Tag Archives: UAE

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 2023 Economic Impact Research (EIR) today reveals the UAE travel & tourism sector is projected to meet the 2019 peak this year. The sector is set to contribute AED 180.6 billion to the UAE economy by the end of 2023, almost matching the 2019 high AED 183.4 billion, only 1.5% behind pre-pandemic levels. This represents nearly 10% of the total economy. WTTC is also forecasting that the sector will create nearly 7,000 jobs this year, surpassing the pre-pandemic peak of 745,100, to reach more than 758,000 employed by travel & tourism. Last year, the travel & tourism sector’s GDP contribution grew more than 60% to reach nearly AED 167 billion, representing 9% of the country’s economy. The sector also created more than 89,000 more jobs from the previous year to reach more than 751,000 jobs nationally, surpassing 2019 levels by an additional 6,000 jobs. 2022 saw the return of international travellers to the UAE, with India (13%), Oman (8%), Saudi Arabia (8%), and UK (7%) leading as source markets for international arrivals. According to the data, in 2022, international visitors contributed AED 117.6 billion to the national economy, representing a year-on-year growth of 65.3%, although 19% behind 2019 levels. In terms of domestic spend, 2022 saw a 35.7% year-on-year jump, reaching AED 46.9 billion, 10.6% above its pre-pandemic counterpart. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “The national Travel & Tourism sector is recovering at a rapid pace, proving the UAE continues to grow in popularity amongst international travellers. The UAE is home to one of the world’s busiest and successful airports, Dubai International, which acts as a gateway to the Middle East. “The …

GCC-based travel conglomerate Kanoo Travel and premium destination management company Desert Adventures Tourism have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a joint venture in Saudi Arabia at Arabian Travel Market 2023. The collaboration brings together two of the largest and most reputable travel trade organisations in the Middle East, aiming to create the most comprehensive destination services company in the region. The joint venture marks a significant milestone in both companies’ history as they combine their expertise, resources, and capabilities to provide travellers with unparalleled travel experiences in Saudi Arabia. Desert Adventures Tourism, managed by Thomas Cook India Group and wholly owned by Fairfax Financial Holdings Canada, has been a leading company and partner of choice for many worldwide tour operators with 25 years of experience in destination management in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Oman. The company has developed a reputation for providing stability, consistency, and quality of service that its partners have come to trust. Kanoo Travel, an esteemed travel company with a legacy spanning over eight decades, offers the most comprehensive and reliable travel solutions. With a focus on corporate travel, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE), leisure and holiday travel, airline representation, and marine travel, Kanoo Travel has established itself as a leader in the travel industry. The company’s commitment to delivering exceptional solutions and services has been consistently acknowledged, resulting in numerous regional industry awards. Peter Payet, CEO of Desert Adventures, expressed excitement about the new venture, saying, “We are delighted to partner with Kanoo Travel to provide the most comprehensive destination services in Saudi Arabia. With their extensive local knowledge and resources and our international expertise, we are confident that this …

The event convened over 200 leading figures from the Dubai-based Chinese business community, underscoring DMCC’s commitment to attract Chinese businesses to Dubai. The event also included a panel discussion titled “Building business success in Dubai and the UAE with experiences from leading Chinese companies”. Speaking on the panel were senior members and representatives from China State Construction Engineering Corporation, Bank of China, China Mobile International Middle East & Africa, Dahua Technology, and Yingke & Shayan Legal Consulting. DMCC the world’s flagship free zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise, successfully hosted its China Business Day at Almas Tower, celebrating the growing commercial ties between the UAE and China, and how DMCC provides dedicated support to Chinese businesses looking to expand through Dubai. Commenting on the event, Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers said: “The UAE represents one of the strongest economies in the region and as a natural partner of the Belt and Road Initiative, it has risen as a prominent global gateway for Chinese businesses, particularly with its unparalleled logistics infrastructure and position along the New Silk Road. China has always been a market of strategic importance to Dubai and the mutual investments between the two countries continue to witness strong growth in various economic and commercial sectors. Through the extensive efforts and support of organisations like DMCC, we look forward to continued collaboration and seeing the relationship between our countries thrive and prosper even more. We look forward, through our international offices, to strengthen the trade ties between Dubai and China and attract foreign direct Investments in line with the objectives and goals of Dubai Economic Agenda (D33).” As a leading …

Travellers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia are planning to spend more on holidays in 2023, with most in both markets (93%) planning to go away, and more than two thirds in each market (66% in Saudi Arabia and 69% in the UAE planning more breaks than in 2022. Luxury will also be a key theme, with around a quarter planning on staying in luxury accommodation whilst away. The increase in trips and spending is, in part, thanks to more confidence that 2023 holiday plans won’t be impacted by Covid, and the fact that travel remains a priority for Middle Eastern consumers. Sustainability also plays an important role in 2023 travel plans, whilst ‘having a break from it all’ is key for holidaymakers. These are the findings of Marriott Bonvoy’s 2023 Travel Trends research, which analysed the 2023 travel plans of 14,000 travellers across Europe and the Middle East. Wellbeing-led holidays that allow people to get away from it all will be the predominant type of break those in the Middle East go on. More than six in ten from the UAE (61%) plan to, whilst the figure is even higher for Saudi Arabia (73%). Authentic travel is also key, with many wanting to immerse themselves in a complete change of culture, with over half in both markets (55% in the UAE and 56% in Saudi Arabia) wanting to explore new destinations and cultures. To truly soak up local culture, 30% of those from the UAE and 27% of those from Saudi Arabia plan on taking an ‘extended holiday’ of three weeks or more in one destination. Of those going on an extended holiday, 39% from Saudi …

As travel picks up, travellers seek new destinations, understanding this need Al Rais Travel will be introducing a very special destination to agents, known as the Land of 1001 Delights, Tatarstan. A special B2B event will be conducted on Wednesday 14th December 2022 at 7pm at Sofitel Dubai the Obelisk. The agents who will attend would have the opportunity to engage with the key partners who will be present to share the many offerings of the destination followed by a presentation to understand more of the beautiful land of 1001 delights. Speaking with Tourismbreakingnews.ae, Mohamed Jassim Al Rais Deputy Managing Director Al Rais travel reiterated, “We have seen post covid, not just the increase of travel, but travellers opting for new destinations which they can explore, we at Al Rais travel ensure that our clients are given more bucket list opportunities, to tick off their boxes to new experiences, unique locations etc. Tatarstan has a lot to offer our travellers from the UAE, from historical wonders, to traditional locations, natural beauty of the destination with its many rivers, lakes, hills and not forgetting the culinary journey to be explored. We want our agents from the UAE to familiarise themselves with the destination and personally speak with the team from Tatarstan about every aspect necessary for their travellers.” Please RSVP using the following link, and do let me know in case you are facing challenges to access the page: Please click here to confirm your participation   Event Program Item​ Details Start​ End​ Arrival & Registration ​ Guests arrive to the venue 19:00​ 19:30​ Al Rais Welcome address, explanation of the format of the event ​ Guests and participants make their way to the ballroom …

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, launched the 3rd edition of the “World’s Coolest Winter” campaign during the UAE Cabinet meeting, which was held in Al Zorah Natural Reserve in Ajman. The meeting was attended by H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance and H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum affirmed that tourism is a major component of the Emirati economy, where all federal and local entities partner to support this vital sector, stressing that the sector development needs cooperation between government and private sectors. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said: “Today, I chaired the UAE Cabinet meeting at Al Zorah Natural Reserve in Ajman during which we launched the new season of the domestic national tourism campaign, ‘World’s Coolest Winter.” Highlighting Ajman as the starting point for the new season of the World’s Coolest Winter, His Highness noted “Ajman witnessed a tourism, economic, and urban transformation under the direction of my brother Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid. We are proud of the dedication of Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid and his brothers.” His Highness Sheikh Mohammed added: “The World’s Coolest Winter campaign, sparked an increase in domestic tourism by 36 percent in 2021, reaching 1.3 million domestic tourists. This year’s theme is “Our heritage” will focus on spreading the Emirati values.” The current edition of the campaign aims to support domestic tourism within the UAE and attract tourists from around the world to enjoy the warm winter by …

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, launched, the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, which comes under the ‘Projects of the 50’ as one of the biggest projects of the next years. The strategy aims to strengthen the position of the UAE as one of the best destinations in the world for tourism. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “Today, we approved UAE’s Tourism Strategy 2031. UAE ranks among the top 10 global tourist destinations. Our goal is to boost our competitiveness by attracting AED100 billion as additional tourism investments and welcome 40 million hotel guests in 2031.” His Highness added, “Tourism is key to diversifying our economy and boosting UAE’s global competitiveness. In the first quarter of 2022, our airports received 22 million passengers. Our goal is for the tourism sector’s contribution to be AED450 billion of GDP in 2031.” The strategy, which comes in partnership with various federal and local tourism authorities, national airlines, and international institutions and companies, aims to enhance the unified tourism identity and support the UAE integrated and well-established tourism ecosystem, in order to provide a distinguished experience for tourists from all over the world. The strategy aims to raise the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP to AED450 billion, with an annual increase of AED27 billion, attract new investments of AED100 billion to the tourism sector in the country, and attract 40 million hotel guests. The strategy includes 25 initiatives and policies to support the development of the tourism sector in the country. It is based on 4 key directions: strengthening the unified national tourism identity; developing and diversifying specialised tourism products; …

In an exclusive interview with Daniel Rosado Bayón, Director – Spain Tourism Office, Tourism Counsellor GCC stated that they received almost 80% of visitors as per pre-covid time. “In the first six months of the year Spain received over 30 million international visitors which is about 80% of 2019. In respect to expenditure it was about 89% as 2019. When you take UAE, we saw a spike of around 30% from UAE as pre-covid level.” One of the key factors that matter when visiting Europe is obtaining the visa, however according to Rosado Director Spain tourism office, there is now good news to be heard very soon from the European Union. “During this summer we saw a surge in Visa requests. This goes in line with the huge come back of tourism. After two years of restrictions, this summer has become very similar to a pre-covid summer. With the spike in travelling, that some call revenge tourism, we have witnessed how different sectors, from aviation to hospitality or infrastructures, faced difficulties to cope with this sudden surge. Not long ago there was not too many people travelling, and now we have more than before, as people have realized that we only live once and that we need to do the things we like better now than before. Visa issuance is no different, the amount of request is so high that they cannot be processed all in time. Resources are limited and given the importance of controlling the borders of the countries the visa process cannot be speed up. Having said this, Visa offices have experienced a high demand but are doing a very good job on processing as much as …

DayAway, the world’s leading online destination for guests to discover and book curated luxury daytime experiences, has announced its arrival in the United Arab Emirates. Perfect for both travellers and residents who are searching for unique, engaging and restorative daytime escapes, DayAway connects guests with a variety of accessible, enjoyable experiences spanning wellness, dining, adventure and more.  With seven luxury launch partners currently on board, DayAway’s offerings in the UAE includes a Precious Pearl Experience at the palatial Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, a Bedouin Desert Adventure at Telal Resort Al Ain and the Ultimate Island Daycation at InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah that includes a 90-minute Spa treatment. Founded by lifestyle and technology leader Martha Waslen, DayAway launched in Singapore in 2021 with prestigious hotel partners such as Raffles Hotel Singapore; the group expanded to Hong Kong and Thailand in late 2021 before launching in Australia in May 2022. “We are delighted to have expanded into the UAE, a dynamic destination that has a reputation for providing a diverse range of luxury experiences. Our mission at DayAway is to elevate the everyday, and we’re defining a new era of luxury experiences that we hope will provide our community with opportunities to experience their favourite hotels in exciting and meaningful ways,” says Martha Waslen, Founder and CEO of DayAway. “Luxury hotels have a unique opportunity to connect with the growing experience economy by repurposing their underutilised assets as curated daytime escapes for both local guests and international travellers. The DayAway platform provides hotel partners with the technology and marketing tools to diversify revenue, while simultaneously engaging a new community of guests searching for experiences to relax, recharge and reconnect,” adds Waslen.

Watch the Asia Cup 2022 on the big screen, snacking away in an exciting atmosphere surrounded by friends and diehard cricket fans like you! Enjoy special food combos and beverages curated to suit the ambiance. The much-anticipated Asia Cup 2022 is just around the corner. The ODI match series is being played in the thrilling T20 format in the UAE, with Sri Lanka unable to host the matches this year. The UAE has been a great host of the sport, supporting the Indian Premier League and a previous season of the Asia Cup, which has strengthened its prowess in hosting cricket. Indulge yourself in our new cricket meal combos; Sixer, Powerplay, Bouncer, and more. All meal combos include a main and a soft drink or mocktail. In addition to the meal combos, the Food Souk will be offering a match-night-only exclusive 50% off on all food items ordered from the Ala Carte menu. The schedule for the Asia 2022 Cup has been released, with Sri Lanka taking on Afghanistan in the first match, followed by a fan favourite, India Vs. Pakistan the next day. From August 27 to September 11th, enjoy a continuous streak of exciting cricket, live on the big screen at the Food Souk. Reserve your spot now! Call or WhatsApp: +971 50 381 6567. Inquire directly about offers and promotions available for larger groups. The Food Souk is an all-day dining restaurant serving a variety of International, Middle-Eastern, and Asian cuisines. With a seating capacity of over 120, it is the ideal venue for parties, social gatherings, and all special occasions. A favourite among those who travel to Dubai, Park Regis Business Bay Hotel strives continuously to …