Within the framework of stimulating and developing the tourism sector, Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) has celebrated the official opening of the dual Zipline project in Khasab, Musandam. The Zipline, spanning over 1,800 metres, has officially broken the Guinness World Record for ‘The world’s longest Zipline over water’. The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of His Excellency Sayyid Ibrahim bin Saeed Al Busaidi, Governor of Musandam. The event was attended by Eng Mohammed Salim Al Busaidi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OMRAN Group, along with several officials from the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, sheikhs, and dignitaries of the region. Representatives from Guinness World Records were also present at the ceremony. The Zipline project is the first activity and a key component of Oman Adventures centre, which will serve as an integrated platform that offers exciting and enjoyable tourism experiences for adventure enthusiasts visiting the Governorate. This project will help enhancing the Governorate’s position as a prime destination for adventure seekers from within and outside Oman. Speaking at the project’s official opening, Daoud Sulaiman Al Rashdi, Director of Product Development and Tourism Experiences at Ministry of Heritage & Tourism said, “We are pleased to officially open Oman Adventures centre. The project has undergone extensive testing by specialised teams to ensure compliance with safety and security regulations specific to the adventure tourism sector. We are confident that the centre will be a valuable addition to Musandam’s tourism offerings and will cater to adventure enthusiasts visiting the Governorate. The entry of the Zipline project into the Guinness World Records today is a notable achievement. However, it is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting …

Turkish Airlines has launched flights to Krakow, one of Poland’s historic cities, as its second destination in the country after Warsaw. The new city destination will offer GCC travellers more choice when travelling to Poland as well as give them an option of exploring Istanbul as well. The flag carrier brand will operate Krakow flights with narrow-body aircraft three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, on a reciprocal basis. Turkish Airlines guests can travel from Istanbul to Krakow and back with prices starting from 255 US Dollars (tax included). Recognized as a city of literature by UNESCO, Krakow traditionally stands out as the center of science, culture and art in Poland. Known as the heart of Poland due to its former capital status and witnessing many historical events, the city welcomes numerous local and foreign tourists each year. On the new route, Turkish Airlines Chief Investment & Technology Officer Levent Konukçu stated: “As the airline flying to the more countries than any other in the world, we are glad to add Krakow, our second destination in Poland after Warsaw, to our flight network. With this route, our flag carrier has reached 343 destinations in 129 countries. We will operate 3 weekly reciprocal flights to Krakow, the historic former capital of Poland. We are connecting Krakow to the world with Turkish Airlines’ unique flight experience.” As the airline flying to the more countries than any other in the world, Turkish Airlines increases the number of its destinations to 343 with Krakow, offering its guests unlimited connection possibilities while continuing to carry its quality and service to all corners of the world. Flight Schedule: Flight No Day Departure Arrival TK1271 …

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) signed two Memorandums of Cooperation (MoC) with Tourism Malaysia, at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023. The MoC will provide a framework in which Tourism Malaysia will be able to collaborate with SAUDIA through its travel service provider “SAUDIA Holidays” and ultimately drive more tourism to the destination. The mutually beneficial agreement will help further advance SAUDIA’s objectives to strengthen its international presence and bring the world to Saudi Arabia, offering convenient connections and flexibility, increasing tourism to and from the Kingdom and generating greater awareness about Malaysia and its destinations to Saudi residents. This will include a one-year promotion on new products and destinations in Malaysia while Tourism Malaysia will provide 24/7 support and assistance for bookings through “SAUDIA Holidays”. Mrs. Manal Alshehri said: “It was important for us to be able to give more travel opportunities to Saudi nationals and residents to discover new destinations easily, and it is now possible thanks to Tourism Malaysia. We look forward to starting a fruitful with two eminent entities in the tourism industry.” Honourable Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia said: “This collaboration aims to boost the tourism industry and strengthen economic ties between Malaysia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We hope that SAUDIA continues to work together with Tourism Malaysia to promote Malaysia as a fascinating holiday destination, highlighting unique cities such as Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.” The MoC was signed between SAUDIA and Tourism Malaysia which took place at the airline’s stand at ATM, in the presence of Mrs. Manal Alshehri, VP Passenger Sales at SAUDIA and Dato’ Dr. Ammar Abd. Ghapar, Director General Tourism Malaysia.

Dubai welcomed 4.67 million international overnight visitors in the first quarter of 2023, compared to 3.97 million tourists during the same period in 2022. This marks a 17 % YoY growth and the city’s best Q1 performance since the pandemic, placing it firmly on track to becoming the most visited international destination, according to the latest data published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). The growth, which sets the city on course to full tourism recovery, contributes to the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai this January, to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three cities. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “The remarkable growth in international visitation achieved by Dubai in the first quarter of 2023 demonstrates the city’s emergence as one of the key destinations leading the way in the rebound of the global tourism sector. This achievement has been made possible by the far-reaching vision of the leadership to transform Dubai into one of the world’s fastest-growing metropolises and the globe’s pre-eminent hub for travel, talent, entrepreneurship and investment. The Dubai Economic Agenda recently launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, charts an ambitious new path for Dubai to enhance its contributions to shaping the future of the global economy. The tourism sector is not only the strongest pillars of our economy but also a key enabler …

IHG Hotels & Resorts signed a management agreement with The King Abdullah Financial District Management and Development Company (KAFD DMC), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), to bring the first Kimpton hotel in the region to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Offering guests a personalized luxury experience, the Kimpton brand has a heartfelt approach to hospitality that has translated to unique, design-led hotels across the globe. The new Kimpton Riyadh will join existing Kimpton properties across countries including the United States, France and Scotland. With doors set to open in June 2024, the 212-key Kimpton Riyadh will mark the first foray of the luxury brand in the region. The debut comes as part of IHG’s ongoing growth strategy, aligned with the objectives of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s Vision 2030 tourism objectives, to cater to a growing number of guests in the Kingdom who seek unique luxury experiences. In acknowledgement of the new trend towards blended travel, KAFD offers entertainment and retail, alongside its commercial office space and hospitality offerings.  The Kimpton Riyadh will be a new-build property in the heart of KAFD, Saudi Arabia’s prime business and lifestyle destination, making it a key destination hotel for the discerning business traveller.  However, in acknowledgement of the new trend towards blended travel, the hotel will also cater to those who seek a lifestyle element to their stay. Set in the heart of the Saudi capital Riyadh, 22-kilometers away from the airport, KAFD is home to 1.6 million square meters of state-of-the-art office space, world-class venues and iconic luxury residences, designed to transform the way urban communities live, work, and play. A landmark development, KAFD is a key driver of Riyadh’s …

Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau (ADCEB) announced the redevelopment of SITE’s Arabia Chapter in Abu Dhabi. Working in partnership with the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), DCT Abu Dhabi will oversee the growth of the Incentive Travel segment in Abu Dhabi and the wider MENA region, allowing ADCEB to raise visibility of Abu Dhabi among key audiences as a premier business events destination, tap into further networking and business opportunities and provide the regional MICE professional network with education and professional development programmes. SITE is one of the most significant MICE associations, catering to industry professionals worldwide. With a mission to drive the growth of the Incentive Travel segment, SITE’s move will benefit local and regional industry stakeholders such as tourist attractions, airlines, Destination and Event Management Companies (DMCs and EMCs), hoteliers and incentive planners. It will do this by allowing members to build their business connections on a global scale through its extensive Membership Directory, gaining access to incentive travel research, trends, and data, expanding a range of skills and experience through education and certification opportunities and enhance careers through online and in-person events. Speaking last week at the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) 2023, Mubarak AlShamsi , Director of Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition Bureau, said: “With SITE’s decision to locate and redevelop their Arabia Chapter in Abu Dhabi, our local and regional incentive travel partners and professionals will benefit from having such a valuable resource at their doorstep. The Arabia Chapter relaunch in our city is a testament that Abu Dhabi is a desirable destination for this segment. We encourage our MENA stakeholders to join the SITE Arabia Chapter, become active members of the Chapter and …

SriLankan Airlines joined the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) 2023 to boost tourism from the Middle East and North Africa. The region is an important source market for high-net worth tourists and SriLankan hopes to promote its flight services from the Middle East to Sri Lanka and beyond for leisure travel. Richard Nuttall, Chief Executive Officer Sri Lankan Airlines speaking with TravelTV Middle East highlighted the importance of the destination and the new campaign to attract hitherto unknown places in the destination. He further reiterated that currently SriLankan Airlines operates over 40 weekly flights to the Middle East spanning the key cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; Doha in Qatar; Dammam and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia; and Kuwait. The airline is now looking ahead to further strengthen its operations in the Middle East with the anticipated new aircraft deliveries to its fleet in the near future. SriLankan’s plans for the Middle East include an increase in the number of weekly flights to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha and the relaunch of services to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He further stated, “There is a huge diaspora living in the Middle Eastern region and we want them to feel at home as soon as they board the flight, and for those tourists who will travel with us for the first time, we want them to feel the Sri Lankan hospitality as soon as they begin their journey onboard. For Middle Eastern customers seeking the thrill and vibrancy of Sri Lanka, SriLankan Airlines is arguably the best choice of travel due to the airline’s convenient and direct flight options between multiple cities across the Middle East and the island.” SriLankan …

Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand their interline agreement and provide travellers additional itinerary options when visiting the UAE. This first of its kind agreement between the two UAE carriers aims to capitalise on opportunities to boost tourism to the UAE from key source markets by enabling visitors to experience more than one destination in a single itinerary. This summer, customers of each airline will be able to purchase a single ticket to fly into either Dubai or Abu Dhabi, with a seamless return via the other airport. The new agreement also provides travellers planning to explore the UAE with the flexibility of one-stop ticketing for their full journey and convenient baggage check-in. In the initial stages of the expanded interline, each carrier will focus on attracting visitors to the UAE by developing inbound interline traffic from select points in Europe and China. The ‘open jaw’ arrangement will allow visitors to cover as much ground as possible when exploring Abu Dhabi, Dubai or any other emirate, saving time by removing the need to fly home via their arrival airport. Customers travelling into the UAE also have the option of ‘multi-city flights’, with the choice to travel from one city on both carriers’ networks, and conveniently returning to another point served by either Emirates or Etihad. The MoU was signed at Arabian Travel Market by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer, and Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer, Etihad Airways, in the presence of Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline, and Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad CEO, along with other senior representatives. Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline said: “We are pleased to be working …

Emirates has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Arabian Travel Market 2023 in Dubai with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. The agreement reaffirms the airline’s commitment to the island-nations and outline key joint initiatives to promote trade and tourism. Emirates has pledged its renewed support to promoting tourism in Sri Lanka with an agreement that includes a host of initiatives designed to promote and play a key role in the revival of the nation’s tourism and trade industries, and comes as part of the airline’s long-standing commitment to Sri Lanka which now spans 37 years. The MoU was signed by Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean, and K.P.P. Siriwardana, Managing Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, in the presence of Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer. Signalling the deepening of a strategic cooperation between Emirates and Sri Lanka Tourism forged in 2022, the new MoU details joint initiatives and opportunities for collaboration, including developing  programmes to boost tourism to the Indian Ocean nation by showcasing it to customers across its global network. The airline will also engage with its network of agents in key strategic markets to promote Sri Lanka, develop special packages tailored to new and existing traveller segments, in addition to collaborating on joint familiarisation trips to raise awareness of the destination’s many varied offerings in key feeder markets. Emirates launched its services to Sri Lanka in 1986 and since then has carried more than 11 million passengers on the route. The airline currently provides two direct daily flights to Colombo and an additional daily service via Male. It is also the only international carrier to serve the country …

Big data is having a transformative effect on hospitality across the Middle East and beyond. However, leading hoteliers speaking on the opening day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which will run at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) until Thursday 4 May, emphasised that human intervention remains essential if owners and operators wish to derive genuine value from the information being gathered. ‘Hospitality Debate: What More Can Big Data Unlock?’ featured a range of expert insights into the power of data to improve guest experiences within the Middle East’s hospitality sector. Moderated by Paul Clifford, Group Editor – Hospitality & Design at ITP Media Group, the session saw Chris Hartley, CEO of Global Hotel Alliance; Tommy Lai, Chief Executive Officer at General Hotel Management Pte Ltd; Sandeep Walia, Chief Operations Officer – Middle East at Marriott; and Nicolas Huss, CEO of Hotelbeds, take to the ATM Global Stage to share their views. Commenting on advancements in the hospitality sector’s data capabilities over the past decade, General Hotel Management Pte Ltd’s Lai said: “It used to be you’d need a lot of people for analysis, but now, you can collect data and AI will decipher it for you. Big data and AI are evening the playing field between small groups and larger brands.” Speaking on the importance of interpretation, Marriott’s Walia said: “This technology can help guests to narrow down the hotels they would like to stay in,” noting that big data – when used in combination with AI – can help to identify the best options for customers. “But ultimately, guests have to connect with us to make the booking, so the balance between AI and the human touch is …