Tag Archives: UAE

VFS Global, an official ticket reseller for Expo 2020 Dubai, to be held in the UAE between October 20, 2020 and April 10, 2021, has revealed the packages it will be offering visitors from March 2020, in an official ceremony held in Riyadh. Customers travelling to the UAE during Expo 2020 will be able to either visit vfsglobal.com, or head to a VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Riyadh or Jeddah, and reserve their Expo 2020 tickets from the Dubai Travel Shop on site. VFS Global will be offering the following single- and three-day passes to the expo, as well as a range of packages: Inclusions Rates (in AED) ½ Day Dubai city tour + 1 day Expo ticket 193+ 5% VAT 1 Day Abu Dhabi city tour + 1 day Expo ticket 258+ 5% VAT Desert Safari + 1 day Expo ticket 298+ 5% VAT Desert Safari (Overnight camping with Igloo tent & sleeping bag) + 1 Day Expo ticket 408 +5% VAT Dubai Canal Dhow Dinner cruise + 1 Day Expo ticket 328 +5% VAT Dubai visa + 1 day Expo ticket 462+ 5% VAT Customers who opt to submit their visa application through the Premium Lounge can also enjoy discounts on the packages they purchase. Open seven days a week for a period of 173 days and featuring over 190 country pavilions, Expo 2020 Dubai is set to be the biggest show in the UAE.

Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines’ largest national flag-carrier, hails the UAE’s five-year multiple-entry tourist visas for all nationalities, including Filipinos. This more relaxed visa policy makes it easier for the significant Filipino community in the UAE to bring their families and loved ones to the country more frequently. On the back of this development, CEB further boosts its commitment to make air travel accessible to everyone, particularly the significant Filipino community in Dubai with its trademark Crazy Seat Sale on January 15, 2020. More details on the sale will be rolled out soon on CEB’s official social media pages. Travel deal-hunters will be able to plan their holidays as well as take advantage of these exciting promotional offerings. CEB launched its first long-haul services with direct flights between Manila and Dubai in 2013, in the mission of serving the over one million Filipinos in Dubai. Its no-frills flying model has propelled it to become the preferred carrier of overseas Filipinos. Passengers looking for the best travel deals can stay updated by subscribing to the Cebu Pacific newsletter. Passengers can book seats on sale, and lowest year-round fares through www.cebupacificair.com or the mobile app, available both in Google Play and App Store. Those who prefer to pay in cash may pay over the counter at any branch of Al-Ansari Exchange, UAE Exchange and Al Rais Travels located across the country, within 24 hours of making a booking online.

UAE and Poland strengthen their bilateral relations. The discussion was preceded by H.E. Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Infrastructure Development and Chairman of Federal Transport Authority (FTA) – Land and Maritime and H.E. Marek Gróbarczyk, Polish Minister of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation. Minister Al Nuaimi was accompanied by an official UAE delegation composed of officials from Abu Dhabi Ports, DP Ports, Sharjah Ports, and Customs Department. The delegation was earlier received by Dr. Abdul Rahim Yousef Al Awadhi, UAE Ambassador to Poland. Expressing his happiness to visit Poland, H.E. Al Nuaimi stressed the UAE’s interest to further strengthen its ties with Poland, especially across various economic fields, including the maritime and land transport sectors. H.E. Al Nuaimi said that having robust relations in the industry would serve their common interests, with both sides benefitting from the many opportunities to be brought forth by such ties. H.E. Al Nuaimi also took the opportunity to commend Poland for ensuring freedom of navigation and taking measures to facilitate and promote maritime transport. During the visit, a series of meetings were held to discuss economic and trade relations and explore opportunities for Polish companies to invest in the UAE, especially in the infrastructure sector. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the UAE’s FTA – Land and Maritime and Poland’s Ministry of Infrastructure Development to reinforce their maritime cooperation, including freedom of navigation. Both sides also agreed to take all necessary measures to facilitate and promote maritime transport, avoid unnecessary delays, simplify and speed up customs, and support the equal treatment and exchange of ships in their ports and territorial waters. H.E. Al Nuaimi added, “The agreement will …

The standard of digital experiences offered by airlines, hotels and travel agents now carries significant influence over the booking decisions of young travellers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to the findings of Travelport’s Global Digital Traveler Research 2019, which surveyed 23000 people from 20 countries. Three-quarters of millennial travellers in the UAE now actively consider whether an airline (77%) or hotel (76%) offers a good digital experience when making a booking. Half (51%) also get frustrated when booking information isn’t available round-the-clock on mobile devices, such as smartphones and smartwatches. Kathryn Wallington, Head of Account Management, United Arab Emirates, at Travelport, said, “Demand for high-quality digital experiences is now exceptionally high among millennial travellers in the UAE. Today, a good digital experience should really be delivered as standard and differentiation should be sought through excellence.” According to the Travelport’s study, when researching a trip, nearly all millennial travellers in the UAE (93%) have now reviewed videos and photos posted by travel brands on social media and one third (34%) ‘nearly always’ do this. When booking a flight online, two fifths (42%) of millennial travels in the UAE today want to personalise their experience. It also revealed that three fifths (60%) of UAE millennials want virtual reality experiences to help them plan their trips in a better way. Other findings include how two thirds (69%) of millennial travellers in the UAE have used voice search to help them manage travel, with one quarter (22%) ‘nearly always’ using the technology for this.  

Salih Gozcu, Chairman, BTB Tours, has been declared as the Face of the Future. He started his career in the Antalya region of Turkey in 2003 as a hotelier. In 2008, he moved to the emirate.  Between 2012-2013, he worked as a Summer Tour Country Manager. In 2016, he started his own company which by this year has reached out to 50,000 tourists from 15 different source markets. BTB Tours now aims to be the biggest DMC in UAE by 2023 as far as pax, revenue and quality are concerned.

In keeping with the mid-market sector UAE’s homegrown brand Citymax launched its second hotel in the Al Barsha area and the fifth across the UAE on June 27, 2019. The opening follows the successful launch of Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah in November 2018, and enhances the Citymax portfolio up to five hotels in operation across the GCC, as well as a sixth Citymax Hotel in Aswan, Egypt. Known for its personality of ‘vibrant simplicity’ and providing its guests with an unforgettable stay, Citymax Hotel Al Barsha will follow in the same steps, but with an added sense of appeal. This Citymax property is uniquely positioned to cater to business travellers looking for the comforts of a well-known brand, but the exclusivity and warmth of a boutique hotel. The hotel boasts 120 spacious rooms, including 24 twin rooms and 96 queen rooms. Each floor of the hotel has only 10 rooms, providing a sense of privacy in the heart of bustling ‘New Dubai’.  The property hosts a meeting room, with a capacity of 8-10 delegates. One of the most unique features in this property is the special floor dedicated to women travellers who would require a little more privacy, hence the whole floor with 10 rooms are dedicated only for women, catered by women. “The introduction of Citymax Al Barsha is a milestone for both Citymax Hotels and the UAE hospitality sector, as we’re now in a position to offer a niche audience quality accommodation that perfectly suits their business needs, whilst at the same time amplifying the unique warmth of a boutique-style hotel,” says Joanne Williams, General Manager of Citymax Al Barsha.

The Higher Organising Committee of IWAS World Games Sharjah 2019 confirmed that 1,462 participants from 50 countries are set to compete in the world’s largest wheelchair and amputee sports championship in Sharjah from February 10-16. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member Ruler of Sharjah, the IWAS World Games has returned to the emirate for the second time after its successful debut in the city in 2011. The eighth edition of the world championship brings together seven games including archery, athletics, badminton, swimming, shooting, table tennis and wheelchair fencing. New details of the upcoming biennial sports championship were revealed at a press conference held recently at Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa. Global athletes landing in Sharjah over the next few days are set to represent 50 competing nations confirmed by the Higher Organising Committee which include the UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Algeria, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, India, Sweden, Ukraine, Thailand, Turkey, Brazil, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Australia, Kenya, Russia, China, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Italy, South Africa, South Korea, Poland, Pakistan, Norway, Kenya, Latvia, Macau, Azerbaijan, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Serbia, France, Georgia, the UK, the US, Hong Kong, Greece, Czech Republic, Austria, Belarus and Comoros.

Orient Travel, one of the leading travel agencies in the UAE, has teamed up with Rail Europe to create an association to meet the experiential needs of the UAE travellers. The partnership aims to provide unparalleled access to a comprehensive array of rail products complementing the itineraries of vacationers from the UAE. It comes at a time when many travel companies are struggling amid fierce competition, sedentary travel losing appeal and cookie cutter package tourism. Analysts, however, say that in the long run, there is room for growth if agencies recognise that people are searching for unique and original travel combinations that will give them unforgettable experiences. Speaking about the association, Asim Arshad, CEO, Orient Travel, said, “This partnership delights us. We are happy it came through as it gives us the opportunity to surf the wave of experiential travel and meet the needs of our clients. We understand that travel in this age is no longer so much about where the client goes, but more about how they want to feel. By introducing Rail Europe as part of our products, we give our customers flexibility and personalisation across a variety of authentic experiences. Now, we can construct each holiday around a client’s needs and preferences; and end up with an imaginative personalised itinerary centered on individual interests.” By partnering with one of the leading global providers of rail products, Orient Travel has positioned itself as a one-stop shop for planning and booking European train travel and sightseeing products. Now, the UAE travellers can book both point-to-point journeys in Europe, and get Eurail, Swiss, Japan, and Korea passes. The company also said it will guarantee easy access to human support, after-sale …

Emirates has announced the return of My Emirates Pass, an exclusive seasonal pass that turns an Emirates boarding pass into an exclusive membership package, allowing customers to take advantage of discounts and benefits in over 500 locations across the UAE. Emirates’ customers now have more reasons to start off the New Year and explore Dubai’s many attractions. People travelling to and through Dubai from January 1 until March 31, 2019 can benefit from My Emirates Pass privileges across participating retail and leisure outlets by presenting their boarding pass and a valid form of identification. The offers are valid across retail outlets and various leisure activities, including up to 30 per cent discount on spa treatments; up to 50 per cent off on outdoor activities like water sports and access to night golf courses; up to 50 per cent discount on fine dining; and up to 30 per cent off on popular shopping outlet stores. Customers can explore the many offerings available under My Emirates Pass by visiting emirates.com/myemiratespass. Mohammad Al Hashimi, Vice President — Commercial Products Dubai, Emirates, said, “We are pleased to announce the return of our signature Emirates Pass this winter, encouraging visitors to explore all corners of the UAE. Travellers coming into Dubai, whether for a short visit or a longer stay can now experience what this city has to offer for less, by taking advantage of special privileges across some of the best hotspots. With attractive discounts to over 500 locations – there’s something for everyone to splurge on this New Year.”

Tens of thousands of visitors have visited the National Festival of Heritage and Culture, the 33rd edition of Janadria, organised by the Ministry of National Guard under the slogan ‘Faithfulness and Loyalty.’ The heritage village at the festival as well as the shows of the folk groups from various regions of Saudi Arabia and some Arabian Gulf countries are popular and have become a milestone in the most beautiful elements of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Janadria is the largest cultural festival in Saudi Arabia and the largest event of its kind in the world that is being held for 21 days during the period from December 20, 2018 to January 9, 2019 as part of efforts to intensify attention to the Saudi heritage and regional and international visibility. In addition, it promotes a dialogue of cultures and civilisations between nations and people. The heritage village at Janadria is attracting thousands of families from different age groups, in addition to the artisans who are present throughout the festival area, especially in the folk market. The National Festival of Heritage and Culture offers heritage lovers a unique application which includes a complete definition of the Janadria Festival, a map of the stands and elements of the festival, activities and updated news about the festival on a daily basis. The folk groups programme is one of the most important pillars of the festival and there are more than 700 people that reflect the folk heritage, customs and traditions of all regions of Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries of the UAE, Bahrain and Oman.