With over 1,000 experts from 88 countries, the 6th International Conference on Tourism Statistics: Measuring Sustainable Tourism (UNWTO Manila Conference), defined the guidelines on sustainable tourism. Ministers, policy experts, statisticians, corporates and academics dedicated to sustainable development and tourism united to lay the groundwork for an expanded statistical framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism (MST) in its economic, social and environmental dimensions. Global leaders spoke strategically and politically on the need for statistics to credibly substantiate tourism in the national and international agendas and as a lever for improved policies and practices. The Conference discussed the first draft of the Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism, explored emerging issues and showcased pioneering country experiences. “We are starting something really big. When the Tourism Satellite Account was introduced, its impact was tremendous. It became possible to show tourism’s impact on the economy, on jobs,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. “Now we need to move this ahead to measure tourism’s impact on making this world a better place for all. MST can lead tourism into a new era of sustainable and inclusive development”.

As the ME region prepares itself for another set of long holidays, for Eid Al Adha, Niyama Private Islands, Maldives, has slashed its rates by as much as 40%, encouraging agents as well as individuals from the region to look nowhere else but Niyama for zeroing in on the destination for these holidays. Their brand new Stay Longer offer, introduced especially for these holidays, entails a scheme wherein the longer guests stay at this idyllic Indian Ocean resort, the more they save. Tourists can enjoy an incredible 40% off on the room rate, a free upgrade to half board and complimentary 60-minute treatment for two at the award-winning Niyama Spa. All they need to do is simply book a stay of at least two nights, online, before September 30, 2017. Agents need to get in touch directly to get the best possible rates for their clientele. Designed especially for the elite travellers of the Middle East and jet-set couples, Niyama Private Islands, Maldives, has 134 beautifully appointed studios, suites and pavilions dotted across two pristine islands, Chill and Play. This resort is known for its nine exquisite dining destinations, including a tree house restaurant Nest, and the world’s first underwater playground Subsix.

In its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint, Dubai-based First Central Hotel Suites has now made all its marketing material available online. With the ‘Go Online. Go Paperless’ campaign, the hotel aims to significantly reduce the usage and wastage of paper as well as printing requirements. Rolling out the initiative, Wael El Behi, General Manager of First Central Hotel Suites, said, “Paperless makes a lot of sense, especially in this digital era when everyone seems to have a smartphone and is used to instant information. Therefore, in keeping with our responsible and sustainable environmental practices we have decided to make all our brochures, fact sheets, and media files available for download online. This will tremendously help in cutting down the consumption of paper as well as unnecessary costs. In addition, it will boost efficiency, allowing us to update promotions and information in real time while making it more convenient for our business associates and guests to access those.”

Air Arabia’s financial results for the second quarter of 2017, ending on June 30, exceeded analysts’ expectations as it declared a net profit of AED 158 million, an increase of 21 per cent over the AED 131 million reported for the same period last year. Further, Air Arabia’s net profit for the first six months of 2017 stood at AED 261 million, up by 7 per cent from the net profit of the corresponding period of 2016. The turnover for the first six months of this year reached AED 1.716 billion, out of which, the turnover for the second quarter alone registered AED 906 million. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al Thani, Chairman of Air Arabia, said, “Air Arabia’s strong second-quarter financial performance is a testament to the carrier’s operational efficiency and robust growth strategy. Despite the continuous pressure on yield margins, which is driven by the market and the economic environment, Air Arabia managed to register a solid second quarter net profit backed by the carrier’s cost control measures, operational efficiency and combined with its momentum growth”.

Jeddah-based national carrier of Saudi Arabia, Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines), will deploy its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, known for its two-class configuration of 24 fully flat seats in Business Class and 274 seats in Guest Class, on its new route from Riyadh and Jeddah to the Republic of Mauritius beginning September 14, 2017. For the first time, the two nations will have regular scheduled flights, providing a seamless link between Mauritius and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Flight SV481 will operate from Riyadh to Mauritius, with a brief one-hour stop in Jeddah, three times a week. The total flying time to Mauritius will be 9 hours from Riyadh and 7 hours 20 minutes from Jeddah. Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, His Excellency Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser commented on the impending start of the new route, “The start of services to the island of Mauritius provides guests with a unique destination to visit. We thank the Government of the Republic of Mauritius and the civil authority for welcoming SAUDIA and extending their full support.”

Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is continuing its commitment to world-class hospitality in some of the region’s most striking areas of outstanding natural beauty with the launch of the Mleiha Fossil Rock Lodge. The project is 60 percent complete and will officially welcome its first guests by the end of this year. This modern luxury facility, adjacent to its namesake, the Fossil Rock, nestles within the Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism Project, offering a unique experience for desert adventurers and nature lovers. The Fossil Rock Lodge can accommodate up to 10 guests, guaranteeing complete serenity and privacy. Also, it will entail an upscale café, with 42 indoor and outdoor seats, allowing visitors to take in the breath-taking natural scenery and magnificent desert landscapes while enjoying their sumptuous food and beverages. HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq, says, “Eco-tourism is becoming increasingly popular with visitors from around the world. We are committed to catering to this demand, not only as a highly desirable investment, but also as part of our own social responsibility and our philosophy of retaining our natural surroundings.”

Vietnam’s International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC) is excited to return for the 13th time, from September 7-9, 2017, at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre (SECC). The confirmed exhibitors currently include airlines, hotels and resorts, tour companies, and travel representatives from countries like UAE, Turkey, Australia, Cambodia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. More than 3,600 meetings were conducted between buyers and sellers last year, and the organisers expect the number to grow by 15% this year. Pre-registration is now open, and trade and public visitors are strongly encouraged to pre-register at the ITE HCMC’s website before the event to skip last-minute rush.

Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, announced the launch of their new hotel project named Vida Dubai Mall, which would be directly linked to The Dubai Mall, with direct views of Burj Khalifa. This marks the tenth upcoming hotel project of Vida Hotels and Resorts in the UAE and international markets. Vida Dubai Mall would be a two-tower development, with the 195-room Vida Dubai Mall hotel and 614 serviced residences under Vida Residences Dubai Mall. One of these towers will be 55-storey high, including the hotel and 380 serviced residences, while the other one will be 38-storey high, with rest of the serviced residences.

Antarctica is slowly emerging as one of the most sought-after destinations by UAE’s cruise travellers, who are always on the search for something exotic and different. To help those who are still on the lookout for a tour operator that could take them to this new dream destination, India-based ‘The Q Experiences’ has announced a trip to Antarctica on a luxury cruise, starting from December 9, 2017. This will be an 11-day curated trip to the exotic, ice crowned continent, also rightly known as the White Continent. Speaking about this new adventure trip in the offing, Vasim Shaikh, founder of The Q Experiences said, “We have received tremendous response for this trip from the GCC countries. At The Q, it is our constant endeavour to create memories that last a lifetime for all our travellers; we are keen on creating a similar experience for our Gulf travellers as well, and we are hopeful to see more travellers from this region to join us in this trip of a lifetime”.

Emaar Hospitality Group has partnered with Global Hospitality Services (GHS) to expand its brand reach and customer base in the key strategic markets such as the Americas, the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, India and China. Global Hospitality Services will showcase Emaar Hospitality Group to the leisure and corporate segments in these key markets, underlining its service standards and innovative lifestyle products. Emaar Hospitality Group has been the leading provider of innovative lifestyle travel products, through its three hotel brands – Address Hotels + Resorts; Vida Hotels and Resorts; and Rove Hotels. Linda Bekoe, VP of Global Sales at GHS supported this as she commented, “At GHS, we utilise the power of collaboration and collective capability to open doors and give a global voice to our hoteliers. We are proud to work alongside Emaar Hospitality Group and assist its brands to further penetrate the market on a global level.”