Turkish Airlines, flying to more countries than any other airline, was reported as the busiest operator in Europe last week after successfully restarting domestic and international passenger operations. On June 17, 2020, the Airlines had 400 flights in Eurocontrol area for the first time an airline has that number since 24 March 2020. M. Ilker Ayci, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Turkish Airlines said, “It is our firm belief that once the world overcomes the crisis, air travel will bounce back stronger than ever and Turkish Airlines will be more than eager to welcome you aboard with our trademark hospitality as we connect continents, people and cultures. We fully adapted our customer touchpoints according to new normal standards.” With the resumption of services, Turkish Airlines also announced new ‘Guidelines for Safe Travel’ and two new inflight services to protect the health of its guests. Prepared with scientific data in mind, the flag carrier is distributing ‘Hygiene Kits’ containing a face mask, disinfectant and antiseptic tissue to its guests, while ‘Hygiene Expert’ cabin crews were appointed to flights to enforce all on-board hygiene and social distancing measures for the healthy travel of passengers. Turkish Airlines’ aircrafts are disinfected prior to every flight via thorough cleaning methods. Hygiene in the cabin is ensured as all contact points in the aircraft are comprehensively cleaned using chemicals safe for human health, and with methods that are proven scientifically to be effective. Special equipment and chemicals are used for different surfaces such as seats, windows, screens and lavatories.

Etihad Airways will recommence flights from Abu Dhabi to Athens, Greece from June 24. The twice-weekly schedule will be operated on Wednesdays and Saturdays using a two-class Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The flights will connect guests travelling to and from Athens with key destinations in Asia and Australia via Abu Dhabi. The addition of Athens increases the total number of international flights being flown by Etihad throughout June to 25 destinations, with plans to significantly increase the number of scheduled flights around the world, as international travel restrictions are lifted. 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 part of the customer journey. This includes catering, aircraft and cabin deep-cleaning, check-in, health screening, boarding, inflight, crew interaction, meal service, arrival and ground transportation, among others. Specially trained Wellness Ambassadors, a first in the industry, have been introduced to provide essential travel health information and care so our guests can fly with greater peace of mind. This dedicated multi-lingual team will offer reassurance to guests by sharing advice on travel wellbeing and details of the health and sanitisation measures being implemented throughout their journey.

Saudi Arabia announced the ratification of a new Tourism Development Fund to help realise the long-term potential of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector. The fund will contribute to the development of tourism projects attracting local and international investments and tourists, in addition to supporting the private sector in developing new and existing tourism destinations to drive economic growth, diversification and job creation across the Kingdom. “Our region hosts close to 85 million international, regional and domestic tourists each year. Not only does tourism create jobs and support economies, it enhances quality of life and deepens cultural understanding and exchange. Supporting the industry is critically important to the Arab Tourism Ministers Council,” said His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism. He added, “The Middle East is leading the way on tourism readiness and we are committed to working together to ensure the health of all and develop innovative ways to reopen borders. We are putting measures in place so that we can safely welcome tourists back to share the diverse and unique treasures of the Arab region.” In 2019, across the Middle East and North Africa region the travel and tourism sector employed more than 4.6 million people and generated just under $120 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). During the meeting, Ministers discuss substantive actions taken across the Arab world to support the tourism sector and prepare for recovery. Saudi Arabia became one of the first countries to support the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safety Stamp, which aims to rebuild tourism confidence by standardising hygiene and safety protocols world-wide. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates has shared its preparatory plans for safe reopening, and Egypt has outlined investments in …

The final in a tri-series webinar to promote the rich, beautiful and historical Spain will be held on Wednesday June 24, 2020 at 11am. As Spain gears up to open its destination to foreign visitors, behind the scene, the authorities are on a drive to ensure safety and hygiene for its travellers. In this session Daniel Rosado Bayon – Director of the Spanish Tourism Office in Abu Dhabi will walk the viewers through a very interesting lush greenery areas in the Spain. First and foremost he will update of the current situation in Spain, regarding tourists, measures taken, what they need to know to travel to the destination etc. Thereafter he will take the viewers through an interesting journey of the greener areas in northern Spain and the many islands; Balearic islands in the Mediterranean and Canary Islands, of volcanic origin in the Atlantic.They offer paradise beaches with green sceneries, great nature, amazing gastronomy and history. Another few key factors are that they have mild temperatures and plenty of space to move around easily and without getting disturbed.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has welcomed Spain’s readiness to lead the way in restarting tourism. The head of the United Nations specialised agency attended a meeting with Spanish President Pedro Sánchez in Madrid to learn about his government’s work to ease restrictions on travel introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UNWTO was invited to speak during the presentation of the restart plan as Spain looks to harness the power of the tourism sector to drive wider economic recovery. As well as being one of the world’s leading tourism destinations, Spain is also the host country of UNWTO and one of its firmest allies in the mission to make the sector a cornerstone of national and international sustainable development. COVID-19 hit Spain hard, bringing tourism to a near-standstill. Now, under President Sánchez’s leadership, the government is working to restart tourism, providing a lifeline for the millions of people across Spain who depend on the sector for their livelihoods. The government has announced will soon open its borders to tourists from within the European Union. At the same time, the Spanish government has announced a support package worth 4.2 billion Euros for tourism, a sector that supports millions of jobs across the country.

Emirates announced scheduled flights for travellers in 10 more cities: Colombo (from June 20), Sialkot (June 24), Istanbul (from June 25); Auckland, Beirut, Brussels, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (all from July 1); and Barcelona and Washington DC (all from July 15). Emirates’ flights from Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Pakistan, will only carry outbound passengers to the UAE and onward destinations.This will take the total number of Emirates destinations on offer for travellers to 40, providing more options for customers who wish to return home or those travelling for essential purposes. Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates said, “Thanks to the UAE authorities’ support and partnership, Emirates has been able to provide smooth and safe journeys for those who need to travel, and we look forward adding flights to more destinations in the coming weeks. The UAE government’s recent announcement to ease travel for UAE citizens and residents show the thorough approach that our country is taking with regards to resuming economic activities, and as we gradually return to regular services, Emirates’ number one priority will always be the health and safety of our customers, our crew and our communities.” In addition, Emirates will add flights to the following cities in July: London Heathrow, Manchester, Frankfurt, Paris, Zurich, Madrid, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, New York JFK, Toronto, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong.Customers can book to fly between destinations in the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Europe or the Americas, with a convenient connection in Dubai, as long as they meet travel and immigration entry requirements of their destination country. Flight bookings can be made online at emirates.com or via travel agents.

Accor has launched the ‘ALL Safe Program’, which will see a number of brand new operational and service standards, developed with hygiene specialist Bureau Veritas, roll out to our properties in the region. The ‘ALL Safe Officer’ programme, sees that every hotel appoint a health and safety officer who will not only ensure cleaning and hygiene protocols are implemented to the highest standards, but will be available to handle guests questions and concerns.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA partnered with Ecolab to deliver the highest level of hygiene and cleanliness to its guests across all its properties in the region. With strict measures and world-class health & safety standards already in place, they are going beyond conventional cleanliness and precautionary measures by providing comprehensive training programmes and having every staff member certified as a COVID-19 Champion. Through this collaboration, they are maintaining high levels of cleanliness and hygiene.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority launched the RAK ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification in conjunction with the Public Services Department. This involved an official assessment on full sterilisation programmes, outlines of appropriate guest interactions and employee engagement, as well as a detailed guide of operational and hygienic practices. To further strengthen the endeavour, the Authority partnered with Bureau Veritas Certification, to support hospitality partners adopt adequate health, safety and hygiene measures to mitigate risks, promoting transparency and credibility.

SCTDA issued the post-COVID-19 guidelines manual to the hospitality sector of the emirate, detailing the safety protocols to be followed by the hotel establishments in Sharjah, assuring guests’ health and safety. Our trusted partners in the hospitality industry work closely with the Authority to make sure precautionary measures are implemented in addition to the efforts of SCTDA inspectors in conducting regular inspections ensuring adherence to the guidelines and COVID-19 precautions within the hotel establishments.