Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

Egypt is set to increase hotel and entertainment venue occupancy rates by almost a quarter as the country continues with the phased reopening of its vital tourism sector. Hotels, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, and theatres can raise capacity from 50% to 70% occupancy, Egypt’s cabinet confirmed on Monday in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly. In the meeting, Egypt’s health minister, Dr Hala Zayed, reviewed the coronavirus situation in the country, including infection rates, and the various precautionary measures designed to curb the spread of the virus. Egypt lifted its initial ban on inbound tourist traffic 12 months ago and has been reopening its tourism market in phases so that it can assess health and safety precautions designed to stem the spread of COVID-19. In one year, Egypt has managed to recover visitor numbers. Since July 2020, some 4 million people have visited Egypt, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The ministry says it expects visitor numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels by Fall 2022. Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt, said that Egypt’s tourism reopening strategy “is on track” and that the country was able to increase occupancy rates because it closely followed a plan that focused on a cautious reopening. Strict Hygiene safety measures, vaccinating all hospitality staff in several governates and by closely monitoring our hotels and venues, we have been able to reopen safely. Following Egypt’s efforts to introduce precautionary measures, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) granted the country its Safe Travel Stamp, sealing its status as a safe destination.  Inbound travelers are required to undertake a PCR test and the country is also checking all vaccination …

Turespaña together with Manarat Al Saadiyat, part of Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism presents, in the Capital of the United Arab Emirates, an exhibition ‘The Arab legacy in Spain: a journey through the most impressive buildings’. It will take place from July 8 until July 29 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi. The exhibition takes the visitor on a tour through the most impressive buildings of Arab origin in Spain, explaining the strong cultural ties between Spain and the Arab nations. It aims to promote the Arab legacy of Spain in the United Arab Emirates in such a way that one can enjoy these wonders. It’s expected to awaken the curiosity of visitors and make them aware of its existence and generate the desire to travel, and experience the monuments through the 5 senses, enjoying at the same time all that Spain offers. The exhibition consists of 26 visuals showcasing different images of the following monuments: the Giralda, the Torre del Oro, the Real Alcázar of Seville, the Mosque of Cordoba, Medina Azahar, the Alhambra, the Aljaferia de Zaragoza, some fortresses such as those of Málaga, Guadix or Badajoz, the Cristo de la Luz in Toledo or the cisterns of the Palacio de las Veletas in Cáceres. On all panels there is a brief description in English and Arabic, alongside the image. The exhibits include: an introduction to the exhibition, a brief history of Al Andalus and suggested itineraries in Spain to be able to visit all these monuments. All panels have QR codes to access more information. Free entry from 10am to 8pm.

Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), part of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), has announced its second successive Summer Training Programme for students between the ages of 16-19. The distance learning online programme of Medyaf aims to increase Emiratisation within the tourism industry and provides students with relevant information and skills about the sector, as well as introducing the promising opportunities it offers for its citizens and their role in supporting the industry’s success and prosperity. Medyaf was established as part of DCT’s industry nationalisation initiative to lay the groundwork for talented Emiratis to join the city’s tourist-facing workforce. The latest training programme aims to empower students to enhance their knowledge and skills over the summer period, while earning an accredited training certificate. The 2021 Summer Training Programme will be implemented over four consecutive courses with each course taking place for a period of five days. The courses include workshops delivered live by experienced speakers with interactive games and educational activities, and will be held as per the following schedule; 4-8 July 2021, 11-15 July 2021, 25-29 July, and 1-5 August.

Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN) unveiled VisitOman.om, the first authorized national online booking and information gateway for Oman’s Travel Trade sector. In its first phase, registration is now open for Travel Trade partners in international markets together with Oman’s travel and tourism players for future bookings. Envisioned to become a fully integrated digital Travel Trade ecosystem for the Sultanate, VisitOman.om will serve four overarching objectives: First, to position Oman as a growing tourism destination to global markets. Second, to increase inbound tourism. Third, to introduce an accreditation process for the Omani Travel Trade stakeholders featured on the platform. And fourth, to boost socio-economic development in Oman. His Excellency Salim bin Mohammed Al Mahruqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism said, “The launch of the brand identity of the National Travel Operator ‘VisitOman.om’ is an important step that aligns with Oman Vision 2040 and the economic diversification plans. The platform will digitize the local tourism supply chain, in cooperation with our partners, and will become a vital factor in supporting the Sultanate’s vision to increase local and international investments in the tourism infrastructure, in addition to achieving our objective to attract 11.7 million tourists by 2040, of whom 5 million are international tourists.” His Excellency added, “This platform is also in line with the recovery plan adopted by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.” The launch of VisitOman.om comes as the Sultanate rolls out strategic initiatives to reboot the tourism sector and resume tourism activities. As global traveler demands evolve, the portal will offer quality assured packages with instant confirmation, fully supported by destination and partnership specialists. This 360-degree approach ensures the booking process gives Trade Partners, and end consumer confidence, particularly …

An end to the COVID-19 pandemic seems far beyond the horizon, but the tourism industry of the Philippines is dedicated to ensuring a phased reopening of the islands to offer utmost safety and hygiene to potential international travellers. Department of Tourism (DOT) Philippines has developed the GREEN Corridor Initiative (GCI), its flagship domestic programme to spur tourism recovery and response. The development of green corridors plays an important role in maintaining regional biodiversity, improving environmental quality, offering economic resilience opportunities, protecting heritage and culture, and supporting the jumpstart of the economy to restart tourism activities in the new normal. “The creation of travel corridors has been a key component in the resumption of tourism in some of the country’s destinations,” says Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. The programme has been implemented in several of the archipelago’s islands. While the Philippines is presently opening the country for tourism only to its domestic populace, this staggered approach to re-opening is only a surety of the country’s objective to keep tourism safe and allow travellers to be confident of safety & hygiene when touring the country. Puyat adds that while the operational guidelines for the GCI are still being ironed out, the identified tourism products will be based on their readiness and quality, guided by the development standards espoused in the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2016–2022 and the Tourism Rapid Assessment (TRA).  A bottom-up or participatory approach will also be used in identifying the areas of development in the project. “The technology will be able to assess the carrying capacity of identified tourism sites and attractions. In effect, tourists will easily be informed about tourist flows using this digital platform, which will alert …

After the announcement of Spain opening to all vaccinated international travellers on 7th June 2021, there was much excitement all across the UAE and other parts of GCC. One of the main reasons was the acceptance of not only European Union accepted vaccinations but also those accepted by the WHO. Tourism office of Spain in Gulf Countries hosted their first travel trade event in Dubai at the newly opened  luxury hotel St.Regis the Palm with all leading travel professionals attending the event. Namratha Rose- Manager Marketing and Trade Relations Spain Tourism GCC said, “It was amazing to see so many agents turn up for the event and I am extremely happy to see that the travel trade partners are so keen to promote Spain this summer. We had an attendance of 60+ partners from renowned travel companies , airlines, representatives of Spanish hotel brands and 7 destination partners from Spain present virtually. The main aim of this event was to celebrate Spain opening up and to inform the travel trade partners with all the recent updates, developments and offerings of Spain,launch our new campaign and also to thank them for their continued support in promoting Spain as a preferred destination from the UAE.” She welcomed and  introduced all the partners present at the event and handed over  the stage to the Director of Spain Tourism to present and  launch the new campaign . Daniel Rosado, Director of Spain Tourism for the Gulf countries, in his opening remarks stated that after many months of meeting agents online, it was refreshing to see them face to face. He reiterated in detail the entry requirements for travellers from the GCC, the new health certificate which …

Series of uniquely soothing sensory videos created under the 360 Hong Kong Moments initiative by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), which has managed to capture and bottle the city’s auditory essence into highly immersive and pleasurable viewing experiences. A highlight of the Great Outdoors Hong Kong (GOHK) 2021-2022 summer campaign, four distinctly themed Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) videos will each feature 30-second snapshots of dreamy environmental acoustics heard in far-flung corners of the city. The videos are designed to stimulate the senses and to heighten one’s sensitivity to the harmonic countryside symphonies just a stone’s throw from the city. ASMR in Peng Chau invokes a ship’s horn, a temple’s chimes and the hypnotic kau cim (shaking of fortune sticks). Swaying leaves, dripping waterfalls, chirping birds and flapping wings angle for attention in ASMR in Shing Mun Reservoir. ASMR in Stanley spans splashing in the ocean and swooshing open a paper fan, to biting into a piece of deliciously warm French toast at a local cha chaan teng diner. Finally, ASMR in Sai Kung delves into the myriad tones and timbres of the open sea, which can be encountered during a lone stand-up paddle-boarding session. Both calming and provoking, the video series stars curious individuals exploring the outskirts of Hong Kong through a hyper-focused lens, and culminates in a three-minute magnum opus, which brings all the contrasting elements together into one beautifully euphoric whole. The ASMR videos form part of the broader GOHK summer campaign, which will also showcase 13 seasonal routes, covering hiking and sightseeing destinations, island-hopping itineraries and water sports experiences. A particular focus is water-based activities, which are easily accessible but often overlooked by visitors who …

German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has confirmed the resumption of international tourism with the country opening to global travellers under existing visa regulations, including those from across the GCC, from 25 June 2021. “Opening our borders to international visitors ahead of the summer travel period is vital for the domestic tourism ecosystem and we anticipate Germany being recognised as a go to travel destination this year,” said Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales and Marketing of the German National Tourist Office Gulf Countries. “During the past few months, we have been working closely with our travel partners across the region to ensure Germany remains top of mind once borders reopen.” To ensure tourism remains safe for all, visitors are required to register at www.einreiseanmeldung.de to gain entry, which includes uploading proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in digital or paper form (e.g. WHO vaccination booklet) with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This must also be printed and carried as proof. Vaccines approved include Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. A period of at least 14 days must have elapsed since receiving the last vaccine dose. For full entry requirements, visitors are advised to refer to www.bmi.bund.de. Those travelling from countries with variant concerns are unable to transit through Germany to another European country. Travellers must check with the individual German federal state they plan to visit as all have different rules to follow prior to arrival. “Germany has a wealth of summer activities for international travellers, from spa and wellness breaks, and nature trails through forests, to city-based culinary experiences and cultural explorations across multiple regions,” Sofo added.

Sojern announced an extension of their partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) to drive further traveller demand into the Emirate using its Co-Op Marketing Programme. Following a successful pilot of the joint marketing programme, which has reached more than 3 million people so far, Abu Dhabi hotels have been able to increase direct bookings through a highly targeted, digital display and social media advertising campaign. The hospitality industry has been heavily impacted by the pandemic but DCT Abu Dhabi has worked closely with the UAE government to launch a series of stimulus initiatives to support the recovery of the tourism industry. “We were looking for ways to support the hospitality industry and navigate the economic challenges presented by the pandemic, and the partnership with Sojern helps us do just that, by supporting hotels in Abu Dhabi to drive direct bookings and improve room profitability,” said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi. “DCT Abu Dhabi is committed to collaborative efforts between the private and public sectors within the local tourism industry to continuously support and drive tourism growth to the capital. Our efforts are aligned with the overall strategic objectives and vision — to support the evolution of Abu Dhabi into a world-class destination, while also reinforcing the capital’s position as a forward-thinking tourism destination.” Sojern’s Co-Op Marketing Programme is designed to help Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) and their partners increase the effectiveness of their marketing initiatives through collaboration, and drive revenue for the travel industry, at scale. “Hotels in Abu Dhabi were looking to improve their direct booking volumes and reduce commission from …

Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) has appointed Deveekaa Nijhawan to lead the International PR and Communications team, to assist in marketing the destination in key markets as part of the country’s strategy to become a world-leading tourism destination. Deveekaa’s remit covers key markets including India, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and United Arab Emirates with a focus on engaging and penetrating travel trade and consumer media. Deveekaa is a senior PR professional with over 10 years’ experience in PR & Communications in the hospitality sector. Deveekaa said: “I am very excited to join QNTC and embrace this new challenge. I am looking forward to developing and implementing a holistic integrated PR and Communications strategy to position Qatar as a popular tourist destination, while promoting the country’s rich cultural heritage and diverse offerings.” As part of the national strategy, Qatar National Vision 2030, QNTC is on a journey to welcome six million visitors a year by 2030, by improving and expanding the country’s tourism proposition with visitor experience at its core. Deveekaa will support the international marketing strategy, while Qatar continues to grow and improve tourism assets, enhance the end-to-end customer experience and invest in service excellence across every touchpoint. Deveekaa will execute QNTC’s tailored global communications campaigns, with a focus in key markets. Chief Operating Officer of Qatar National Tourism Council, Berthold Trenkel, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Deveekaa to the team. She will play a pivotal role in delivering our ambitious tourism development strategy. Her extensive PR and Communications experience and knowledge of global markets will help us engage with travellers as we prepare to welcome tourists back to Qatar.”