Millennium Hotels & Resorts MEA announces taking over Al Dana Diamond Makkah and rebranding it as M Hotel Al Dana Makkah. Aligning with the robust expansion plan Millennium Hotel & Resorts MEA, this property will add 611 keys to its inventory of 3,240 keys in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Situated in Al Shisha – Aziziah district, at the heart of Makkah, 3.3 km from Al Haram, 2.6 km from Um Alqura, 3.2 km from Safwah tower and 75 km from King Abdulaziz international Airport-Jeddah, M Hotel Al Dana Makkah caters to both leisure and business travellers. The hotel comprises 611 rooms stylishly designed and equipped with the latest amenities. Last year alone Saudi’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah issued 7.6 million visas in the 2018-19 season and they aim to go up by 30 per cent, i.e. aim to issue 10 million visas this year. Commenting on this cherished accomplishment, Kevork Deldelian, Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Hotels and Resorts Middle East and Africa, stated, “We are fully committed to our strategic expansion plan in Saudi Arabia to extend our reach across the entire Kingdom. In the first phase, the plan includes the opening of 6 new hotels in Makkah, Madina, Tabouk, Jizan and Baha in addition to the recently opened Millennium and Copthorne Makkah Al Naseem hotels.” Closing 2019 with the opening of 11 new properties under various brands of the company, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA has a robust strategy to operate more than 15,000 new keys in the Middle East within the next three years. Focusing on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a foundation stone for its strategy, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA targets to operate …

Palladium Hotel Group celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and has chosen the Feria Internacional de Turismo (FITUR) to make the most prominent announcement of new president and CEO. Abel Matutes Prats will be the new president and Jesús Sobrino the new CEO of Palladium Hotel Group, Manager and Owner of the hotel brands. Sobrino has until now held the position of Deputy Director General, which will now go to Carmen Matutes Prats. After 50 years of experience in the tourism sector, Grupo Empresas Matutes is reforming its organisational structure to adapt to new times, with the company committed to the separation of real estate management and hotel operation. For his part, Abel Matutes Juan, founder and president of the company since its inception, will maintain the presidency of the holding company Grupo Empresas Matutes to which Palladium Hotel Group belongs. During the presentation of the company’s latest news, the president of Grupo Empresas Matutes, Abel Matutes Juan; the president of Palladium Hotel Group, Abel Matutes Prats; and the CEO of the hotel company, Jesús Sobrino, also presented a positive balance for 2019. It was the year in which Palladium Hotel Group managed a turnover that exceeded 752 million euros, representing a growth of 13 per cent compared to the previous year. In 2020, Palladium Hotel Group will continue to consolidate its expansion strategy with important openings. The first will be Palladium Hotel Menorca, a four-star all-inclusive hotel that will be one of the group’s most ambitious projects in the Spanish market and in which the company will invest 26 million euros for its renovation. Also in the Mediterranean, specifically in the north of the Italian island of Sicily, Palladium …

Emirates announces plans to launch a new daily service from Dubai (DXB) to Penang International Airport (PEN), via Singapore (SIN), from April 9, 2020. Emirates’ flight to Penang will be a linked service with Singapore, allowing passengers to travel easily between the two cities while enjoying the airline’s award-winning service. Penang will become Emirates’ second destination in Malaysia after its capital, Kuala Lumpur, which the airline currently serves with three flights a day and is a route that has been operating since 1996. The flight will be operated by an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three-class configuration, offering eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class and 304 spacious seats in Economy Class. The new route enables travellers from the northern cities of Malaysia to enjoy convenient connections from Dubai to destinations in Europe, North America and the Middle East. Located on the North-western coast of Malaysia, the state comprises a mainland portion as well as an island, connected by Malaysia’s two longest roadbridges. Penang is the country’s second largest populated city and is known for its rich heritage and architecture, vibrant multicultural society, modern entertainment and retail options, cuisine as well as the natural beauty of its beaches and hills. “We have been serving Malaysia through our flights to Kuala Lumpur for more than 20 years, with three-times daily service, and the introduction of flights to Penang will help us meet growing demand from leisure and business travellers, both to and from Malaysia. We are also pleased that the fifth freedom flights between Penang and Singapore will connect two sister cities and increase connectivity for passengers in South East Asia,” said Adnan Kazim, …

Marriott International announces signing an agreement to open a St. Regis in the New Administrative Capital of Egypt. In the second quarter of this year, the St. Regis Almasa is expected to occupy an existing luxury hotel at the entrance of the up-and-coming city that is slated to become the administrative and financial hub of Egypt. The owner of Almasa Royal Palace plans an extensive and phased renovation of the existing building. Almasa Royal Palace, which the owner has operated for the past year, is located adjacent to a 42,000-square-foot convention center that hosts official government conventions and events, as well as official foreign presidents’ visits. The hotel consists of 270 rooms, 90 suites, 60 apartments and 14 villas. Other facilities include outdoor and indoor swimming pools, a gym, spa, club house and 20 food and beverage outlets. When it opens, The St. Regis Almasa is expected to encompass the hallmarks of the brand such as its rich traditions and rituals, and signature St. Regis Butler Service.  Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International, said, “This signing further enhances the St. Regis brand portfolio in Middle East and Africa and underscores the tremendous momentum that our luxury brands have in the region.” Speaking on the occasion, Colonel Waleed Samy Salama, CEO, National Authority for Management & Investment commented, “The St. Regis Almasa will be positioned as the luxury hospitality hub in the New Administrative Capital and with the largest state-of-the-art convention center in Egypt, the hotel will be the ideal host to the country’s largest events, conferences and summits. We are confident that this deal signing will play a vital role in the development of tourism …

Dubai’s tourism industry closed a successful decade at the end of 2019, welcoming an all-time high 16.73 million international overnight visitors, an impressive 5.1 per cent increase in tourism volumes, definitively surpassing the global tourism growth forecast by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) by over one per cent. With momentum firmly tracking against Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2022-25, latest data released by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) reflects the sector’s exponential progress in a compressed time-frame relative to peers, culminating in Dubai being ranked the World’s Fourth Most Visited City for the fifth consecutive year by MasterCard’s Global Destination Cities Index 2019. Rapidly gaining traction on the ‘travel wish list’ for today’s global traveller, 2019 not only delivered record tourist arrivals and indicated strong desirability for future visits, but also reinforced tourism’s role as key economic growth driver. Contributing an impressive 11.5 per cent in GDP value, Dubai’s tourism sector was ranked one of ‘Top 10’ strongest economic share generators, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s Cities Report 2019. The Report also ranked Dubai the third largest city in capturing direct international tourism spending with a total of US $27.9 billion. His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, said, “This past decade, and 2019 in particular, have delivered unmatched acceleration in Dubai’s stature as a ‘Destination of Choice’ for global travellers assuring advancement towards the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to make it the #1 most visited, preferred and revisited global city. While the global economy remains in a state of flux, we can clearly …

Millennium Hotels & Resorts Middle East announced the signing of its first Millennium Central property in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in partnership with Hasaad Real Estate, on stage at the Saudi Arabia Hospitality Investment Conference (SHIC), held in Riyadh from January 21-22, 2020. Following the opening of the first Millennium Central hotel in Downtown Dubai just six months ago, Millennium Central Jeddah will mark the brand’s debut in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and is the fourth hotel in the Millennium Central brand portfolio. A four-star hotel with 210 rooms and suites spread across two towers, the Millennium Central Jeddah will feature three food & beverage outlets, a swimming pool, a health club, three meeting rooms and an event hall with outdoor area. Millennium Central is the group’s urban four-star brand in central urban locations featuring contemporary design fused with local influences including signature art in each of the properties. In December, Millennium Hotels & Resorts MEA revealed its ambitious development plans for Saudi Arabia with a goal of operating 25 hotels kingdom-wide by 2025. The group is targeting strategic locations in every region across the country as it maps out its blueprint for growth over the next five years. Commenting on the signing, Kevork Deldelian, Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA, said, “The signing of the Millennium Central Jeddah represents our ongoing commitment to development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a market we have been operating in for five years.”

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) announces an administrative order clarifying the law of Decree No. 41, introduced in 2013 to govern holiday home activity in Dubai. The order outlines regulations for operators, homeowners and authorised tenants, who wish to obtain a holiday home license, and has been produced in collaboration with the Supreme Legislation Committee to further diversify tourism in the emirate and boost competition through safe and transparent operations. The technical requirements, guidelines and processes will be mapped out in a detailed guide issued by Dubai Tourism, which will also provide an overview of the operations of a holiday home, how a license can be obtained and should be maintained, and the rights and liabilities of developers, operators and homeowners. Khalid Bin Touq, Executive Director, Tourism Activities and Classification Sector, Dubai Tourism commented, “Recognising this growing popularity for the Holiday Homes concept, Dubai Tourism is committed to enhancing the product offering, fuelling increased visitation, and making Dubai the world’s preferred destination in line with Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2022-25, as envisioned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. As such, this new administrative resolution will reassure the industry that we are taking steps to regulate the operation of Holiday Homes, providing a comprehensive classification and verification process and ensuring global best practices are adopted to increase competitiveness, transparency, safety and standardisation of the sector.” He added, “We remain in continuous contact with the industry to ensure the processes and requirements are clear, and as the official governing entity for the Holiday Home sector, we encourage all operators and developers to share their …

Avani Hotels & Resorts announces signing of the first Avani property in Kenya. The Avani Nairobi Suites is currently under development by Fedha Group, one of Kenya’s leading real estate developers. Scheduled to open by the end of 2020, the new-build 15-storey property will further strengthen the Avani brand’s presence in Africa, alongside its existing properties in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique and Lesotho. Avani Nairobi Suites will offer 120 keys, comprising of 90 one-bedroom, 20 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom serviced apartments. The all-suite property will be located in the heart of Westlands, a prime business and leisure district of Nairobi, with direct access to an array of multi-national corporations, restaurants and bars all just a 40-minute drive from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. “With Avani already present with six properties in Southern Africa in addition to a very successful resort in the Seychelles, this is a significant strategic step for the brand to debut in Kenya,” said Javier Pardo, Vice President Avani Hotels & Resorts. Ramine Behnam, Vice President Development for EMEA Minor Hotels, also commented, “We are thrilled to partner with Fedha Group for this new property in Nairobi’s strategic Westlands district, introducing the Avani brand in Kenya and bridging a strong existing leisure offering across East Africa.” “Minor Hotels are exactly the growing and forward thinking hotel group that we are proud to partner with – Nairobi is again deservedly in the news with a new facility worthy of its International City status.” said Dhruv Pandit, CEO of Fedha Group, the Developers.

With 2020 setting in and Expo on the cards for the last quarter of the year, Dubai reveals the rest of the year activities. Some of the official events include live entertainment, arts, culture, sport, comedy and lifestyle events through its website and app, along with safe and secure purchasing options. Musical Entertainment – Chart topping star Robbie Williams is set to inspire fans with an energising performance at The Pointe on January 24, while Prateek Kuhad is set to perform his Hindi and English indie rock tunes at the Rotunda, Caesars Palace Bluewaters Island on the same day. The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) Closing Celebrations will feature two nights of magical concerts as international artists hit the stage at Coca Cola Arena. On January 31, the international musical superstar, John Legend, will perform some of his legendary hits including ‘All Of Me’ and ‘Ordinary’, with Syrian singer Faia opening the show. The annual RedFestDXB returns for its seventh edition in 2020, bringing a line-up of global music icons at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre from February 6-7. Dubai Opera’s stellar line-up of live music to start 2020 includes a performance of as the mesmerising story of Le Petite Prince comes to life with stunning sets, jaw dropping acrobatics and video mapping on January 23-25. For a trip down memory lane, Abba fans can enjoy a live tribute by the energetic Swedish group Bjorn Again on February 7. The venue is also set to host Norwegian trio A-ha as they bring back their much loved 80s hits as part of their Hunting High and Low tour on February 10-11. Marathon runners and aspiring amateurs are welcome to take on the …

Due to the unrest in Iran, Finnair is not using the Iranian airspace. This causes changes to the traffic plan between Helsinki and Dubai, and we need to cancel some of our flights to/from Dubai between February to April 2020. We are sorry for the inconvenience this situation has caused you and we are doing our best to minimise the effects on you. We are following the situation closely and will update you with new information as it gets available. The following flights will be cancelled between February 1 and March 29, 2020: Helsinki-Dubai at 20.40 (AY1969) (Thursday, Saturday, Sunday), except during the winter holiday season February 15 – February 28 flights will be operated with a fuel stop in Hurghada en route; Dubai-Helsinki at 06.05 (AY1970) (Monday, Friday, Sunday), except during the winter holiday season 15 February – 28 February flights will be operated with a fuel stop in Hurghada en route The following flights will be cancelled between March 29 and April 13, 2020: Helsinki-Dubai at 20.40 (AY1969) (Thursday, Sunday); Dubai-Helsinki at 06.05 (AY1970) (Monday, Friday). You can choose from the following options, if your flight is cancelled: One change free of charge -2 / + 7 days (dep. one day earlier or max seven days later than orig.) to HEL-DXB-HEL flights including AY connecting flights. AY flights only, NOT on any other airline! Partial or full refund without penalty; No additional hotel accommodation or ground transportation expenses shall be paid by AY; Longer flight time for flights to be operated. As we are not using the Iranian airspace, the flight route between Helsinki and Dubai v.v. is longer than usual with fueling stops being taken. Due to …