The President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and Chairperson of the Board of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage, Shaika Mai Bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa, has been appointed as Special Ambassador of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017. In the resolution that adopts the Year, the UN General Assembly specifically stresses how tourism can foster “better understanding among peoples everywhere, leading to a greater awareness of the rich heritage of various civilizations and bringing about a better appreciation of the inherent values of different cultures”. The ceremony, conducted at the Headquarters of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Madrid, Spain, praised the role that Shaikha Al-Khalifa has played in advancing culture as a key component of tourism development in Bahrain and the Middle East, through the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage. “Your Excellency is an example for all of us in the work she does in Bahrain to promote and protect culture, to link tourism and heritage and to bring culture to life” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, in the ceremony. “It is an honor to be selected as an ambassador to UNWTO in this special Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.  I believe that now more than ever tourism and culture have a vital role to play in promoting peace and understanding and in encouraging a dialogue between civilizations, not walls between nations. Coming from the Arab region, the cradle of civilizations and the home to many of the World Heritage Sites; a region traditionally known for its hospitality and acceptance of the other, I believe that cultural tourism can be an effective tool for sustainable development. Tourism adds an economic value …

Musafir.com has announced the launch of its third technology centre in Pune India. Musafir.com is looking to double its technology team by the end of the year. The Pune centre will complement the technology and product teams that are already operating out of centres in the UAE and Mumbai. “Musafir.com was founded with the promise of a stellar user experience backed by the best technology. The establishment of our third technology centre in Pune, reinforces our commitment to this promise. Our aim is to double the strength of our engineering team by the end of the year, and herald a new generation of innovative user experiences for our travelers,” said Albert Dias, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Musafir.com. “The launch of our technology centre reiterates our ever growing focus on the Indian market. Technology is a key ingredient in the growth recipe for any business today; we understand and appreciate this more so than ever, being a travel ecommerce player. Technology is core to our long term strategy and-our technology centre in Pune is an essential cog in the wheel that will propel Musafir.com through the next decade of exponential growth.” said Rajesh Pareek – Group CEO, Musafir.com. Musafir.com has plans to expand further in India and add more countries to its GCC portfolio and this technology and product team based in Pune will help to accelerate the delivery of next-generation web and mobile applications, along with innovative products and solutions for travellers worldwide.

Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche will exhibit as part of R Hotels stand alongside Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman and Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman, which are also owned and managed by the same group. The first Wyndham Garden hotel in the UAE is slated to open in the last quarter of 2017. The four-star hotel will feature a total of 179 rooms and suites, an executive lounge on the top floor with panoramic sea views, two restaurants, an outdoor swimming pool, gym and spa, separate health clubs for men and women, and a kids’ play area. Iftikhar Hamdani, the cluster general manager for the three properties, commented: “We are excited to introduce the new Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche. On top of the Middle East market, we are also eyeing Baltic, Balkans, East Europe, Germany, and Central Asia during the exhibition. Along with our two Ramada properties, the group is expected to accommodate the growing number of guests in Ajman, thus reinforcing our status as the leading group in terms of number of rooms and occupancy in the Northern Emirates.” R Hotels stand will be at HC0425 of the hotel pavilion. Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche will also be joining the Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) stand.

Marriott International has taken an equity stake in PlacePass, a provider of travel technology solutions and the online meta-search platform for in-destination experiences and activities. Global travellers will soon be able to choose from an additional 100,000 plus authentic local experiences in 800 destinations worldwide when they book direct on Marriott.com or SPG.com or their respective apps. Travellers can go to members.marriott.com to learn even more about what’s in store and the types of experiences Marriott will offer with PlacePass, as well as the personalized experiences already available to travelers through its loyalty programs. “The addition of PlacePass activities and tours beginning later this year reflects Marriott’s commitment to giving our guests a complete travel experience whether they are in planning mode, staying in our hotels and even in-between stays when they’re thinking about travel,” said Stephanie Linnartz, Global Chief Commercial Officer, Marriott International. “We want our guests to count on Marriott to give them access to more of the destinations and things they love to do when they travel.” With an ever-increasing array of travel experiences and 30 diverse global brands, 6,000 hotels and resorts in 122 countries and territories, as well as the largest collection of luxury properties, Marriott is uniquely positioned to offer all its guests unrivaled and memorable experiences when they travel.

Sabre Corporation has launched its 2017 Technology Day series in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, offering a view into the top technology trends and innovations impacting the travel industry and what Sabre is investing in for the future.  The series started off with two dedicated sessions for travel companies in Riyadh, which were offered the opportunity to hear and discuss trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the future of travel in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the region, including the important role of online, mobile, and personalisation. Other sessions were conducted around the Kingdom in Jeddah and Khobar. “Diversifying economies and investing in different industries are the best strategies to overcome the economic challenges we are facing in the Middle East,” said Daniel Naoumovitch, CEO, Saber Travel Network, Middle East. “The Saudi vision 2030 realizes the importance of the travel and tourism sector and its role to support the country’s GDP. Our investments and efforts in Saudi Arabia will continue to be aligned with the Saudi directions and it remains a priority for us to provide the industry’s stakeholders with latest solutions and innovations that will enable them to attract more customers, increase revenue and compete on a global level which will result in contributing to the success of this vision.” Naoumovitch also spoke about the latest trends, emerging technologies and Sabre’s investments in this field. He said:  “Mobile, online and emerging technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligent are having a profound impact on travel, and in the next few years, we’re going to see a lot of changes to how traveler’s needs are met. Saudi travelers are fast adaptors of latest technologies and they are leading the …

For the second year in a row, the Ministry of Economy is organizing a promotional roadshow under the slogan ‘Visit UAE’ in the People’s Republic of China from March 27 to 28, 2017 in Shanghai and Beijing to showcase the UAE’s world-class tourism destinations. The delegation will be headed by H.E. Mohammed Khamis Al Mheiri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy and Advisor to the Minister for Tourism Affairs. Accompanying him are H.E. Abdullah Saleh Al Hammadi, Director of the Ministry of Tourism’s Tourism Department, representatives of tourism agencies in the UAE, hotel and tourism and travel companies. H.E. Al Mheiri said that the latest edition of the roadshow aims to attract more Chinese tourists to the UAE and represents collective nationwide efforts organized by the Ministry of Economy in cooperation with relevant bodies and departments to highlight the country’s diverse tourist destinations, attractions, and distinctive and innovative services awaiting tourists. The Undersecretary pointed out that the UAE’s tourism sector is growing rapidly thanks to the full support of the wise leadership. He also noted the continuous development of industry-enhancing infrastructure and sustained investments in innovative tourism facilities and services as well as the diversity of tourism options offered by the different emirates to foreign tourists. H.E. emphasized that the participation in and organization of events abroad are of great importance in enriching the image of UAE tourism among foreign visitors as well as introducing special advantages and incentives offered by the sector to different countries. He added they help secure a greater share of the global tourism and travel markets. H.E. Al Muhairi pointed out that China is a priority tourism market for the UAE due to its great …

The five-star Ghaya Grand Hotel, in Dubai’s International Media Production Zone, is all set to host the cricketing legends and star players as Emirates Airline Twenty20 tournament kick starts in Dubai. Named the official hotel partner for this event, this is the first time that Ghaya Grand hotel is partnering to host a sporting event. In an inauguration ceremony held at The Ghaya Grand Hotel, cricketing legends Jimmy Anderson, Aaqib Javed, Ashley Giles and Paul Collingwood discussed the upcoming two-day tournament scheduled for the weekend (March 23– 24,2017) at the ICC academy in Dubai’s Sports City. Olwin Desouza, General Manager, Ghaya Grand commented “We are delighted to host the players and team officials for the tournament and we look forward to enjoying some top-quality cricket. Being an avid sports follower, my ideology is based on if you can dream it you can achieve it. Supporting sporting events like these is part of our strategy and this event provides us with the platform to engage with our customers directly.” The 2017 edition of Emirates Airline T20 is slated to be the biggest till date with both new and existing teams competing for the coveted title. Emirates has been successfully bringing international cricket clubs to Dubai to compete for the trophy. The tournament has grown substantially, since its inception in 2010, featuring stars such as Yuvraj Singh, Alister Cook, Nick Compton among its various teams. In its seventh year, the cricketing tournament will be played by six T20 teams with international and domestic players from countries across the globe.

In a move to enhance the tourism offerings in Tuscany, the tourism board of promotion introduced the destination to the United Arab Emirates at a gala event. The event was presided over by Alberto Peruzzini, Managing Director of Tuscany Tourism board (Toscana Promozione Turistica) at Meydan hotel Dubai. At the same event the inauguration of the Alabaster Tower of Pisa – the Project of “The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Japan and in the United Arab Emirates” supported by Tuscany Tourism Board, Chamber of Commerce of Pisa, Municipality of Pisa and Municipality of Volterra took place at the event. The exhibition of the Alabaster Tower, which is reproduced from the original drawings of the famous Tower of Pisa, is realized by the alabaster masters of Arte in Bottega di Volterra’s Association. The Foundation Cassa di Risparmio di Volterra, the Province of Pisa, Cassa di Risparmio di Volterra and the Municipality of Volterra, as well as the Opera della Primaziale Pisana; the work owner, has taken part in the realization of the Tower. The copy of the famous bell tower of the Cathedral of Pisa, will be shown at the luxurious Meydan Hotel in Dubai, with a panoramic view on the prestigious Meydan Racecourse. Tuscany Region and the UAE have an already forged relationship that has been strengthened since 2015 thanks to “Toscana Endurance Lifestyle”, international event of sport and networking organized by sistemaeventi.it in Pisa at the San Rossore Racecourse that in 2017 will return with two top level endurance rides (14-16 July and 4-6 August). The inauguration ceremony was attended  by Alberto Peruzzini, Managing Director of Tuscany Tourism Board, Riccardo Fedeli, Vice Mayor of Volterra and Gianluca Laliscia, Chairman …

In the wake of recent US & UK ban on certain types of electronics, Etihad Airways has released a statement to make travelling at the concerned airports convenient. The statement from the airline said, “To avoid inconvenience, guests are encouraged to power down and pack prohibited items in their checked baggage at their airport of origin. Any such electronic devices will otherwise need to be surrendered and placed in padded envelopes at Abu Dhabi, and securely placed in the baggage hold for collection on arrival in the US. All of our flights have mobile and Wi-Fi connectivity so people can use compliant cellphones on board, and there is also free Wi-Fi at our hub in Abu Dhabi to cater for passenger requirements, when they are waiting for their connecting flight.”

US government has announced restrictions on the type of electronic items that could be carried onboard flights to the US from certain airports, reveals a statement from IATA. Even the UK government has announced changes in its aviation security measures on selected inbound flights to the UK that restrict the size of electronic items that may be carried by passengers in the cabin. In a statement, the UK government has said that flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Tunisia would be affected by these restrictions. A Q&A and factsheet available on the US Department of Homeland Security website reveals that passengers flying to the US directly from the named airports — Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), Cairo International Airport (CAI), Ataturk International Airport (IST), King Abdul-Aziz International Airport (JED), King Khalid International Airport (RUH), Kuwait International Airport (KWI), Mohammed V Airport (CMN), Hamad International Airport (DOH), Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) – should allow extra time at the airport. IATA calculations show that this ban will impact about 393 scheduled passenger flights per week, equivalent to about 2.7 % of the total international scheduled passenger flights to the UK. In the US, it would affect 350 scheduled flights a week, equivalent to about 2% of total international flights.