Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

In an exclusive interview with Daniel Rosado Bayón, Director – Spain Tourism Office, Tourism Counsellor GCC stated that they received almost 80% of visitors as per pre-covid time. “In the first six months of the year Spain received over 30 million international visitors which is about 80% of 2019. In respect to expenditure it was about 89% as 2019. When you take UAE, we saw a spike of around 30% from UAE as pre-covid level.” One of the key factors that matter when visiting Europe is obtaining the visa, however according to Rosado Director Spain tourism office, there is now good news to be heard very soon from the European Union. “During this summer we saw a surge in Visa requests. This goes in line with the huge come back of tourism. After two years of restrictions, this summer has become very similar to a pre-covid summer. With the spike in travelling, that some call revenge tourism, we have witnessed how different sectors, from aviation to hospitality or infrastructures, faced difficulties to cope with this sudden surge. Not long ago there was not too many people travelling, and now we have more than before, as people have realized that we only live once and that we need to do the things we like better now than before. Visa issuance is no different, the amount of request is so high that they cannot be processed all in time. Resources are limited and given the importance of controlling the borders of the countries the visa process cannot be speed up. Having said this, Visa offices have experienced a high demand but are doing a very good job on processing as much as …

According to Greek tourism pages, cooperation in tourism topped the agenda at the recent visit between the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis  and Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha. Indicative of the positive climate between the two countries, earlier this year the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and Qatar Airways announced a joint campaign to promote Greece as a tourism destination in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Last week, the GNTO announced that it had partnered with online travel marketplace Wego to attract more travelers to Greece from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Meanwhile, Qatar Airways operates three weekly flights from Doha to Santorini, the third destination served in Greece by Qatar Airways together with Athens and Mykonos. The two leaders agreed to further tighten bilateral ties and deepen cooperation in other areas as well, including science, culture and sports. Mitsotakis went on to add that thanks to Greece’s strategic position in the area, it can become a bridge between Qatar and Europe and serve as a point of entry for energy for the European market, both through its station in Revythousa and Alexandroupolis. Lastly, he reiterated that Greece was a reliable partner and a pillar of stability in the region, particularly after the country’s exit from enhanced surveillance status this month, which opens a new chapter for Greece and paves the way for more investment opportunities.

For the fifth consecutive time Tourism Malaysia joins the Gulf Travel Show 5.0, this time as Platinum partner. The event is set to kick off on 28th and 29th September 2022 under the theme of sustainable tourism. Gulf Travel Show (GTS) is the only event which was built in with a purpose. When it first started out just after the pandemic whilst most borders were still closed, it gave the travel, tourism and hospitality fraternity an opportunity to ensure that confidence is restored in the minds of the people passionate about the industry. It was also a tool which connected online GCC buyers with exhibitors from across the globe. The fifth edition or GTS 5.0 demonstrates its commitment to uphold its social responsibility to ensure less carbon emissions yet bring all players to the table and learn and study the stakes, the many opportunities to make things right after a bout of almost two and a half years of pandemic era. Mirza Ghalib – Deputy Director, Tourism Malaysia – Dubai, “Malaysia is thrilled to welcome back Middle East tourists to visit and experience our country again. It is a timely opportunity for us to network with travel agents and tour operator partners from the Gulf region. As the platinum partner of GTS 5.0, Tourism Malaysia is having its own virtual pavilion with 15 booths of Malaysian delegates consisting of tour operator partners, hotels, and product owners.” Some of the partners from Tourism Malaysia expressed their comments as well. Sam Poh Choo, Director of Business Development & Marketing, The Taaras Beach Resort & Spa and Berjaya Tioman Resort “We look forward to creating awareness in the Middle East market for The …

Travellers searching for barrier-free travel can enjoy a plethora of options in Germany, with the European country prioritising, and widely investing in, accessible leisure and tourism facilities. “Germany has made accessibility a firm priority over the past few years,” said Yamina Sofo, director of sales and marketing at the German National Tourist Office (GNTO), the regional office of GNTB. “We recognised the gaps in accessibility within our cultural and touristic experiences which led us to work with policymakers, accommodation providers and site managements to develop our offerings. This led to changes such as the introduction of building ramps to historical sites, ensuring braille and audio descriptive text was available, widening corridors, created disabled parking and toilets and more. Our revisions have opened up a vast range of activities to visitors with restricted mobility, visual and hearing impairments, and learning difficulties.” Germany has a wide range of adventurous offerings for travellers seeking increased levels accessibility and its ‘Tourism For All’ initiative makes it even more straight forward to find them. Split into seven types of visitors: reduced mobility; wheelchair users; impaired hearing; deafness, visually impaired; blindness; and learning difficulties, the site also includes further information for guests with allergies and can be searched by type of activity they’re keen to enjoy or area they are visiting. Just one of the options travellers can enjoy includes the Bavarian Forest National Park which is Germany’s oldest national park. In July the commitment was taken to the next level with a group of students interning dedicating their time to clearing and setting up paths that aid accessibility further. Visitors can enjoy the wilderness camp, the youth forest home and well-equipped national park centres. Castle …

Speaking with Travel TV at the 77th year of Independence celebrations of Indonesia in the consulate in Dubai, Hon. Candra Negara, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Dubai stated that this year is a special year as the borders have opened and they are focused on the “10 New Balis” project, to promote tourism from the UAE to Indonesia. The “10 New Balis” includes Borobudur Temple (Central Java), Belitung (Sumatra), Mount Bromo (East Java), Labuan Bajo (East Nusa Tenggara), Lake Toba (North Sumatra), Thousand Islands (Jakarta), Mandalika (West Nusa Tenggara), Wakatobi (Southeast Sulawesi), Tanjung Lesung (Banten), and Morotai (North Maluku). Hon. Candra Negara, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Dubai reiterated, “As we speak, we have an interesting promotion in JBR where we promote the Jakarta area, the diversified business city with lots of tourism offerings for both business and leisure travellers. The city of Jakarta with its rich cultural, heritage and especially the diving spots, because in Jakarta area there are over 40 small islands called thousand islands because there are so many clustered they are promoting it to the Emiratis and and expats in the JBR area. In Indonesia itself, we are trying to promote the tourism destination in 10 priority areas. We are now creating “10 new Balis” they spread from the Western part of Indonesia Sumatra, close to Malaysia and Singapore to the Eastern part of Indonesia in Papua. This eastern part is very important as it offers the best diving spots in the world called The Raja Ampat Islands, four hour flight from Jakarta, worth a visit to explore it’s beautiful virgin diving spot and nature. We are also looking at …

Britain’s national tourism agency, VisitBritain, confirmed its participation in the upcoming fifth edition of the Gulf Travel Show 5.0 on 28th and 29th September 2022 under the theme sustainable tourism. As part of their B2B strategy for the year 2022/23, VisitBritain is looking to expand their travel trade footprint in GCC markets, share the latest trade tools featuring key destinations, experiences products as well as to recover key account management and gather insights about the potential of each GCC market following Covid-19. VisitBritain GCC Country Manager, Tatiana Khoreshok said: We are very excited to be part of the fifth edition of the Gulf Travel Show as it aligns perfectly with our objectives this year by providing a platform for us to maintain our connections with the travel trade and create new partners to encourage travel to Britain while growing our brand further in the region. Over the years, sustainability in travel, tourism and hospitality had been in the shadows working its way slowly but steadily. However, when UNWTO announced its commitment for the year on sustainability, all attention and initiatives will be to ensure that this becomes a focus across the globe. Gulf Travel Show (GTS) is the only event which was built in with a purpose. When it first started out just after the pandemic whilst most borders were still closed, it gave the travel, tourism and hospitality fraternity an opportunity to ensure that confidence is restored in the minds of the people passionate about the industry. It was also a tool which connected online GCC buyers with exhibitors from across the globe. The fifth edition or GTS 5.0 demonstrates its commitment to uphold its social responsibility to ensure …

Wego and Visit Greece announce an agreement to take travelers on an inspiring travel experience this summer. Through Wego and Visit Greece, travelers can grab the best deals and get all the information they need to plan their perfect stay in the country. Wego and Visit Greece will be shedding the light on the best of Greece through tailored content, and guides encompassing all the happenings and things to explore. From the adventurous activities, wild landscapes, the tranquil beaches to the Greek architecture and history, people have a lot to discover in this serene country. Among the top destinations from MENA searching for a stay in summer 2022 in Greece are Saudi Arabia and UAE, with 42% and 11% simultaneously. Egypt ranks third followed by Kuwait, Jordan, Turkey, and Oman.  The trip duration is also longer and ranges between 4 and 7 days. Solo travelers dominate the searches with 64%, followed by couples 19% and then families 11%. And roundtrips account for 74%. Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and India of Wego, said: “We are excited to partner with Visit Greece. We see an increased demand for this vibrant cosmopolitan hub from the MENA region. We continue to provide our users the best destinations to explore, and Greece is a must see for all travellers.” Dimitris Fragakis, Secretary General of Greek National Tourism Organization, said: “We are extremely happy to work with Wego one of the most influential platforms for the Arabic audience! Our aim is to promote Greece as a destination ideal for couples, for solo travelers, but also for family vacation. Greek mainland and islands are top of mind choices …

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) in cooperation with several government and private agencies and institutions in the emirate  has launched a regulatory framework – the Sharjah Tourism’s ‘Holiday Homes Project’ – which aims to offer an official framework of facilitation and control to Sharjah residents who wish to rent out places they own as holiday homes to tourists and visitors. According to the terms and standards approved by SCTDA as stipulated by the Holiday Homes Project, the residential units can be rented out on a rotational basis, regularly.  The project is successfully developing an official facilitation framework in line with international best practices for the operation of holiday homes, and to register them under a unified umbrella and database. The project will also empower prospective users with a new source of income recognised by the Government of Sharjah, offering them official guidance on operating requirements, classification criteria, violations and other mechanisms. His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, said: “With Sharjah Tourism’s Holiday Homes project, the emirate’s aspirations to continue advancing this sector has crossed a meaningful milestone, as the initiative not only introduces an innovative new service to the tourism landscape but also puts Sharjah’s home owners at the forefront of benefiting from a drive that is poised to drive more visitors from around the world to the emirate. Through the Sharjah Tourism’s Holiday Homes Project, we seek to maximise visitor experience by ensuring high-quality classification standards and offering additional staycation options across the emirate of Sharjah. It will further strengthen cooperation between the Authority and the providers of holiday homes by developing a system of legislation and regulations. This will contribute to diversifying the …

The Tourism Institute of Spain (TURESPAÑA) launches a new media and content campaign, “Legends of Spain”. “Legends of Spain”will bring to global audiences the seafaring legends of the Sirens in the Basque Country, the myth of the giant winged snake of Asturias (The “Cuélebre”) and the stories of “The Land of Giants” of Castilla-La Mancha that inspired Cervantes’ Don Quixote. This campaign is part of Turespaña’s branded-content strategy of partnering with the world’s largest and most important publishing brands and content producers, with the aim of generating the most inspirational content, told by the best storytellers in the world, for the global audiences of greatest value for Spain.

Dubai attracted 7.12 million international overnight visitors between January and June 2022, recording more than 183% growth in visitors compared to the 2.52 million tourists who visited Dubai during the same period in 2021, according to latest data from Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). This positive trend in H1 2022 places the city firmly on track to achieve its tourism goals for 2022 and beyond, and further reinforces its position as an international destination of choice. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “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 Dubai the city of the future and the world’s best place to live, work and invest in has resulted in a resurgence of Dubai’s tourism sector. The growth in tourists reflects the resilience and dynamism of the emirate’s economy. His Highness’s vision has helped Dubai create a strong and stable economic foundation and a dynamic business ecosystem, enabling it to become a leading global hub for diverse sectors. The rapid rise in international tourist arrivals puts Dubai on track to achieve its ambitious target of becoming the world’s most visited destination. In the years ahead, Dubai will continue to develop itself further as a destination that offers compelling value to international travellers.” The number of tourists recorded in H1 2022 was close to the numbers achieved in the first six months of 2019, which saw 8.36 million tourists arriving in Dubai. The emirate’s ability to quickly return to near pre-pandemic tourism levels is even …