Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

At such an important time for the reactivation of post-pandemic tourism, Panama is reinforcing its image as a destination for leisure and business travel. Part of this task is carried out together with the main actors in the commercialization chain, such as tourism service providers, tour operators, wholesalers and travel agencies. With this objective in mind, PROMTUR Panama will hold a virtual fair called Explore Panama, in order to generate a commercial space where buyers and sellers can interact. The event will be held on October 20 and 21, 2021, and will have 20 virtual stands for local exhibitors, including the Tourism Promotion Fund (Promtur Panama), and is expected to attract around 350 travel agencies and wholesale operators from markets such as the USA, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia and the United Arab Emirates, who, through a commercial agenda, will be able to interact with key suppliers of the Panamanian tourism industry. Panama will present the tourism activities that will lead this year and in the future, under the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism 2020-2025 (PMTS). The plan revives the “Tourism – Conservation – Research (TCI)” strategy by highlighting the country’s extraordinary natural, cultural and historical wealth with a strong focus on destination sustainability through research and conservation actions.  The updated strategy focuses on three fundamental pillars: Cultural Heritage (multifaceted culture), Green Heritage (extraordinary biodiversity) and Blue Heritage (ocean wonders). The event will allow real interaction between exhibitors and buyers in a 360-degree environment with customizable virtual landscape, virtual private meeting rooms, chat, browser-based chats, presentations and live keynotes. Buyers, once registered, will be able to view the profile of participating exhibitors to schedule their meetings and once at the …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) issued the updated ‘Green List’ of countries. All travellers arriving from these destinations will be exempt from mandatory quarantine measures after landing in Abu Dhabi. Travellers will be required to present a negative PCR COVID-19 test valid for a maximum of 48 hours before departure and undergo a PCR test upon arrival at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Vaccinated passengers from the updated Green List will take another PCR test on day 6 (day of arrival counts as day 1). Unvaccinated travellers arriving from these Green List countries will also take a PCR test on days 6 and 9. Countries, regions, and territories included on the ‘Green List’ will be regularly updated based on international developments. Inclusion on the list is subject to strict criteria of health and safety to ensure the well-being of the UAE community. The list also only applies to countries that travellers are arriving from, rather than citizenship. Please note below the updated ‘Green List’ as of 1 September 2021 at 12:01am:               Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Comoros, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (SAR), Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal,              Qatar, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia,           Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Province of China, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine. More information on the ‘Green List’ can be found on www.visitabudhabi.com.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) Philippines is celebrating Siargao’s entry into Time magazine’s list of ‘The World’s 100 Greatest Places of 2021.’ Siargao earned its spot on the list not only because of its consistent waves but also because of its ongoing development to strengthen tourism infrastructure on the island. “While destinations such as Boracay, Cebu and Palawan nailed the mass market, the teardrop-¬shaped island off the coast of Mindanao until recently had been best known to a dedicated band of surfers lured by consistent waves. But the secret is out, and new spots are popping up on the island, including the beachfront Inara Siargao Resort, an intimate five-suite property that can be booked on Instagram. Just before COVID-19 shutdowns, Siargao got additional cell towers to improve data connectivity, which will be a boon to tourism when it reopens to vaccinated international travellers,” wrote Time Magazine writer Duncan Forgan. According to the publication, the list is a tribute to individuals and businesses who were able to “adapt, build, and innovate” amid the challenges of the pandemic. It also highlights “ingenuity, creativity, revitalization and re-openings in destinations across the world.” The list was compiled through nominations from the magazine’s international network of correspondents and contributors, focusing on those that provide unique and interesting experiences. “I am pleased that the country’s innate beauty continues to draw attention from travellers all over the world despite the pandemic. We are doubling our efforts to create a future of Philippine travel that is safe, more fun, and provides travellers with an authentic and meaningful experience throughout their journey,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. Siargao is presently open to domestic tourists coming from GCQ and MGCQ …

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has successfully concluded its ‘Sharjah Summer 2021 Campaign’ with a huge turnout of visitors who availed the wide range of promotions, amazing experiences, and exclusive offers in Sharjah’s luxury hotels to spend their summer vacation. The campaign, which ran from July 15 to August 28, has achieved its aim of promoting the emirate’s unique attractions and competitive features. It further strengthened Sharjah’s leading position as a family-friendly destination, which provides exceptional, integrated, and high-quality experiences supported by a wide array of world-class hospitality facilities. The ‘Sharjah Summer 2021’ was organized in line with SCTDA’s commitment to introduce leading initiatives and innovative tourism marketing and promotions that exceed the expectations of visitors and tourists alike and boost local tourism development.  The latest campaign featured exclusive offers, including various hotel packages ideal for families. These special offers were designed to increase local tourism activities and highlight the key attraction and latest tourism projects in the emirate.   His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) commented: “We are delighted to witness the positive results of the ‘Sharjah Summer 2021’ campaign which provided visitors and tourists with many different experiences, activities, and a wide range of options on where to stay during their vacation in Sharjah, amidst the current challenges in international travel and tourism. In cooperation with our strategic partners, we are proud that we have maintained our key strengths and provide local tourism products and services that continue to attract visitors and tourists to the emirate. This achievement strongly reflects Sharjah’s appeal as a preferred destination in both the local and global tourism map.   This …

The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group. The memorandum establishes the framework for a collaborative arrangement that will create a seamless visitor experience for Chinese tourists travelling to Saudi. The agreement is part of STA’s strategy to employ the latest technology to deliver seamless traveler experiences. Alibaba Cloud will also provide technical support to STA and help STA promote Saudi as a tourist destination to travelers in the Chinese market. “As Saudi continues to develop its leisure tourism offering for local, regional and international audiences, STA is building a digital infrastructure which can provide the destination with a competitive edge and visitors with the best possible experience,” said Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of STA. “The recovery of the global tourism sector demands fresh thinking to overcome challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. By collaborating with Alibaba Cloud, we will break new ground in the regional tourism sector and position Saudi at the forefront of efforts to modernise the wider global tourism eco-system.” Through the collaboration, Alibaba Cloud will deploy advanced, secure and reliable cloud services and technologies to create an improved digital experience for Chinese tourists traveling to Saudi and allow for the automation of services in content delivery, digital storage, and digital processing. Selina Yuan, General Manager of International Business, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence and Vice President of Alibaba Group said “This collaboration brings together two key actors in the tourism sector who can set a new standard for providing a travel experience like no other. With Alibaba Cloud leading the digital transformation of tourism, and Saudi’s unique destinations, this is a combination which will …

With the successful vaccination rollout, travel protocols for vaccinated travellers from GCC and other regions are being further relaxed. As from 1st September, vaccinated guests would spend only 7 days in a special ‘resort bubble’ hotel before going out to discover more of the Indian Ocean paradise. The approved Covid-19 safe resorts are available at: www.mauritiusnow.com The percentage of vaccinated people are as follows: first dose/total population: 63% and fully vaccinated/total population: 56% Arvind Bundhun, Director of MTPA, said: “This is a major leap towards the full reopening of its borders on 1st October, when vaccinated international travellers will be welcomed in without restrictions. Visitors who present a negative PCR test taken in the 72 hours prior to embarkation will be able to explore the island freely from the moment they arrive”. The Mauritian government took the decision in January to prioritise tourism workers and hotel staff in the vaccine rollout to ensure visitors will be welcomed into a safe and secure environment in Mauritius. Airline capacity from Europe and the Middle East is currently provided by Air Mauritius, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Air France, Kenya Airways and British Airways. International visitors can currently book their ‘resort bubble’ holidays either via tour operators or directly with the hotels. Unvaccinated travellers are required to complete a 14-day quarantine period in a designated quarantine hotel. For full details of entry requirements and safety protocols, visit www.mauritiusnow.com which is currently being updated following this major decision.

Launched a year ago as part of COVID-19 response, more than 13,000 travel agents have registered and 7,000 have completed the online course. The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is marking the first anniversary of its Abu Dhabi Specialists E-learning Programme by introducing new modules and markets for the innovative training scheme. The programme, which was launched just over a year ago as part of DCT Abu Dhabi’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, saw all forms of physical promotional offers, workshops and training courses shifted onto virtual platforms. It was designed to educate travel industry professionals, including front-liners, product managers, tour operators, travel agencies and home-based agents, about ways to promote Abu Dhabi effectively. Launched in May 2020, the e-learning has been successfully rolled out across the markets in 17 different countries and in seven different languages. So far, 13,670 applicants have registered for the course and more than 7,000 have graduated as ‘Abu Dhabi Specialists’. “We are really heartened by the strong support from the global travel trade for this programme and, as such, we will be launching additional learning modules and expanding into new markets in Switzerland and Israel,” said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Marketing and Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi. “Despite the last year being an extremely challenging period for the tourism sector, through this innovative programme we have still been able to connect with travel professionals around the world and help them understand why Abu Dhabi is such an extraordinary destination. As we open up to travellers from across the world once again, we are confident the Programme has increased awareness of Abu Dhabi’s amazing offerings, which in turn will lead to increased sales activity …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has issued the updated list of “Green List” countries. All travellers arriving from these destinations will be exempt from mandatory quarantine measures after landing in Abu Dhabi. Travellers will be required to present a negative PCR Covid-19 test valid for maximum 72 hours before departure and undergo a PCR test upon arrival at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Vaccinated passengers from the updated Green List will take another PCR test on day 6 (day of arrival counts as day 1). Unvaccinated travellers arriving from these Green List countries will also take a PCR test on days 6 and 9. Countries, regions, and territories included within the “Green List” will be regularly updated based on international developments. Inclusion in the list is subject to strict criteria of health and safety to ensure the well-being of the UAE community. The list also only applies to countries that travellers are arriving from, rather than citizenship. Please note below the updated “Green List” as of 18 August 2021 at 2:00 pm: Albania Australia Bahrain Belgium Brunei Bulgaria Canada China Czech Republic Germany Hong Kong (SAR) Hungary Ireland Malta Mauritius Moldova New Zealand Poland Romania Saudi Arabia Serbia Seychelles Singapore South Korea Sweden Switzerland Taiwan, Province of China Ukraine

The Republic of Mauritius is looking forward to the full reopening of its borders on 1st October, when vaccinated international travelers will be welcomed in without restrictions. Visitors who present a negative PCR test taken in the 72 hours before their departure will be able to explore the island freely from the moment they arrive. At this time of year, visitors will find the perfect climate for enjoying the various outdoor activities Mauritius has to offer, such as hiking, kite surfing, water sports, as well as of course relaxing on the country’s world-renowned beaches. Mauritius opened for international travel in the middle of July. Currently, vaccinated guests spend 14 days in a special ‘resort bubble’ hotel before going on to discover more of the Indian Ocean paradise. The approved Covid-19 safe resorts are available at: www.mauritiusnow.com The successful acceleration of the country’s vaccination programme has allowed Mauritius to progress with the full reopening and welcome visitors into a safe and secure environment. At this moment 1,322,232 vaccine doses have been administered in total to citizens and residents. The percentage of people vaccinated:  first dose: 60% and  fully vaccinated: 48% The Mauritian government took the decision in January to prioritise tourism workers and hotel staff in the vaccine rollout to ensure visitors will be welcomed into a safe and secure environment in Mauritius. Arvind Bundhun, Director of MTPA, said: “Mauritius is delighted to see the world opening up again for travel. We have been welcoming international visitors to our island since the middle of July and the ‘resort bubbles’ have proven a great success. “We are looking forward to the next stage of our reopening on 1st October, when vaccinated visitors …

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has launched its latest global campaign, featuring superstars Jessica Alba and Zac Efron, as it continues to drive global travel recovery and growth. Dubai Presents – filmed by Director’s Guild award-winning director Craig Gillespie of recent Cruella movie fame – takes a unique perspective to global destination advertising, using a highly stylised movie trailer approach to create engaging content, backdropped by some of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks and unique hidden locations. Kicking off with the high adrenaline Spy Action genre, the campaign will see a series of exciting new content launching in sequence to keep audiences guessing and anticipating. Building on the hugely successful campaign film, ‘A Story Takes Flight’ released by Dubai Tourism in 2019 and featuring Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson and Zoe Saldana; this new campaign will see more than 2,000 assets released in 27 countries across 16 languages via cinema, print, broadcast, out of home, digital and social media channels. Dubai recently marked a year since it reopened its doors to international travellers. Data from Dubai Tourism shows that the city welcomed 4.1 million overnight visitors in a 12-month period from July 2020 to June 2021. This figure underscores the leading role that Dubai continues to play in global tourism recovery offering a safe, appealing, and memorable experience for travellers. Dubai’s approach since the start of the global pandemic has been one of preparedness, agility and consistency. It was one of the first cities globally to reopen its markets and businesses, and continues to stay open. This was achieved through a prudent and staggered approach to the reopening of sectors while ensuring strict compliance with globally benchmarked health …