Two Seasons Hotel and Apartments Dubai has achieved scores of 78% in 2017 and 85% in 2019 after an audit carried out by UAE-based FARNEK, Green Globe’s preferred partner in the Middle East. The property received the Gold Status Certification for this year after achieving an outstanding score of 95%. The hotel has achieved major improvements in many of the Green Globe key indicators including carbon footprint per occupied room, and food and waste reduction through the modification of their recycling programmes. Freddy Farid, Managing Director of Two Seasons Hotel Management said, “It’s our intention to improve on this performance and achieve greater sustainability and environmental responsibility in the years ahead. Achieving this Gold Green Globe certification has a positive effect on every aspect of the hotel operation, and will encourage us to implement more green initiatives like our Organic Garden on the penthouse of the hotel, the Soap for Hope programme that has proven extremely successful, with more than 1.5 tonnes of used soap having been recycled into 200,000 new bars each year benefiting 30,000 people of the counties in need, along with many other  community activities such as breast cancer, blood donations, and Emirates Environmental Group recycling efforts.” He added, “Two Seasons Hotel’s guests were always encouraged to be involved in the sustainability programmes by using the recycle bins placed across the property, and making them aware of special initiatives and measures.It is our mission to extend our continuous efforts to raise awareness and encouraging our employees, to be more conscious about the environmental sustainability. This certification also highlights the devotion of our team members from every department for they provide high quality service while being active participants …

TravTalk Middle East’s second virtual conclave will take place on Monday July 20, 2020 from 11am until 1.15pm. To participate please contact Crisna de Guzman at crisna.deguzman@ddppl.com or call +971505074618, +971554704200. The main theme of the Digital conclave is Building and enabling trust in the travel and tourism sector. It will be conducted as two sessions; each will be for one hour. The first session will begin by 11am and end by 12 noon with three key speakers in the Middle East region; HE Khalid Jassim Al Midfa, Chairman Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), Raki Philips – Chief Executive Officer Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and Suman Billa – Director Technical Corporation and Silk Road Development UNWTO. As the UAE has open to international visitors, this is the perfect opportunity to find out the many efforts undertaken by the relevant tourism boards and the UNWTO. The second session will commence after a 15 minute break at 12.15pm and end by 1.15pm; this session will take into account outbound travel with three key national tourism boards with the most number of visitors from the UAE and GCC region. Speakers will be Daniel Rosado Bayon – Director of the Spanish Tourism Office in Abu Dhabi; Pichaya Saisaengchan, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Dubai &The Middle East Office and Yamina Sofo – Director, Sales & Marketing – German National Tourist Office, Gulf countries.

Etihad Airways has expanded its hand baggage only ‘Deal Fare’ which allows travellers to purchase lower fares in Economy Class if no checked baggage is required, to include destinations across Europe and Asia.  The ‘Deal Fare’ includes a complimentary carry-on baggage allowance of 7kg and was initially only available on flights between Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Azerbaijan. Throughout July and August 2020, Etihad is introducing the ‘Deal Fare’ on new routes including: Belarus, Greece, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Serbia, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Turkey. Robin Kamark, Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Airways said, “Following its success within the GCC region, we are excited to include more destinations that are six hours or less from Abu Dhabi to our ‘Deal Fare’, giving our guests more options to pack light when travelling for business, weekend getaways or day trips. However, due to current government restrictions in place while travelling during the COVID-19 pandemic, guests are only allowed to bring 5kg of personal hand luggage on board while the complimentary 7kg carry-on baggage allowance attached to the ‘Deal Fare’ will be checked in for free until restrictions are lifted.”  Etihad Guest members who purchase the ‘Deal Fare’ can continue to enjoy an additional free checked baggage allowance (Etihad Guest Silver – 10kg, Etihad Guest Gold – 15kg and Etihad Guest Platinum – 20kg).

According to the latest Sojern report; there will undoubtedly be a continued increase in demand for inbound travel over the coming weeks as more restrictions have been lifted in UAE, Saudi Arabia, & Egypt. The reopening of recreational activities, summer camps, spas and massage centres, indoor theme parks, and sports facilities; and with a wealth of activities available to locals, residents, and tourists, and the country now being branded as ‘open’ will facilitate more tourists in the coming months. Saudi Arabia has recently announced Hajj health measures for pilgrims (domestic only), and travel to Abu Dhabi is still restricted, with proof of a negative COVID-19 test required to enter the Emirate. That said, global flight bookings to key MEA markets remain down year-over-year. However, we are beginning to see steady growth for Saudi bookings, and improvement in travel confidence to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt. Commercial flights are set to resume from Kuwait International Airport from 1st August. Over the coming weeks and months, this will likely have a considerable impact on intent and confidence to travel to the country, as well as on outbound travel. It is important to note that although searches are increasing for trips in August, they are still down 39% on searches made at the same time last year. Locals are taking advantage of hotel facilities, and turning their 2020 trips into staycations. Domestic searches have risen by 32 points when indexed to 12th April – a low point in search and booking levels to the region. Domestic bookings have also grown considerably since this period. Unsurprisingly, international searches for UAE hotels continue to decline, but bookings have risen above the levels experienced …

Cvent announced that it has trained and certified more than 20,000 marketers, event planners, and hospitality professionals (2,100+ in the APAC MEA) through its free training and certification program, helping them sharpen their skills, expand their industry expertise, enhance their resumes, and prepare for the future. The company is temporarily offering all of its Cvent Certifications and training programmes to anyone in the industry free of charge. Certifications typically have been offered only to Cvent customers, and it can cost up to Dh 6,600 for an individual to get certified and trained across the entire Cvent platform. Also included in the program are hundreds of free live, virtual training sessions and certification study groups, hosted by Cvent experts. “In early March, when the global pandemic really began to impact those in the meetings, events, and hospitality industries, we were looking for opportunities to not just give back, but provide support in a way that could facilitate an even stronger industry post-pandemic,” said Patrick Smith, CMO, Cvent. “In times like these, it’s critical that we all find ways to lift each other up, support our communities, and work towards a brighter future, and we’re committed to doing exactly that. Our goal is to train and certify tens of thousands of industry professionals, giving them the tools and skills they need to more quickly bounce back once things start to go back to normal – boosting not only their confidence and careers, but also the industry at-large.”

Gulf Reps and Aman will work together to bring these unrivaled properties to GCC clients, with a focus on developing regional business to the 32 unique, diverse and awe-inspiring hotels and resorts across 20 countries. Aman was founded in 1988 with the vision of building a collection of intimate retreats – each with the unassuming, warm hospitality of a gracious private home. The first, Amanpuri (meaning place of peace) in Phuket, Thailand, established the concept, and since then Aman has grown to encompass 32 unique hotels and resorts in 20 inspiring destinations across the world, with a further eight coming soon, taking the brand to 40 resorts in 22 countries. “The Aman hotels and resorts are perfectly suited to the GCC traveller looking for privacy, luxury and unrivalled service. In the current climate, where travellers are searching for a a safe and comfortable stay, Aman properties are able to offer a generosity of space and low room count, providing seclusion and wellbeing to all guests. We’re extremely excited to drive business and introduce both the existing and the upcoming properties to our regional market” said Sammy Musa, Managing Partner for Gulf Reps.

Etihad Airways is all set to collaborate with Mediclinic Middle East to offer its UAE-based travellers a convenient COVID-19 PCR testing service at their home, or at a Mediclinic facility, prior to their travel. This development is part of the airline’s Etihad Wellness sanitisation and safety programme, recently introduced to ensure the highest standards of hygiene are maintained at every stage of the customer journey. Some destinations may require a negative COVID-19 PCR test result before departure. Guests travelling to all Etihad Airways destinations can also make use of the Mediclinic service, as well as those crossing the Abu Dhabi border from other emirates to reach Abu Dhabi International Airport. Dr. Nadia Bastaki, Vice President Medical Services, Etihad Airways, said, “We have a paramount responsibility to ensure those who are travelling from Abu Dhabi can do so assured in the knowledge that every effort is being made to care for them at every stage of their journey. Enabling home PCR testing will remove much unnecessary stress from the travel experience during this challenging period. These measures are also a reflection of those being taken across Abu Dhabi, which has been a world-leader in its response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, including vaccine research, mass testing, and community sanitisation programmes.” David Hadley, Chief Executive Officer of Mediclinic Middle East, said: “Mediclinic is proud to partner with Etihad Airways on this new initiative which will enable their passengers to undergo COVID-19 PCR testing in the convenience of their homes prior to travel, or at one of our facilities in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain or Dubai, should they prefer. All testing is carried out by a trained professional, and our dedicated COVID-19 testing …

Etihad Airways will resume a limited number of special flights to six Indian gateways, following the partial lifting of international flight restrictions by UAE and Indian authorities on travel for eligible individuals to and from Abu Dhabi to India. The airline will operate services from Abu Dhabi to Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Mumbai. All eligible passengers travelling from India to Abu Dhabi must possess the relevant UAE entry approvals set by the government of Abu Dhabi. Passengers travelling to India must adhere to guidelines set by the government of India, and are also requested to arrive at Abu Dhabi Airport a minimum of four hours prior to departure to undertake mandatory rapid testing in Terminal 1A before check-in. Etihad continues to follow UAE and international government, regulatory and health authority directives, and is playing its part in helping to limit the spread of COVID-19. The airline has implemented an extensive sanitisation and customer safety programme and is practicing the highest standards of hygiene at every stage of the customer journey. This includes specially trained Wellness Ambassadors, a first in the industry, who have been introduced by the airline to provide essential travel health information and care on the ground and on every flight, so guests can fly with greater ease and peace of mind.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront is thrilled to reopen its doors to the public. Located in Dubai’s exciting trend-setting neighbourhood Business Bay, the hotel offers spectacular views of the iconic Burj Khalifa and Dubai Canal. Renowned for its luxury without the stuffiness, its five-star service without the pretention and its friendliness with the right amount of respect. This hotel is famous for its character and lovable eccentricities, starting with the Scottish flag flying high and proudly at its door. Radisson Hotel Group had recently announced its Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol and the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront is proud to announce the successful completion of the SGS Disinfection Monitored and Cleaning Checked mark by SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. The official SGS Disinfection Monitored and Cleaning Checked mark confirms the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront has met the highest cleanliness, disinfection and safety measures and is based on the successful completion of an independent, comprehensive testing by SGS including: a remote in-depth validation to ensure the hotel has implemented all 20-Step and +10-Step protocols for Meetings & Events as outlined and recommended in the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol, followed by an on-site audit and specialised inspection which is completed using the latest testing technology. David Allan, Cluster General Manager of Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Canal View and Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah said, “We remain committed to delivering a clean and safe environment with maximum hygiene standards to protect our guests, team members and partners. We are pleased SGS has validated our full compliance with all the health, safety, disinfection protocols as outlined in the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol which …

Emirates airline has announced it will resume flights to Geneva (from July 15), Los Angeles (from July 22), Dar es Salaam (from August 1), Prague and Sao Paulo (from August 2), and Boston (from August 15), offering customers even more travel options. This will take the airline’s network to 58 cities by mid-August, including 20 points in Europe and 24 points in the Asia Pacific. Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates said, “We’ve seen an uptick in customer interest and demand since the announcement of Dubai’s re-opening, and also with the increased travel options that we offer as we gradually re-establish our network connectivity. We continue to work closely with all stakeholders to resume flight operations while ensuring that all necessary measures to safeguard the health and safety of our customers and employees are in place.” Emirates customers travelling between the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, can enjoy safe and convenient connections via Emirates’ hub in Dubai. Customers can also stop over or travel to Dubai, as the city has re-opened for international business and leisure visitors.