Dubai Airports has launched the world’s fastest free Wi-Fi connection at an airport to millions of passengers that travel through DXB each month. Named WOW-Fi, the service provides Internet connection up to 100mbps. This follows Dubai Airports’ launch of an upgraded free unlimited high-speed Wi-Fi connection across Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) in December last year. Commenting on DXB’s latest offering, Michael Ibbitson, Executive Vice President of Technology and Infrastructure at Dubai Airports said, “As the biggest international airport in the world, we are at the heart of many journeys across the globe. To support these travellers, late last year we have launched unlimited free high-speed Wi-Fi for our customers across our airports but our goal was to offer something they have never experienced at an airport before. With WOW-Fi, passengers will get a speed of up to 100mbps to enable them to quickly download or upload emails, pictures, videos and social media updates and then get on with enjoying the airport or connecting to their friends and family across the world.” “We are always looking at ways to enhance airport experience for our customers by introducing the latest and best in technology and constantly making improvements to our existing services and facilities. During the two months since the soft launch of WOW-Fi, the service has been enjoyed by an average of over 100,000 unique users per day. We are certain the WOW-Fi experience will impress the 89 million passengers we expect to welcome at DXB in 2017,” he added. The unlimited free Wi-Fi at DXB connects with just one click and offers speed that sets a new benchmark for airports globally. To ensure the speed and …

The Rezidor Hotel Group has marked a new milestone in its history by appointing its first Saudi female General Manager in the company and the hospitality industry. Maram Kokandi will be the General Manager of a new Park Inn by Radisson hotel in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, scheduled to open later this year. The appointment complements the Saudi Vision 2030 launched last year, which emphasizes the significance of Saudi women and their role in leading the development of both social and professional growth of the Kingdom. Wolfgang M. Neumann, President & CEO, The Rezidor Hotel Group, said, “We are very proud to be part of this historic appointment. We are committed to empowering our women in leadership at Rezidor, and this announcement is a momentous achievement, not only for our group but for the hospitality industry worldwide. We are confident that this milestone, the appointment of the first Saudi female General Manager, will inspire other women across the region to pursue their career aspirations in hospitality.” Kokandi studied hospitality management in the United Kingdom before moving back to the Middle East region, taking up various hospitality roles in Saudi Arabia. She takes on the responsibility of launching the new Park Inn by Radisson Jeddah Madinah Road as its General Manager.

International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Arabia is set to take place on the first two days of the four-day ATM (April 24-25) located in Hall 1 of the Dubai World Trade Centre. ILTM Arabia will target high net-worth travellers from throughout the GCC and wider Middle East region, with buyers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar expected to have a particularly strong presence. Expenditure on outbound travel from the Middle East is expected to reach $165.3 billion by 2025, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. Highlighting the buoyant outbound travel market, another report, issued by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (2015 Tourism Highlights), which includes research teams from Frost & Sullivan and Insights Middle East, revealed a 9 per cent growth in the number of outbound travellers from the region in 2015, while the total estimated value of outbound travellers from the GCC in 2014 was $64 billion. Alison Gilmore, Portfolio Director for ILTM, said: “The Arabian outbound market is established and affluent, with a growing generation of individuals looking to spend their leisure time in the world’s finest places. This year we are inviting some of our closest partners to experience the new ILTM Arabia and explore the increasing business opportunities from the region’s highest net worth travellers.” Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, Arabian Travel Market, commented: “Although low oil prices and sluggish economic growth at home might be stifling business confidence, the strength of the US dollar of which many of the GCC currencies are pegged to, means travelling overseas is invariably better value than it was in the past. The UAE for example witnessed a 19% increase in outbound trips to Europe in …

Etihad Airways is introducing its A380 on the Abu Dhabi-Paris route this summer as part of seasonal adjustments to the airline’s fleet deployment plan. Etihad Airways’ approximate one-way fare, including taxes and surcharges, in The Residence from Paris to Abu Dhabi is US$ 10,750; and Paris to Sydney or Melbourne is US$ 16,800. Featuring the carrier’s revolutionary The Residence – the world’s first three-room suite on a commercial airliner – the aircraft will operate on one of its twice-daily services to the French capital between July 1 and October 28. Paris becomes the airline’s latest A380 long haul destination following London, Sydney, New York and Melbourne. With the aircraft upgrade from a 328-seat Boeing 777, Etihad Airways is able to offer an all-A380 daily service from Paris to both Melbourne and Sydney via the airline’s Abu Dhabi hub. It will also support the strong connecting traffic to and from many cities across Asia and Australia including Brisbane, Perth, Bangkok, Chengdu, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Manila, Shanghai, Seychelles, Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai, together with destinations across the GCC such as Bahrain, Doha, Jeddah and Muscat. Flight EY31 has a scheduled departure time from Abu Dhabi International Airport of 0215 hrs, arriving at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at 0750 hrs, with the return flight EY32 leaving the French capital at 1040 hrs, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 1930 hrs. (all times listed are local). Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: “Flying our flagship product to France with additional seat capacity helps fulfil growing demand and meet our guests’ expectations for an even greater travel experience with unmatched luxury, comfort and service. “Paris is one of our …

Emaar Properties has unveiled a collection of branded residences in Dubai Marina that overlook the Arabian Gulf. Located in levels 14 to 56 to maximise views, Vida Residences Dubai Marina has only 360 one to four-bedroom apartments that take inspiration from Dubai Marina’s nautical legacy. As part of the Vida Dubai Marina Hotel, residences and Yacht Club, they will have within reach an assortment of lifestyle amenities and marine pursuits. The residences share a range of amenities with the Vida Hotel, an upscale, contemporary hotel brand that brings a trendy and chic boutique-style approach and delivers stimulating environments for the new generation of business executives, entrepreneurs and leisure travellers. Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Managing Director of Emaar Properties, said: “Vida Residences Dubai Marina offers a distinctive lifestyle choice for residents who prefer waterfront living in a central location. With its focus on the nautical heritage of Dubai Marina, the homes are ideally suited as first homes for long-stays or as a holiday home, thus appealing to both UAE-based and international investors. Dubai Marina is one of the vibrant lifestyle destinations in the city and our new residences bring exceptional value for customers.”

China Eastern and ITB China have signed a corresponding partnership agreement. ITB China will take place from May 10 to 12, 2017 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Conference Center. The event, an international offshoot of one of Messe Berlin’s most successful trade fairs will take place annually and focus on the Chinese travel industry. David Axiotis, General Manager ITB China: “China Eastern has once again underlined its constantly growing role in China’s aviation by serving round about 100 million passengers last year. With China Eastern Airlines ITB China has gained a very strong and valuable partner airline for its inaugural show and we are looking forward to a mutually beneficial partnership”. The three day B2B tradeshow and convention is designed to be the primary event for the Chinese travel industry and the event’s airline partner, China Eastern, is offering special fares for those flying to the exhibition.

In order to strengthen its footprints in the Gulf region, IndiGo Airlines has added Sharjah to its international route, effective March 20, 2017. The airline will operate its new daily non-stop flights between Sharjah-Kozhikode-Sharjah and a second daily flight to operate non-stop between Sharjah-Thiruvananthapuram-Sharjah effective April 8, 2017. The introductory fares start as low as 243 AED for one way from Kozhikode to Sharjah. The new flights will cater to both leisure and business travellers. Sanjay Kumar, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo, said, “We are extremely pleased to expand our international network with Sharjah. Middle East has been an important market for IndiGo with rising business and tourism stemming from the gulf market. We are determined to provide the best travel experience to all those who wish to fly these destinations. We are looking at providing affordable fares on these new routes to our 6E travellers. We are now available on all Travelport platforms and interfaces reaching a vast number of travel agents around the globe.”

Dubai-based flydubai’s inaugural flight to Sylhet landed on March 15 and was greeted by a traditional water cannon salute. The flight marks the start of a four times weekly direct service between Dubai and flydubai’s third destination in Bangladesh, which will increase to six flights a week from May 16, 2017. Upon arrival, a flydubai delegation led by Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President Commercial for GCC, Subcontinent and Africa, was met by H.E. Rashed Khan Menon, Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism, along with local officials from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, the Civil Aviation Authority and local members of Parliament. A traditional ceremony took place as the delegation disembarked the aircraft.The operation to Sylhet Osmani International Airport is in partnership with Bangladesh carrier Regent Airways. Sreedharan said: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Bangladeshi authorities for their support. We began operations to Dhaka and Chittagong in 2011 and have seen a strong demand for flights since. We are confident that our passengers from Sylhet will benefit from our direct and convenient flights to Dubai and beyond, via Dubai’s efficient aviation hub connecting over 200 destinations worldwide.” “We thank Regent Airways for their cooperation, and we look forward to the start of this partnership,” he added. Since it began flights to Bangladesh, flydubai has carried more than 1.5 million passengers between the two countries. The new service will see flydubai provide up to 27 flights a week to Bangladesh.

According to Haitham Mattar, CEO, RAKTDA, there was an increase of 231 per cent in visitor arrivals from Poland in comparison to 2015. The guest nights had also increased by 290 per cent from the previous year with an increased revenue of 273 per cent and an increase in the average length of stay by 17.64 per cent. In an effort to further strengthen the Polish relationship and increase the number of visitors to the emirate, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), which develops the emirate’s tourism infrastructure and plans, initiates and drives its domestic and overseas promotions, welcomed H.E Robert Rostek, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Ras Al Khaimah. H.E Robert Rostek was greeted by RAKTDA CEO Haitham Mattar to discuss future projects and tourism initiatives that will help boost tourism to the emirate and support the tourism authority’s vision in attracting one million visitors by 2019. “Through its efforts to increase visitor numbers from both established source markets and emerging ones, RAKTDA is constantly looking at ways to create strategic initiatives, promotional activities and partnerships,” said Haitham Mattar, CEO of RAKTDA. Last year RAKTDA partnered with the pan-European tour operator TUI to bring two new charter flights – operated by Enter Air – from Poland to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. The new service followed a new co-marketing agreement between RAKTDA and TUI, which was signed in August 2016. RAKTDA’s Vision 2019 includes a roadmap for innovative hospitality concepts which take advantage of the emirate’s unique natural assets, including pristine coastline, stunning mountain ranges, hot springs and expansive desert.  

Katara Hospitality, the hotel owner, developer and operator based in Qatar, has announced its partnership with Spanish football league LaLiga, the sport’s most popular domestic league competition, to launch the world’s first LaLiga Lounge at Hotel Park, a public family-friendly park situated in the heart of Doha’s bustling business district. The new sports lounge, expected to open mid-2017, will offer football fans the opportunity to experience one of the most popular global football brands, LaLiga, in a unique and engaging environment at Katara Hospitality’s newly opened Hotel Park. The lounge will feature various facilities and amenities including big-screen televisions that will broadcast live coverage of matches, an official league shop, and the first themed restaurant for sports fans in Doha. His Excellency Sheikh Nawaf Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al-Thani, Chairman of Katara Hospitality said: “We are proud to partner with LaLiga to bring the world’s first LaLiga Lounge to the heart of Doha’s business district in Hotel Park. Katara Hospitality has been at the forefront of Qatar’s hospitality industry and has developed a reputation for innovation, having created a series of firsts to leave an outstanding legacy for future generations. We are pleased to today announce yet another first by connecting residents and tourists of Qatar with the world’s most popular football brand through the world’s first LaLiga Lounge in Doha.”