Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

In a move to enhance destination awareness and foster market visibility, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has appointed VFS Global to promote Zimbabwe as a preferred tourism destination in both India and GCC region, through a collaborative relationship. The agreement was officially signed by Karikoga Kaseke, Chief Executive of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority at the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Office Boardroom, Harare in the presence of other eminent dignitaries from VFS Global, travel and trade fraternity. A world of wonders, Zimbabwe prides itself to being home of the Majestic Victoria Falls; one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and a World Heritage Site that is the biggest curtain of water in the world in the Zambezi River. As part of the agreement, VFS Global would support ZTA to build a unique identity of Zimbabwe as a potential tourist destination by educating and spreading awareness to tour operators, travel agents, MICE planners and the general traveller based in India or GCC region.

Abu Dhabi has decided to cut tourism and municipality fees to boost tourism and spur investments in the hospitality sector. HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi said, “The Executive Council’s decision to adopt the proposal, put forward by the Department of Culture and Tourism- Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), to reduce tourism and municipality fees will enhance the Emirate’s international tourism competitiveness by strengthening Abu Dhabi’s value proposition, and by encouraging investments in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Abu Dhabi’s hotel establishments will be further able to record high occupancy rates compared to the regional and global tourism markets. “With this decision, hotels and hospitality establishments can achieve more growth and stay in line with the continuous development of the emirate’s infrastructure and its wide variety of cultural and leisure attractions. The adoption of the proposal will enhance Abu Dhabi’s attractiveness to investors and support the development of additional tourism projects and hotels. It will also strengthen the emirate’s position as a leading tourism destination for both business and leisure.” HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi said, “The adoption of the new tourism and municipality fees is driven by the leadership’s vision to support the hospitality and tourism sectors and encourage further economic diversification. This move will attract further investment to the capital and underpin Abu Dhabi’s aim to expand its tourism proposition and increase visitor numbers.”

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced details of both the upcoming Eid Fest celebrations and the annual Abu Dhabi Summer Season; two marquee events for the emirate which aim to attract more overseas visitors to the UAE capital and to thrill and delight all-comers. Both events have been geared to provide both visitors and residents, especially families and bargain hunters, with something to get excited about, with sought-after experiences and fantastic promotional deals for all – making Abu Dhabi the place to be this summer. The celebrations get off to a spectacular start with a 24-hour mall mega sale, featuring discounts of up to 90 per cent, as part of Eid Fest celebrations. With more than 500 stores involved, the sale will kick off on Friday, June 15 and run until Saturday, June 16th in a bid to bring families and friends to Abu Dhabi. HE Sultan Al Mutawa Al Dhaheri, Executive Director of the Tourism Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “The Eid Fest celebrations and Abu Dhabi Summer Season are annual anchor activations that aim to underpin the Emirate’s credentials as a destination of distinction during the summer, especially for families looking for unmissable experiences and offers. It forms part of our long-term strategy to incentivise the private sector and tourism industry and get them involved in event development while building both regional and international awareness of the emirate’s appeal.”

The number of hotel guests staying in the emirate’s 162 hotels and hotel apartments increased by 7.3 per cent for the first four months of 2018, compared to the same period last year to number 1,724,967, according to figures released by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). The total number of hotel guests was boosted by key international markets registering impressive percentage gains. During April, the numbers of visitors from leading international source market China increased by 9.6 per cent to number 37,300, Indian guest figures increased by 15.9 per cent to number 32,400 and the US increased by 16.2 per cent to reach 15,900. The impressive figures mean that Abu Dhabi’s aim of achieving another record-breaking year for hotel guest is still on target. Last year, just below five million visitors stayed in Abu Dhabi city, Al Al Ain Region and the Al Dhafra Region’s range of accommodation and 2018’s figures so far put the emirate on track to surpass this impressive figure. UAE-based guests into the emirate also increased across the first four months of the year, to number 489,081, a rise from 2017’s total of 488,881 for the same period. From January until April, China has maintained its position as the leading international hotel guest supplier for Abu Dhabi, with more than 164,500 Chinese staying in the emirate – an increase of 25.8% compared to the same period in 2017. Indian visitors have surged past 132,000 and showed a 26.8% increase, but still maintain second place for overseas guest arrivals. The US market registered a 22.2% increase, the UK up 13.7% and Germany are up 16.9%.

In line with the Sultanate of Oman’s efforts to become a leading global destination for business and leisure by 2040 under the Oman Tourism Strategy, the Ministry of Oman recently launched a major marketing campaign in partnership with Holidayfactory.com. The campaign highlights Oman’s most attractive and widely visited historical sites, featuring the richness of Oman’s ancient culture and civilization, through a series of marketing and promotional offers, and is seen to boost cultural awareness and enhance tourism development. The tie-up with Holidayfactory.com, a premium-experience travel website based in the UAE, is testament to the Sultanate’s distinct advantage as a destination of choice in the GCC and Arab region, which further strengthens the Ministry’s moves to increase partnership with the private sector to cement Oman’s leading position in the global tourism map. The marketing campaign also includes discounts and packages including tickets and accommodations to encourage travelers to visit and discover Oman.

Tencent has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) to jointly enhance Dubai’s reputation as a sought-after destination and spearhead smart tourism along the route of the Belt and Road Initiative. Poshu Yeung, Vice President,Tencent International Business Group (IBG), and Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), signed the MoU as a continued commitment to promoting Dubai tourism. Making use of Tencent’s expertise in Chinese consumer engagement and Dubai Tourism’s influence and network in Dubai, the partnership aims to foster the development of the tourism industry in Dubai through elevating Dubai Tourism’s marketing outreach efforts to China consumers, enhancing Chinese visitors’ travel experience in Dubai with Tencent’s leading digital platforms in China as well as deepening local merchants’ understanding of Chinese travelers’ consumption behavior via WeChat user insights. With more than 1.04 billion monthly active users as of Q1 2018, WeChat and Weixin offer an excellent integrated platform to raise brand awareness among Chinese travelers. Tencent IBG’s “Social Ad Solutions” will enable Dubai Tourism to optimize the return on media investments and reach out to the key target audience segments. Tencent also provides support to other stakeholders in formulating in-market solutions that are customized to fit specific brand objectives.

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) led a delegation of partners and stakeholders to the ITB China in a bid to capitalise on and reinforce the emirate’s popularity with Chinese travellers. The Department was joined by five key stakeholders at the travel and tourism fair, which is being held at the Shanghai World Expo and Exhibition Centre from May 16-18, including Etihad Airways, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Miral, Nirvana Travel & Tourism, and Omeir Travel Agency. Inbound visitor arrivals from China have seen dramatic rises over recent years, with the number of hotel guest rising almost 40 per cent in 2017 compared to the previous year. The first quarter of 2018 has also seen China maintain its position as leading international hotel guest supplier, with more than 127,000 Chinese staying in the emirate – an increase of 31% compared to the same period in 2017. Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director Promotions & Overseas Offices, said, “China is our number one overseas market for guests, with huge increases over the past couple of years. The first quarter of this year has continued this upward trend, with more than 30 per cent growth compared to the same period in 2017.” “These gains have been the result of the sustained attention we have given to our Chinese market, with initiatives such as sending our Discover Abu Dhabi roadshows and Abu Dhabi Week events to the country, as well investing in a targeted digital campaign in China,” Al Nuaimi said.

As part of the ongoing efforts to meet Sharjah’s target of 10 million tourists by 2021, a group of government and private organisations from the emirate led by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) travelled to Shanghai to join this year’s edition of  ITB China taking place from May 16 to May 18, 2018. China is a key tourism market for Sharjah, which has received a total of 120,356 hotel guests in 2017 from the world’s most populous nation. The delegates will comprise top officials from, Sharjah Airport Travel Agency, Air Arabia, Cozmo Travel, Golden Tulip Hotel Apartments, Hilton Hotel Sharjah, Ramada Hotel Sharjah, Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa, and Trav Talk Middle East. “ITB China will play a key role in our initiatives to promote Sharjah as an ideal family-friendly destination worldwide, with China being one of our target international markets. At SCTDA, we are hoping to attract as many as 200,000 Chinese visitors by 2021 and we are already working particularly hard to make this happen. Joining the interactive ITB China is one of our strategies towards this end,” said HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman SCTDA. “Recently, the UAE announced granting Chinese visitors with visas on arrival – a move that will further boost our efforts. ITB China is an exceptional platform to create awareness of this privilege as well as capitalize on the enormous Chinese outbound travel market and further enhance the opportunity to strengthen our bilateral tourism cooperation with the country,”Al Midfa added.

Aiming to strengthen the retail tourism sector, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) will offer many discounts for tourists and residents during the upcoming weekend. This citywide retail extravaganza will see participating outlets offer 25 – 90% off on a wide range of merchandise. Organised by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of Dubai Tourism, over 300 brands will participate in the eagerly-anticipated sale where shoppers can bag bargains from over 1000 outlets featuring a range of retail segments – lifestyle, beauty, homeware, and much more. Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of Dubai Tourism, said, “Together with our retail partners, we are pleased to be able to offer huge savings to people across the city during this year’s 3 Day Super Sale this weekend. From top fashion items, to the finest interiors collections and state-of-the-art electronics, shoppers can enjoy hefty discounts of up to 90% off top brands, giving them the ultimate chance to bag a bargain. We encourage shoppers across the emirate to take advantage of this exciting event in the Retail Calendar and rush to the malls this week to get great savings on their favourite brands.”

The participation of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2018 concluded after four  days showcasing distinct business growth, increased tourist arrivals and significant new partnership deals. Leading a large delegation to ATM, DCT Abu Dhabi was joined by 77 stakeholders representing more than 90 products in order to build further momentum behind increased guest arrival numbers. Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector is enjoying steady growth as the emirate continues to position itself as an attractive destination for visitors and investors alike. In 2017, Abu Dhabi attracted a record number of guests, around 5 million (4,875,499), which was a growth of 9.8% on the previous year. Abu Dhabi is now targeting an annual increase of 11%. This year, DCT Abu Dhabi achieved record first quarter hotel traffic amounting to a 10.9% rise over the corresponding period of 2017. This growth was driven by a surge of visitors from the UK, Germany, India, China, United States and the GCC region. On the back of this impressive performance, the Department is moving closer to achieving its target of welcoming 8.5 million guests to Abu Dhabi by 2021. HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi is an inspiring destination and we invite visitors to truly experience its authentic cultural heritage and world-class facilities. The consecutive increases for guest arrivals is clear testament to the Emirate’s growing international appeal. At ATM, we have successfully positioned the capital as a global destination of distinction built on unique experiences and a rich cultural heritage.”