Located in the Al Jaddaf Waterfront community and overlooking the serene Dubai Creek, INK Hotel is the latest 4-star boutique hotel in the area. The 5-storey hotel is a fun, trendy and offbeat property with a distinctive vibe focusing on sustainability and a commitment to honing hospitality excellence in the region. INK Hotel boasts a sleek and contemporary design that complements its intimate scale and varied amenities. With 63 rooms, the boutique hotel features classy interiors and splashes of vibrant colours to create a comfortable ambience where guests can be at liberty to be themselves. The hotel houses two main room types: 23 square metre rooms (that can be interconnected) and 30 square metre rooms, equipped with large floor-to-ceiling windows, free WIFI, and other favourable facilities. Featuring a rooftop swimming pool with stunning views across Dubai Creek, a pop-up gym and designated areas for pets, INK Hotel poses an ideal getaway for the young at heart. With sustainability playing an essential role in its operations, INK Hotel has taken several steps to ensure an eco-friendly environment without sacrificing any aspect of its style, high-quality service and welcoming atmosphere. In addition to solar panels installed on the roof and staff uniforms made from recycled plastic, the entire hotel is laden with L’Occitane amenities featuring top-range organic soaps and bottles made of recycled plastic. The all-day dining restaurant Bistro by INK stocks the world-renowned selection of climate-conscious, ethical, organic Teabags from Pukka while providing exquisite indoor and alfresco dining spaces. It has even collaborated with the local cafe roastery – Grandmother – to provide speciality coffee along with other delectable treats. INK Hotel is also home to the leading Swiss Hospitality school …

After a successful run in the production of Paramount Hotel Dubai and its continuous growth, DAMAC Group is thrilled to announce the expansion of the hotel chain with the opening of Paramount Hotel Midtown. Paramount Hotel Midtown is set to razzle and dazzle Dubai from the first quarter of 2022. Set in the heart of Business Bay Dubai, it’s on the doorstep of Sheikh Zayed Road, Burj Khalifa and the Dubai International Financial Centre and has been curated for the young-at-heart who love to be at the centre of it all. Developed using the same bold imagination, inspiring talent and creative process that has been perfected over Paramount Pictures’ 105-year history, Paramount Hotel Midtown is synonymous with entertainment and, above all, creativity. Offering timeless Hollywood elegance and a cinematic guest experience, the hotel brings to life the contemporary Californian magic with its sophisticated design, upscale dining experiences and celebrity spa and fitness centre. Commenting on the second hotel launch, Jean Faivre, Senior Vice President Hospitality DAMAC Hotels & Resorts, said: “The Paramount proposition is special, with a rich history to live up to. We’ve been immensely successful with our first property and we are now looking forward to our second opening, which will, without a doubt, be a unique addition to Dubai’s vibrant hospitality scene.” With feel-good vibes, mid-century styling, awe-inspiring views and fresh culinary concepts, Paramount Hotel Midtown is where the Hollywood-chic go to ‘see and be seen’. 281 contemporary rooms and suites include Scene Rooms, A-List Suites and a Paramount Suite. Designed for high-life lovers emulating the lifestyle of the rich and famous, elegantly decorated rooms are further enhanced by balconies overlooking the Dubai coastline or Burj Khalifa. …

The Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) and Air Arabia Group, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator revealed the visual brand identity of ‘Fly Arna’, Armenia’s national airline to be launched by their joint venture company.  The brand name ‘Arna’ is derived from company’s official name ‘Armenian National Airlines’ with ‘AR’ taken from Armenian, ‘N’ from National and ‘A’ from Airlines. Chosen following a public competition, the name ‘Fly Arna’ was identified to be most inclusive and reflective of the spirit of the joint venture company to transform the aviation sector of the country. With its colours inspired by the Armenia flag, the ‘Fly Arna’ logo and brand identity was designed to reflect the young, modern and a value-driven national airline that strive to become the most accessible and sensible choice for air travel in Armenia and beyond. Its brand values are Ambition – to motivate to build and grow the airline; Persistence – to build services that deliver real and tangible value to customers; and Innovation – to inspire creative solutions that helps keep a competitive edge while remaining practical and efficient. Inspired by the logo and the brand ethos, ‘Fly Arna’ aircraft livery reflects clarity and a forward-looking airline that is always on the move, with the letter “A” creatively displayed at the aircraft tail. The bright outlook in the brand identity will also be reflected through the aircraft interior, staff uniforms and across all customer touchpoints. David Papazian, CEO of ANIF, said: “Fly Arna’s brand identity is truly reflective of the inspiring spirit and ethos of Armenia. This is highlighted by the involvement of the public in deciding the name to …

Radisson Hotel Group is pleased to announce the re-opening of Radisson Hotel & Apartments Dammam Industrial City following a rebranding and extensive refurbishment of the existing Park Inn by Radisson Hotel & Apartments Dammam Industrial, the only international 4-star hotel in Dammam Second Industrial City.  Located in the heart of the buzzing business district near Half Moon Bay Beach, famous for its sandy beaches, Radisson Hotel & Apartments Dammam Industrial City is just 35 minutes’ drive from King Khalid International Airport, with access to numerous nearby businesses and offices. The hotel is close to the popular Dhahran Mall and Modon Lake, the Kingdom’s largest artificial lake with a 4-kilometer footpath surrounded by greenery. The hotel’s 201 spacious rooms, 104 apartments, and common areas have been redesigned to feature a fresh, modern, and stylish atmosphere. Guests can enjoy access to the fitness center, pool, and spa, for a simple delightful stay. The hotel also offers two restaurants and a lobby lounge. RBG restaurant offers a casual dining experience where guests can savor grilled international dishes for lunch or dinner, as well as the famous Super Breakfast buffet to start the day. For a taste of Italy, guests can enjoy lunch and dinner in the soon to open Bocca Buona, where chefs will serve pizza to pasta straight from the open show kitchen. Guests looking for a tasty snack and a hot drink, can visit Modon Café in the lobby lounge which will also showcase live sports. Tim Cordon, Area Senior Vice President, Middle East, and Africa at Radisson Hotel Group, says, “We are delighted to rebrand the hotel to our fast-growing upscale brand, Radisson, which has been well-received across the Middle …

Majid Al Futtaim, the premier shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia is proud to announce that Ski Dubai has garnered the distinction of the ‘World’s Best Indoor Ski Resort’ for a record-breaking six years in a row. Ski Dubai was revealed as the winner today at the prestigious World Ski Awards, which are the definitive benchmark of excellence in the ski hospitality industry.Ski Dubai was nominated amongst 10 internationally-recognised indoor ski resorts across Egypt, Germany, China, Spain, Scotland, New Zealand and Netherlands.   Launched in 2005, Ski Dubai was the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East and quickly established itself as one of the region’s most popular and iconic attractions. Over the last 15 years, it has evolved into a lifestyle brand and a world-class experience for the local community, snow sports enthusiasts as well as tourists from around the globe. In line with its commitment to innovation, Ski Dubai is continuously enhancing the guest experience and features five ski slopes, a family-friendly snow park complete with a variety of fun activities and the hugely popular Penguin Encounter, which is home to a colony of King and Gentoo penguins.   Ski Dubai has also been fueling huge growth in sporting tourism within the region and fostered a winter sports culture in the UAE, where more than 80,000 people are introduced to skiing and snowboarding each year. The state-of-the-art facility has also established itself as a hub for international competitions, such as The World Cup and Para Snowboard World Cup, which attract both competitors and spectators from around the globe and contribute to the UAE’s tourism industry. In November, Ski Dubai …

Kicking off the first webinar for the year conducted by the German National Tourist Office for GCC countries Yamina Sofo, Director Sales and Marketing GNTO for GCC shared the latest update about travelling to Germany for Gulf countries. If you are fully vaccinated with the European Union approved vaccinations and also have the new booster shot, it is very easy to get about Germany and to visit restaurants and other areas. Sofo then shared  about the latest tourism campaigns for the year starting off with the continuation of the German local culture campaign which started in 2021 and mentioned that it way continue through this year. The next campaign is the Feel good and embrace German nature which is another interesting way to discover the various escapes in the destination. Birte Kristin Zielasko Mecklenburg-Vorpommerm Tourist Board shared her presentation with the 10 important reasons to visit the destination. With 2000 km of Baltic sea with coastlines and bays, world famous chalk cliffs and the white sandy beaches will be the first reason to visit the destination. Having 30% of protected nature as UNESCO nature heritage would be the second reason. This entails some amazing discoveries such as the dance of the cranes which enables you to capture over 50,000 photo opportunities and be one with nature. Third most important reason is that there are 2000 glistening lakes in this federal state that you can enjoy. There are various sailing areas where you can rent a sailing boat especially the traditional ones are quite famous to truly immerse yourself in a different experience. Fourth reason to visit is the famous Baltic sea cycle route or as you say out and about …

The National Aquarium at Al Qana, the Middle East’s largest aquarium with over 46,000 sea animals and 300 different species, is now offering visitors a breathtaking diving experience with the regions largest diversity of animals in a single tank, with diving options available for both certified and non-certified divers, and anyone eager for an adrenaline-pumping adventure. Paul Hamilton, General Manager at The National Aquarium says, “We are absolutely delighted to be offering our visitors such an extraordinary dive experience with our vibrant selection of sharks and rays. Of course, the reality is that sharks are grossly misunderstood, and many of them are currently endangered due to overfishing. Through our immersive experiences, the National Aquarium hopes to dispel this fear and celebrate these magnificent and fascinating creatures.” Visitors without prior diving experience or certification can delve into the depths of the National Aquarium’s main tank, which houses the Middle East’s largest shark and ray collection, including the infamous hammerhead sharks, zebra sharks, eagle rays and a variety of other shark and ray species. Certified scuba divers, on the other hand, get to immerse themselves in this one-of-a-kind adventure, which includes a bonus 2in1 experience diving with 2.5m long sand tiger sharks and lemon sharks, as well as the opportunity to cross over to dive with one of the world’s only school of hammerhead sharks. All the divers will be accompanied by a guide as they interact with the wide variety of marine life while learning underwater sign language and taking part in the live feeding demonstrations. To top all of this, divers will also get the chance to commemorate the unforgettable experience, by having their photos taken with the iconic underwater …

Diamond Developers, the mastermind behind The Sustainable City brand, the first fully operational sustainable community in the Middle East has entered into a development partnership agreement with the Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group), the executive arm of the Sultanate for tourism development. The agreement entails the development of first phase of the Yiti Tourism masterplan with an investment value of approximately AED 3.7 billion (approximately USD 1 billion). In conjunction with this partnership, a joint venture called Sustainable Development and Investment Company (SDIC) S.A.O.C has been established to carry out the execution of this phase. “OMRAN Group’s partnership with Diamond Developers marks a major milestone in Yiti Development as we together begin the first phase of this integrated urban destination in Muscat. The signing further attests to OMRAN Group’s strategic vision in expanding the nation’s tourism sector and continuing to play a pivotal role as a catalyst and enabler of multi-fold, lucrative investment opportunities in the country in line with Oman Investment Authority’s directions in realising the ambitious goals of Oman Vision 2040 and supporting the delivery of the National Tourism Strategy,” said Hashil Bin Obaid Al Mahrouqi, CEO of OMRAN Group. “We are delighted to collaborate with Diamond Developers as they are one of the leading and reputable companies in building sustainable cities in the region.  Their approach is in line with our vision of adopting the foundations of placemaking and harnessing sustainability in all aspects of the development.” Al Mahrouqi added. The first phase of the Yiti project, which covers 900,000 square meters, will focus on constructing a fully sustainable mixed-use project, the Sultanate’s first of its kind community that promotes sustainable living. The first phase will …

The world’s first all-electric motorsport series, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, is set to return to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia later this month for the start of its eighth season and, as the Official Airline Partner of the all-electric street racing series, Saudia is launching a new campaign to connect fans around with world with the sport they love. The Take Your Seat campaign features exciting new Formula E content, the chance to win the ultimate international race hospitality experience, and the opportunity to redeem new loyalty benefits and better rates for travel to Championship races in iconic world cities with Saudia and its SkyTeam Airline Alliance. The new campaign is intended to bring Saudia’s partnership with Formula E to life by providing a platform for fans to enjoy shared experiences both at races and at home. A new digital hub for the partnership has been launched at https://takeyourseat.saudia.com where fans can purchase tickets to the race and download a stunning augmented reality application exploring this season’s Formula E racing cars in 3D, enter a competition to win a VIP trip to an E-Prix of their choice, and have the chance to sign up to the Saudia loyalty program ALFURSAN to receive up to 5000 reward miles. Saudia Group Chief Marketing Officer, Khaled Tash is excited for the launch of a new chapter of Saudia’s ten-year partnership with Formula E: “Season 8 marks a new milestone for our landmark partnership with Formula E, and with the world starting to open up, this new campaign allows Saudia to provide the best support for race fans – namely to connect them physically and virtually with this thrilling race series. …

In just a few hours, at 12noon GST you can virtually explore one of the hidden gems in Germany; its northern region with pristine sandy beaches, white chalk cliffs, sophisticated Baltic seaside resorts, cozy fishing villages, sky high brick churches and fairy tale castles of Meckenburg-Vorpommem. Germany is one of the most popular vacation destinations for the travelers in the Middle East as it has a diverse offering catering to each traveler from the Middle East, whether it be family, millennial, leisure, MICE etc. Meckenburg-Vorpommem located between the metropolises of Berlin and Hamburg in the northeast of Germany, the federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has fascinated guests from all over the world for centuries. It is time once again for the agents in the region to take a quick peak at the destination to offer a new area to explore to those yearning to discover. Yamina Sofo Director Sales and Marketing German National Tourist Office GCC shares the importance of attending this event and invites all trade partners to join and learn about the novelties of this destination virtually at first. “We are looking forward welcoming our valued trade partners to ´The Gems of Northern Germany` where we will inform and update the GCC trade about Destination Germany and shed a special light to the beautiful federal-state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, one of Germany´s leading tourist destinations. We see immense potential of Germany`s Northern regions for our GCC guests and therefore wish to showcase the special natural wonders and cultural offering there are to experience. From pristine beaches to cozy fishing villages, fairy tale castles to sophisticated seaside resorts the destination has a treat for all age groups.” The region welcomes its guests …