Russia’s two largest cities will have the opportunity to learn more about the delights of Sharjah when Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) takes its roadshow to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Visiting Moscow, the Russia capital on October 5 and St. Petersburg, the ‘Cultural Capital’ on October 7, the SCTDA roadshow will highlight Sharjah’s array of attractions, with the aim of increasing Russian visitors to the UAE’s third most populous emirate now that travel restrictions are being progressively relaxed.  His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, says that the roadshow aims to reinvigorate Russian tourism interest in Sharjah and the UAE, with the country having been in the top three of Sharjah’s leisure holidays and tourism markets for many years, and with numerous Russian ‘repeat visitors.’ “Russia was one of the first tourism markets the UAE reconnected with as the travel restrictions started to ease, with our emirate remaining a hugely popular destination for Russians. In August, the United Arab Emirates entered the list of the most popular foreign beach holiday destinations open to Russians, subject to a PCR test or vaccination certificate,” said His Excellency. Since autumn 2020, Sharjah has witnessed an upswing in airline passenger traffic, with more than 400 flights between Sharjah Airport and 10 cities in Russia. Carriers making regular weekly trips include Rossiya, Aeroflot, Ural Airlines, Nordwind, Royal flight and Arabia. June, to the end of August this year saw Sharjah Airport receive no less than 70 flights from Russian cities. Among the benefits and attractions of Sharjah that the SCTDA roadshow will be highlighting for the citizens of Moscow and St. Petersburg include its blend of sun, sand and sea, which …

Lumi, Seera Group’s vehicle rental business, has set an industry-first in the Kingdom to provide Harley-Davidson bikes on rent exclusively. Through its partnership with Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Lumi has launched the first fleet of touring and cruiser motorcycles that enable bike aficionados to explore the Kingdom in inimitable style. A disruptive new business model that will transform the vehicle rental sector, the new service will benefit not only bike enthusiasts in the Kingdom but also visitors as Saudi Arabia prepares to welcome global travellers both on business and leisure. The partnership is highlighted by two significant strengths: One, the premium features and outstanding performance of the Harley-Davidson bikes backed by the seamless service of trained technicians; and two, Lumi’s advanced booking experience, proven customer service and extensive rental industry expertise that allows easy bike rentals. In the first phase, the bikes are rented out at Lumi’s counter at the Harley-Davidson outlet in Riyadh, and will be later followed by dedicated Lumi branch outlets and online booking service too. Azfar Shakeel, Vice President of Lumi, said: “At the heart of this new partnership is Lumi’s focus on bringing innovative services that not only transform the vehicle rental business but also create exceptional lifestyle experiences for our customers. With domestic tourism gaining momentum and international travel set to rebound, we are preparing to welcome visitors as well as treat Saudi residents to new thrills, such as an exhilarating ride to discover the Kingdom on a Harley-Davidson. Our fleet of cruisers and touring bikes are ideal to criss-cross Saudi Arabia and discover the varied tourism offering of the Kingdom.” Monther Almutlaq, Managing Director, Harley-Davidson Saudi Arabia, said: “It is with pleasure that Harley …

Hilton Garden Inn Bahrain Bay has enjoyed prime occupancy rates since opening its doors to guests back in July 2021. Nestled in the heart of Bahrain Bay and directly connected to the newest retail and leisure destination in the Kingdom, The Avenues – Bahrain, the 192-room hotel includes 35 suites, all with breath-taking bay and sea-facing views. The newly opened Hotel truly provides an ideal experience for business travellers and families alike, be it for a short weekend stay, for longer periods, or looking to enjoy staycations; wherein 70% of the guest rooms offer connecting rooms, most of the suites offer a convenient kitchenette complete with a microwave and sink. Throughout the hotel, the beautifully designed spaces and waterfront views result in a sanctuary of wellness, where carefully curated dessert earthbound tones and Kingdom’s sea-inspired and neutral colour palettes create an oasis of calmness and relaxation. “We truly deliver a unique and serene experience at the Hilton Garden Inn Bahrain Bay, providing our guests with the exceptional service the Hilton is known for. Besides the stunning views offered throughout the hotel, of either Bahrain Bay or the sea, the design of each and every room echoes a sense of relaxation and well-being. We have enjoyed unparalleled occupancy rates since opening, despite the ongoing situation which has affected the hotel industry across the world, and look forward to continuing to welcoming guests be it from neighbouring regions or from around the world” commented Manuela Brode, General Manager at Hilton Garden Inn Bahrain Bay. The upscale hotel also benefits from flexible meeting spaces with state-of-the-art facilities, a fully equipped fitness center, and an infinity pool overlooking the sparkling Bahrain Bay. In addition …

Since 01 October 2021, the Czech Republic pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has attracted visitors with its futuristic and trailblazing initiatives at the sustainability district. Furthermore, the pavilion celebrated Czech Tourism Day on 05 October 2021 by hosting an informative workshop for travel partners in the Middle East. Organised in cooperation with the Czech Embassy in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), the workshop focused on the flourishing “Wellness Tourism” industry in the country. The workshop attracted over 40 agents from the travel industry, followed by a pavilion tour to the media and it and concluded with a networking gala serving Czech delicacies that welcomed over 60 top travel stakeholders in the market.   Opening the workshop, H.E Mr. Jiri Slavik, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the UAE, said: “We are very excited to be a part of this global event as Czech Republic is a popular destination amongst the citizens of the UAE, offering unique experiences. We have eased travel restrictions for vaccinated travellers between the two countries keeping in mind safety as the major factor to welcome tourists in post COVID-19 period. In 2019, Czech Republic welcomed 30,000 tourists from the UAE for an average length of stay of around 3-4 days and over 27,000 travellers from Saudi Arabia for a maximum length of stay of around 5-6 days. Commenting on the plan for tourism ahead, Mr. David Koppitz, Deputy Minister of the Minister of regional development commented, “Our post-pandemic strategy is to be more sustainable, more innovative, digital and resilient. We are hoping that we gradually reach the numbers of 2019 in the coming year as the tourism industry regroups from the pandemic keeping in mind the …

PLM Global, the international retail and design specialists, celebrated the grand opening of The Portuguese Pavilion at Expo 2020, Dubai as the experts who manage the Pavilion, PLM also is responsible for the manager of the First Portuguese Concept Store, in addition to all brands activations and events at the Pavilion’s Traditional Portuguese Restaurant; Al-Lusitano and its exhilarating terrace. Earlier last month, The Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade of Portugal (AICEP) and PLM held an event at the Pavilion of Portugal on the 19th September, to celebrate the completion of the construction work with the presence of Joaquim Moreira de Lemos, Portugal’s Ambassador to the UAE, Eurico Brilhante Dias, Secretary of State for Internationalization; Francisca Guedes de Oliveira, Portugal’s Deputy Commissioner for Expo 2020 Dubai, Manuel Couto Miranda, Director of the Pavilion of Portugal and Daniel Pereira Pontes, Economic Advisor AICEP. Pedro Rodrigues, PLM Global Chairman said: “The UAE has become an epitome of progress and achievement in the past 50 years. Today the blessed country is hosting Expo 2020 Dubai, the first mega event in the region. The whole nation is proud, jubilant and ecstatic. This indeed is a great achievement. It is a result of tremendous efforts and visionary leadership of the country. On this momentous day I congratulate leadership and people of UAE and we trust in the success of the event, continued progress and prosperity of the UAE and for further strengthening and deepening of the ties and economic relations between the UAE & Portugal”. Rodrigues continues: “This first event was a symbolic night for PLM in the Middle East. We came to raise the flag of Portugal and held the first reception at the …

Qatar Airways and RwandAir have signed a comprehensive codeshare agreement to offer travellers more choice, enhanced service and greater connectivity to more than 65 destinations across Africa and the rest of the world. As part of the deal, the Rwandan flag carrier will also launch new non-stop flights between their Kigali hub and Doha from December. The agreement benefits travellers from across the globe who fly with both airlines, which expands each carrier’s route network. Passengers can enjoy the simplicity of purchasing connecting flights on both airlines using one seamless reservation system, that simplifies ticketing, check-in, boarding and baggage-check processes for the entire journey. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said “We share a very close and collaborative bond with Rwanda and welcome RwandAir’s new non-stop service between Kigali and our home in Doha. With this comprehensive codeshare agreement, we are committed to deliver greater choice and connectivity to our customers in Africa and around the world. The new partnership will help position Qatar Airways in the region and complement our African expansion strategy. As we brace ourselves to meet significantly increased demand for long-awaited travel, I see dynamic partnerships like this one helping to steer travel, tourism and trade firmly on the path to recovery.” RwandAir Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Yvonne Makolo, said: “This is a major milestone for RwandAir and marks the beginning of an exciting new journey with Qatar Airways. We are also immensely proud to welcome Doha to our route network, connecting customers with Qatar’s hub and further expanding their flight map.   “This codeshare agreement will give our customers significantly more choice and flexibility, allowing RwandAir to strengthen its global presence …

Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), which has a dedicated Industry Nationalisation division, Medyaf, and Al-Futtaim Group recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will help further enhance cooperation between the two entities, specifically in training and providing employment to national cadres in the hospitality and retail sectors. The MoU was signed by Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of Dubai College of Tourism and Mrs. Mira Al Futtaim, Board Director, Al Futtaim Education Foundation and Group Emiratisation Ambassador at Al-Futtaim Group at a ceremony held at the Innovation Hub at Al-Futtaim Festival Tower, and which was also attended by several senior officials and executives from both DCT and Al-Futtaim Group. Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of Dubai College of Tourism, commented: “The Dubai College of Tourism welcomes this cooperation agreement with the Al Futtaim Group that will further strengthen and highlight the role of Medyaf and its continued support to the Emiratisation programme across the tourism ecosystem. This MoU is considered an essential step for establishing a mutually beneficial partnership, primarily to highlight the many advantages of working in this industry and assist national cadres looking to grow within the tourism and retail sectors.” Commenting on the partnership, Mrs. Mira Al Futtaim, Board Director, Al Futtaim Education Foundation and Group Emiratisation Ambassador at Al-Futtaim Group, said: “Al-Futtaim Group continues to support the UAE Vision 2021 and its 50 project government plans by attracting and promoting UAE talent within our group. We are honoured to partner with DCT as it actively introduces UAE nationals to the private sector, equipping them with the right skills and knowledge to succeed in their careers, as well as bringing a hospitality mindset to our retail …

Tourism Ireland officially announces the launch of the ‘Green Button’ campaign as the island rolls out the green carpet to holidaymakers and opens its doors to tourists in the coming months. By encouraging residents to press the ‘Green Button’, the campaign delivers the message to ‘book now’ and creates a commitment to travel by pressing a green button – green being the colour of ‘go’ and the colour universally connected with the island of Ireland. Having prepared a wide range of health and safety standards, put the finishing touches to new hotels and other unique accommodations, cooked up unforgettable culinary offers and developed a host of great new experiences and activities, the island gears up to welcome Middle East residents once again. By availing of travel offers and ‘only in Ireland’ experiences on Ireland.com, visitors can look forward to exploring amazing coastlines and mountains, discovering authentic cultural life, and experiencing gourmet secrets. There are exciting ways to plan a trip to take in all of this and more on Ireland.com alongside a wealth of accommodation, outdoor and wellness, luxury, activities, foodie and other travel offers. Nial Gibbons, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “We are delighted to roll out our ‘Green Button’ campaign in the Middle East to re-start tourism. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the island of Ireland again to explore a multitude of unique experiences on an island that is easy to get to and easy to get around. There is so much to see, do and experience. Travellers can find inspiration for their next trip by visiting our website, Ireland.com, for a variety of offers on restaurants, hotels, leisure and outdoor activities such as golf.” …

MyHotels announced it had received final approval from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia to serve as an official Umrah OTA. MyHotels® Founded in Saudi Arabia in January 2016, headquartered in Makkah. MyHotels® is Saudi leading Online Travel Agency – OTA providing worldwide travel services, MyHotels® Achieved ISO 9001:2015 Certification for Quality Management System in Travel and Tourism,  MyHotels® providing accommodations reservations (Covering more than 1,000,000 properties “hotels, villas, apartments” across 80,000 destinations worldwide), and offers other travel-related services such as transportation arrangement (air, bus, car, transfers), also tours and activities package. MyHotels® prices include taxes and fees without hidden fees, enabling customers to make international tourist reservations at premium prices; now MyHotels® added Umrah Services in their services lines to be an Approved Umrah Online Travel Agency – Umrah OTA to serve both Business B2B and Individuals B2C. YouTube: https://youtu.be/9JiJhwkI0L4 “We are happy and proud to receive this official designation,” said Emad Alabbas, CEO of MyHotels®. “We have invested a lot and still investing in developing the infrastructure of the MyHotels® to deliver the fastest Umrah platform possible, and best customer services in the sector of Approved Umrah Online Travel Agency – Umrah OTA, we expand our partnership in Umrah hotels reservations and Umrah transportations reservations sectors and offering all discounts received directly to our partners, this will be allowing our partners to avoid the stress of commissions targets and incentives policies, letting our partners focusing on their core business.”   MyHotels® Umrah: MyHotels® Umrah – B2C – https://umrah.myhotels.sa/: Issues an immediate electronic Umrah e-Visa for individuals allows them to enter Saudi Arabia. The package includes hotels in Makkah City and/or Madinah City, transportations, and ground …

In GCC the UAE was the biggest climber across Q3 2021, moving up four places to the number one spot. Over the last quarter other GCC nations remain in similar rankings. As the UAE opens its doors to the world for the start of Expo 2020, the world’s ultimate real-time tool on global mobility, the Passport Index, has revealed a 14.8 per cent increase in the World Openness Score (WOS) at the start of Q4, since the beginning of the year. While up nine percent on the last quarter, the average global mobility score (MS), across all 199 states measured by the index, is 89; based on a total of visa-free or visa-on-arrival access provided. The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect travel and mobility and it is testament to the many countries around the world that have managed to take a lead in seeing the world opening up once more. In July 2021, Bloomberg’s Covid tracking data reported that the UAE was the most vaccinated country, in the world, with over 73.8 per cent of the population vaccinated. The UAE has not one but two powerful passports – the yellow “Expo 2020 passport,” which gives you access to 191 countries – but only at Expo 2020 Dubai and over the next six months. Expo 2020, dubbed the World’s Greatest Show hosted a lavish opening ceremony on Oct 30, 2021.   Based on a mobility score that totals the number of visa-free or visa-on-arrival countries a passport currently grants the holder, the Passport Index also notes Covid-related restrictions that are changing by the day. This allows travellers and governments to have the most up to date information on …