Yousuf Lootah, Vice Chairman of Dubai Sustainable Tourism said: “Dubai continues to progress towards its goal to be one of the world’s most dynamic and forward-thinking, sustainable tourism destinations, aligned with the “Year of the 50th” announcement from HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.  Sustainability is one of the UAE’s four strategic pillars for the next 50 years and Dubai Tourism and Dubai Sustainable Tourism strive to collaborate with stakeholders, partners and private companies to boost wellbeing, act as a steward for nature and the environment, support communities and transform the economic future of the UAE.” Sustainable farming is gathering pace in Dubai. With a large focus on food security and regenerative farming practices, Dubai’s agricultural sector continues to grow with a record number of ecological farms for tourists and locals to visit, as well as take home the fresh produce. The city offers a multitude of opportunities for residents and visitors to support enterprise, as well as providing a new lens through which to experience Dubai.   As vertical farming, including aquaculture and hydroponic farming, become increasingly popular, they are helping the city chart the course towards a more sustainable future. Supporting the UAE’s food security goals , vertical farms are enabling consumers to be closer to their produce. Local produce is taking over the dining table at a number of destinations across the city, with eight of Atlantis, The Palm’s restaurants serving dishes with ingredients grown and harvested in Dubai. Local favourites such as, The Pangolin, The Locale at Andaz Dubai and more are also placing emphasis on using locally grown produce.     “Dubai is a city with a number of local …

Solidifying St. Regis Hotels & Resorts’ position as a leader in luxury, the iconic brand expects to expand its existing portfolio of 15 curated resorts with plans to debut eleven new enchanted escapes by 2025 in some of the world’s most coveted leisure destinations, including locales most desired by the next generation of luxury travelers within the Caribbean, North America, North Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific. St. Regis has 49 open hotels and resorts today, with 29 hotels and resorts in its pipeline, representing expected growth of nearly 60 percent over the next five years in both urban and leisure destination. “This is a pivotal moment for St. Regis as we expect to nearly double our existing resort portfolio by 2025. Our resorts offer a leisure experience inspired by the glamorous private retreats of St. Regis’ founding family, the Astors, and we cannot wait to bring the brand’s spirit of invention and cherished traditions to some of the world’s most beguiling destinations,” said George Fleck, Vice President and Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. “From Los Cabos to Sanya, and Marrakech to the Riviera Maya, we are thoughtfully expanding the brand while marking a commitment to providing extraordinary resort experiences in the places where we know global luminaries want to travel.” These highly anticipated new resorts will introduce the brand’s visionary spirit, avant-garde style and bespoke service in some of the most dynamic and compelling markets across the globe. Expanding its footprint in Mexico, St. Regis is expected to debut The St. Regis Kanai Resort in 2022 and The St. Regis Los Cabos Resort in 2023. Located in the captivating Mayan Riviera, The St. Regis Kanai …

Mark your calendars on November 23, 2021 at 11am UAE time, when we’ll be returning to Germany, this time with a special focus on its popularity as a shopping destination. The focus of this webinar will be on Breuninger, one of Germany’s most prestigious department stores. Travelers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have long sought out Germany. With the recent announcement that the limitations on GCC travellers have been relaxed, it is once again time to discover some of the destination’s new and renovated experiences. The German National Tourist Office will host a special webinar to highlight the various offerings, with a particular emphasis on Germany as a shopping destination. “I’m looking forward to refreshing our industry partners on destination Germany and informing them of the latest travel guidelines to Germany while also highlighting one of the most prestigious department stores Breuninger,” said Yamina Sofo, Director Sales and Marketing, German National Tourist Office, Gulf Countries. We’d like to invite you to pre-register for the event and come prepared with all of your questions.” Shopping Destination For a moment, everything was put on hold due to the pandemic, but now it’s time to revisit and rediscover the many shopping spots throughout Germany. Travellers and shoppers can find anything they want, from discounts to fine couture, from second hand knickknacks to futuristic treasures, from worldwide to traditionally German brands, always prompt, easy to find, and, at an unbelievable low cost. The unique selling characteristics of one such retail destination, Breuninger, will be highlighted in this webinar. It will be a chance for the travel industry to rediscover the destination after the Covid era. “For 140 years, the fashion and lifestyle company …

The improvement of the epidemiological situation and the developing progress in the vaccination roll-out, both in Spain and the Middle East has made it possible to ease the measures for entry into Spain for touristic purposes. The United Arab Emirates now joins the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait & Bahrain in the list of countries with low incidence. All passengers from these countries will be able to travel to Spain for touristic purposes without the need for a diagnostic test or a certificate of vaccination or immunity. i.e. tourists can travel regardless having any vaccination, diagnostic or recovery certificate. However, before travelling to Spain (even in transit) all passengers must have the QR code which is obtained from filling in the Health Control Form (FCS in Spanish), available in Spain Travel Health (www.spth.gob.es). “This is indeed a  great news especially for the GCC region as we have seen a significant  increase in numbers to Spain  in the past months and the trend continues . It shows that Spain is up to speed and the covid 19 situation is well contained .This update of reduced restrictions will definitely increase tourism numbers to Spain.We are happy to welcome GCC travellers to our beautiful country with open arms as always.Being a year yound destination , Spain has the added advantage to attract travellers for autumn and winter  & now the European Centre for Disease  and Control (ECDC) has listed Spain as one of the safest countries to travel which is even more assuring to travelers.  ” Daniel Rosado , Director – Spain tourism – GCC The FCS QR Code can be downloaded on the Spain’s Travel Health website or through the …

Continuing its success story in the GCC, Swiss-Belhotel International has announced the opening of Swiss-Belinn Sharq Kuwait. This modern and chic property, featuring 51 keys, is conveniently located in the heart of the Kuwait City overlooking the Kuwait Bay – merely 17 Km from Kuwait International Airport. Dr. Abdullah Abdulsamad Marafi, Owner and General Manager, Omniyat Real Estate, said, “We are pleased to partner once again with the Swiss-Belhotel International to bring our vision to life. Swiss-Belinn Sharq Kuwait enjoys a prime location in the city and will be the best in its category of accommodation choices. The renowned international brand like Swiss-Belinn, is a perfect fit and to offer a memorable experience to both short and extended stay guests.” Mr. Gavin M. Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss-Belhotel International, said, “We are delighted to boost our presence in the GCC with the opening of the stunning Swiss-Belinn Sharq Kuwait. This is our second property in Kuwait joining the Swiss-Belboutique Bneid Al Gar Kuwait and a beautiful addition to our portfolio of hotels in the region. Swiss-Belinn is a fast-growing mid-market brand we are truly grateful to Omniyat Real Estate for this wonderful opportunity. With its strategic location, Swiss-Belinn Sharq Kuwait provides a convenient address to both residents and travellers offering direct access to the city’s prime leisure and business attractions.” Mr. Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President – Operations & Development, EMEA & India; Senior Vice President – Group Human Resources & Talent Development, Swiss-Belhotel International, stated, “We are glad to start welcoming guests to the Swiss-Belinn Sharq Kuwait. Despite the ongoing market challenges in the wake of the pandemic, we have been steadily growing our presence in the …

flydubai announced the start of flights to Sohar in Oman becoming the first airline to operate this route from Dubai. This is the carrier’s third destination in the Sultanate, alongside Muscat and Salalah. Flights to Sohar International Airport (OHS) will start on 04 November and will operate twice a week from Terminal 2 at Dubai International (DXB). Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “with demand for travel returning and as more countries continue to lift restrictions on international travel, we are pleased to announce the start of flights to Sohar in Oman. We are excited to further grow our network and give passengers more options to travel in the region, while welcoming passengers from Oman, especially those looking to visit Expo 2020 in Dubai.” Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Subcontinent and Africa) at flydubai, added: “we are pleased to expand our network in Oman by adding a third point to our network alongside our popular destinations Muscat and Salalah. This new direct route will enable free flows of trade and tourism and strengthen direct airlinks between Oman and the UAE.” Located on the Sultanate’s northern coast, Sohar is a port city known for its cultural heritage and trading. Visitors can explore the city’s tradition in Sohar’s century-old Fort and museum or stroll along the corniche along the waterfront and relax in one of the many restaurants. Sohar’s proximity to some of Oman’s most popular ravines, including Wadi Al Jizi and Wadi Salahi, attracts adventure seekers and outdoor enthusiasts from the region and beyond. flydubai’s passenger experience has been redesigned to enable travel in a safe environment that minimises crew and passenger contact and …

Dubai Investments has signed an agreement with Marjan – the master-developer of freehold properties in Ras Al Khaimah, to acquire land to develop a dynamic mixed-use beachfront residential, beach resort and lifestyle destination on Al Marjan Island with stunning views of the Arabian Gulf, providing a new paradigm for Ras Al Khaimah and the region worth of AED 1 billion. The agreement was signed by Khalid Bin Kalban, Vice Chairman & CEO, Dubai Investments and Eng. Abdulla Al Abdooli, CEO of Marjan. Epitomizing a masterful orchestration of contemporary elegance with simple and subtle sophistication, the project is designed to provide a perfect amalgamation of hospitality, and residential elements inclusive of a beachfront resort, beachfront serviced apartments and beachfront villas plus, waterfront residential buildings, retail & F&B components along with other recreational facilities. “Dubai Investments is excited about this new venture as we believe Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is fast gaining traction as a hub for tourism in the region with the emirate’s government channelizing resources and investing in a range of wellness initiatives to leverage its natural assets. Catering to the growing demand for such projects in Ras Al Khaimah and in line with strengthening Dubai Investment’s real estate portfolio with the addition of more high-end hospitality projects, the Company is optimistic this new project will further accentuate the well-being appeal, providing a comfortable lifestyle seamlessly integrated with nature”, said Khalid Bin Kalban, Vice Chairman and CEO, Dubai Investments PJSC. “Al Marjan Island has become a preferred hub for visitors and investors from around the globe and we are looking forward to expanding our offering through world-class projects such as the one being developed by Dubai Investments. This will further …

Radisson Hotel Group is proud to be the world’s first hotel group to make all meetings and events across 400+ hotels in its EMEA portfolio carbon negative. For every event taking place at its participating hotels, Radisson Hotel Group will offset double the carbon footprint, to ensure that every meeting has a positive impact on the environment. For meetings booked between 18 October 2021 and 31 January 2022 and taking place before 31st March 2022, Carbon Negative. Planet Positive will set a new sustainability standard in the global hospitality industry. The program allows clients to host meetings in a sustainable way by offsetting double the CO2 emissions from meetings and events free of charge to the client, making meetings that take place during this period at participating hotels carbon negative. Carbon Negative. Planet Positive reinforces the Group’s 100% Carbon Neutral meetings offering, in place across the Group’s 1,600 hotels worldwide since 2019. The initiative forms part of the Group’s wider Responsible Business program which targets reducing the Group’s carbon footprint by 30%, and which aims to set science-based targets. Since the launch of the 100% Carbon Neutral Meetings program, the Group has offset over 30,300 tons of CO2 at no cost to its clients, which is the equivalent to removing more than 6,500 fuel driven cars  off the road. Carbon Negative, Planet Positive meetings complement the Group’s Hybrid Meetings solutions which launched in 2020 and offer owners and guests the flexibility and space optimization they require to better meet the rapid lifestyle changes of today’s travelers. Hybrid Meetings are available across more than 100 hotels in EMEA and contribute to a lighter scope 3 footprint for the client. “The upcoming …

VFS Global and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have signed an agreement to incorporate accredited and approved COVID-19 testing laboratories into the IATA Travel Pass. Through the agreement, COVID-19 test credentials issued by partici-pating labs will be securely transmitted to the IATA Travel Pass. The addition of VFS Global’s network of government-approved labs into the IATA Travel Pass will make travel even more hassle-free for travellers in Canada, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, UAE, and the USA, requiring a mandatory pre-departure COVID-19 swab test. As governments, airlines and local authorities require support with implementing COVID-19 testing, the addition of VFS Global’s network into the IATA Travel Pass offers a seamless service by providing trav-ellers, airlines and governments with accurate information on passengers’ COVID-19 health status. By leveraging VFS Global’s extensive network of strategic medical partners and authorised laboratories accredited by Governments, travellers can book their mandatory pre-departure COVID-19 test. Once the test results are ready, using IATA’s Travel Pass solution, travellers can immediately access their test results uploaded on the platform and validate them against travel requirements. The IATA Travel Pass is a mobile app that helps travellers to store and manage their verified certifications for COVID-19 tests or vaccines. Travellers can show this for verification at the airline check-in counters before board-ing. The solution enables airlines and immigration authorities to digitally validate and verify the authenticity of the COVID-19 test results using a simple QR code scan and matching the health credentials against the destination country’s entry requirements. It is more secure and efficient in verifying an individual’s health status than the current paper processes used to manage health requirements. It is also important given the potentially enormous scale of …

Circuit X, Abu Dhabi’s newest adventure hub is all prepared to welcome the winter season in the UAE, with its four parks offering variety of challenges for and a handful of adventures like no other that awaits adventure enthusiast, of all ages and all abilities. Located in Hudaireyat Marvista only 20 minutes away from the heart of the city and commissioned by Modon Properties, Circuit X offers a thrilling experience where the mental and physical skills of visitors will be put to test. First stop, the Ropes Park, where family and friends can fly down ziplines, climb the 50-foot wall and free fall into an adventure that you will not forget. The dirt rails at the BMX Park in addition to a range of tricky hills will test visitors riding skills to the max. At Circuit X’s Skate Park, kids can receive private lessons and controlled guidance from pro-level coaches, allowing them to learn new skateboarding skills that they never thought possible. Before you know it, your kids will be skating safely down ledges, handrails and all the quarter pipes too. Kids are also taken care of at Circuit X Parks, where they will experience all the fun that comes with the Splash & Climb Park, where the little daredevils will be entertained and kept safe under the watchful eye of coaches and leaders, while parents chill out by the beach. Additionally, ignite the inner child by splashing about with your kids in the fountains. Furthermore, Circuit X has become the latest must-visit birthday party destination in Abu Dhabi, with the Skate Park and Splash Park guaranteed to give your kids and their friends the most fun and memorable experience on their special …