Emirates has completed an intensive programme to clear its backlog of refund requests which was caused by pandemic-related travel disruption.Over the seven-month period starting April, Emirates received, validated and processed nearly 1.7 million refund requests. This resulted in the airline returning AED 6.3 billion refunds to its customers. Of this sum, AED 4.7 billion was refunded to customers who had booked directly with the airline, and the remainder was returned via travel agencies. In addition, Emirates managed over 130,000 refunds-related queries from customers and travel agency partners and made status changes to nearly 4 million flight coupons. Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline said, “In the early months of 2020, COVID-19 massively disrupted travel around the world and led to an unprecedented volume of refunds requests across the aviation and travel industry, including at Emirates. It was not a situation any airline wanted, particularly while also facing a cash crunch from drastically reduced operations. Through those difficult months, as we dealt with the impact of the pandemic on our business, we’ve never lost sight of our commitment to our customers. We still have higher volumes of refunds and flight coupon change requests compared to pre-pandemic times, but we now have the capability to manage these within a 7-day turnaround.” Sir Tim added, “In addition to honouring refunds, Emirates offered our customers flexibility to travel at a later date, and we also helped our frequent flyers to retain their tier status and introduced other ways for them to earn and burn their Miles. For those of our customers who continued to fly, Emirates offered the industry’s first free global COVID-19 cover for their added peace of mind, we put in place …

Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) launches a Standardised Hygiene Protocol in partnership with Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA) to assure visitors of a safe and healthy stay. The protocol aims to provide a unified set of guidelines on hygiene and anti-epidemic measures for tourism-related industries that bolster visitors’ confidence in traveling to Hong Kong; The protocol will cover shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, retail stores, coach companies, tourism attractions, travel agencies and more. More than 1,800 businesses and outlets have expressed interest in adopting the protocol in their business; and The businesses and outlets can display a designated logo for recognition to show their commitment to the protocol. The HKQAA will conduct random visits for continued inspections. Further relaxation of Social Distancing Measures – The latest social distancing measures to be effective from October 30: Relaxations for catering businesses (e.g. restaurants, bars and pubs, nightclubs) – Maximum number of people per table will increase to 6 people for restaurants (currently 4 people); and 4 people (currently 2 people) for bars and clubs; Maximum number of people will increase to 75% of seating capacity (currently 50%); Maximum number of people in public entertainment venues (such as theme parks, museums, performance venue) will increase to 75% of total capacity (currently 50%); Restriction on the number of people in group gatherings (currently 4 people) and mandatory mask-wearing in public venues will be maintained. Local tours exempted from social distancing restrictions – Starting October 23, local group tours of maximum 30 people by licensed travel agents will be exempted from group gathering restrictions, as long as they comply with a range of epidemic prevention measures. HKTB launches ‘Free Tour’ programme – Riding on this …

Maldives has received the World’s Leading Destination award at the Grand Final of the World Travel Awards 2020 announced at a virtual event held on 28th November 2020. This is the first time Maldives won the award in the history of the island nation, which is also the most distinguished award category of World Travel Awards. Maldives competed in this category with 22 other destinations including Dubai, Malaysia, Spain, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka. World Travel Awards established in 1993, is the most prestigious honours program in the global travel and tourism industry recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence. It serves to acknowledge, reward, and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. Maldives receiving such an esteemed recognition during the most challenging of times faced by the tourism industry has never been more important. Upon receiving the award, Minister of Tourism H.E. Dr. Abdulla Mausoom said “Maldives winning World’s Leading Destination award is a strong endorsement of the popularity of Maldives amongst international tourists. This superb win reflects the strong determination and sound policies of HEP Solih and his administration, strive and strides of travel and tourism industry partners and employees; targeted #VisitMaldives promotion by industry partners and MMPRC and of course the warm smile of Maldivians. Congratulations!” Speaking on behalf of Visit Maldives, Thoyyib Mohamed, Managing Director expressed his sincere appreciation and gratitude to everyone who voted for Maldives and the tourism industry stakeholders. he stated, “We are beyond thrilled to receive the World’s Leading Destination award for the first time in the history of Maldives. This prestigious award means a lot to Maldives, especially as we achieved this during these difficult …

LEGOLAND Dubai is excited to announce the long-awaited re-opening of its Theme Park gates to the public today, welcoming families with children aged 2-12 to build awesome new memories together. Opening just in time for the National Day public holiday, the Park will make for the perfect family day trip adventure during the long weekend, with 49% off ticket prices in celebration of the 49th UAE National Day. From December 1 – 5, LEGOLAND Dubai will bring back its unique UAE Hand Salute LEGO Model, made from an awesome 108,231 LEGO bricks – the perfect family selfie opportunity. Maintaining visitor health and safety as a top priority, the team at LEGOLAND Dubai has been working hard to ensure hygiene and safety measures are enhanced throughout the Park, including temperature checks on arrival, enhanced cleaning, one way systems, social distancing markers at ride queues, shops, restaurants and more. These measures, in line with government regulations and global standards, provide peace of mind for families as they continue having fun within a safe environment. Families can once again enjoy the LEGO themed rides and attractions across 6 lands – whether it’s conquering the exhilarating Dragon Coaster, recovering a pharaoh’s stolen treasure in Lost Kingdom Adventure, or letting their creativity run wild in IMAGINATION and LEGO CITY. LEGO fans will love visiting MINILAND to see Dubai’s iconic skyline and key iconic landmarks from around the Middle East and international destinations, all made up from over 20 million LEGO bricks. Visitors can also purchase their favourite LEGO themed souvenirs from the Park’s retail stores, while stopping by the LEGO themed restaurants for a quick snack.

Marriott International has launched Marriott Bonvoy Business Ready, a new travel programme designed exclusively for small to medium size businesses (SMBs) across Europe, Middle East and Africa. This new offering enables SMBs to book business travel easily and efficiently, whilst accessing preferential rates – when the time is right for them to travel again. “The global pandemic has had significant impact on business travel this year.  However, just like the pent up demand for leisure travel, there is pent up demand for business travel – while we have all had to get used to working remotely this year, people are keen to get back to meeting partners, suppliers and colleagues and connect face to face. There is no virtual replacement for doing business in person.  Marriott Bonvoy Business Ready offers a great new opportunity for small and medium size businesses to efficiently book business travel, earn Marriott Bonvoy points and access great rates across our across Europe, Middle East & Africa portfolio of over 950 hotels and 24 brands across 75 countries and territories.” said Neal Jones, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Marriott International, EMEA.

Sunset Hospitality Group (SHG) is venturing into the hotel business with METT Hotels & Resorts, opening in Bodrum, Turkey by Spring 2021. METT is a refined, elegant and laid-back collection of lifestyle hotels and resorts inspired by the simple, balanced bliss of Mediterranean living, with social dining and lifestyle entertainment at the heart of the whole experience.The 105-key METT Hotel & Resort Bodrum is the first property under the METT Hotels & Resorts brand and seven new hotels are in the pipeline to open within the next two years in key destinations across the Mediterranean region as well as Middle East. Antonio Gonzalez, CEO, Sunset Hospitality Group comments, “The hospitality industry has transformed immensely in the last five years and we believe that this is the right time to venture into the hotel business, with our own lifestyle brand.  METT is a unique concept with a focus on entertainment, dining and experiences, which complements the existing offering of the other larger hotel brands. Our entry into the tourism industry signifies the evolution of Sunset Hospitality Group and fortifies our continuous commitment to offering a world of experiences. We are known for pioneering unique dining concepts in the international hospitality scene and this expertise will be a key to having a competitive edge in the tourism and hospitality industry.” Nazih Hafez, COO, Sunset Hospitality Group adds: “We are thrilled to announce the opening of our flagship METT Hotel & Resorts property in Bodrum, a location that embraces all aspects of the Mediterranean life we want to emanate – chic, carefree, social, inviting and refreshing. Bodrum is considered a top global vacation hotspot for international travelers so the presence of METT will …

Etihad Airways will commence another service from China, with flights from Beijing to Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, from December 7. The service will operate with a weekly flight using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, featuring Etihad’s award-winning Business and Economy cabins. Etihad resumed services between Abu Dhabi and Shanghai in late July this year, which has helped meet the large demand from travellers in the UAE, China, and other countries in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. With the second weekly flight added to Etihad’s global network, the airline becomes the only carrier in the MENA region operating non-stop passenger flights departing from both Shanghai and Beijing. Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Sales & Cargo, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “China continues to be a strategically important market for Etihad and resuming an additional passenger route connecting China with Abu Dhabi is a welcome development. Being granted the rights to operate the second weekly flight by the Chinese government was huge recognition of the unrelenting joint efforts by the airline, testing institutions in the UAE, and the authorities in both countries, in the battle against COVID-19.Etihad is tremendously grateful for the support of the authorities, its customers and partners, and its employees in these most challenging of times, and Etihad stands ready to fly more frequently to China when possible.”

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group signed an agreement with the Al Khozama Company to manage and ultimately brand the Al Faisaliah Hotel, Riyadh.  The Group will take over the management in the first quarter of 2021. The hotel is undergoing an extensive guestroom and public area renovation which will be completed at the end of 2021, after which it will be rebranded Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh. The Al Faisaliah Hotel is in the heart of the Central Business District of Riyadh, providing easy access to corporate offices, government buildings, high end shopping, restaurants and cafés. It forms an integral part of the mixed-use Al Faisaliah Centre, designed by Foster & Partners. The hotel comprises 321 guestrooms and suites, with new interiors designed by Adam Tihany Design, New York. Also featured are a variety of refreshed restaurants, lounges and bars, including the popular top floor venue which commands outstanding views of the city. Revitalised function spaces will cater to social events and business meetings, while an indoor swimming pool, male and female spa areas and a fitness centre complete the leisure facilities. “The Al Faisaliah Hotel has been a leading light in Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector since opening its doors 20 years ago. We are pleased to be partnering with Mandarin Oriental to further develop the hotel and to create the most luxurious and sophisticated property in the region,” said Khalid Abuhaimed, CEO of Al Khozama. “We are delighted to further strengthen Mandarin Oriental’s presence in the Middle East by introducing the brand to Saudi Arabia and bringing the Group’s legendary service to Riyadh,” said James Riley, Group Chief Executive of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. “We look forward to collaborating with …

Sixth edition of Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF) will be hosted online at Airport Show Digital+ in December under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group. The aviation industry professionals can hear from over 30 regional and international aviation leaders and experts their key insights on how the coronavirus pandemic extensively affected the global aviation industry and how they expect critical operations to change as the industry looks towards recovery in 2021. His Royal Highness Prince Fahad bin Mishal bin Saud bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Chairman and President of GCC Aviation Association, will be the GALF’s Keynote Speaker. He said, “ Air travel safety initiatives have been gradually working towards motivating and encourage more and more people to travel by air. Restoring passengers’ confidence remains the most crucial task for the industry as 60 per cent of passengers expressed the desire of travelling. The industry’s loss will be reduced to US$15.8 billion and revenues will rise to US$598 billion in 2021 if the situation improves.” Major General Mohammed Al Marri, Director General of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) said, “We took several initiatives including allowing employees to work from home and enlarging the scope of services by utilising our elaborate electronic infrastructure and smart services with approximately 130 employees working around the clock. GDRFA employees were among the first to wear masks and gloves as a precaution at the beginning of the pandemic itself, along with implementing procedures for sterilising the public counters.”

Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) received a ‘safeguard’ certificate issued by Bureau Veritas (BV) making it the first tourism government department in the Middle East to have scored this certificate.Upon receiving the certificate, His Highness Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Humaid Al Nuaimi Chairman of Ajman Tourism Development Department said, “We are honoured to have attained this certification that reflects our commitment and dedication in providing a safe environment for all across the Emirate in line with the directives of the UAE’s leadership. This milestone is a testimony to Ajman Tourism efforts for the safety of everyone residing or visiting the Emirate. It further contributes in enhancing confidence and satisfaction with our strategic partners, and also elevates our reputation for providing a safe workplace.” Marwan Al Aridi, Head of the Certification Department of Bureau Veritas said, “We are proud to grant this certificate, affirming the department’s endeavor in adopting best practices and ensuring the continuity of businesses under the circumstances caused by the pandemic.” Ajman Tourism has effectively adopted all precautionary measures in line with international best practices to ensure the continuity of its work and protect its residents & visitors.