Tag Archives: COVID-19

VFS Global has reopened its Philippines ePassport Renewal Centre at Wafi Mall-Dubai, with strict guidelines in place. The centre will accept ePassport renewal applications from Philippines nationals between 1200 to 2000 hrs all days of the week. In order to ensure a safe, productive work environment for employees, while still protecting communities to the maximum extent possible from the spread of the COVID-19, VFS Global has established standardised protective measures to be followed across the centre including specific social distancing and sanitation mandates. All customers are subjected to body temperature checks at the entrance of the centre to assess their health conditions. Any customer exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, including high fever, cough and difficulty in breathing will not be permitted to enter the centre and requested to return once the health condition improves.To ensure social distancing norms are followed, the centre will accommodate only 10 customers at a time. Additionally, all customers and VFS Global employees are required to wear a face mask and gloves within the centre. As per the guidelines laid out by the government of Dubai, visitors above the age of 60 and children between the age of 3 – 12 years are not permitted to enter Malls, including the Wafi Mall, and hence will not be allowed inside the ePassport Renewal Centre.

As virtual interaction becoming the new norm in this period of COVID-19, you can now experience Dubai as one of the world’s best family destinations through a range of online activities that families can do together from the comfort of their homes that will also keep everyone happy and entertained. LIVE FROM DUBAI- Enjoy the best of Dubai’s local talent across fitness, culinary, dance, theatre, arts, comedy and more, thanks to a curated ‘Live from Dubai’ event series brought right into your living rooms by Dubai Calendar, the city’s go-to entertainment and events guide. Streamed each week from Wednesday to Saturday via the Dubai Calendar Instagram Page, the Live from Dubai’ series offers an innovative family-friendly programme of entertainment, activities and engaging sessions hosted by some of the biggest and brightest stars in the UAE. THRILL RIDES- Who said that you can’t experience the thrill of a rollercoaster simply by staying at home? Check out the list of thrills below and immerse yourself in popular rides from the comfort of your own home! Mad Pursuit at Motiongate, Dubai- Madagascar Mad Pursuit unleashes your wild side, sending you on an electrifying adventure through the circus! This madly fast rollercoaster will definitely make you move it, move it! The Bullet Train at Motiongate, Dubai- The twists and turns in this fast paced ride leave you with an adrenaline rush that you won’t be forgetting anytime soon! Experience the journey from District 12 to The Capitol with a multi-angle video that leaves you on the edge of your seat! Dragon Gliders at Motiongate, Dubai- Toothless and Hiccup are promising the adventure of a lifetime with an invitation through the mysterious Forbidden Island, captivating …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced global passenger traffic results for March 2020 showing that demand (measured in total revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) dived 52.9% compared to the year-ago period. This was the largest decline in recent history, reflecting the impact of government actions to slow the spread of COVID-19. In seasonally adjusted terms, global passenger volumes returned to levels last seen in 2006. March capacity (available seat kilometers or ASKs) fell by 36.2% and load factor plummeted 21.4 percentage points to 60.6%. “March was a disastrous month for aviation. Airlines progressively felt the growing impact of the COVID-19 related border closings and restrictions on mobility, including in domestic markets. Demand was at the same level it was in 2006 but we have the fleets and employees for double that. Worse, we know that the situation deteriorated even more in April and most signs point to a slow recovery,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “The industry is in free fall and we have not hit bottom. But there will come a time—soon, I hope—when authorities will be ready to begin easing restrictions on mobility and opening borders. It is imperative that governments work with industry now to prepare for that day. It is the only way to ensure that we have measures in place to keep passengers safe during travel and reassure governments that aviation will not be a vector in the spread of the disease. We must also avoid the confusion and complexity that followed 9/11. Global standards that are mutually accepted and operationally practicable will be mission-critical to achieving this. The only way to get there is by working together,” said de …

The Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB), together with the State Tourism Agency (STA) of the Republic of Azerbaijan and in cooperation with Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AQTA), has announced the launch of an innovative programme called SAHMAN (Sanitation and Hygiene Methods and Norms). It is a nationwide campaign set to transform Azerbaijan’s existing health, safety and hygiene standards. Supported by the UNWTO, it also reaffirms the country’s commitment towards providing a world-class tourism destination for its citizens and future visitors alike in the post-pandemic world. ATB is finalising talks with international firm PwC to audit and certify these standards. As part of the countrywide measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, SAHMAN is founded upon safety, transparency, social responsibility and inclusivity. The programme will adopt a holistic approach to fuel innovation across the tourism industry, ensuring the involvement of all relevant public and private partners, and the safety of those working in the sector. It will culminate with the launch of Azerbaijan’s Domestic Tourism Campaign this summer. Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board commented, “The current global pandemic has brought to light the need to reassess and enhance our standards across the industry. The SAHMAN programme calls upon all stakeholders in Azerbaijan to adopt even better practices in their businesses in the interest of safeguarding public health and supporting the regrowth of the industry. With this long-term shift in behaviour, we aim to ensure that these higher standards will be upheld beyond the current crisis.” To launch the campaign, ATB and STA have partnered with the Azerbaijan Hotel Association (AHA), Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AQTA), regional municipalities and DMOs, with plans to …

Reed Travel Exhibitions has rescheduled the dates for the three spring global trade shows in its WTM Portfolio: WTM Latin America, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and Africa Travel Week, which comprises of WTM Africa and International Luxury Travel Market Africa.The original dates of the events have had to be changed in response to the escalation of COVID-19. Firstly, ATM has been rescheduled from April 19-22, 2020 at Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE, to the new date of May 16-19, 2021 at the same venue. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market (ATM), said, “We are fully aware of the important role that ATM plays for industry professionals across the Middle East region and beyond. We are grateful for the full endorsement that we have received from our customers and partners, who assisted in helping us reach our decision and agreed the 2020 event should be rescheduled. In the meantime, while the physical show will be rescheduled to 2021, we will keep the industry connected by hosting an ATM Virtual Event from June 1-3, 2020 featuring a series of webinars, live conference sessions, speed networking events, one-on-one meetings and much more.” WTM Latin America 2020, which was due to take place from 31 March-2 April, will now be held from October 20-22, 2020 at the same venue, Expo Center Norte, in São Paulo. Luciane Leite, Director WTM Latin America, said, “We appreciate the hard work that goes into the planning and preparations that our partners and exhibitors prepare for the event and we have to unite in this challenging period. These are difficult times, but I am sure that together we will emerge stronger from this situation.” Meanwhile, Africa Travel …

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), is offering its employees the opportunity to add value to their professional careers and broaden their skill sets through a range of online courses, while they continue to work from home due to the unprecedented situation caused by COVID-19. Offered in both Arabic and English languages, the courses can be accessed via the online platform of Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), an institution established and mandated by Dubai Tourism to provide vocational and tertiary education, specifically for Emiratis and expatriates who are keen to take up a career in tourism or be employed in tourist-facing roles across various sectors. With a specially curated curriculum that meets the needs of both students and future employers, DCT courses move away from the traditional academic university programmes to provide a hands-on approach that is unrivalled within the industry. With the office environment going virtual during the current period, the entire Dubai Tourism workforce is taking some time out from their busy work schedules to enroll for courses of their choice on DCT’s online platform. Over 30 per cent of the workforce is engaged in following the courses on a daily basis with course completion rates reaching 85 per cent. This figure easily surpasses the global average of less than 10 per cent for online learning course completion. Participants can choose from 50 different courses offering over 500 hours of learning content in the areas of business, digital marketing and the recently introduced Tips and Tricks for Microsoft Teams and the ‘Working remotely from home’ course. The diverse topics include Google Analytics for Beginners, Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, Business Writing, Enterprise Risk Management, Business Continuity, Information …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) renewed its call for government relief measures as the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis in MENA deepen. The region’s airlines could lose $24 billion of passenger revenue compared to 2019. That is $5 billion more than was expected at the beginning of the month; job losses in aviation and related industries could grow to 1.2 million. That is half of the region’s 2.4 million aviation-related employment. Previous estimate was 0.9 million. Full-year 2020 traffic is expected to plummet by 51 per cent compared to 2019. Previous estimate was a fall of 39 per cent. GDP supported by aviation in the region could fall by $66 billion from $130 billion. Previous estimate was $51 billion. These estimates are based on a scenario of severe travel restrictions lasting for three months, with a gradual lifting of restrictions in domestic markets, followed by regional and intercontinental. “Airlines in the Middle East continue to be battered by the impact of COVID-19. Passenger traffic has all but ground to a halt and revenue streams have evaporated. No amount of cost cutting will save airlines from a liquidity crisis. The collapse of air transport will have devastating effects on countries’ economies and jobs. And in a region where aviation is a key pillar of many nations’ economies the effect will be much worse. Direct financial support is essential to maintain jobs and ensure airlines can remain viable businesses,” said Muhammad Al Bakri, Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, IATA. Some of the impacts at national level include: Saudi Arabia- 35 million fewer passengers resulting in a US $7.2 billion revenue loss, risking 287,500 jobs and US $17.9 …

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) hosted a virtual meeting with His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, and leaders from across the tourism industry, this week. During the meeting, WTTC shared data, revealing the potential global economic impact of COVID-19 on Travel & Tourism. WTTC Members’ high-profile CEOs discussed the impact of COVID-19 and the decisive action needed to protect over 75 million livelihoods that have been put at risk across the sector. The roundtable was chaired by WTTC President and CEO, Gloria Guevara, and H.E. Al-Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism and Chairperson of this year’s G20 Tourism Track. As one of the world’s most labour-intensive sectors, supporting 330 million jobs worldwide and one in four new jobs created on the planet in 2019, tourism must be at the heart of global response and recovery efforts. Latest research from WTTC shows the COVID-19 pandemic could result in a loss of up to $2.1 trillion in Travel & Tourism GDP to the world economy. H.E. Al-Khateeb stressed his commitment to working proactively with WTTC in coordinating with the private sector and shaping global crisis response measures to ensure travel and tourism is at the forefront of recovery efforts. H.E. Al Khateeb, said, “The challenge ahead lies in two phases: first in weathering the impact of COVID-19 on people’s lives and businesses and second in rebuilding from it.” He added, “As we work together to outline solutions for the private sector, we look forward to building a collective response for all types of businesses involved – from global conglomerates to the many micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that help make tourism a thriving and innovative industry. Guaranteeing …

Special interview with Stewart Smith, Commercial Director, MEA for Sojern based on Sojern data collected on April 20, 2020. How fast can Dubai receive inbound tourists after the COVID-19?Time will tell. We aren’t yet seeing enough signs of recovery but consumer travel demand is as unique as each consumer. Post quarantine, people will be looking to get out of the house in a variety of ways, so the priority for travel marketers is to ensure they get their messages in front of them while they’re making decisions. Which countries will start travelling first?Sojern’s data shows that domestic travel will bounce back first. When markets stabilise and we have successfully ‘flattened the curve’ globally, international travel will pick up again. Additionally, we anticipate recovery will fluctuate depending on the impact the coronavirus had in each region. At a global level this will surely apply, APAC may open up first, followed by MEA, EU and then the US and Latin America. Some of APAC has been ahead of the world in their vigilance, so we expect that APAC will be the first region to recover. Already, China’s situation is largely under control and they are able to schedule domestic flights to fly travellers throughout the country. Of course just having planes in the air does not qualify as freedom of movement until countries start reducing travel restrictions. Every country is eager to remove their travel restrictions, but that decision will be entirely influenced by our success in combating the virus.  What impact will it have on both inbound and outbound from UAE?Looking at the composition of travellers searching for trips to the UAE in the last 14 days, the biggest increase year-over-year is from …

Dubai Airports is working closely with its aviation and commercial partners and is planning for a gradual remobilisation once travel restrictions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted. Under a business stabilisation framework, aviation partners, tenants and concessionaires have been provided with details of an assistance programme agreed by Dubai Airports. Dubai Airports has responded decisively to the COVID-19 crisis and is among the first airport operators to propose meaningful assistance to airline and commercial partners. The programme, which is applicable for the impacted period March 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020, includes waiving 100 per cent of minimum guarantees or equivalent fees for partners who have been required to cease trading due to the suspension of airport operations caused by the global pandemic. For partners that have maintained partial operations, other measures are in place to address the reduction in aviation activity, including rescheduling and other financial adjustments. “Flexibility is more important now than ever,” said Eugene Barry, Executive Vice President of Commercial at Dubai Airports. “Of paramount importance is that we protect and retain our aviation and business partnerships, which have been carefully built over a number of years, and ensure that our revenue and service drivers will be in a position to remobilise, in line with approvals from federal authorities. We have taken a number of unprecedented measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 to our own business, as well as those of our partners. By providing clarity and meaningful assistance to our business partners at this moment, we are confident that we will re-emerge to continue delivering the highest levels of assurance and service in a new commercial landscape, in which DXB and DWC will play …