Tag Archives: Dubai

Rove Hotels, the contemporary lifestyle brand by Emaar Hospitality Group, has unveiled its fourth hotel, with a focus on the fast-growing meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism sector of Dubai. Offering a design-influenced lifestyle experience for value-conscious business travellers, Rove Trade Centre has 270 rooms and will also appeal to leisure travellers who can access Dubai’s leading tourism, retail, food and beverage, and leisure destinations such as Downtown Dubai, City Walk and the Satwa/Jafiliya and Karama neighbourhoods. The home-grown Dubai hotel brand continues to offer a strong value for business and leisure travellers. Six more Rove Hotels are being developed, also in strategic locations across the city, each meeting the needs of visitors from across the world seeking value lifestyle experiences in Dubai. This will take the total number of rooms under Rove Hotels, developed as a joint venture between Emaar Properties and Meraas Holding, a Dubai-based holding company, to over 3,700 by 2020.

The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel, the newest addition to AccorHotels’ distinctive MGallery by Sofitel collection of contemporary boutique hotels, is set to become the first holistic well-being resort in the Middle East. The new property is scheduled for soft launch in the summer of 2017 and has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the German Medical Wellness Association. The MoU was signed in the presence of Lutz Lungwitz, President of German Medical Wellness Association, and Vanessa Waldow, Director of Sales and Marketing, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel. This collaboration has followed the recent partnership agreement signed with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) which is set to boost wellness tourism in United Arab Emirates. Situated along the exclusive coastline of Palm Jumeirah’s East Crescent, the idyllic resort will offer guests a unique and tranquil environment in the heart of Dubai. The beachfront destination will showcase 255 luxurious rooms and suites, designed with natural elements, earthy tones and harmonizing feng shui. Guests will be able to enjoy world-class dining options, including a specialty restaurant highlighting local epicurean delicacies and a unique café offering a selection of healthy food and beverage options made from local, organic products.

Dubai Properties has announced the commencement of work on the new Marasi Business Bay marina. The installation of the pontoons, which marked the occasion, took place in the presence of Abdulla Lahej, Group CEO of Dubai Properties at the Marasi Business Bay Promenade. Launched by Dubai Holding and Dubai Properties Group in May 2016, the Marasi Business Bay is well on track to becoming the city’s most sought-after waterfront destination. It features unique water homes with pools and floating restaurants and is located along the city’s newest attraction: the Dubai Water Canal. Marasi Business Bay hosts the Park, the Pier and the Marina that will eventually comprise 800 berths in total, making it the region’s first yachting hub. Set for completion in Q3 2017, the first phase of the marina will feature 157 berths, varying in size from 8 metres to 35 metres, that are fitted with all essential facilities for boat owners, including portable water, power supply and drainage and sewage.  

Dubai has emerged as one of the top 10 destinations for international meetings, according to the latest edition of the International Meetings Statistics Report published last week by Union of International Associations (UIA). The report ranked 1157 cities globally based on the total number of international meetings that took place during the year. Previously ranked 14th in the 2015 edition, Dubai has moved up the list to claim the 10th spot, with a total of 180 meetings taking place in 2016, a 24% growth compared to 2015. Dubai is the only city in the Middle East and Africa to appear in the top 25 in the rankings, further underlining its status as the region’s number one destination for international meetings and conferences.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) will re-launch its business class service in Dubai on 16 June 2017 at an introductory rate of Dh2850. This is a move brought about by the increased demand for premium leisure and the corporate travel market among locals and expatriates in the region. Features and benefits include a 20.6-inch-wide seat which converts into fully flat bed, access to airport business class lounges, a 64-kilo baggage allowance (32kg x 2 pcs), a seven-kilo hand carry allowance, inflight entertainment, free-on-board Wi-Fi (MyPAL Player, myPAL Mobile and myPAL Wifi enabled) and a business travel kit. PAL will fly its 368-seater, A330 aircraft with 18 seats for business class. The flights will leave Dubai at 05:25 hours and arrive in Manila at 18:25 hours. Genaro “Bong” C. Velasquez, PAL Senior Asst Vice President and Regional Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), said, “The UAE is home to more than 200 nationalities and more and more residents are looking at either vacationing or doing business travels in the Philippines. PAL’s re-launch of business class service is in response to the growing international holiday makers and corporate travellers in the Gulf region.”

The fourth annual Bali & Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) concluded recently with 174 sellers from around Indonesia representing the tourism and hospitality industry, from tour operators to chain hotels and resorts as well as provincial tourism offices, along with 264 buyers from 54 countries. Co-hosted by South Sumatra Province, the fourth annual travel fair also organised several pre-tour programmes, sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, to several destinations, including Mount Bromo and Labuan Bajo. MichiDe International, the Dubai-based luxury travel expert, gave an opportunity to the media from the Middle East to be a part of this event. For the fourth Bali & Beyond Travel Fair, the committee collaborated with MichiDe International. By collaborating with MichiDe, the committee aimed to bring in key international buyers and high-profile media from the Middle East region to Bali and expand the success of the travel fair beyond the boundaries of Indonesia. MichiDe’s Chief Executive Officer Gessy Gitapuri remains dedicated to position Bali as the leading destination in South East Asia for the elite travellers from the Middle East.

Dubai has reportedly introduced a scheme that enables travellers to use their smartphones instead of their passport or express gate cards at Dubai International Airport. Known as “Emirates Smart Wallet” and considered as the first of its kind in the world, the scheme is meant to further streamline movement across DXB. The scheme was launched at the airport’s departure terminal by Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai’s Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security and Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Head of Dubai’s Naturalisation and Residency Department. Right now in its first phase, the scheme, which requires a traveller’s personal data, Emirates ID and passport information as well as e-gate card data, is a stepping stone for a large-scale project which aims to reduce travel clearing procedures at DXB to the minimum. Source: WAM

In another technology first, Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure business of Emaar Properties PJSC, has introduced panoramic, 360° virtual tours of its hotels in Dubai. The virtual tours, comprising high-definition photographs and videos, offer visitors the opportunity to experience the unique value propositions of each hotel, discover its myriad facets and make an informed decision regarding the purchase – be it for booking hotel stays, restaurants or spas. These virtual tours cover properties under the premium luxury hotel and serviced residences brand, Address Hotels and Resorts; the upscale lifestyle hotel and serviced residences brand, Vida Hotels and Resorts and the new contemporary mid-scale hotel and serviced residences brand, Rove Hotels. The visitors are virtually taken through the spectacular architecture that defines properties under the Address Hotel and Resorts, including Address Boulevard, Address Dubai Marina, Address Dubai Mall, Address Montgomerie and Palace Downtown. Also, they virtually get to see the exceptional ambience offered by Vida Downtown and Manzil Downtown, as well as the three Rove Hotels that are currently operational in central locations across the city – Rove Downtown, Rove City Centre and Rove Healthcare City. To view, navigate to the master-brand pages, which will take you to individual hotel websites, where you can take the interactive tours.

Emirates’ inaugural Boeing 777-300ER flight from Dubai to Zagreb touched down in the capital city of Croatia, with more than 350 passengers on board, to a water cannon salute and an exhilarating performance by traditional Croatian folk dancers. Among the dignitaries travelling on flight EK129 were Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer; Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (Europe and Russian Fed); Gari Cappelli, Minister of Tourism, Republic of Croatia; His Excellency Ali Al Ahmed, UAE Ambassador to Croatia and a contingent of partners and business leaders from Dubai, Hong Kong, India and China. This debut flight to Croatia took off from Dubai at 08.15 hours and landed in Zagreb at 12.20 hours. Thereafter, from Zagreb, the departure took place at 15.35 hours and arrival at Dubai happened at 23.05 hours. The flight carried commercial passengers from more than 16 countries in the Emirates’ network, including Taiwan, Australia, India, UAE, Korea, China, Japan, Singapore and South Africa. The new daily flight will open up access to more than 80 worldwide destinations in Emirates’ global network for Croatian travellers and vice versa. Travel from as far as Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, or Sydney and Melbourne, to Croatia, is all extremely convenient now, with just one stop at Emirates’ world-class Dubai hub.

Emirates’ customers can explore more of Dubai this summer by enjoying exclusive offers and discounts across the city with My Emirates Pass, which turns the Emirates boarding pass into an exclusive membership card. Those flying to or through Dubai between June 1 and August 31, 2017 can take advantage of a range of offers at some of Dubai’s best known hotspots by simply showing their Emirates boarding pass and a valid form of identification. My Emirates Pass gives customers special discounts at over 120 world class restaurants and hotel dining outlets in Dubai. Exclusive offers are also available on a range of leisure activities, including visits to championship golf courses, thrilling theme parks or luxury spas across the city. Furthermore, My Emirates Pass can be used to enjoy some of the city’s must-see new attractions, such as Dubai Parks and Resorts, which features three theme parks: Bollywood Parks™, MOTIONGATE™ and the region’s first LEGOLAND® Park and LEGOLAND® Water Park.