WTM London 2020 will be entirely virtual and will now take place from November 9-11, 2020; however, the continuing travel restrictions, imposition of quarantine requirements and local lockdowns across Europe mean that our events will be fully virtual experiences. Simon Press, Senior Director, WTM London said, “Sadly, this year will be the first time since we launched WTM London in 1980 that there will be no live event. We have worked tirelessly to organise a physical show, but the increasing number of travel restrictions and the uncertainty around the world means it will be impractical for many overseas visitors to attend in person. Additionally, there remains uncertainty around business events and conferences being allowed to take place in the UK.” Simon Press further added, “However, thousands of travel trade professionals from around the globe will still be able to meet and do business in an extensive range of virtual sessions, to help the industry recover, rebuild and innovate.” WTM Virtual will take place from 9-11 November, offering delegates the chance to arrange one-to-one virtual meetings to do business, attend conference sessions and roundtables, take part in speed networking and more. The virtual show will also see an investment summit in partnership with ITIC – International Tourism & Investment Conference – and a new Marketing Forum and masterclass workshop in partnership with The Five Percent. Richard Gayle, Event Manager for Travel Forward said, “Travel Forward is the event that embraces fresh concepts and innovative projects to inspire delegates. This year, running Travel Forward virtually will allow us to connect even more with global travel tech companies wanting to promote themselves to the world.”

Emirates re-started passenger services to Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME) with two flights a week, starting September 11. The resumption of flights to Moscow will take the airline’s expanding network in Europe to 26 cities – offering Emirates’ global customers with more travel options to Europe, and customers in Russia with renewed connections to the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa via Dubai. Emirates has been gradually restoring its network connectivity, working closely with international and local authorities to responsibly resume passenger operations to meet travel demand, while always prioritising the health and safety of its customers, crew and communities. The addition of Moscow will take Emirates’ global network to 85 cities in September. Flights to Moscow will operate twice a week – on Fridays and Saturdays. On Fridays, Emirates flight EK 133 will depart Dubai at 10:10hrs and arrive in Moscow at 14:25hrs local time. The return flight, EK 134 will depart Moscow at 17:35hrs and arrive in Dubai at 23:35hrs local time. On Saturdays, Emirates flight EK 131 will depart Dubai at 16:15hrs and arrive in Moscow at 20:30hrs local time. The return flight, EK 132 will depart Moscow at 23:20hrs and arrive in Dubai at 05:30hrs local time, the following day. The flights will operate with the Emirates Boeing 777-300ER and can be booked on emirates.com or via travel agents. Travellers can also enjoy enhanced connectivity via Emirates’ codeshare partner in Russia, S7 Airlines – providing greater access to a range of regional destinations. Customers can stop over or travel to Dubai as the city has re-opened for international business and leisure visitors. Ensuring the safety of travellers, visitors, and the community, COVID-19 PCR tests are mandatory for …

Passport control officers at Dubai International Airport have completed the entry procedures for the first Russian tourist group coming to the United Arab Emirates through Dubai airports after the resumption of air traffic at Dubai airports. His Excellency Major General Mohamed Ahmed Al-Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, revealed that the GDRFA Dubai issued one million and 678 thousand visas to Russians from 2018 until September 8 this year. Meanwhile, about 800,000 Russian visitors granted visas on arrival during the same period of time. He added that the number of Russian residents in the emirate of Dubai in 2019 and 2020 reached 21,838, while the number of the Russian residents in 2018 was 7,280. Therefore, the proportion of Russian residents increased during 2019 and the current year by 14,558 residents. H.E Major General Mohammed Al Marri stressed that the United Arab Emirates in general and the Emirate of Dubai, in particular are the preferred destination for tourists, especially the Russian tourist. He added, “Dubai retained its position among the most livable cities in light of the attractions of tourism and economic elements and its high index of safety and security.” H.E Mohammed Al Marri pointed out that the Emirati-Russian bilateral relations are witnessing continuous development and prosperity in various fields, which in turn affected the strengthening of the UAE’s position, confirming its global political, economic, and tourism presence. Besides enhancing cooperation opportunities and comprehensive strategic relations between various countries. Al Marri said, “We have national cadres of front-line heroes who are qualified to speak in different languages, including Russian, Chinese and French, in addition to Arabic, English and other languages, to facilitate …

The beat is back in Dubai’s events sector with an array of regional and international artists heralding the restart of an industry that is a key pillar of the city’s tourism destination proposition and a growing contributor to its economy.The restart of Dubai’s events sector has been made possible by the decisive citywide management of the global pandemic leading to a phased resumption of events and entertainment activities, starting with a line-up of events hosted under the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) programme. Ahmed Al Khaja, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) commented, “The successful management of the pandemic has allowed us to come out of this unprecedented situation to once again leverage the events and entertainment sectors, as part of efforts to accelerate growth in the tourism industry.” “Dubai has a long history of hosting leisure events featuring A-list musicians and performers, who have made the city a part of their world tours over the years. We are now excited to see the events environment regaining its vibrancy with the return of live events, paving the way for international and regional stars to take centre stage, showcasing Dubai as a safe destination and further enhancing its position as a leading global events hub. Dubai Tourism will continue working with its stakeholders and partners to keep up the momentum in the events sector, as we prepare to cater to the diverse and evolving needs of visitors ahead of the full reopening of the tourism industry,”said Khaja. Commenting on the overwhelming response he received in the UAE, an elated Jimmy Carr said, “My three sold-out shows with Dubai Summer Surprises were fantastic. Dubai is well and truly open and …

German National Tourist Office (GNTO) Gulf Countries will host a special webinar on September 21, 2020 at 11am UAE time to discover the destination in the comfort of your home. Yamina Sofo – Director, Sales & Marketing – German National Tourist Office, Gulf countries shared, “We would like to highlight the importance of the destination of Germany as one of the preferred travel destinations for the GCC nationals due to its diversity. The Webinar is a perfect platform to reach out to the travel professionals in the region. Germany ticks all the boxes, whether for wellness and recreation, nature and sightseeing or simply for entertainment and shopping – offering high quality services, great value for money, luxury accommodation and facilities as well as environmentally-friendly transportation links throughout the entire country.” There will be a total of four speakers including Sofo, representing the German National Tourist Office, Gulf countries, who will share details about the importance of the ME market and the current numbers among many other general topics about the destination. Joining her from the State Tourist Board SouthWest Germany will be Janina Wittmann, Marketing & Sales Manager; she will speak about Southwest Germany as a special vacation destination offering something for every age from nature to culture and culinary experience in the sunniest state of Germany. The next speaker will be from Hochschwarzwald Tourism (Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH- (Black forest highlands) Christian Gross, Head of Incoming/MICE. Some of the topics that he will cover include; Where are the Black forest highlands located and how to get there? How does it look like in the region? For which target group is the region interesting? Which activities are offered in the black …

Sarood Hospitality will launch its annual ‘Make It A December to Remember’ campaign next week with a four-day festive preview to mark the 100-day countdown to Christmas. Running 16-19 September at Sarood Hospitality’s Dubai Hills Golf Club venues, The Duck Hook and Hillhouse Brasserie, the four-day ‘Make It A December to Remember’ preview will showcase a stocking of Christmas-themed promotions taking place across the operator’s leading food and beverage brands in December. On September 18, Hillhouse Brasserie, the chic all-day eatery, will open to brunch lovers and festive fanatics for a special ‘Christmas Countdown’ edition of its popular Brunch in The Hills. Guests will enjoy a traditional family-style Christmas feast served to their table alongside free-flowing seasonal beverages. Diners can get into the Christmas vibe with festive nibbles, including duck liver pâté with sourdough toast; The Duck Hook scotch egg with homemade piccalilli; turkey, chestnut & cranberry salad; prawn cocktail and more. Mains include classics such as wild mushroom risotto; roast turkey with stuffing & sausages wrapped in veal bacon; prime rib beef with gravy and sides of roast potatoes, parsnips, carrots, braised cabbage and brussels sprouts. Traditional desserts include Christmas pudding; sticky toffee pudding; chocolate fudge arctic roll and mince pies. Giving brunch-goers a chance to pace themselves between courses, the talented bartenders at Hillhouse Brasserie have also created a slew of Christmas-themed concoctions befitting the festive celebration. Highlights include Mulled Grape; Gingerbread Martini; Salted Caramel White Russian; Jingle Juice and more. And dress to impress as the most festive dressed guest will win a turkey takeaway for four. The festive brunch runs from 1pm – 4pm with live music courtesy of legendary crooner Ciaran Fox. Prices start at …

KLM will resume its operation to Kuwait City as of Thursday of September 24, starting with two flights per week. The flights will be operated with an Airbus 330-200, with additional sanitary measures to ensure passenger’s safety. “We are delighted to announce the news about the resumption of our flights to Kuwait city. Our passengers, safety, comfort, health and well-being remain our highest priority. All of our flights are operated with additional sanitary measures to ensure our passengers safety. We profoundly thank our customers for their patience and the authorities involved for their continuous support”, said Yeshwant Pawar, General Manager, Air France KLM, Gulf, Iran and Pakistan. These flights will allow passengers to reach Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, where KLM gradually resumes its flights. Passengers will have the possibility to connect flights to some European and Intercontinental destinations. Prior to booking and travelling, KLM encourages its customers to contact the authorities for information on the formalities for entering and residing in their countries of destination and transit, as these are likely to have been modified following the COVID-19 epidemic.

Etihad Airways will resume passenger flights from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Casablanca and Rabat, in the Kingdom of Morocco. Effective September 19, the airline will operate returning flights three times a week from Abu Dhabi to Casablanca. This service will be followed by direct flights between the two capitals, Abu Dhabi and Rabat, on October 28. Those wishing to book are advised to visit www.etihad.com to view their options and to remain informed on the appropriate entry regulations at their end destination. Flights are also available for booking through the mobile app, by calling the Etihad Airways Contact Centre on +971 600 555 666 (UAE), or through a local or online travel agency. The addition of Casablanca and Rabat brings the total number destinations Etihad is operating to 58 destinations worldwide.

Abu Dhabi Tourism Investment Company (ADTIC) has announced a major hotel refurbishment project in Egypt. Aimed at providing a momentum to the tourism and hospitality industry, one of the country’s leading economic sectors, the initiative will be implemented throughout next year. Commenting on the project, His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ADTIC said, “The hotel refurbishment initiative is aimed enabling Egypt to turn the current challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic into an opportunity to gear up for the future. Egypt’s tourism sector would pick up once international airlines resume normal services.” Abu Dhabi Tourism Investments’ Egypt portfolio includes three hotels in the four and five-star category, located in Cairo, Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. It also has a 99.28% stake in Arab Misr Hotels that owns a five-star resort in the ancient “open museum” city of Luxor. “The strategic locations of the hotels, combined with their popularity and potential to generate significant revenues, make the investment meaningful,” said Haitham Farouk, Chief Executive Officer of ADTIC. “We expect many changes and we are preparing accordingly. The lean period is a golden opportunity to plan for the next step and focus on reopening. One barely gets such a scope in normal times. We look forward to reopening with brand-new look and recouping occupancy.” He indicated that post-pandemic the sector would witness heavier application of digital tools and cutting-edge technology that would enable it to keep pace with the developments taking place in the global tourism industry. “Such changes will lead to increased occupancy and revenue generation,” he added. Farouk expressed hope that that the major phases of refurbishment …

OMNIYAT are set to deliver One at Palm Jumeirah with over 91% of the work completed already; ready for audiences to immerse themselves in unrivalled living as of December 2020. Mahdi Amjad, Founder and Executive Chairman of OMNIYAT, comments, “As the world was hit by a global pandemic, we worked tirelessly to maintain safety measures, allowing us to continue with construction and stay true to our promise of delivering unrivalled beachfront living. We are focused on completing this magnificent project by the end of 2020.” Christopher Cowdray, CEO of Dorchester Collection comments, “As One at Palm Jumeirah is the first project in the region that Dorchester Collection is managing, my team and I are delighted to see it so close to completion. This is a landmark not only for Dubai but for the region and reinforces our close partnership with Omniyat, a company renowned for its architectural vision. With One at Palm Jumeirah almost complete, the demand for these exclusive residence units has increased markedly. One at Palm Jumeirah hit news headlines in 2017 and 2019 by securing the title for the first and second most expensive penthouses sold in Dubai for a record-breaking AED102 million in 2017 and AED74 million in 2019 (these titles are still held).” Mahdi Amjad, Founder and Executive Chairman of OMNIYAT comments, “Collectively, we have maintained momentum to reach this point to near completion, with increasing demand and attention of Dubai’s affluent individuals. We look forward to the handover of this amazing project to the Dubai Skyline, and of course to the lucky few who will call this exclusive community home.”