Category Archives: Govt

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi is embarking on a four-city roadshow to India along with partners and stakeholders to help promote the emirate and lure more Indian visitors to explore Abu Dhabi. The delegation, which includes Rotana Hotels, Yas Experience, Royal Arabian Destination Management, Royal Rose Hotels, Etihad Airways, Jet Airways, Lama Tours, Air Travel Enterprises, Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, and Holiday Inn Hotels will be in India from until March 23. The roadshow began in Chandigarh in northern India, followed by Ahmedabad, Mumbai and concluding in Pune. Last year, more than 360,000 Indians stayed in Abu Dhabi’s 162 hotels and hotel apartments, an increase of more than 11 per cent compared to the previous year. Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director, Promotions and Overseas Offices, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said, “India is a vital Tier-I source market for us which is providing more and more hotel guests for us each year and helped us reach a record of more than 4.9 million numbers of guests last year. In 2017, we recorded spectacular double-digit growth from India and we are already recording further progress from the Indian market since the turn of the year.”  

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is all set for its 19th participation at the Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition (MITT) in a bid to promote Sharjah’s top tourist spots, attract more international visitors, and join the world’s leading tourism and hospitality events. Running from March 13 to 15, 2018, the 25th edition of MITT will provide SCTDA with a global platform to highlight the emirate’s promotional plans to enhance its position as a leading family tourist destination and attract 10 million tourists by 2021 based on the objective of Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021. SCTDA’s presence in the exhibition signifies its full commitment to collaborate with industry pioneers and investors from Europe and 80 other top-notch international touristic destinations. H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA, will lead the participating delegates. Commenting on the participation, Al Midfa said, “In 2017, local hotels welcomed a total of 266,086 Russian guests compared with 112,171 visitors received in 2016. The numbers represented an impressive growth rate of 137 per cent. Our 19th participation in MITT is another opportunity to enhance the emirate’s presence in Russia, one of Sharjah’s largest source markets.”

The number of hotel guests staying in Abu Dhabi during January rose 7.4 per cent versus the same month a year ago, building on the success of a record-breaking 2017 when close to a total of five million people stayed in the emirate. In total 437,228 hotel guests stayed in the emirate’s 162 hotels and hotel apartments during January, up  more than 30,000 over the previous year, figures disclosed by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). All three regions recorded an increase in hotel guests, Abu Dhabi up 6.3%, Al Ain Region up 7% and Al Dhafra Region up 17.3%. Multiple countries provided double-digit year-on-year growth in January, notably China (10.7%), India (31.5%), UK (19.1%), Saudi Arabia (15.4%) and the United States (36.1%). The surge in Indian travellers to the emirate, which rose 11.5% in 2017 to total 359,000, continued in January with more than 34,000 Indian hotel guests staying in Abu Dhabi, an increase of 31.5% on the year. DCT Abu Dhabi has focused on extensive marketing across India and held a number of roadshows in the country to attract more Indian travellers to experience the emirate.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is all set to showcase Sharjah’s latest major tourism projects and infrastructure developments during its 21st participation at ITB Berlin 2018, to be held from March 7 to 11. H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA, who will attend the five-day event, is set to lead the delegation. High-level representatives from 12 government and private organisations will also join the SCTDA team to put the spotlight on their world-class tourism and cultural services and initiatives. The participating government institutions will consist of Knowledge without Borders, Expo Centre Sharjah, The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA), The Sharjah Museums Authority and Sharjah International Airport. The private companies will comprise Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort & Spa, Ramada Hotel & Suites Sharjah, Radisson Blu Resort, Sharjah, Sharjah Airport Travel Agency,  Al Rais Tours & Holidays, and Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa. H.E. Al Midfa said, “ITB Berlin is a strategic opportunity for us at SCTDA to put Sharjah on the international tourism and business maps in line with the government’s economic development agenda. Germany and other major European nations are important markets for Sharjah. As such, we consistently roll out relevant initiatives catering to European visitors to further strengthen our relations as well as form new mutually beneficial agreements.”

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) announced its cooperation with the World Federation of Tourist Guides Associations (WTFGA) to host a training programme for ‘tourism guides’ organised in collaboration with the World Tourism Organisation (WTO). The six week programme, held across two phases, will be entitled ‘tour guiding principles’. The preparatory course will provide the necessary training and practical guidance skills for about 100 participants. The course also targets those who wish to improve their practical skills. Themed on “Train the Trainer,” the second phase of the programme will target 12 participants. It will focus on training the mentors to become trainers or trainers who wish to enhance their training skills and gain accreditation from the World Tourism Organisation. The training course aims to develop common standards for capacity building and guidelines, in addition to enhancing the experience of tourists by facilitating access to cultural and historical sites, develop specific tourism products and services, and prolong the stay of visitors in the Kingdom. “The Authority has always sought to develop its human capital and sharpen their skills, which stems from its belief in their vital role in the progress and development of the tourism sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Providing services to visitors and meeting their needs is important to enhance their tourism experience,” said Hesham Al Saken, Director of Facilities and Tourism Services, BTEA.

Dubai Health Authority, in collaboration with the Thumbay Group, celebrated the achievements of the emirate’s healthcare sector and recognised several game changers in the industry. His Excellency Humaid Al Qutami, Chairman of the Board and Director General, Dubai Health Authority, graced the Annual Health Awards 2018 ceremony as the chief guest. As many as 35 winners in 23 categories including private and public-sector organisations and individuals, as well as 17 legendary dignitaries were recognised for their pioneering roles in shaping the healthcare industry of the region. Dr. Thumbay Moideen, Founder President of Thumbay Group, was also present. “We would first like to thank you all for attending the award ceremony, symbolising a new addition to the arena of excellence, creativity and innovation that distinguishes Dubai from other international cities. We would like to congratulate the winners and thank the Thumbay Group for its cooperation with DHA and keenness in supporting the Authority’s efforts to provide a competitive environment among the health sector and its employees,” Al Qutami observed. He further added, “We derive the values of positive competition from His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The award was also inspired by His Highness Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council.”

The Health Bank in partnership with Dubai Health Experience (DXH) has announced the launch of DXH SmartCare to provide health tourists with a single point of contact for seamless healthcare coordination, second medical opinion, flight bookings, visas, accommodation, airport transfers, leisure activities and post treatment support. Conceived by Dubai Health Authority, the DXH brand aims to strengthen the position of Dubai on the medical tourism world map. Dubai offers unparalleled access to the best in health and wellness experiences combined with world-class hospitality and integrated services along with many tourist attractions. The Health Bank provides high quality end-to-end services with excellence in customer care, through an impressive and extensive partner portfolio. Health tourists can have their medical, dental, aesthetic or wellness journey mapped out even before they travel. DXH SmartCare, which can be accessed on www.dxh.ae, offers three-tiers- Blue as the essential package offering research and referrals on treatment options, and Silver and Gold memberships providing journey planning services along with dedicated account manager, concierge and comprehensive care coordination.

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has launched the Dubai International Health Tourism Forum in association with Global Healthcare Travel Forum and World Health Travel Congress at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. The two-day conference from February 20-21 is in line with the vision and the strategic goal of transforming Dubai into a global destination for health tourism. It comprises interactive conference, exhibition and hosted buyer programme for hospital groups, medical travel organisations and health services companies to increase their international presence and patient network, while gaining market share in this ever-growing industry. The hosted buyer programme is organised by the World Health Tourism Congress (WHTC), an exclusive congress targeted at top level senior executives from corporate buyers and government institutions from all over the world. The event attracted 80 best qualified corporate buyers mainly from the GCC area, Africa, Europe, Asia, Russian speaking countries, and North America. The hosted buyer sessions will be dedicated to pre-arranged one-on-one meeting between global corporate buyers and solution providers.

In partnership with Meraas and Dubai Police, H.E. Li Lingbing, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai kick-started the 2018 Dubai Spring Festival Grand Parade celebrations. Lingbing said, “The Spring Festival is of great significance to the Chinese and is the most important traditional festival in our calendar, akin to the importance of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha in the region. The city witnessed celebrations at various locations including Dubai Parks and Resorts, Al Seef, La Mer, Dubai Airport, Boxpark, The Outlet Village, Dubai Design District, The Beach and Dubai Mall.” The Spring Festival Grand Parade witnessed around 30 parading groups, consisting of over 1,000 visiting Chinese, expatriates and international friends, along with the Dubai Police band. Showcasing the arts, traditions and culture of 56 ethnic groups from 34 provinces in China, the grand parade included ethnic costumes and traditional art forms, such as Tai Chi, Peking opera, acrobatics and fairy tales. “The tremendous business potential offered by these activities has drawn worldwide attention, with a large number of Chinese people travelling abroad during the festival, bringing significant economic benefits to host cities. Last year, China witnessed 130 million people travelling abroad, an increase of 7 per cent over the previous year, of which several million travelled in the seven-day Spring Festival holiday,” said Lingbing.

The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) has completed its preparations to provide an integrated portfolio of maritime licensing services at the upcoming Dubai International Boat Show 2018, to be held from February 27 to March 3, 2018 at the Dubai Water Canal in Jumeirah. The services will be showcased at the DMCA pavilion to help facilitate maritime licensing procedures for applicants looking to manage their maritime operations in accordance with the highest standards in safety, best environmental practices, and local and international regulations. The DMCA team will showcase maritime licensing services in accordance with innovative tools that ensure compliance with marine technical standards, maritime safety regulations and local environmental requirements, in line with Dubai’s efforts to improve performance, safety, efficiency and competitiveness of the maritime sector in the emirate. Applicants may facilitate the completion of their maritime driving license tests and complete the licensing procedures of marine vessels of all kinds efficiently. Amer Ali, Executive Director, DMCA explained the importance of the maritime licensing services as an integrated regulatory framework which consolidates maritime safety, safe navigation and operational efficiency. “We look forward to demonstrate our advanced maritime licensing process through smart transformation initiatives, which is our top priority as we strive to enhance the components of the local maritime sector based on innovation, sustainability, inclusiveness and innovation,” concluded Ali.