Category Archives: Govt

HE Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism highlighted that the launch of the world’s largest underwater diving park is currently underway. The park will be the largest diving park in the world spanning an area of 100,000 sqm, and is expected to open to divers and visitors in August 2019. According to sources, the largest ever plane is to be submerged in the ocean as the first phase of Dive Bahrain got under way. Local and international divers and a fleet of tugboats are working to relocate the decommissioned Boeing 747 jumbo jet to its new home in the Arabian Gulf. The 70-metre long plane was bought from a Dubai-based airline. It is expected to rest at a depth of around 24 metres and will be positioned nose up in the water to allow novice divers access to the aircraft at shallower depths. In preparation for its submersion, the Dive Bahrain team worked for eight months to ensure the aircraft was environmentally friendly. “We could have just sunk it the way it was when it was transported here, but that’s not our intention. Every hazardous material has been removed; all plastic material has been removed. Even the bolts and the screws were removed so that we could clean any oil residue, before putting them back on,” said Hamad Al Mahmeed, project manager at Dive Bahrain. HE Zayed bin Rashed Al Zayani, the Minister of Industry and Commerce revealed, “We are proud to launch this unique eco-friendly project in cooperation with the Supreme Council for Environment and the private sector.”  

According to a press release of the EU Council, the Schengen visa fees will increase 33.3% from 60 euros to 80 euros once the amended regulation comes into force. “To ensure member states can better cover the costs of visa processing without constituting a deterrent for visa applicants, the visa fee will be increased to 80 euros. The regulation also introduces a mechanism for reviewing every three years whether the visa fee should change,” says the press release. After the final adoption by the EU Council today, the new EU Visa regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Six months later, it will come into force and start applying to all third country nationals that need a visa to the Schengen zone. If the final text is published by the end of this month, in January 2020, third country nationals in need of a visa will need to pay 80 euros to apply. The new rules also permit applications to be submitted for a maximum period of six months, and no later than 15 days, before the trip. So far, the maximum period has been three months. In addition, the EU intends to introduce a harmonised approach to the issuing of multiple entry visas to regular travellers with a positive visa history for a period, which increases gradually from one to five years. Another important part of the new code is that it also intends to contribute to the cooperation of third countries on readmission through the introduction of a new mechanism for using visa processing as leverage. Through the mechanism, third countries will be assessed continuously regarding cooperation on readmission. Non-cooperating countries can become …

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) and SEERA (previously Al Tayyar Travel Group), one of the region’s leading providers of travel services in the Middle East and North Africa, have signed a strategic partnership agreement which will see both entities unite to further strengthen travel demand from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to the emirate. Working together previously on a variety of projects, the reinvigorated partnership between the department and Almosafer; SEERA’S consumer travel brand which recorded more than 100,000 bookings from Saudi Arabian travellers to Dubai in 2018, will see promotional opportunities implemented through the ongoing alliance. Almosafer will embrace a new omni-channel approach, offering its customers the choice and freedom to book their travel itineraries across online and offline touchpoints, reaffirming its commitment to promoting Dubai as a top destination for Saudi Arabian travellers. Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), said, “Dubai continues to rank among the most popular destinations for holidaymakers from across the GCC with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia remaining in second place as one of our leading source markets in Q1 2019.” Almosafer will offer special hotel and flight deals exclusively for KSA travellers to Dubai, highlighting the top things-to-do in the city, iconic attractions, as well as travel tips across diverse targeted marketing channels. The brand will also create special Dubai-centric holiday packages, tailored to a variety of travel segments, including couples, families, individuals or business travellers. Abdullah Bin Nasser Aldawood, CEO of SEERA commented on the partnership, “Almosafer caters for a real range of Saudi travellers and we know, from our 40 years’ worth of travel knowledge and experience, what the varied …

Extending its events season throughout 2019, Dubai is set to welcome a remarkable line-up of artists from across the world to entertain the city this summer. From large scale stadium productions to intimate live shows, don’t miss the chance to secure your tickets to the city’s trending events which are now available to purchase through Dubai Calendar. Eid in Dubai celebrations will kick off the entertainment season across the city, including a variety of concerts featuring artists such as Tamer Hosny performing at Dubai Opera on June 6; and Wael Kfoury and Ragheb Alama performing at the Le Meridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre on June 7. Meanwhile, with its official launch on June 6, the Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai’s first and largest air-conditioned multipurpose indoor venue, offering exceptional state-of-the- art sound system and almost 400 square metres of LED screens, will host the return of global stand-up comedy superstar Russell Peters. The Arena will also be hosting the already sold-out performance of world-famous pop-rock band Maroon 5 on June 14, celebrating the group’s return to Dubai for the first time in eight years. Continuing the festivities this summer time, Dubai is set to host a range of comedy nights starting with English stand-up comedian Alan Davies on June 14 at the Dubai Opera. Headliner comedian Alfie Brown will be performing at the city’s oldest comedy hub, The Laughter Factory, in celebration of its 23rd anniversary between June 13-21 at a variety of venues across the Emirate including Mövenpick Dubai Jumeirah Beach, Grand Millennium Dubai, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Beach and TRYP by Wyndham. And lastly, presenting Indian high-energy comic Varun Thakur, Front Row laughter nights will be hosting the famous comedian …

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) entered into an agreement with Bear Grylls Survival Academy (BGSA) to establish and operate Ras Al Khaimah’s own Bear Grylls Survival Academy on Jebel Jais, as part of its ongoing drive to attract more adventure seekers from around the world. Haitham Mattar, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority announced the latest addition to the Emirate’s varied portfolio of adventure tourism products recently. A brainchild of Bear Grylls, the most recognised face of survival and outdoor adventure, the Bear Grylls Survival Academy offers thrill seekers an opportunity to learn extreme survival techniques at 20 locations around the world. The Bear Grylls Survival Academy on Jebel Jais, which is scheduled to open in Q1 2020, will offer participants a wide selection of courses suitable for individuals of all ages and fitness levels. The courses include half-day (5 to 6 hours), 24 and 48-hour courses designed for families and adults; team building activities for corporates; and instructor courses for outdoor enthusiasts, where participants will be exposed to practical and extreme survival techniques necessary to survive some of the toughest terrain in the wilderness. The courses will comprise of a combination of survival and adventure tasks that will conclude in a wilderness expedition designed to put the participants’ new-found skills to the ultimate test. Haitham Mattar, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said, “This partnership to establish our upcoming adventure product recognises a sector of our tourism proposition that is fundamental to the growth of Ras Al Khaimah as a global destination.” Paul Gardiner, Managing Director of Bear Grylls Survival Academy, said, “As the UAE’s highest mountain with its …

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) inaugurated the first edition of the Belgian Travel Summit (BTS) taking place until June 1 in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. The four-day summit is the first joint Congress of the Belgian trade unions of travel agencies at a national Belgium level and witnessed the attendance of the Association of Flemish Travel Agencies (VVR) and the French speaking Union Professionnelle des Agences de Voyages (UPAV). The summit is hosting a series of plenary sessions led by industry experts and visionaries focused on four key themes: Sustainability, Education, Digitalisation, and Business Development. Key speakers include Haitham Mattar, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority; Murielle Machiels, Academic Director at Solvay Brussels School; Thierry Geerts, Country Director of Google Belgium and Luxembourg; and Pieter Van Leugenhagen, co-founder of a successful Belgian start-up and International Business Development Lead at Yondr. As part of his keynote speech, Mattar said, “We are delighted to host the first edition of the Belgian Travel Summit as we get to showcase Ras Al Khaimah’s mesmerising coastline, scenic mountains, terracotta deserts, historic forts, and some of the most diverse and enchanting landscapes in the region to key members of the Belgian travel trade industry. Our incredible experiences such as Jebel Jais Flight: The World’s Longest Zipline have already helped put Ras Al Khaimah on the world map. 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 further develop our partnerships with generalist and specialised tour operators and to give travel advisors at travel agencies a real …

Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), a vocational education institution established as part of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has underlined its commitment to building a network of world-class tourism professionals with the launch of a series of new training initiatives available for enrolment at the industry focused learning facility. Building on its extensive range of vocational courses, the college has introduced a Summer Tourism Camp that aims to provide children between the ages of 10-13 years old with hands-on experience of working in the industry. With an emphasis on practical learning, the camp will cover a broad range of activities from cooking classes to day trips in Dubai, giving students an opportunity to learn more about the industry and Dubai’s diverse tourism proposition including hospitality, retail, events and the culinary arts. DCT Summer Camp is now open for registration for attendance starting from July 7 to July 18, 2019. Additionally, DCT has announced a series of Summer Short Courses, to be conducted by seasoned industry professionals. These range from the ‘Principles’ series for beginners, with courses in retail, marketing, event management and travel agency operations; to intermediate courses hosted under the ‘Master Classes’ series, which include courses in Digital Marketing, Branding and Experiential Marketing. Adding to the roster of vocational courses available through the college, DCT will also offer students a 30-hour ‘English for Hospitality’ programme, developed to help them learn specialised communication skills needed when dealing with customers or colleagues. Commenting on the new additions to DCT’s vocational training courses, Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of Dubai College of Tourism, said, “The launch of the new training courses further cements our position as the primary enabler …

Hotelbeds, the world’s leading business-to-business bedbank announced the results of its recently launched Corporate Volunteering programme, as part of Hotelbeds’ Corporate Sustainability strategy. The programme, which was recently launched at the company’s headquarters in Palma, Spain, has already reached a participation rate of 60% amongst employees where the programme is live.  Employees have already participated in around 230 volunteering activities and dedicated 5,000+ hours to support the following areas: the environment, health, people at risk of social exclusion, poverty and childhood. Launched in the first office one year ago, Hotelbeds has gradually rolled out the programme globally hosting 11 events across its different Hotelbeds offices worldwide, including Orlando, Singapore, Bangkok, Cancun, Tel Aviv, Dubai, London, Beijing, Shanghai, Zurich and most recently the headquarters in Palma de Mallorca, reaching a total of 3,000 of  5,000 employees worldwide. Around 50 NGOs around the globe have been able to benefit from the Hotelbeds Corporate Volunteering programme, including NGOs such as Give Kids the World in Orlando,  Beyond Social Services in Singapore, The Thai Red Cross in Bangkok, Mallorca Sense Fam and El Grec in Mallorca and Food for Life in Tel Aviv, among many others. Elena Pérez, Human Resources Director at Hotelbeds, says, “I am thrilled that we have already more than 60% of our employees participating in the Volunteering Programme – this is before we’ve even rolled-out the programme in all offices.” Teresa Laso, who leads Corporate Sustainability at Hotelbeds, adds, “I’m very proud of the great success of our Volunteering Program worldwide. At Hotelbeds we strongly believe that giving back to the community is at the core of our culture and with this initiative we wanted to go one step further …

The second edition of the Dubai Association Conference, being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, will take place from December 9 to 10, 2019, under the theme of ‘Driving change: The societal impact of associations’. Over the course of two days the conference, organised by Dubai Association Centre and taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre, will bring together association executives from around the world, government representatives, industry leaders, as well as university faculties and students, in a space focused on building the association community in the region for the purpose of positive social impact. Established in 2014, the Dubai Association Centre (DAC) is a joint initiative of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) which  support and license regional and international associations in setting up an office or chapter in Dubai. The inaugural edition of its Dubai Association Conference took place in December 2017, while DAC last year hosted an Association Leaders Getaway in the city. Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, “As Dubai continues to grow as a knowledge hub, associations have immense potential for driving growth in our rapidly transforming economy. Along with being a catalyst for business opportunities within a thriving ecosystem, they have the power to fuel innovation and creativity which ultimately contributes to the wellbeing of our communities, and society. We are looking forward to the second edition of the Dubai Association Conference this year to further facilitate our transformation agenda as …

Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) is offering Umra trips to 25 taxi drivers during this Ramadan. The step, which coincides with the Year of Tolerance, reflects the keenness of DTC to bring happiness to drivers during the holy month of Ramadan. “Since 2010, Dubai Taxi Corporation has been running this initiative, and about 1200 drivers have benefited from it so far. The initiative is part of DTC social responsibility to bring happiness to employees, especially taxi drivers,” said Adel Sharif, Director of Human Resources, Dubai Taxi Corporation. Priority in the selection of drivers was given to excellent-performing drivers who have made no offences this year, and winners of Dubai Taxi Corporation awards. DTC will cover all expenses of the trip, and educative lectures will be given about the rituals of performing Umra. “DTC is offering several initiatives to cement the relationships between employees, drivers and managers as well as educative programmes at its Training and Qualification Centre. It is offering rewards as part of its plans and strategic goals of happier employees, which will ensure delivering better services, trust and loyalty,” concluded Sharif.