The UAE cabinet adopted a new remote work visa to enable employees from all over the world to live and work in the UAE for one year and approved a multiple-entry tourist visa for all nationalities. The new resolutions are among several initiatives approved by the cabinet during a meeting chaired by Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to position the UAE as an ideal work and tourist destination. The meeting was held in the presence of H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum tweeted, “During a cabinet meeting I chaired, we approved a new Remote Work Visa that enables employees from all over the world to live and work remotely from the UAE even if their companies are based in another country. We also approved a multiple-entry tourist visa for all nationalities to strengthen the UAE’s status as a global economic capital.” His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum reaffirmed that the government continue developing flexible programmes and initiatives to place the UAE as one of the world’s best governments to provide services and offer the best quality of life for citizens and residents. He noted, “We are working with clear objectives to boost our economic status globally and provide the best quality of life to our citizens and residents. Our journey of development endures.”

Gulf Travel Show unveils its second edition on 31st March and 1st April 2021 with Tourism Malaysia as the diamond partner with some of their key partners in their very own pavilion. Doris Hor – Director of Sales and Marketing – PARKROYAL Penang Resort, “We will be showcasing about our resort unmatched services we provide to our guest and making the guest experience a one to remember. Your home away from home with magnificent views of the Straits of Malacca. It is important for us to partner with Gulf Travel Show as it provides an opportunity for us to showcase our resort to other parts of the world. The ability to reach different audiences, attract tourism awareness, excite interest to visit Penang, Malaysia will bring a huge impact to our travel industry.” Successfully concluded in 2020 with 40 plus exhibitors, 6000 one-to-one meetings, and 2,500 visitors from 59 countries which included travel agents, tour operators, tourism boards, airlines, hotels, travel management companies and international agencies encouraged the emergence of a second edition. Travel is in the DNA of the Middle Eastern travellers, the moment the lockdowns eased and hotels started welcoming guests, it was the UAE, KSA and other countries in the region that welcomed travellers and went on to boost domestic tourism or staycations which was partly unexplored territory. However, these staycations became a regular fore hence industry experts started building the confidence of the travellers since last summer which actually saw a bold approach in the Middle East as they opened with great care and precaution to the world. At the Gulf Travel Show experts will add their predictions and research findings to ensure to build the confidence …

In a few hours, the second in the tri-series webinar hosted by Tourespana or Tourism Division of Spain in Abu Dhabi Embassy of Spain will be held today at 12noon UAE time. This will be an opportunity for the travel trade to explore the 3 most vibrant, diverse and exciting cities in Spain; Barcelona, Catalonia and Madrid. Barcelona is one of the top city destinations worldwide and is a must for all lovers of culture, architecture, shopping, gastronomy and Mediterranean lifestyle. Diversity, plurality and an impressive list of qualities all help to make Catalonia a land where you feel at home. An amazing cultural legacy, a nuance-filled history and a present that is as successful as its future is hopeful all help to make this small region one of the most attractive destinations. Cutting-edge art, culture and gastronomy blend perfectly with Roman and medieval remains, as well as a unique architecture ranging from Gaudí to Norman Foster. Madrid is cheerful and vibrant at all hours, famous for being an open city with all kinds of people from anywhere in the world. In addition to its famous museums, busy streets dotted with all kinds of shops, restaurants with world cuisine or unbeatable nightlife, Madrid will surprise you with its charming, tranquil historic spots, with traditional and family-run century-old bars where friends meet up for a drink, all kinds of neighborhoods, and cultural centres that offer an alternative type of tourism. Madrid has an authenticity that is hard to match. It is welcoming and diverse. Madrid is, without a doubt, one of Europe’s most interesting cities. Anyone in search of culture will find some of the most important museums in the world, …

Emirates and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which aims to position Dubai as one of the first cities in the world to implement digital verification of traveller medical records related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination. The MoU was signed by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates’ Chairman and Chief Executive, and His Excellency Awadh Al Ketbi, Director General of Dubai Health Authority. Sheikh Ahmed said, “Dubai is a leading global air transport hub, as well as one of the world’s most progressive cities in the area of e-government services. It’s a natural step to combine our capabilities to implement digital verification of COVID-19 medical records, which will also enable contactless document verification at Dubai Airport. This will tremendously improve the traveller experience, as well as the reliability, efficiency and compliance with entry requirements imposed by destinations around the world.” He added, “Dubai will continue to lead the way in implementing effective and balanced approaches to contagion control while facilitating travel and air transport which are crucial to communities and economies.”

flydubai announced attractive fares to select destinations that are available to book from AED 755. In addition, holidays by flydubai packages to Africa, Central Asia, Europe, the Subcontinent and the Middle East can be booked from as little as AED 1,899 per person. Whether travelling to visit family and loved ones back home or getting ready to take a well-earned break and travel somewhere new, flydubai is offering passengers more affordable and convenient travel options. The special return fares in Business Class and Economy Class are available to book until 01 April 2021 for travel up to 30 September 2021. Terms and conditions apply and passengers are encouraged to book early and book online. The packages from holidays by flydubai include hotel accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis and return Economy Class tickets. flydubai passengers looking for a getaway can book these special packages by 25 March 2021 for travel by 10 April 2021. Passengers can now take in the rich history, culture and natural beauty of Tbilisi and its stunning surroundings with packages starting from AED 1,899. For those opting for a beach getaway, they can spend their holiday on an exotic island bathed by the warm azure waters of Zanzibar with packages starting from AED 2,123, or fall in love with paradise while relaxing on a sandy Maldivian beach with packages starting from AED 4,149. Emirates Skywards is a shared loyalty programme for both Emirates and flydubai customers offering members greater convenience and simplicity with one loyalty currency and a single metric for earning and redeeming Miles. Passengers can instantly receive 2,000 bonus Skywards Miles by signing up to join the loyalty programme. New Skywards members can …

Sharjah Heritage Days (SHD) opened promising the UAE public a rich and vibrant showcase of the unique customs and traditions of 29 nations around the world. Over the next three weeks, the 18th edition of SHD will run its course in the heritage area at Heart of Sharjah, introducing UAE residents and visitors of all age groups to the unique historical, cultural, literary, artistic and customary elements that define the sociocultural fabric of the UAE as well as of 29 countries participating in SHD 2021. An introductory tour of the festival was led by HE Dr. Abdulaziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage and Chairman of the Higher Committee of Sharjah Heritage Days, during which he highlighted the various activities and offerings of SHD 2021, in the presence of high-level delegations and country representatives, in addition to representatives from the media. Dr Abdelaziz Al Musallam said, “This year, Sharjah Heritage Days is being held under exceptional circumstances. The festival’s theme ‘Cultural heritage gathers us’ seeks to emphasise that heritage is a bridge between peoples and plays an especially vital role in shaping the intellects and experiences of younger generations as they forge their way into the future.” He added, “With each passing edition, we are reassured that Sharjah Heritage Days has realised its mission as we see families, visitors and residents flock to the event to learn about both local and global cultures. Their eager participation in our events and lively discussions turn the festival grounds into a platform for creating lasting memories and discovering commonalities.” “Along with celebrating the unique facets of global cultures, our key goal is to highlight Sharjah’s cultural project led by His …

The 2021 Arab Aviation Summit (AAS) started at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre in Ras Al Khaimah.  The eighth edition of the two-day summit brings together experts to discuss the impact of the pandemic on the industry, the aftermath, and the road to recovery for a stronger future, under the theme, ‘Arab Aviation in the New Normal.’ The summit will feature a number of workshops to discuss the various aspects of the region’s aviation and tourism sector. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said: “We look forward to this edition of the Arab Aviation Summit, which serves as an ideal platform to discuss the status of Arab Aviation and the role the industry will play in the broader economic recovery. Through open sessions and constructive dialogues that brings both public and private sectors together, we are confident the outcome will help unify efforts in supporting a vital and resilient industry.” Raki Phillips, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said, “We value the immense contributions made by the aviation industry to highlight destinations such as Ras Al Khaimah and look forward to working closely to ensure all guests are extended a warm welcome, reflecting the authentic Arabian ethos of our Emirate. As the first city to be certified as safe by both Bureau Veritas and the World Travel and Tourism Council, participants at the Summit can rest assured that their health and wellbeing remains our utmost priority, as they focus on the discussions to identify strategies and set a strong roadmap for navigating the new normal.”

As Tourism Malaysia has its own pavilion in the second edition of the Gulf Travel Show 2021 to be held on March 31st and 1st April 2021, more agents from the destination will be at the event speaking with the partners from the Middle East. Yap Sook Ling – Managing Director – Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel Sdn. Bhd, “Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel (AOS) is looking forward to showcasing our products to cover 3 market segments. We look forward to welcoming discerning FITs and families who are looking to experience Malaysia intimately.  Over the quiet period of Covid-19, we have spent our time to re-look at all our products and improved them. We have incorporated some of the trends that we are anticipating where customers would like to go to places that are not crowded and could offer private experiences. Throughout the journey of the customer, we would reassure them of our hygiene standards infill compliance to what is required by local laws. We have crafted 14 new tours for our tour packages, which we believe, would very much resonate with the holiday expectations of expatriates. We have added more hotels to our online systems AOSCONNECT and we are also very excited to show our package module where there is the flexibility to make changes to the itinerary and one can book and confirm instantly.” She further reiterated, “With the vaccination of the world population starting and government to government discussions on green bubble arrangement done on a more serious note, we believe the people will start to travel again. We want to be at the forefront in the gulf when this happens to work with partners …

The second in the tri-series webinar hosted by Tourespana or Tourism Division of Spain in Abu Dhabi Embassy of Spain will be held tomorrow 23rd March 2021 at 12noon UAE time. As most travel trade is familiar Madrid is cheerful and vibrant at all hours, famous for being an open city with all kinds of people from anywhere in the world. In addition to its famous museums, busy streets dotted with all kinds of shops, restaurants with world cuisine, or unbeatable nightlife, Madrid will surprise you with its charming, tranquil historic spots, with traditional and family-run century-old bars where friends meet up for a drink, all kinds of neighborhoods, and cultural centres that offer an alternative type of tourism. Madrid has an authenticity that is hard to match. It is welcoming and diverse. Madrid is, without a doubt, one of Europe’s most interesting cities. Anyone in search of culture will find some of the most important museums in the world, such as the Prado, Reina Sofía or Thyssen. Javier Amichis – Regional Manager, Middle East & Asia Pacific -Travel Trade & Connectivity, Madrid Destination. Culture, Tourism and Business shared, “Madrid is very popular among GCC travelers and we see the numbers rising year after year. We are very happy to connect with the travel trade on a regular basis through these kinds of virtual events to assure them and assist them in every way especially during these difficult times. We believe this would give the agents the confidence to promote Spain in a better way.”

It is time once again to rediscover two most favoured cities in Spain by GCC Barcelona and Catalonia. Register today to learn about the two most interesting city breaks that could keep you glued to your seats. Keep Tuesday 23rd March 2021, free from 12noon to 1pm UAE time. Marta Aldana, International Promotion at Barcelona Tourism, “Barcelona is one of the top city destinations worldwide and is a must for all lovers of culture, architecture, shopping, gastronomy and Mediterranean lifestyle. GCC is a market with high intentions to visit Barcelona as soon as possible, and which we consider will be strategic in a future. We would be  presenting  the latest projects and developments in the Mediterranean metropolis through this webinar. Barcelona awaits you!” Patrick Torrent – Executive director of the Catalan Tourist Board, “Diversity, plurality and an impressive list of qualities all help to make Catalonia a land where you feel at home. An amazing cultural legacy, a nuance-filled history and a present that is as successful as its future is hopeful all help to make this small region one of the most attractive destinations. Cutting-edge art, culture and gastronomy blend perfectly with Roman and medieval remains, as well as a unique architecture ranging from Gaudí to Norman Foster.  There’s no denying that 2020 has challenged us all completely. We have been fighting for our businesses and figuring out how we can adapt and recover from an unprecedented time. But this year has also motivated us and it’s produced fresh waves innovation. While 2020 did not run as planned, we have been very conscious to do all we can for the tourism sector. From the begining of the pandemic, we …