Hospitality brand Stella Stays has launched operations in Bahrain ahead of a major expansion in the region. The firm’s expansion plans seek to take advantage of Bahrain’s booming real estate sector, with $12 billion worth of real estate projects in the pipeline. Stella Stays operates a portfolio of managed properties scattered around UAE, Bahrain and Canada. Positioned to rival traditional hotel chains, the company is targeting tourists and residents who want short, medium, and long-term stays in well designed, furnished, regulated apartments, townhouses, and villas. Each of Stella Stays’ units is designed by its in-house interior design team and features stylish modern furniture, pre-loaded Netflix accounts, PlayStations, espresso machines and 100+ on demand services in addition to standard hotel like facilities. The start-up launched in late 2019, and has grown to manage nearly 300 properties as of August 2021. “We have an aggressive growth plan and the new properties being built in Bahrain will play a crucial role in our strategy.” said Mohannad Zikra, CEO and Co-founder at Stella Stays. “Our expansion into Bahrain coincides with the Kingdom’s major real estate developments. Our model is the perfect fit for the Bahrain market and will be an excellent stepping stone in rolling the concept out to key locations in the region and eventually expanding to Europe and North America.” Despite the onset of the pandemic, Stella Stays was able to pivot from targeting tourists to offering residents and inbound travellers places to work remotely and undergo quarantine. The company has already secured one round of initial funding. Now the business aims to achieve a comparable level of success to a similar firm in the US; Sonder, which announced earlier this year …

At such an important time for the reactivation of post-pandemic tourism, Panama is reinforcing its image as a destination for leisure and business travel. Part of this task is carried out together with the main actors in the commercialization chain, such as tourism service providers, tour operators, wholesalers and travel agencies. With this objective in mind, PROMTUR Panama will hold a virtual fair called Explore Panama, in order to generate a commercial space where buyers and sellers can interact. The event will be held on October 20 and 21, 2021, and will have 20 virtual stands for local exhibitors, including the Tourism Promotion Fund (Promtur Panama), and is expected to attract around 350 travel agencies and wholesale operators from markets such as the USA, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia and the United Arab Emirates, who, through a commercial agenda, will be able to interact with key suppliers of the Panamanian tourism industry. Panama will present the tourism activities that will lead this year and in the future, under the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism 2020-2025 (PMTS). The plan revives the “Tourism – Conservation – Research (TCI)” strategy by highlighting the country’s extraordinary natural, cultural and historical wealth with a strong focus on destination sustainability through research and conservation actions.  The updated strategy focuses on three fundamental pillars: Cultural Heritage (multifaceted culture), Green Heritage (extraordinary biodiversity) and Blue Heritage (ocean wonders). The event will allow real interaction between exhibitors and buyers in a 360-degree environment with customizable virtual landscape, virtual private meeting rooms, chat, browser-based chats, presentations and live keynotes. Buyers, once registered, will be able to view the profile of participating exhibitors to schedule their meetings and once at the …

Sabre Corporation and Qatar Airways are now finalizing a new distribution deal that will provide long-term access to the airline’s content through the Sabre travel marketplace. Qatar Airways intends to strengthen its partnership with Sabre to take advantage of Sabre’s global reach and leading position in corporate travel for the distribution of Qatar Airways’ products to travelers worldwide. Implementation work is starting to enable unique NDC offers created by Qatar Airways to be distributed through Sabre’s new distribution capability (NDC), which provides a consistent end-to-end workflow that integrates within well-established agency operations. “A new approach to retailing is required in order to respond to the personalized service and enhanced flexibility that travelers expect,” said Roshan Mendis, Chief Commercial Officer, Sabre Travel Solutions. “Sabre is committed to supporting Qatar Airways in enhancing its retailing capabilities by enabling the airline to distribute personalized offers through our marketplace to corporations and travel agencies around the world.  Collaboration will be crucial in travel’s recovery, so I’m proud that we are now finalizing a long-term, sustainable agreement with Qatar Airways that is beneficial for all parties in the travel ecosystem.” Sabre’s technology enables Qatar Airways to effectively market and sell its expansive roster of fares globally through the Sabre marketplace. Reaching a network of more than 425,000 travel agents, it is one of the world’s largest marketplaces, processing over US $120 billion in estimated travel spend. Thierry Antinori, Chief Commercial Officer, Qatar Airways, said: “Working collaboratively is pivotal to our reputation as a trusted and reliable business partner for both customers flying Qatar Airways, and the travel agencies that serve them. As international travel recovers, the landscape has become extremely complex, and we don’t want …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) issued the updated ‘Green List’ of countries. All travellers arriving from these destinations will be exempt from mandatory quarantine measures after landing in Abu Dhabi. Travellers will be required to present a negative PCR COVID-19 test valid for a maximum of 48 hours before departure and undergo a PCR test upon arrival at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Vaccinated passengers from the updated Green List will take another PCR test on day 6 (day of arrival counts as day 1). Unvaccinated travellers arriving from these Green List countries will also take a PCR test on days 6 and 9. Countries, regions, and territories included on the ‘Green List’ will be regularly updated based on international developments. Inclusion on the list is subject to strict criteria of health and safety to ensure the well-being of the UAE community. The list also only applies to countries that travellers are arriving from, rather than citizenship. Please note below the updated ‘Green List’ as of 1 September 2021 at 12:01am:               Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Comoros, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (SAR), Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal,              Qatar, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia,           Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Province of China, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine. More information on the ‘Green List’ can be found on www.visitabudhabi.com.

The leading Swiss hospitality school in Dubai, Hotel and Tourism Management Institute, HTMi Switzerland Dubai is set to move to a new purpose-built hotel where students can engage with real life experiences to better prepare them in achieving their management career goals. This new realistic hotel learning environment will be the first and only hospitality campus in the region that offers exemplary practical classes situated at an ideal hospitality destination in Al Jaddaf, Dubai. This multicultural student environment is allowing the students to be fully equipped in becoming the future leaders in the hospitality industry through the implementation of innovative classes, programs, and workshops uniquely rooted from Switzerland. They will be supplied with the essential skills and competencies within the various departments such as Food and Beverage service, Culinary Arts, Front office and Housekeeping through an interactive experience and student- centered approach as they live in the campus boutique hotel. This new destination offers a true hotelier experience with the best campus environment and close proximity to some well-known hotels like Palazzo Versace and spans across other key locations such as Jameel Arts Center and Al Jaddaf waterfront walkway. “The UAE has been the top destination across the globe, and this is apparent with the upcoming World Expo that will be held in Dubai and will surely create an upswing in the tourism sector. With the growing opportunities for the hospitality industry, we ensure that our students receive the best education and are bounded by a solid expertise in this sector that reflects HTMi’s mission of preparing them to be future hospitality leaders”, says Judit Toth, Business Director of HTMi Switzerland Dubai. “Every level of teaching and support is provided …

Nirvana Tours & Logistics – NTL has acquired a fleet of Mercedes-Benz Luxury Buses from Emirates Motor Company – EMC. The deal includes ten first-class buses with luxurious amenities, state-of-the-art technological attachments and sophisticated interior design. The buses have the latest technology to suit the needs of the UAE’s luxury travelers. The two companies formally announced and celebrated this milestone deal during an official ceremony held at the Nirvana Holding – Head Offices at the Marina Breakwater in Abu Dhabi. During the occasion, Mr. Omar Al Ali – CEO Nirvana Tours & Logistics said, “The new buses are part of our ongoing plan to provide our clients the highest levels of luxury and safety. We thank Emirates Motor Company for providing us with this state-of-the-art fleet. These buses will be utilized for exciting upcoming projects, and to suit a growing demand from our clients. Our agreement and partnership with Emirates Motor Company is built on several years of trust, during which they have provided a massive fleet of buses and cars.” Mr. Bilal Ezzedeen AlRibi, General Manager – EMC CV, speaking on the occasion said, “We are proud that our buses are among Nirvana Travel & Tourism’s fleet, being one of the leading companies in the industry. We are looking forward to enhance our partnership and collaboration with Nirvana Travel & Tourism.” According to Mr. Ahmad Jallad, EMC Sales Manager; “Mercedes-Benz buses are one of the best and most reliable transport vehicles that can be used for travel, it’s all about moving people with luxury and safety. I’m confident that our buses will always meet NTL objectives and satisfy their clients. We look forward to announce more in the future. …

Emirates is returning as the Official Airline of the 2021 US Open Tennis Championships for the tenth year in a row. The airline will once again connect tennis fans from around the world for this iconic Grand Slam® tournament through its extensive global route network and flight connections through 12 gateways in the US including its most recently launched four times a week passenger flight service to Miami, keeping at its forefront, the health and safety of all its customers. Emirates’ extensive tennis sponsorship portfolio includes three of the four Grand Slams as well as 60 other tournaments throughout the year in partnership with the ATP, including the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, Miami Open and BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in the US. “Nothing brings people together like their love and passion for sports. The US Open is one of the most important sporting events in the world and we are thrilled to be back in-person,” said Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Divisional Vice President, USA and Canada. “We are committed to offering our U.S. customers the best experience both in flight and at the tournament, allowing them to rediscover their love of tennis and travel alike. Thanks to our ongoing partnership with USTA, we’re confident this year’s tournament will be better than ever,” he added. Throughout the US Open, Emirates will offer a variety of activities to engage with tennis fans both in-person and around the globe. The Emirates suite, one of the most glamorous and sought-after hospitality experiences by celebrities and fans alike will bring to life the ultra-premium experience one can expect onboard an Emirates flight. Fans can also unwind at the Emirates Sport Café …

According to the Oman Observer, Dr. Saif al Abri, Director-General of Disease Control at the Ministry of Health, during the press conference of the Supreme Committee has said Oman will open the land borders from the first of September, while adhering to the controls announced by the Supreme Committee, including conducting a Covid-19 examination before arrival. “The land borders will be opened from September according to the conditions set by the Supreme Committee… As for the land ports, the vaccination will be required as well as the examination before coming and not upon arrival.” Al Abri said. The officials from the Sultanate and UAE recently inspected the land border between the two countries and discussed a number of issues to facilitate the smooth flow of commercial traffic and the transit of travellers. The meeting reviewed the joint coordination mechanism between the Omani and Emirati sides, the process of facilitating the transit of travelers, especially in light of exceptional circumstances and precautionary measures to curb the emerging Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, in addition to discussing the direct coordination mechanism for the stage of recovery from the pandemic. Lt Colonel Saeed bin Saleh al Siyabi, Director of Customs of the Buraimi Police, and Khalifa bin Hamad al Shamsi, Director of the Land Ports Department at the General Authority for Ports, Borders and Free Zones Security in the Emirates led the meeting from both sides. The Sultanate reopened land borders with neighboring countries in June allowing Omanis and residents to cross the borders for work purposes. However, it was mandatory for residents to provide proof of work from the employer at the border checkpoints. According to sources, the issuance of visas for expatriates will …

Qatar Airways Holidays in partnership with Discover Qatar, will soon be launching unique FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ travel packages for Privilege Club members. This exclusive offer will be accessible to all Privilege Club members, giving fans the best possible fusion of football and travel for an unforgettable experience. As the Official Frequent Flyer Programme of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Privilege Club members will bring a range of exclusive offers and benefits unique to the championship, and will be given priority access to the unique travel packages 14 days before going on sale to future joining members who sign up to the airline’s loyalty programme after the launch.  To ensure fans are the first to access the tickets for this once-in-a-life-time experience of witnessing the much-awaited FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, travellers can join the programme for free by visiting qatarairways.com/fifaearlyaccess. The highly-anticipated FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ travel packages will be allotted match tickets based on the type of package they choose, pairing it with a selection of accommodation options and round-trip international flights on board the award-winning airline. With seven different packages to choose from, fans can combine more than one package and can watch up to seven matches in total. As the FIFA World Cup qualification process takes place around the world, Privilege Club members can purchase a wide range of packages to attend the matches of their favourite national teams. These exclusive packages will give football enthusiasts the chance to purchase packages to follow their favourite team’s matches during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, prior to the conclusion of the qualifiers. In the event that a selected team does not qualify for the …

Marine transport means of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) transported 5,734,244 riders during the first half of this year, compared to 4,694,870 riders during the same period last year. The figure reflects a 20.3% increase in ridership of RTA’s water transport means, namely the Ferry, Abra, Water Taxi and Water Bus. “The growth of marine transport ridership posted in the first half of this year is indicative of a recovery in this vital sector in Dubai and the UAE. It is credited to the effective plans charted out by the government, and the strict compliance with the precautionary measures to curb the outbreak of the pandemic,” said Mohammed Abu Bakr Al Hashemi, Director of Marine Transport, Public Transport Agency, RTA. RTA’s marine transit modes offer vital services and form an integral part of Dubai’s tourist attractions as they pass across picturesque landmarks and captivating scenes besides offering congestion-free mobility. The world’s biggest boat manufacturers at the highest standards of the industry design these modes. They are safe, comfortable and have areas designated for people of determination as well as a bay for bikes in ferries to encourage the use of flexible mobility.  As part of endeavours to achieve more and offer a better marine transport experience for residents of Dubai, RTA is keen to deploy the best and latest marine public transport means that cover most of the coastal areas of Dubai.