Category Archives: Govt

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister UAE and Ruler of Dubai announced the ‘Golden Card Visa’ a long term residency scheme for investors last month. Following this announcement a special media briefing was held at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs few days ago to educate the media about the special criteria and eligibility for this special scheme. Major General Mohammad Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, said that this scheme was implemented to create an attractive investment environment in the UAE, which further encourages business development and draws in new talent. Major General Al Marri stated that “As we celebrate the year of tolerance, there are other categories of investors such as those with 5 million AED capital visa for 3 years. Other investors are with bank deposits of 10 million AED capital with 10 years golden visa. Money should be owned by the individual investor 100 percent. Those who own 500,000 AED approved by state, doctors and specialists with certain conditions, excellent students and scientists – 95% in secondary school, executives with a Bachelor degree, five years’ work experience with 30,000 AED per month contract of state, specialists, talented people will also be authorised depending on the criteria. Inventors/innovators etc. will be awarded irrelevant of nationality, age, gender, just the criteria required equal to all.  After 10 years (the visas) are extended for another 10-year period every 10 years. There are medical insurance and other procedures that need to be done in between but it comes without any extra conditions.” He further said the visa would be renewed as long as residents continue to satisfy …

Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has provided a positive outlook of the industry to leading stakeholders and partners at its first biannual city briefing event, highlighting the sector’s performance across key markets, and sharing first-hand insights into major developments, marketing initiatives and future growth strategies. Led by His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-General of Dubai Tourism, the city briefing held at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City last week comes within the framework of regular industry engagements initiated by the Department to further enhance collaboration with its stakeholders. The event was attended by nearly 1,000 managers and key executives representing all industry segments, from hospitality to tour operators, tourism attractions to destination management companies, as well as top officials from Dubai Police and Expo 2020 Dubai. Addressing the gathering of industry professionals and senior government officials, HE Helal Saeed Almarri, said, “Maintaining a robust industry is at the core of our cross-sector efforts, and as we look ahead, we are confident that our continued cooperation with both public and private sector partners will ensure that Dubai remains a must-visit destination.” Major General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansour, Assistant to the Commander-in-chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs at Dubai Police, said, “Dubai Police is pleased to be a part of this event as it gives us an opportunity to exchange ideas and views with leading players in Dubai’s tourism industry, and secure their support towards further enhancing the safety and security of visitors.” Sanjive Khosla, Deputy Chief – Sales and Marketing at Expo 2020 Dubai, said, “With fewer than 500 days until Expo 2020 opens, our preparations are well on track.  We will be welcoming millions of tourists from around the …

The inaugural Global DMC Network Roadshow by JTB Group was conducted at Conrad Dubai. JTB owns the companies worldwide with over 100 years of experience in the global networking arena with 502 offices in 143 cities in 39 countries with 29,000 employees. It is a leader in global destination management capable of providing unparalleled services all over the world in the fields of leisure, FIT or global MiCE. This roadshow was organised in conjunction with Venture Planet, the local vendor which invited over 100 travel agents in Dubai. The event started out with an introduction to the programme by the Global Marketing Team of the Global DMC Network by JTB Group. Thereafter the agents were divided into groups with four different break-out sessions where they learned an in-depth study about the destinations and the offerings for this specific market. Some of the companies under the umbrella who attended were Europamundo, Tumlare Destination Management, Tour East/CSO Tour East and Global DMC in Japan. The special discussions held by Europamundo Vacaciones in Arabic saw a very keen audience.

In addition to applying for an Italian visa at VFS Global Visa Application Centre, travellers heading to Italy from Bahrain now have access to a wealth of information at the newly inaugurated Italia Tourist Information Centre located in Manama. VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, also launched The Little Book of Italy travel guide at the opening ceremony, in the presence of H.E Domenico Bellato, Ambassador of Italy to the Kingdom of Bahrain, on June 16, 2019. With the launch of the Italia Tourist Information Centre and the Little Book of Italy, VFS Global and the Italian Embassy aim at providing applicants with first-hand information on visa procedures and travel tips. Speaking at the inauguration, Bellato said, “It is a pleasure to inaugurate the Italia Tourist Information Centre in Bahrain. There are not many places globally which can match the combination of history, culture, scenery, fashion, shopping, and food offered by Italy. With the launch of this centre and the Little Book of Italy we hope visa applicants will receive timely touristic information from a reliable source. We are confident that the centre will help to further increase the number of Bahraini citizens and residents who choose Italy as their destination for tourism and business.” Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO – Middle East, South Asia & China, VFS Global, said, “We are excited to take our partnership with the Government of Italy to the next level with the launch of Italia Tourist Information Centre. Bahrain has a large number of travellers to Italy for leisure and business, and this new centre will bring accurate information to their close proximity as …

Emaar and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) have joined hands to offer Dubai Metro users exceptional discounts. Hop on the Metro and head straight to a world of wholesome entertainment, while enjoying a slew of attractive offers on some of Dubai’s most famous attractions. Dubai Metro users will have the exclusive opportunity to experience 360 degree sweeping views from At the Top, Burj Khalifa – levels 125 and 124 of the iconic Burj Khalifa for AED 75 per person instead of AED 141 inclusive of a complimentary signature beverage at The Café. Dubai Metro users can also enjoy a 50 per cent off on all Emaar Entertainment attractions including the Explorer Plus ticket at Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, Ice Golf at Dubai Ice Rink, any Dolby Cinema experience at Reel Cinemas and double their credit on a minimum AED 100 spend at VR Theme Park. Visitors can indulge in appetising delicacies at a 30 per cent discount from over 50 food and beverage outlets at The Dubai Mall. Dining at Address Downtown restaurants, including NEOS and The Restaurant, will also be at half price. Also on offer at half price are the mesmerising Front of House tours of Dubai Opera to learn more about the iconic architecture, hidden secrets behind its breathtaking design, beautiful sculptures, art pieces and the modern technologies used to deliver a magnificent experience. To avail of these great offers, Dubai Metro riders only have to collect the discount voucher from Dubai Metro stations and present them at the ticket counters of their chosen leisure destination along with a valid Emirates ID. Vouchers are available at all metro stations. One can enjoy this limited offer …

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has reported a steady increase in tourism volumes from Romania, welcoming 29,670 overnight visitors in the first three months of 2019. Underscoring a 24 per cent year-on-year increase when compared to the same period in 2018, the emirate and its diverse portfolio of attractions has experienced sustained interest and a steady uplift in the number of Romanian travellers choosing Dubai as their destination of choice. Underpinned by Dubai Tourism’s efforts to create targeted and customised experiences for Romanian tourists, the emirate has established itself as a ‘must-visit’ destination by offering a variety of unique and iconic attractions to its target audience. With an evolving market strategy that is well catered to the Romanian tourist profile, the department deploys a custom-market specific approach with targeted strategic activations, always-on marketing campaigns and ongoing trade and business partnerships with key industry players, keeping the city front of mind for these travellers. Building on the city’s commitment to ensuring ease of accessibility for its key source markets, Dubai is only a short travel time away from Bucharest, and benefits from two direct daily flights between Dubai and the capital with flydubai. Other direct flights between Dubai and Bucharest as well as Cluj-Napoca are available on Hungarian airline WizzAir. Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai’s Corporation of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said, “We have seen sustained momentum from Romanian visitors as one of our key emerging source markets, with strong double digit growth in overnight stays during the first quarter of the year. This growth is testament to the market specific approach we’ve adopted and the appeal of Dubai’s variety of attractions and experiences that cater …

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has further strengthened its position in Europe with a multi-city roadshow in the UK and Germany last month that brought together more than 370 tour operators and travel agents. In a bid to attract 1.5 million visitors by 2021, increased emphasis has been put on growing further awareness in key European markets. The European roadshow covered key cities including Hamburg, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, London, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Edinburgh to meet industry representatives and introduce Ras Al Khaimah’s diverse and spectacular beach, desert, mountain, and adventure offerings.  Held at iconic venues such as the Emirates Stadium in London and Edinburgh Castle, the roadshow allowed participants an opportunity to discover Ras Al Khaimah’s unique proposition and its tourism products via presentations, networking events, and interactive quizzes. Haitham Mattar, Chief Executive officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said, “With a unique combination of authentic Arabian hospitality, pristine beaches and outdoor adventure pursuits, Ras Al Khaimah has a great appeal to holidaymakers from all over Europe. We have seen a significant growth in the number of visitors from Europe over the last couple of years, and therefore, our ongoing roadshow programme is a great vehicle to tell the story of the accessible Arabian hospitality. As we look towards our goal of 1.5 million visitors by 2021 and 3 million by 2025, it is essential to personally connect with travel professionals from our source markets to give them a real flavour of everything Ras Al Khaimah has to offer our visitors.”  

Visitors coming to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Jeddah Season 2019 can obtain a tourist visa in three minutes or less through the Sharek e-Visa website. Implemented by the Organising Committee for Jeddah Season 2019, the online application method is linked to ticket purchases for Jeddah Season 2019 events. Once visitors buy a ticket, they can get an instant e-Visa simply by logging on to www.sharek.sa and following the step-by-step instructions. “Making it quick and easy to obtain an entry visa will encourage more tourists to discover the beauty of Jeddah, known affectionately as the Bride of the Red Sea, attracting regional and international visitors to the 2019 edition of Jeddah Season, said Eng. Raed Abuzinada, General Supervisor of the Jeddah Season. “The introduction of the e-Visa system will have a positive impact on the travel and tourism sector, which is a key driver of the nation’s economy and remains a vital component of the economic diversification that is a fundamental aim of Vision 2030.” Jeddah Season 2019 offers visitors a dazzling choice of more than 150 events and activities celebrating music, arts, culture and sports. Taking place from June 8 till   July 18, 2019, the inaugural edition of the festival aims to position Jeddah as the capital of tourism and entertainment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), in partnership with Emirates Airlines, has embarked on a three-city roadshow, which is taking place from June 11, 2019 in Budapest and will run until June 14, 2019 covering other key stops; Warsaw and Prague. The series is aimed towards focusing the spotlight on Sharjah’s main tourist attractions across three key markets in Central Europe for the first time. “The three-city roadshow forms part of SCTDA’s ongoing efforts to accelerate Sharjah’s tourism industry. It also serves as one of our key contributions to the government’s economic diversification policy. Additionally, by organizing strategic B2B events, we are demonstrating our commitment to tapping new source markets worldwide to boost our international tourist arrivals as per the objectives of Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021. We look forward to highlighting why Sharjah is a destination of choice among global visitors,” H.E Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA, said. “These B2B events in Budapest, Warsaw, and Prague are being held to help raise awareness about Sharjah’s diverse tourist offerings and advanced amenities along with increased ease with which people can travel to the emirate,” H.E. Al Midfa added. The roadshow will also be featuring workshop and networking sessions. Apart from SCTDA officials, Sharjah delegates will include Sharjah Investment & Development Authority (Shurooq); Emirates Airlines, Air Arabia, Sharjah National Hotels along with Sharjah-based DMC – Orient Tours; The Sharjah Collection, Managed by Mysk; Coral Beach Resort & Spa; Golden Tulip Hotel Apartments; Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort &Spa; and Four Points by Sheraton, Occidental Sharjah Grand.

Dubai welcomed India’s first premium cruise liner, ‘Karnika’ by Jalesh Cruises, to Mina Rashid as it homeport in Dubai for the season. Christened in an official naming ceremony in Mumbai, India last month, Karnika’ is Jalesh Cruises first liner to homeport in the region, marking a significant milestone for both the Indian domestic and international cruise industry. In celebration of this significant occasion, a traditional ‘Plaques and Keys Exchange’ ceremony was hosted on board in the presence of the ship’s captain and key industry stakeholders from the Dubai Cruise Committee. The vessel will commence the operation of regular Arabian Gulf itineraries from June to mid-September 2019, entertaining both residents and visitors of Dubai. Cruise aficionados can choose from two itineraries a week with Dubai as the home port; the Friday itinerary is set to cover Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, while the Monday itinerary will include Muscat and Khasab. Mohammed Abdul Aziz Al Mannai, CEO of P&O Marinas and Mina Rashid, said, “Proving its position as the Middle East’s leading cruise destination, Karnika’s arrival highlights the value proposition Mina Rashid offers to luxury cruise lines globally. Our world-class quality services have exhibited Mina Rashid to be the preferred tourist destination, observing a 172 per cent increase in visitors between 2014 and 2018.” Jamal Alfalasi, Director of Dubai Cruise Tourism, said, “Our support for Jalesh Cruises further cements the enduring bond that exists between India and the emirate, underpinning our continued commitment to Dubai’s top performing source market which brought in more than 564,836 visitors during Q1 of 2019.” Jurgen Bailom, President & CEO, Jalesh Cruises, said, “It is an honour and a privilege for us at Jalesh Cruises to bring India’s …