Tag Archives: sustainable tourism

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) will showcase the diversity of Dubai’s destination offering, shine a light on the city’s sustainability platforms and highlight new initiatives designed to further strengthen the tourism industry during the milestone 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market. This year’s ATM, from 1 – 4 May 2023 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, will focus on responsible tourism during the UAE’s Year of Sustainability with the event hosted under the theme ‘Working towards Net Zero’. During the event, DET will highlight how the city’s tourism industry is supporting the journey towards achieving the UAE’s Net Zero 2050, a strategic initiative with the ultimate goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, whilst further stimulating the positive tourism growth trajectory. More than 122 partners and representatives from government entities, hotels, destination management companies and tour operators will join DET at an expanded Dubai stand at ATM 2023 to welcome and interact with visitors to the region’s leading travel event. The Dubai stand will also be home to key government bodies and representatives of major industry stakeholders including Dubai Culture, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (DGRFA), Dubai Health Authority, in addition to Museum of the Future, Expo City Dubai and Majid al Futtaim. His Excellency, Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, commented: “This year’s ATM marks a turning point in terms of bringing sustainability to the forefront of the global tourism industry. Since the inception of ATM, Dubai has made extraordinary progress under the guidance of our visionary leadership in building the city’s global reputation as a leading tourism destination, offering an authentic, diverse and sustainable tourism proposition.  During the event …

Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind two of the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism projects, The Red Sea and AMAALA, has announced new partnerships with The Ocean Race (TOR) for the next two editions of the Race, and with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) who will amplify their stories around the world. The Ocean Race has provided the ultimate test for sailing teams since 1973. Known as ‘sailing’s greatest round-the-world challenge’, it is widely recognized as the pinnacle of achievement for sailors across the world, and has created legends of the sport throughout the years. Beyond the race itself, The Ocean Race acts as a global platform to raise awareness of the environmental challenges facing the world’s marine environment and drive positive change. Over the years, it has brought together like-minded partner organizations from across the globe with a shared vision of protecting and enhancing our oceans, seeking to mobilize policymakers and industries in host countries to take action on an international scale. “We are proud to become the Regenerative Project Partner of The Ocean Race. Sustainability sits at the very heart of our work at Red Sea Global, so The Ocean Race – and its impressive ambitions when it comes to ocean health – makes them a natural fit as a partner,” said John Pagano, Group CEO of Red Sea Global. “The sea has always been an important part of Saudi Arabia’s history and heritage – dating back to the ancient spice trade routes, and creating thriving communities along its coasts. Through this partnership, we hope to support the efforts of The Ocean Race to raise awareness of the challenges facing our oceans globally today, and protect the outstanding …

The Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) and Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST), both part of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) have upgraded their much-sought after ‘Dubai Sustainable Tourism’ course that is available on DCT’s innovative learning platform, Dubai Way. The enhanced course on sustainability is launched, as the UAE prepares to host the COP28 (Conference of the Parties) Climate Change Conference, at Expo City Dubai in 2023, which will further address climate change to create a more sustainable and progressive economic future. With a range of new modules including educational segments focused on water and energy saving, how to implement a Green Team and effective procurement, the DCT course will empower participants with the knowledge on how to abide by and operate with sustainable principles across the travel and hospitality sectors. Dubai Way is a world-class training platform offering a broad range of educational and awareness programmes for people employed in tourist-facing roles across the tourism ecosystem. Supporting those who interact with visitors on a day-to-day basis, Dubai Way offers specialist training focused on history, culture and heritage and customer service, all of which are critical to delivering exceptional experiences for visitors to Dubai. Since the launch of the sustainability course in 2019, it has contributed significantly towards boosting the city’s sustainability credentials, within the wider DST initiative to position Dubai as tourism destination focused on and implementing sustainable practices. For example, a number of hotels have developed water bottling plants, installed solar panels and implemented water saving initiatives.  In recent years, the tourism sector has also witnessed a proliferation of on-site farms, generating locally sourced greens as well as hotels supporting local suppliers of fresh produce, poultry, seafood …

Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) with OQ to explore potential opportunities in the areas of research, training, exchange of expertise and knowledge, human resource development and to discover various initiatives aimed at encouraging sustainable practices, as well as promoting activities related to In-Country Value and empowering SMEs in the tourism sector. The agreement was signed by Hashil bin Obaid al Mahrouqi, CEO of OMRAN Group, and Ashraf bin Hamad Al Mamari, Chief Executive People, Technology & Culture in OQ, in the presence of several officials from both parties at OCEC. The MoC covers exploring collaboration opportunities in training and capacity building through knowledge and experience transfer between parties. It aims to boost sustainability through social, economic, environmental, and cultural initiatives‏. The MoC also covers cooperation in research development and the exchange of expertise in projects. Furthermore, the MoC focuses on social investment projects, local community development activities, boosting ICV and sponsoring SME development programs. Commenting on the MoC, Hashil Al-Mahrouqi said, “The OMRAN Group seeks to implement the principles of sustainability and enhance ICV through strategic initiatives and partnerships as well as empower national competencies and SMEs. We believe that a collaborative approach such as this plays an effective role in achieving national development; therefore, we are keen to leverage it to achieve our goals in line with the National Tourism Strategy and Oman Vision 2040.” Ashraf Al Mamari, Chief Exec. People, Technology & Culture in OQ, said, “The OQ Group seeks to cooperate with the OMRAN Group in key research and development areas within the OQ Group to establish initiatives that boost economic diversification and sustainable practices.” He added, “We strongly believe …

The fifth edition of Gulf Travel Show (GTS) will kick off on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th September 2022 under the theme of sustainable tourism. One of the most important factors post covid is sustainability in every single way. Participation in GTS assures you of the great responsibility held by the travel and tourism fraternity about their intent to reduce its carbon footprint. Gulf Travel Show (GTS) is the only event which was built in with a purpose. When it first started out just after the pandemic whilst most borders were still closed, it gave the travel, tourism and hospitality fraternity an opportunity to ensure that confidence is restored in the minds of the people passionate about the industry. It was also a tool which connected online GCC buyers with exhibitors from across the globe. The fifth edition or GTS 5.0 demonstrates its commitment to uphold its social responsibility to ensure less carbon emissions, yet bring all players to the table and learn and study the stakes, the many opportunities to make things right after a bout of almost two and a half years of pandemic era. Sustainability has many layers to be addressed, it is no longer a word to be utilized and passed on as a mere CSR activity, hence it is a commitment to ensure that everyone has a part to play on mother earth. Starting off with airlines and their biofuel capabilities, hotels and their sustainable strategies, tourism boards which provide and maintain sustainable goals to ensure that the country or destination promoted will not be perturbed, undisturbed, instead leave in its natural state. When UNWTO announced its commitment on declaration of sustainability in the industry, …

Atlantis, The Palm announced a selection of nine local conservation and sustainability projects set to receive funding from the 1 USD contribution initiative the resort launched in June 2021. Over the past 12 months, for every marine animal experience participated in by a guest, Atlantis, The Palm has collected $1 (USD), which has resulted in a $120,000 (USD) investment fund for the project, which aims to support UAE-based conservation and sustainability projects to help protect the ocean and our environment. Over the past two months, UAE-based organisations were invited to apply for funding, after which proposals were solicited and assessed against their contributions to scientific advancement, conservation and sustainability. Atlantis Atlas Project currently focuses on four key groups of wildlife; sharks, rays, dolphins, and corals, and two key threats to the ocean; unsustainable seafood and plastic pollution. With this in mind, projects were selected based on their support of these conservation goals. The first project the funding will support is UAE’s leading social enterprise Goumbook on their ‘Save The Butts’ campaign. This initiative sees the collection of cigarette butts littering beaches and public areas and uses circular economy principles to recycle the waste to create valuable material from it. This campaign will also actively involve Atlantis Dubai’s colleague base through volunteer litter picking and collecting waste within the destination that Goumbook and their partners can recycle. The initiative will also provide a year of funding for UAE-based Seafood Souq, which will support the development of a digital platform to make seafood trade more efficient, sustainable, transparent and traceable. This will involve developing a QR code for diners – to be piloted on Michelin-starred Ossiano’s menu – enabling diners to find …

Gulf Travel Show returns under the theme of sustainable tourism on 28th and 29th September with Tourism Malaysia as Platinum partner,  German National Tourist Office as Silver partner for the fifth consecutive time over the past two years. Gulf Travel Show (GTS) is the only event which was built in with a purpose. When it first started out just after the pandemic whilst most borders were still closed, it gave the travel, tourism and hospitality fraternity an opportunity to ensure that confidence is restored in the minds of the people passionate about the industry. It was also a tool which connected online GCC buyers with exhibitors from across the globe. The fifth edition or GTS 5.0 demonstrates its commitment to uphold its social responsibility to ensure less carbon emissions yet bring all players to the table and learn and study the stakes, the many opportunities to make things right after a bout of almost two and a half years of pandemic era. Sustainability has many layers to be addressed, it is no longer a word to be utilized and passed on as a mere CSR activity, hence it is a commitment to ensure that everyone has a part to play on mother earth. Starting off with airlines and their biofuel capabilities, hotels and their sustainable strategies, tourism boards which provide and maintain sustainable goals to ensure that the country or destination promoted will not be perturbed, undisturbed, instead leave in its natural state.

Britain’s national tourism agency, VisitBritain, confirmed its participation in the upcoming fifth edition of the Gulf Travel Show 5.0 on 28th and 29th September 2022 under the theme sustainable tourism. As part of their B2B strategy for the year 2022/23, VisitBritain is looking to expand their travel trade footprint in GCC markets, share the latest trade tools featuring key destinations, experiences products as well as to recover key account management and gather insights about the potential of each GCC market following Covid-19. VisitBritain GCC Country Manager, Tatiana Khoreshok said: We are very excited to be part of the fifth edition of the Gulf Travel Show as it aligns perfectly with our objectives this year by providing a platform for us to maintain our connections with the travel trade and create new partners to encourage travel to Britain while growing our brand further in the region. Over the years, sustainability in travel, tourism and hospitality had been in the shadows working its way slowly but steadily. However, when UNWTO announced its commitment for the year on sustainability, all attention and initiatives will be to ensure that this becomes a focus across the globe. Gulf Travel Show (GTS) is the only event which was built in with a purpose. When it first started out just after the pandemic whilst most borders were still closed, it gave the travel, tourism and hospitality fraternity an opportunity to ensure that confidence is restored in the minds of the people passionate about the industry. It was also a tool which connected online GCC buyers with exhibitors from across the globe. The fifth edition or GTS 5.0 demonstrates its commitment to uphold its social responsibility to ensure …

The first phase of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority’s (DGDA) master plan has been awarded platinum-level precertification for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The USGBC’s LEED certification is a globally recognised, prestigious symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership, providing a framework for healthy, efficient and cost-saving green buildings and is the world’s most widely known sustainability certification scheme. Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO, DGDA, commented: “I am thrilled that our efforts have been recognised by the LEED precertification as climate and nature-related considerations are at the heart of our development. With regenerative tourism and a people first development at the epicenter of our philosophy, we want to ensure that Diriyah is a shining example when it comes to sustainability standards internationally, and will result in a highly liveable, pedestrian city. Diriyah is the ultimate wellspring and source of a civilization, and our sustainable approach, rooted in a reverence of the city’s past and origins, has now been authenticated by this major accolade and proof point.” Mohamed Saad, Acting DevCo President DGDA, stated: “The significance of Diriyah’s preliminary LEED accreditation cannot be overstated and has involved input from every portion of DGDA. Thanks to this large collaborative effort, we are well on our way to demonstrating to the world that our development is comprehensively sustainable at every level.” LEED certification can be achieved at different levels: the building, neighbourhood, community and city levels. The first phase of the Diriyah development has targeted the certification at both the building and city levels. The precertification of LEED for buildings and cities at a platinum level shows that the development has sustainability at …

WSP Middle East announced the next phase of The Red Sea Project’s Multimodal Operational Readiness Plan as momentum shifts gear towards embedding new mobility solutions within the regenerative tourism destination. With a view to inspiring uptake from the world’s and the region’s top mobility operators, this phase involves expressions of interest from operators to ultimately supply and operate transportation modes across three modal packages throughout the project – in addition to one package for a Mobility Operations Manager – as it prepares to open to guests in early 2023. The latest step of The Red Sea Project’s sustainable mobility journey follows the creation of a blueprint for decarbonized future mobility to help enable sustainable, seamless journeys for guests, employees and logistics to the flagship tourism destination. As a global leader in mobility, sustainability, digital-integration, and commercial advisory, WSP Middle East’s industry-leading advisory and mobility experts are engaged in helping The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) identify land, sea and air transport requirements for the development and its operations, underpinned by the latest advances in green mobility. Andreas Flourou, Executive Director, Operations – Mobility at The Red Sea Development Company, said: The Red Sea is the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project. The destination is on track to be powered solely by 100 percent renewable solar energy, saving upwards of 500,000 tons of C02 entering the atmosphere every year. As such, we’ve set out to be equally ambitious in our mobility operations and are seeking the very best industry partners to help us in realising this vision. Our portfolio of projects on the Red Sea coast is expanding, least of all with the equally ground-breaking AMAALA, and as such, the partnership …