36 months. Furthermore, Privilege Club launched Hotel & Car Rewards, which allows members to earn and spend Qmiles at over 350,000 hotels and more than 20,000 car rental locations worldwide. Qatar Airways also launched Student Club, powered by Privilege Club, which offers a range of benefits curated for students to support them throughout their educational journey. Student Club recently celebrated its first anniversary with a …

Sabre Corporation signed a multi-year marketing distribution agreement with Tawfeeq Technologies and Services (TTS). The agreement will see TTS market and distribute Sabre’s products and services to travel companies in Qatar. “Qatar has proven its resilience during these challenging times and the region is recovering at a significant rate,” said Hashim Abdulla Al Hashemi, Board Member, TTS “Speaking with our customers, we understand they are receptive to technology and believe that the way forward requires reliable technology and intelligent solutions.  Sabre is an ideal partner to help empower our customers and provide them with innovative technology and solutions to help drive growth, boost revenue and transform their businesses.” Sabre demonstrated resilience and took proactive steps to enhance its financial position and plan for future growth, including identifying and investing in growth opportunities in the EMEA region. Qatar has been identified as a key growth opportunity and this agreement will play an important role in helping to enable that growth. “Our partnership with TTS will combine Sabre’s strong global technology capabilities with TTS’ deep local expertise to provide the travel agency community with unprecedented innovation and service options,” said Aditya Varma, Regional Director, Sabre Travel Network Middle East. “It’s an exciting venture between two companies that share many synergies, and we look forward to growing our business with them and transforming travel in Qatar.”