Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) is working closely with hospitality partners and government authorities to safely welcome guests back to the Emirate as restrictions are gradually eased, and hotel pools and beaches become accessible to visitors. To ensure the wellbeing and safety of visitors and employees, the Authority is in ongoing dialogue with hotel partners to ensure they are strictly adhering to government and public health guidelines and complying with all social distancing advisories from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the UAE Federal Authorities. RAKTDA is also working closely with the Public Service Department (PSD) to oversee a dedicated certification process – the RAK ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification – whereby hotels are required to fulfil a detailed set of measures to attain the certification. Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority comments, “We are working closely with our hospitality partners and Government Authorities to ensure the highest standards of hygiene are maintained and that all social distancing advisories are strictly adhered to across the Emirate. Detailed guidance has been shared with our industry partners indicating best practice measures to be implemented across all operations and divisions.” He added, “To help reassure our guests, colleagues and residents, we have also introduced the RAK ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification that, once awarded, hotels can use to demonstrate their adoption of all the measures in place to protect everyone’s wellbeing. We know that many people are looking forward to what we’ve termed a ‘shortcation’ or longer holiday and our aim is give them the confidence that they can comfortably enjoy their time in Ras Al Khaimah.”

Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports confirmed that while the airport operator is taking appropriate measures to control costs, optimise liquidity, facilitate cargo and repatriation flights and prepare for a timely and proportionate activation of facilities and services at Dubai International (DXB) to support the resumption of scheduled traffic, the timing and the speed of air traffic recovery will ultimately depend on the development of a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19. “The COVID-19 pandemic is of a very different nature than any previous crisis in that it has affected supply, demand and health security and by extension the entire global economy,” said Griffiths. “We’re dealing with a monster here for which we clearly have to find a solution. Until there is a proven level of confidence medically that people can travel without fear of spreading or contracting the virus, the situation we find ourselves in is likely to continue.” “Until a medical solution is found, the industry will rely on bilateral agreements that enable the resumption of services. We will gradually start to see some confidence build between trusted countries where the governments have acted significantly enough and early enough to get the spread of the virus under control,” said Griffiths. “In the short term, until we get a medical and technical solution, we will have robust measures in place. And while we will all have to practice social distancing in the near term, the idea of social distancing as a permanent part of society would be so socially and economically destructive it would simply not be sustainable. We’re looking at an 18 month to two-year time frame but that is highly dependent upon the development of an effective treatment or …

The Hotel Show’s ‘Hospitality Leadership Forum’ will be going online on Wednesday May 20, 2020 at 14:00 GST (GMT+4) to help share relevant, actionable insights from the region’s leading GMs, advisors and analysts as we progress through and emerge from this challenging period. The panel includes David Allan – Cluster General Manager, Radisson Hotel Group UAE, Mark Lee – General Manager, Media One Hotel, Rupprecht Queitsch, CEO, Senior Partner, INHOCO Group; and Philip Wooller, Area Director, Middle East & Africa, STR. The hospitality and tourism industry is operating at the forefront of the current environment, and certainty and reassurance about what the immediate future looks like is difficult to find. Innovation, knowledge-sharing and camaraderie have never been more important. These four respected and influential members of the community will be discussing their experiences, best practices and visions for how they – and the wider industry – can successfully adjust to meet and emerge from this period even stronger.They’ll also be taking questions, and look forward to welcoming you to the conversation. Hospitality Leadership Forum is going online every month to keep the industry connected in the lead up to the main event this year.

Etihad Airways has amplified its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to support those affected by the novel coronavirus. In an effort to provide additional safety for medical staff interacting with patients, the Etihad Airways Medical Centre (EAMC) collaborated with Etihad Engineering to develop personal protective equipment (PPE) that would add an additional layer of protection for healthcare professionals working in medical centres across the UAE. Dr. Nadia Al Bastaki, Vice President Medical Services at Etihad Aviation Group said, “As part of our CSR efforts, as an organisation we challenged ourselves to determine what we could do to help combat the effects of this global pandemic. With high demand for PPE in the UAE, our innovative design team at Etihad Engineering successfully developed 1,000 face shields for us to distribute locally. With the logistical support of Emirates Red Crescent, we’ll start distributing the face shields to medical professionals at EAMC and SEHA this week.” “An overwhelming number of our employees have selflessly put their hand up to volunteer, from working at call centres, to distributing masks and gloves and physically cleaning the streets of our capital city as part of the government’s sanitisation programme. This year, Eid will not be the same for most. Therefore, in collaboration with Grace Conservation, we will be distributing 1,000 gift boxes to families in need containing clothes for adults and children,” added Dr Nadia.

Spain tourism will be presenting a series of webinars to be conducted on May 20, June 10 and June 17, 2020. This will be an ideal opportunity to learn about the destination, its most known and unknown areas, what to do when in Spain, discover new itineraries, its weather, its culture; the series includes a whole new awareness of one of the most sought after European destinations in the world. The main goal of these sessions will be to create an inspiring, emphatic and informative content in an interactive environment to communicate with tomorrow’s travellers. Daniel Rosado Bayon – Tourism Counsellor shared, “We will have three separate sessions; in each of them we will go through the basics about the country before discovering with detail different destinations, from most known areas to a whole new part of Spain. In the first one, on May 20, we will go through our two main destinations: Madrid and Barcelona. In the second one, we will immerse in Andalucia and the Islands. The final one on June 17 we will share about some of the lesser known areas of the destination. We invite you to attend these sessions so that you will be well aware of the destination and discover new facts and places in the Country.”

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has released a Tourism Recovery Technical Assistance Package to offer guidance to Member States in response to COVID-19. The package is structured around three main pillars: economic recovery, marketing and promotion and institutional strengthening and resilience building. With tourism among the hardest-hit of all sectors, UNWTO has identified three possible scenarios for the months ahead. Depending on when restrictions on travel are lifted, international tourist arrivals could decline by 60-80 per cent in 2020. This could translate into a decline in export revenues from tourism of between US$910 billion to US$1.2 trillion and place 100-120 million jobs directly at risk. The social ripple effect is also feared to be at least equally challenging for many societies the world over. Against this backdrop, this package is designed to support governments, the private sector and donor agencies face this unprecedented socio-economic emergency.

Ascott has offered ‘Advanced Purchase’ promo of up to 25 per cent across its properties in the Middle East and Turkey region. The hotel apartments cater to both long- and short-term guests on business and leisure. The promo which can be availed on bookings made minimum 21 days in advance, offers discount on exclusive and comprehensive living throughout the year in Al Khobar, Dubai, Jeddah, Istanbul, Manama, Muscat and Riyadh. Ascott, a renowned name in the hospitality world, prides itself as a home-away-from-home brand.

Sojern launched a new interactive dashboard providing real-time COVID-19 travel insights. These insights will empower Sojern’s customers, partners and industry leaders to forecast travel demand and make informed decisions about market recovery. Sojern will be providing free and unlimited access to the public via the their website, a service the firm has only ever provided to customers and partners.The dashboard, updated daily at 10:30 pm UTC, will provide market-level details on future searching and booking trends indexed to pre-COVID levels to provide visibility into timing for a recovery in specific destinations. Amber Kuo, Director of Travel Insights, Sojern, said, “In COVID times, travel marketers are feeling stressed and uncertain about the future. Providing daily updates gives marketers more control because they can see how the situation is evolving, and when is the right time to act.” George Kalliamvakos, Digital Media Manager, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said, “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sojern has played an instrumental role in providing insights and data to our organisation that helped us monitor demand and build predictable forecast models and action plans.” “These are extremely challenging times for hotels, the support that Sojern is giving with its big data analysis is priceless. Knowing what the consumer is looking into, helps us shape the investment on sales and marketing activities,” said Rachele Belladelli, Sales & Marketing Consultant for Hotel Rosa Alpina, Tyrol, Albereta, Castel Hortenberg and Paragon 700, Unique Retreats. “Sojern’s analyses of the public’s flight intentions are very interesting because they support us with our revenue forecast during and post-COVID, and therefore for media planning. Never has this been more important, because it has to do with the …

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has introduced an exclusive ‘Booking with Confidence’ group meeting offer. Valid until January 31, 2021, Mandarin Oriental will waive any cancellation fees should government and travel guidelines give rise to event cancellation, provided that advance notice is received at least 30 days ahead of the event. Meeting planners can also enjoy a range of group concessions and will have the unique opportunity to create meeting environments conducive to success with Mindful Meetings by Mandarin Oriental, a global initiative designed to enhance and energise meetings and conferences with creative wellness-centric solutions. Examples of wellness enhancements include healthy and invigorating menu choices, yoga sessions, guided meditations, digital wellness and jet lag tips, massage and movement breaks, custom spa events, expert health talks and group exercise activities to help participants feel refreshed, motivated and ready to absorb information, implement new ideas, and establish connections, which are more important than ever in challenging times. The ‘Booking with Confidence’ offer is applicable to group bookings with a minimum of 10 rooms over a duration of two nights or more, and includes the following benefits: Complimentary Mindful Meeting Wellness Break which features a 30-minute guided wellness activity such as meditation or yoga for participants in the meeting space; One complimentary guest room per 20 guest room nights paid; One complimentary room upgrade to a suite per 20 guest rooms paid (subject to availability); Complimentary Wi-Fi for attendees registering online for Fans of MO, Mandarin Oriental’s guest recognition programme; Complimentary amenities for all guests upon arrival; Room rate applicable three days pre- and post-group arrival; A dedicated Conference Service Manager on-site; A two-night complimentary stay for a site inspection prior to the event.

Abu Dhabi Airports is supporting global efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring the safe, secure and efficient transport of essential supplies and equipment through Abu Dhabi International Airport, in addition to facilitating a number of repatriation and humanitarian flights. It is the primary gateway to Abu Dhabi and a key global transit hub for passengers and airfreight, offering connections to the world’s key markets. Its specialist cargo facilities offer significant capacity for transhipments and the efficient handling of time and temperature-sensitive goods. Shareef Al Hashmi, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “This is a critical time for the aviation sector and our nation as we come together to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic. We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our employees, stakeholders and passengers as we continue to operate our airports and facilities in order to provide our communities and healthcare centres with the goods and equipment they need.” “We do not take this responsibility lightly and have mobilised special teams to enhance our cargo operations and facilitate the necessary repatriation and humanitarian flights departing from Abu Dhabi International Airport. I am especially proud of our employees’ continued dedication and commitment during this challenging time,” added Al Hashmi. Waleed Salem Al Hemeiri, Acting Deputy Chief Operations Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “We have implemented a range of special measures across its cargo and passenger operations, including workforce cluster management, thermal imaging cameras at key transit areas, free COVID-19 tests for passengers and employees and roster realignment to ensure the continued safe and efficient management of vital supplies and repatriation flights.” “We are coordinating with all relevant authorities, partners and suppliers at …