Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), part of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), runs the first-of-its-kind multi-disciplinary educational platform in the region to create a dynamic, global and forward-thinking workforce of talent sourced from Dubai for Dubai. The College offers courses specifically designed for young students aiming to work within the tourism industry. The curated certificate and diploma courses span five programme areas – Tourism, Hospitality, Retail Business, Events and Culinary Arts, offering a pathway for students to achieve professional success through world-class academic offerings. Earlier this year, DCT and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), one of the oldest and largest higher education institutions in the United Kingdom, announced a new pathway for Dubai College of Tourism students. With the new pathway, students who graduate with a DCT Advanced Diploma and the required GPA, will be able to continue and obtain a ‘top-up degree’ as a student of LJMU and graduate with a BA (Hons) from the highly accredited UK institution. Aiming to bridge the gap between in-house training and a full bachelor’s degree, and as a vocational college, DCT focuses on providing students with practical experience to complement their theoretical knowledge. As part of Dubai Tourism, DCT is uniquely positioned to provide students access to a number of high profile city stakeholders from large hotel groups, to retail stores and restaurateurs. Placing emphasis on real-world skills, internships are a crucial element of DCT’s courses, as they empower students with the confidence and experience they need to succeed as the city’s next generation of tourism leaders. Students from previous cohorts have been able to work with partners of the College including major events within Dubai’s calendar including …

Disney Cruise Line will offer families exciting adventures around the world in summer 2022, including voyages to new destinations and favorite ports of call in the Greek Isles, Mediterranean, northern Europe, Alaska and the Caribbean. Plus, first-ever summer departures from Miami will take guests to Disney’s enchanting private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay. In summer 2022, a new collection of destinations will be part of the Disney Magic’s grand tour of Europe, which begins with sailings through the Greek Isles and Mediterranean before heading to northern Europe for cruises to the Baltic, the British Isles, Iceland and the Norwegian fjords. Five new ports of call in Europe include Chania, Greece; Porto, Portugal; Riga, Latvia; Maloy, Norway; and Nynashamn, Sweden, near Stockholm. From Rome, eight-, nine- and 12-night cruises to Greece will whisk families to the beautiful landscapes and archeological wonders of destinations like Piraeus, the gateway to Athens, and to the spectacular Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos. One nine-night sailing will mark Disney Cruise Line’s first call to Chania, Greece, on the island of Crete, known for its charming harbor and Venetian and Florentine influences. Mediterranean voyages from Barcelona, Spain, will visit a mix of must-see locales including Rome and Naples, plus French Riviera coastal towns like Villefranche and Cannes. During a seven-night cruise from Barcelona to Dover, England, Disney Cruise Line will make its first-ever visit to Porto, Portugal, a coastal city with old-world charm nestled in one of the world’s leading wine regions and made famous for giving Port Wine its name. Additional new ports of call in northern Europe include Riga, the capital of Latvia and the largest metropolis in the Baltics; Nynashamn, Sweden, a beautiful seaside town …

In partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Yas Island Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s leading leisure and entertainment hubs, will be covered in green in celebration of the 91st national day of Saudi Arabia on September 23, 2021. In addition, the destination offers 20% discount to travellers from Saudi Arabia when booking hotel stay with theme parks access directly through www.yasisland.ae. The spectacular array of fireworks will be open for public viewing from selected hotels and restaurants on the island. Enhanced hygiene and social distancing measures are in place at the selected destinations to guarantee an enjoyable experience for all guests while ensuring their health and safety. Festivities are due to kick off at 9pm with the fireworks live streamed on Yas Island’s Instagram page @yasisland as public gatherings are prohibited. Moreover, attractions around Yas Island, including Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. WorldTM Abu Dhabi, CLYMBTM Abu Dhabi, Yas Mall, Yas Plaza Hotels, W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island, and Etihad Arena, will be washed with green light in recognition of 91 years since the foundation of Saudi Arabia in 1930. For more information on the celebrations planned at Yas Island for the national day of Saudi Arabia, please visit yasisland.ae. For more information on precautionary measures being taken at Yas Island, please visit yasisland.ae/yaswellness.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) announces its comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Destination Strategy that will see the nature-based Emirate become the regional leader in environmentally conscious tourism by 2025. The strategy maps out key steps for the Emirate to secure long-term sustainability that will drive overall tourism growth objectives and contribute directly to national and international climate change and environmental policy commitments. The guiding principles for Sustainable Tourism in Ras Al Khaimah include: delivering authentic tourism experiences through preservation and conservation, taking an industry wide focus that provides both economic productivity and sustainable development, improving the quality of life and well-being of citizens and residents with a community based approach and setting environmental goals based minimizing the industry’s carbon footprint and contributing to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Commenting on the launch of the new strategy, Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “the far-reaching effects of the pandemic brought into razor focus the need more so than ever to accelerate our environmental tourism agenda.  However, instead of focusing only on one area – the environment – we broadened our approach to address all areas of sustainability ranging from cultural preservation, employee mental well-being to industry wide protocols and carbon emission goals.” He further added: “With the theme ‘Rise Together’ at this year’s Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), the time is right to signal to industry investors that sustainable considerations need to be top of mind for long term investment and hospitality development in a destination.” The Sustainable Tourism Destination Strategy follows the Authority’s earlier announcement of over 20 new sustainable tourism initiatives across the Emirate marking an investment of half a billion dirhams in …

flydubai announced the new dates for the launch of flights to Cluj-Napoca in Romania. The airline will operate twice-weekly flights between Dubai International (DXB) and Avram Iancu International Airport Cluj (CLJ) starting from 03 November 2021. flydubai operates a daily service between Dubai International (DXB) and Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP), the service will increase to a double daily operation from November. With the start of flights to Cluj-Napoca in November, the carrier will serve the Romanian market with a total of 16 weekly flights. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “we first started operating to Bucharest with four flights a week in 2012. Since then, flydubai has more than tripled its operations to the market as demand has grown for commercial and cargo traffic between Romania and the UAE. We are excited to offer more options for convenient direct airlinks to the market with the start of our flights to Cluj-Napoca and we look forward to further stimulating travel and trade flows in both directions.” Cluj-Napoca is the second largest city in Romania with one of the most dynamic economies in the country and is the largest centre for innovation and business opportunities in Transylvania. Avram Iancu International Airport Cluj (CLJ) is considered an important gateway to the north-western region of Romania. Located 10 kilometres east from Cluj-Napoca’s city centre, the airport is close to the most important attractions of the city; also known as “The heart of Transylvania.” Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, added: “flydubai’s new service will offer more than 3.5 million people, living within few hours drive from the airport, the convenience of direct airlinks to Dubai. There …

Qatar Airways is pleased to announce its participation on the Global Coalition for Sustainable Aviation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), becoming the first airline in the Middle East to join the global coalition, reaffirming its commitment to work together with the relevant industry stakeholders, such as manufacturers, academia, governments and non-government organisations towards aviation decarbonisation and promoting sustainable air transport. The ICAO Global Coalition promotes sustainable international aviation, acting as a forum through which stakeholders can develop new ideas and accelerate innovative solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the source. It also aims to provide input into the development and implementation of a basket of measures and the exploration of a long-term environmental objective related to international aviation. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “It is innovation that will drive the industry forward for a sustainable future. I strongly believe that the ICAO Global Coalition for Sustainable Aviation will allow industry-leading partners to pursue collaborative creation and drive innovation together. Qatar Airways is looking forward to being a strategic collaborator in the coalition. We expect to work together with other members in developing ideas and strategies to facilitate a further acceleration of innovative green technologies, taking us a step closer towards net zero emissions.” The coalition includes stakeholders working on a broad array of topics related to sustainable aviation, including sustainable aviation fuels, infrastructure, operations, and technology, and it looks for trendsetters when identifying new potential members. Its focus areas include, raising awareness of the continuing progress made towards in-sector CO2 emissions reduction from international aviation, building on existing leaderships and champions, as well as strengthening current partnerships and innovations. Qatar Airways will to be …

As the countdown begins for the third edition of the Gulf Travel Show, Malaysia pledges partnership as the platinum sponsors for the event. The Malaysia pavilion will include eleven partners, Langkawi development authority (LADA), Adya hotel Langkawi, Westin Langkawi resort and Spa, Dayang Bay Resort Langkawi, Panorama Langkawi Sdn Bhd, Rebak Island Resort, Tropical Charters Sdn Bhd, Berjaya Langkawi Resort, Naam Sdn Bhd, Mega Water Sports and Aloft Langkawi Pantai Tengah. The success of the first two editions in November 2020 and March 2021 subsequently, led to its third edition of the region’s most popular virtual event, the coveted Gulf Travel Show 2021. Recording over 50 exhibitors, 2,100 one-on-one meetings, 1,500 visitors which included travel agents, tour operators, tourism boards, airlines, hotels, travel management companies, international agencies and media, the event has kept the momentum of the industry on a proactive level. Special sessions with industry experts The third edition promises an exciting line up of experts from the fields of travel, aviation, and hospitality as they share their insightful views with engaging panel discussions. Space tourism has caught on the Middle East market with the first astronaut from the UAE and then the recent expedition by Jeff Bezos has created a new emerging trend. YouGov will be sharing the research and data of this new venture at one of the sessions at the Gulf Travel Show. Buyer programme  The programme for hosted buyers is one of enthusiasm as each buyer has the opportunity to take one step further and secure their position to derive all pertinent information. Motivating engagement between the buyers and exhibitors, the leaderboard play a vital role in ensuring that the information is not just disseminated but …

With ease of travel restrictions, Oman Air Holidays has partnered with National Bank of Oman (NBO) to offer cardholders an exclusive 10% discount on packages and services. Valid across an extensive network of domestic and international destinations, and including accommodation, flight tickets, car rental, tours, and airport transfers, the discount can be attained simply by using any NBO card when booking and paying through the Oman Air Holidays call centre. Mundher Al Shaikhani​, Senior Manager Oman Air Holidays, said, “As Oman’s leading ‘Fly & Stay’ travel gateway, we offer a wide variety of holiday tours and packages that combine the best in hospitality, leisure and tourism and offer exceptional value-for-money. NBO shares our customer-centric vision and we are looking forward to a long and fruitful partnership that provides our customers with even more rewarding travel experiences.” Maha Al Raisi, Head of Products at NBO, added, “At NBO, we strive to provide our customers with unique lifestyle benefits, simply for banking with us. We’re excited to have partnered with Oman Air Holidays, as a brand that our customers know and love. With people starting to travel again, the options and discounts provided is one way of helping them enjoy their holiday a little bit more.” Oman Air Holidays offers unique Oman experiences and other exciting Oman Air destinations, and is committed to providing the best holiday experience for guests through a range of diverse, fully customizable packages. Services include accommodation, air tickets, car rentals, FITs (foreign independent tours) adventures and sports activities, tour guide, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), special event tickets and services, tours and sightseeing, airport transfers, and many more. Oman Air Holidays Stopover Packages offer transit passengers a taste …

From 16 to 23 September, Etihad Airways will host a pop-up stand at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates, showcasing the award-winning Etihad experience, and offering incredible discounts. Located in the lower ground floor of Mall of the Emirates, Etihad’s stand is giving customers an exclusive taste of what to expect when flying with Etihad. The stand is open daily from 10am to 10pm on weekdays and until midnight on weekends offering activities to entertain children too. Those itching to travel again can get an incredible 50% discount on their next flight by booking at the stand. Amina Taher, Vice President Brand, Marketing and Sponsorship at Etihad Airways, said: “Etihad introduced this unique initiative to give customers of all ages the opportunity to learn more about Etihad’s award-winning inflight experience. Following the government’s announcement to remove the quarantine requirement for all vaccinated travellers arriving in Abu Dhabi from abroad, we are taking the opportunity to inspire guests to travel again. Our guests are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re excited to give an incredible 50% discount on all tickets booked at the stand to make this as rewarding as possible.” Visitors to the Etihad stand can also receive unique discount codes of up to 25% for future bookings. Discounts are available for bookings in Economy, Business and First class for travel until 8 December 2021. To celebrate this initiative, between 16 and 30 September, all members of the SHARE prorgamme can transfer SHARE points to Etihad Guest Miles and earn 50% bonus miles. Customers who are not yet members of the airline’s loyalty programme can scan the QR code to become an Etihad Guest Member and earn 1,000 welcome bonus miles. …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in collaboration with globally renowned creative experience company Semi Permanent, has unveiled the full line-up for a first-in-region creativity festival, which is set to host an array of global talent from the design, retail, branding, fashion and technology industries.  Tickets are now available for Semi Permanent Middle East, which will run from 14 – 16 October 2021 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and feature world-renowned performers including Mark Ronson, the Oscar and Grammy-winning songwriter, record producer and DJ, who will perform an exclusive DJ set. The event will also house an array of inspiring, immersive and multi-sensory experiences, including the first international pop-up by famed New York restaurant and bar The Flower Shop; La Rosa Social Club, an exhibition of works by leading contemporary, US-based artists, including Kahlil Joseph, Ryan McGinley and Johanna Jackson; and Refik Anadol, the Turkish-American new media artist, will debut a mesmeric, data-driven digital artwork in a stunning, all-encompassing LED format. Accompanying the stellar international line-up will be many of the Middle East’s standout creative talents, including musician Dana Hourani, artist Jason Seife, Les Benjamins founder and creative director Bunyamin Aydin, and photographer Hussain AlMoosawi, adding a local flavour to the event. “Our strategic partnership with Semi Permanent will unite a who’s who of international talent and cutting-edge powerhouses from across the world’s creative landscape, right here in Abu Dhabi,” said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi. “This exciting new addition to Abu Dhabi’s increasingly diverse events calendar underlines the emirate’s role as both an enabler and a beacon of innovation for the regional design, business and …