Category Archives: Govt

Qatar Tourism, through the Service Excellence Academy, has launched a new training program titled ‘Qatar Ambassadors: The Road to Excellence’, which is being implemented in collaboration with the Police Officers Institute of the Ministry of Interior, with the aim of improving the visitor experience at all entry and exit ports by developing the skills and knowledge of port and passport officers. The first-of-its-kind training program lasted for three days and concluded with the handing over of 20 graduates certificates of completion on October 22 at the Civil Defense Officers Club. During the program, the important role of passport officers as “ambassadors of Qatar” who make first and last impressions that often last for visitors was recalled. Interns gain the experience and skills to deliver exceptional services and seamless experiences for all passengers. The program aims to enable officers to deal with diverse situations with professionalism, empathy and care, by enhancing their effective communication skills, emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity. The program includes five modules: the role of migration in the travel experience, mastering effective communication skills, striving for excellence, emotional intelligence, and Qatar ambassadors. Commenting on the training programme, Mr. Omar Al Jaber, Acting Head of Tourism Development, said: “The Qatar Ambassadors: The Road to Excellence programme is a joint effort and collaboration between Qatar Tourism’s Academy of Service Excellence and the Police Officers Institute to provide training for frontline workers dealing face-to-face with visitors to Qatar, as the first to receive visitors upon arrival in Qatar. The role they play in representing Qatar is vital to maintaining the mental image of our country in front of visitors. At Qatar Tourism, we are committed to achieving the highest standards of …

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICA) showcased  6 innovative projects that reflect the authority’s leadership in the field of digital transformation and employing the latest technologies to develop the smart services system to meet the aspirations of customers and their current and future needs at the recently concluded GITEX Global event in Dubai. The list of projects that DEWA is participating in during the current edition of the exhibition includes 6 diverse projects, namely the Wired Your ID project, the Emirates Express Corridor, Smart Travel, Institutional Connectivity Services, Bureaucracy Zeroing Platform, and Digital Certification via Face Print. His Excellency Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of the Authority, stressed that  the Authority’s participation during the current session of the exhibition is characterized by the diversity of its displayed projects, the quality and leadership of the innovative ideas it contains, and its continuous endeavor to delight the beneficiary customers, in addition to that it reflects the Authority’s constant keenness and clear vision to develop the service system according to the pulse of the customer, foresee the future, predict developments and prepare for them by creating development projects that contribute to supporting the security of society and make its members happy by providing flexible proactive services that support security. Controlling border crossings enhances the economic growth of the state and attracts entrepreneurs and those with talent and experience. His Excellency added that DEWA’s participation reflects the advanced level achieved by DEWA in the field of digital transformation and the development of the smart services system that is provided to customers, community members and those wishing to visit the country, work, invest and live in it, as …

Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) will once again bring a strong presence to two major shows this month in Dubai – GITEX Global 2024 and Expand North Star – highlighting the innovation in the services it offers to enhance ease of doing business, and the innovative companies that are setting up in Dubai and using the city as a launchpad for global growth. DET’s participation in the events is aligned with the ambitious goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to double the size of Dubai’s economy by 2033 and to further consolidate Dubai’s position as a leading global city for business and leisure. At GITEX Global, taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation (DBLC), part of DET, will introduce cutting-edge solutions designed to streamline the investor journey to further improve the ease of doing business in Dubai, a key driver in attracting foreign direct investment and top talent. These initiatives will further strengthen the emirate’s global status as a leading destination for innovation and investment. As part of its participation, DBLC will also honour various partners who have contributed to the success of its initiatives over the past year. Meanwhile, across the city in Dubai Harbour, the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME), another entity within DET, will showcase the businesses and services of five of its members, including Transcend Technologies, Jadwelny Portal, Sadeem Energy, Elmadrasah.com and Insurina, as well as its incubation partner Intelak. The participating Dubai SME members represent several sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI) in tourism, energy IoT, EdTech, insurance marketplace and cybersecurity. The Hamdan Innovation Incubator (Hi2), an initiative by …

Visit Qatar hosted a workshop for its local MICE industry partners with 70 representatives of hospitality, destination management companies, hotels and event halls, to discuss ways to collaborate in attracting business events to Qatar.  The workshop aimed to provide participants with the essential tools and insights to effectively position Qatar as a key destination for business events, enhance their bidding strategies for international gatherings, as well as educate international MICE investors about the diverse assets of events in Qatar. The workshop was attended by more than  Attendees also gained valuable insights into the key characteristics of the exhibition and conference markets in China, India and Russia and guidelines for delivering a successful work and a compelling presentation. The workshop programme included panel discussions featuring dignitaries from Qatar’s meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry, as well as bilateral meetings with industry investors. Visit Qatar’s strategy emphasizes that the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector is a priority pillar in driving growth in the country’s tourism sector. By increasing the number of business events, Qatar aims to strengthen its position as a leading global hub for the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry. Thanks to its advanced infrastructure, business-friendly ecosystem and state-of-the-art venues, Qatar has cemented its position as a preferred destination for the MICE sector for its ability to host world-class events.

Onur Saylan – Consul General – Consulate General of Turkiye in Dubai, speaking with TravelTV Middle East shared that they are looking at easing the visa processes for the expats living in the UAE such as Indians, Pakistanis and Filipinos etc.by the end of the year. He reiterated the importance of promoting destinations which are the hidden gems of Turkiye which will be their focus in the upcoming months. “We work with tourists from UAE to provide alternative programs and placements. If we think of Turkiye, they immediately think of Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, Trabzon and Cappadocia. It is true that these are some of the most beautiful cities in the world, not only in Turkiye, but there is more in Turkiye. Due to the current situation around Turkiye, there are more strict processes, but we are looking at coming up with easier visa process for expat groups living in UAE, such as Indian, Pakistani and the Philippines. We will establish many new methods to ease this process.  I think by the end of this year, we will find new alternative processes for visa issuance in the UAE.”

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT) launched the Arabic language version of the ‘Experience Abu Dhabi Experts’ e-learning platform, a tool designed to actively support partners in the travel ecosystem, including travel agents and tour operators. The platform equips travel professionals across the Gulf with the knowledge needed to showcase Abu Dhabi’s rich cultural heritage, iconic landmarks and attractions and diverse accommodation options to their clients. Specialised content across nine modules covers various facets of Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector, allowing participants to create more attractive and customised tourism products. Upon completion of the programme, participants will receive a certificate officially recognising them as ‘Experience Abu Dhabi Experts’, bolstering their credibility within the industry and providing them with the knowledge to craft personalised travel itineraries for the destination. Abdulla Yousuf, International Operations Director at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “We are committed to empowering our travel partners across the region by providing them with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively showcase Abu Dhabi as an ideal destination for all types of visitors. By engaging directly with our partners, we collectively contribute to Abu Dhabi’s compelling growth story and ensure it remains a top choice for travellers seeking unique and enriching experiences.” The module is currently available in Arabic, English, Mandarin, German, Italian, Russian, French and Hindi and will be expanded to 13 languages, making it accessible to the global travel trade. Travel professionals can register for free at experienceabudhabiexperts.com and access the training content anytime, anywhere through mobile devices, tablets, or desktops, flexibly arranging their time and enjoying a convenient online learning experience. Domestic travel is expected to represent the bulk of the travel market in 2024, and …

Speaking at Future Hospitality Summit World in Dubai, HE Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy of the UAE shared that they target 16% contribution from tourism to GDP by 2031. HE Al Marri further shared that they are on track with the demand and supply and that they target over 450biliion dirhams worth of investments in the hotel industry over the next seven years. Further iterated the need to increase room nights especially by combining medical and wellness tourism. “We are targeting over 450 billion dirhams worth of investments in the hotel industry itself to come in in the next seven years. We are looking at increasing the number of keys, increase the amount of hotels, offers, products coming in. We’re looking at it from a different line. We’re looking at medical tourism, wellness tourism. These are kind of the two topics now that’s really going on in the tourism aspects, but they are segregated. They talk about medical tourism on a separate note, and they talk about wellness tourism on a separate note. To me, wellness and medical has to be combined. I look at it that way because the most important thing is the nights per stay, the tourists who stay in the country. Today, there are about 3 to 4 nights per stay. We want to increase that to 7 nights, 8 nights. That’s the dream for any interest of tourism.”

Kuwait Minister of Information and Culture and Kuwait Airways Chairman discussed ways to enhance joint cooperation between Kuwait Airways and the Ministry through the exchange of services related to the tourism sector, in addition to reviewing the most important future projects between the two sides. The Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Mr. Abdulrahman Badah Al-Mutairi held discussions with Kuwait Airways Chairman, Captain Abdulmohsen Salem Al-Fagaan, who was accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer, Captain Ahmad M. Alkreebani and a delegation from Kuwait Airways. The discussions focused on the significant efforts extended by the company and the services it provides in supporting the tourism sector in the State of Kuwait. During the meeting, the Minister also discussed ways to enhance joint cooperation between Kuwait Airways and the Ministry through the exchange of services related to the tourism sector, in addition to reviewing the most important future projects between the two sides. Following the meeting, Al-Fagaan highlighted in a press statement that Kuwait Airways continuously enjoys the full support and consideration from the Ministry of Information in all its activities and events, especially within and outside the State of Kuwait, making it an indispensable partner in Kuwait Airways’ accomplishments and contributing significantly to the achievement of its desired objectives. Al-Fagaan stated, “Various aspects of joint cooperation between Kuwait Airways and the Ministry of Information and Culture were discussed in several important areas, most notable among them, the participation in the Gulf Cup Football Championship (Gulf 26) hosted by the State of Kuwait in December. This is in addition to the State of Kuwait’s participation in the Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan and to promote the working of …

The Ajman Tourism Development Department signed a sponsorship agreement with Etihad Water and Electricity, reaffirming its commitment to fostering collaboration within the nation’s key sectors. The agreement will establish a strategic alliance between both entities, with an aim to sponsor community and tourism events, as well as a diverse array of activities to achieve mutual development goals. Under the agreement, various sports, tourism and community events will be organised to attract both visitors and residents, positioning Ajman as the region’s leading tourist destination. The alliance also showcases the significance of maintaining coordination between both entities, while promoting knowledge exchange and leveraging collective resources to ensure success of such events. It is also poised to expand the institutional presence of Etihad Water and Electricity by showcasing its services and initiatives that benefit both residents and tourists. H.E. Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi, Director-General of the Ajman Tourism Development Department, and H.E. Yousif Ahmed Al Ali, CEO of Etihad Water and Electricity, signed the agreement in the presence of senior officials from both organisations. H.E. Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi said: “Our partnership with Etihad Water and Electricity is a strategic move to support the implementation of the department’s initiatives to elevate Ajman’s position as a leading tourist destination. It is also a part of our efforts to strengthen collaboration between government and private entities to achieve key developmental goals.” H.E. underscored that the collaboration with Etihad Water and Electricity will yield favourable outcomes for the Emirate. Moreover, he highlighted Etihad Water and Electricity’s integral role in supporting upcoming events to enhance participation of tourists and residents in these activities, while promoting their exemplary array of services. H.E. Yousif Ahmed Al Ali, CEO of Etihad Water …

Addressing G20 delegates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, said: “Saudi Arabia shares and celebrates the G20’s dedication to boost tourism growth and to put sustainability at the heart of our work. ”Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to make its rapidly expanding tourism sector sustainable and a powerful force for forging closer cultural links between the world’s nations at the G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in Brazil. Reflecting on the meeting’s overarching theme of “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet”, Al-Khateeb added: “There is more than just an economic benefit from the strides we are making to improve connectivity. They also provide the chance for people from around the world to explore the rich culture of Saudi Arabia and for our people to experience the wonders of other countries and cultures.” The high-profile gathering in Belém is bringing together not only the G20 nations, of which Saudi Arabia is the only permanent member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as 32 additional guest countries and international organizations. Saudi Arabia approved the creation of the G20 Tourism Working Group during its presidency in 2020 and among the Ministers’ key objectives at this meeting in Belém finalizing a report by the Working Group that details measures taken by its members to promote robust, sustainable, and balanced global tourism growth. During the event in Belém, His Excellency met with ministers and senior political figures from Brazil, India, Italy, Spain and Japan, as well as with His Excellency Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of UN Tourism and Julia Simpson, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). In addition to meeting with global leaders, His Excellency also joined a WTTC Public-Private Dialogue to coincide with the launch …