Tag Archives: UAE

The Czech Tourist Authority- CzechTourism – along with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Abu Dhabi, said that the second highest number of travellers from the GCC after Saudi Arabia to the Central European country was from the UAE. A statement from the CzechTourism and the Embassy said travel from the UAE to the Czech Republic grew by over 18% in the first half of the year, faster than the previous corresponding period, and it is expected that 2018 will end with significant rise in the number of outbound travellers. Commenting on the increasing travel from the UAE, HE Alexandr Sporýš, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the UAE, said:,“For both expatriates and the citizens, the Czech Republic is an exquisite geographically close destination. The country offers a diversity of experience within a five-hour flight distance making it possible for even weekend sojourners to visit the Czech Republic.” The overall number of travellers from the UAE to the Czech Republic in the last three year stood at close to 100,000 with an average growth rate of over 28 per cent during the period. The average length of stay of the UAE travellers to the Czech Republic was in the range of 3.4 to 4.3 days. Monika Palatková, Managing director, Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism, said, “The Czech Republic is one of the closest European destinations to the UAE which is being increasingly favoured by family tourists as well. Our aim is to reach out to the potential UAE travellers and to present them the eclectic experiences the Czech Republic can offer across the spectrum of heritage to modernity complemented by the country’s diversity of natural landscape and culture.” She …

Meraas aims to pull out all stops to deliver Bluewaters’ unique promise of an island luxe vibe, with unparalleled experiences brought to the region for the first time at the Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai, The Residences at Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai and Caesars Resort Bluewaters Dubai. These five-star accommodations comprising 495 luxury rooms and 80 serviced apartments will be flanked by The Rotunda at one end and Caesars Forum on the other.  The exclusive 194-key Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai will feature an outdoor swimming pool, the wellness concept Qua Spa and a fitness centre with stunning views of Ain Dubai as well as six cutting-edge restaurants. The Residences at Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai will offer additional 80 premium-serviced apartments ideal for contemporary living. The second hotel, Caesars Resort Bluewaters Dubai, will comprise 301 rooms, two outdoor swimming pools, six unique restaurants, three meeting rooms equipped to provide business services and a 750-square metre event hall. Since Ain Dubai first made its appearance off the coast of Dubai Marina, it has captured the imagination of the city. Making its presence felt, this new landmark-in-the-making has drawn attention to Bluewaters, the island destination by Meraas that has opened its doors to visitors. Connecting it to the mainland is a sophisticated network of roads, including a direct link to Sheikh Zayed Road, pedestrian access from The Beach opposite JBR and water transport by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). His Excellency Abdulla Al Habbai, Group Chairman, Meraas, said, “Dubai has always had its eye on the future. As the city develops in line with the vision of the UAE’s leadership, we are constantly striving to achieve greater heights. Meraas has been mindful of this, …

Arabian Adventures has signed a partnership agreement with HTMS International. Under the agreement, HTMS will promote and sell the UAE-based destination management company’s premium services in the Italian market. Arabian Adventures is the UAE’s leading destination management company. Its full service offering includes everything from personalised meet and assist services at the airport, transfers, hotel reservations, tours, event management and visa assistance. With their passion for excellence and safety, Arabian Adventures’ 450 customer-oriented team members provide best-in-class service to one million customers annually. Arabian Adventures offers its personalised services to consumers directly as well as through its extensive international partnership network. Samir Mehta, General Manager, Arabian Adventures, said, “We are delighted to increase our investment into our international operations with this strategic partnership. The announcement underlines our commitment to the Italian market, where we see excellent business opportunities and solid demand for our quality services. We look forward to welcoming more Italian travellers in the UAE with the legendary Arabian hospitality we are renowned for.” Marco Innocenti, CEO, HTMS Italy, said, “We are excited to partner with Arabian Adventures, a leading destination management company operating at one of our customers’ most preferred destinations, the UAE.” He further added, “Following the recent celebration of our 30th anniversary, this announcement marks another remarkable milestone at the end of a memorable year.”

His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment has announced that the UAE will contribute US$1.5 million annually for the period 2019 to 2021 cumulatively amounting to US$4.5 million to fund the projects carried out by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). The announcement was made at the GGGI’s Assembly and Council in the presence of His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi, who led the UAE delegation at the assembly. Reiterating the UAE’s commitment to green development, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi said, “In the UAE, we are resolved to achieving a green economy as per the UAE Green Agenda 2030 adopted by the UAE Cabinet in 2015. During 2017-2018, we have made a lot of progress in the implementation of the Green Agenda 2030 and key policy developments with the assistance of the GGGI Abu Dhabi office team. The UAE Cabinet adopted the National Climate Change Plan 2050 in June 2017, which consolidates the country’s climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives under one integrated framework. As part of the Climate Plan implementation, we have recently conducted a comprehensive climate risk assessment across four key sectors and identified priority climate risks that require us to develop appropriate adaptation measures.” Highlighting one of the initiatives in green development in the UAE, His Excellency added, “The development of green growth indices is not new to us. We have already set 41 Green Key Performance Indicators to track the UAE’s progress towards achieving a green economy and offer regular updates through the UAE State of Green Economy Report. Furthermore, we launched the UAE Green Dashboard just last week, an open data platform which allows anyone to access and analyse underlying …

Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) welcomed the IndiGo’s inaugural flight to and from India, commencing daily flights that connect the UAE capital with Cochin International Airport (COK) and Calicut International Airport (CCJ). With its fleet of 189 Airbus A320 and 12 ATR aircraft, the airline offers over 1200 daily flights and connects 48 domestic destinations and 11 international destinations. The inaugural IndiGo flights from Cochin and Calicut touched down on October 15 and October 16, respectively. A daily non-stop flight from Cochin will depart at 13:30 and arrive at 16:30. The IndiGo service to Cochin will leave Abu Dhabi at 04:30, and will arrive at 10:30. IndiGo will fly out of Calicut at 00:40 and will arrive into Abu Dhabi at 03:30. The return IndiGo flight departs at 17:30 and arrives in Calicut at 23:30. All time slots incorporated above are according to the local time of respective geographies. Bryan Thompson, CEO, Abu Dhabi Airports, commented, “This new addition expands further the network of the capital’s airport to provide our passengers with enhanced connectivity. It also reflects further on the strong global confidence in the Abu Dhabi market, and we hope to continue to build on such partnerships over the coming months and years.” William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo, said, “We are delighted to receive a heartening welcome from Abu Dhabi International Airport this morning. IndiGo has operated its inaugural flights from Calicut-Abu Dhabi and Cochin-Abu Dhabi. The airline has completed 12 years of successful operations in the India market as a low-cost carrier, and adding Abu Dhabi to its network will further augment the regional connectivity that we aspire to provide to our customers.”

Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore how municipal waste can be converted into jet fuel. Representing a major development in the adoption of sustainable fuel, the project would aim to use the final jet fuel on Etihad Airways’ flights. The MoU mandates the two entities to undertake an initial feasibility study towards developing a flagship waste-to-fuel facility in Abu Dhabi. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “Waste-to-biofuel is a cutting-edge technology – one that Etihad Airways believes will have a profoundly positive impact on the aviation industry, while also providing waste management solutions and a cleaner environment. The adoption and upscaling of sustainable energy supplies is a crucial step towards reducing Etihad Airways’ dependency on fossil fuels, allowing the airline to grow sustainably and offset carbon emissions. This landmark agreement signed with Tadweer today reflects Etihad Airways’ mutual commitment to sustainability, and the airline hopes that it can bring about lasting change to the sustainable energy landscape in the UAE.” Dr Salem Al Kaabi, Acting General Manager, Tadweer, said, “The MoU aligns with our mandate to deliver highly innovative industrial and municipal waste management solutions, as well as our commitment to the National Agenda of the UAE Vision 2021 and Abu Dhabi Waste Master Plan 2040 that aims to divert 75 per cent of municipal solid waste away from landfills.”  

Air India Express flights are now arriving and departing from Terminal 1 at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Originally, the airline departed from Terminal 1, and arrived at Terminal 2. The transition from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 for the arrivals occurred on September 30 and is in line with Abu Dhabi Airports’ commitment to ensuring quality service and a seamless passenger experience. The Indian subcontinent remains one of the most popular destinations for travellers departing from AUH, reflecting the close cultural and economic ties between the UAE and India. The Indian flag carrier operates seven daily flights between Abu Dhabi and six destinations in India, including New Delhi, Cochin, Kannur, Mangalore, Trivandrum and Calicut. Ahmed Al Shamsi, Acting Chief Operations Officer, Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “At Abu Dhabi Airports, we are committed to enriching passenger experiences and providing world-class services. As one of our closest partners, we are pleased to announce Air India Express’ relocation to Terminal 1 and look forward to ensuring its guests enjoy a convenient and entertaining travel experience through Abu Dhabi International Airport.” PA Umadevi, Airport Manager, Air India & Air India Express operations, said, “Air India Express is pleased to announce the transition of its arriving flights to Terminal 1 at Abu Dhabi International Airport, which reflects our commitment to providing exceptional services to our passengers. The level of services offered to us by Abu Dhabi Airports helps us ensure our customers’ satisfaction and meet the rising demand in the Abu Dhabi market.”

Uni-top Airlines is planning to operate B747 freighter flight between Kunming in China and Dubai, according to Yang Fan, Vice President, Uni-top Airlines. Addressing an air transport cooperation promotion conference held by Chinese Yunnan provincial delegation in Kempinski Hotel Mall of Emirates in Dubai, Fan said, “In order to support the development of civil aviation and trade between China and the UAE, Uni-top Airlines is planning to operate B747 freighter flight with three flights per week between Kunming and Dubai.” The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the Yunnan Provincial Government have jointly signed ‘The Kunming International Aviation Hub Strategic Planning’, in order to build Kunming Changshui international airport into an international hub that is safe, efficient, accessible, integrated, green and intelligent.  It is planned that by 2030, there will be 500 air routes, including 200 international and regional ones with 120 million passengers and 1.78 million tonnes cargo by running five runways in Kunming Changshui international airport. Zhang Changsheng, Deputy Director, Yunnan Provincial Development & Reform Commission and Director General, Yunnan Provincial Civil Aviation Development Administration, said, “Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the UAE in July, and the leaders of the two countries unanimously decided to upgrade bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. We expect to strengthen joint marketing promotion for airline flights, tourism market and especially air cargo market in order to push the development of bilateral economy and trade, and we also expect to promote abundant green agricultural products with Yunnan plateau characteristics to the UAE for sharing.” Khalil Lamrabet, Director – Aviation Business Management, Dubai Airports, said, “Strengthening the tourism, trade and commercial links between China and Dubai is a key strategy for Dubai Airports. We …

Nirvana Over the world (NOW) has joined hands with Tune Protect as their travel protection partner for travellers, globally. Commenting on the tie-up, Lina Bassam, Executive Director – Wholesale, Nirvana Travel & Tousim, said, “Travel is the buzzword and the number of travellers from the UAE or to the UAE is growing rapidly. We have partnered with Tune Protect EMEIA to offer a variety of travel assurance plans to our travellers. Our collaboration aims at delivering a hassle-free, seamless experience, and peace of mind to our travellers, before, during and after their travel.” Arijit Munshi, General Manager, Tune Protect EMEIA, said, “Tune Protect, along with our local insurance partner, has been able to launch over 10 different travel protection plans, which can be tailor-made and diversely beneficial catering to vivid segments of travellers”. A basic Tune Protect travel protection plan offers best-in-class benefits like medical expenses due to hospitalisation anywhere in the world, worldwide accidental death and disablement coverage, loss or damage of baggage, trip delay, etc. Both Nirvana and Tune Protect are determined and committed to delivering unique and convenient risk-management solutions to travellers. This intended collaboration will bring together various comprehensive and cost-effective travel assurance covers at the time of planning a trip.

Emirates Holidays has partnered up with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to become the official tour operator for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019. The 17th edition of the continent’s prestigious football tournament will take place in the United Arab Emirates between January 5, 2019 and February 1, 2019.  Through the partnership, Emirates Holidays offers a broad range of excellent value packages to football fans traveling to Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai and Sharjah to support their teams. Each package includes match ticket(s), accommodation and return flights with Emirates Airline. Robin Parry, Vice President, Emirates Holidays, said, “We are thrilled to become the official tour operator of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019. Starting from today, supporters can seamlessly book match ticket, flight and accommodation with Emirates Holidays and enjoy the excellent travel experience our award-winning airline and reputable hotel partners offer. We see exciting opportunities for the company in sport tourism and continue to seek ways to accommodate the growing demand. We look forward to welcoming our football fan customers in the UAE.” Dato’ Windsor John, General Secretary, Asian Football Confederation, said, “Asian football continues to make giant strides on the world stage and the remarkable growth and stature of the AFC Asian Cup exemplifies the undeniable progress of football in the Continent. Emirates have been a long-standing partner of the AFC and we would like to thank them for their firm belief in the development and ever-improving proposition of Asian football.