The Ajman Department of Tourism Development (ADTD) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AM & RS Holdings. The primary objective of this partnership is to bolster tourism and cultural promotion in the Emirate of Ajman, thereby attracting more visitors to this unique destination. The momentous agreement was officially inked during WTM. This collaborative effort aims to elevate Ajman’s tourism and cultural appeal in the United Kingdom by exchanging knowledge and modern technologies. Both parties are committed to providing advisory services and mutual support to ensure the successful realization of the MoU’s objectives. A key facet of this agreement entails the establishment of a visually striking office in St. Anne’s Square, a prominent location in the city of Manchester, known for its high footfall. This strategic move will help orient visitors towards Ajman. Under the terms of the agreement, the Ajman Department of Tourism Development will engage in discussions with hotels and relevant stakeholders in Ajman in partnership with AM & RS Holdings to offer exclusive rates to visitors, enhancing their overall tourism experience. Close collaboration between the two entities will extend to mutual media and advertising promotions of upcoming activities and events, to showcase the beauty of Ajman and introduce the UK public to the rich culture and history of the emirate. His Excellency Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi, Director General of the Ajman Department of Tourism Development, expressed his interest in this collaboration, emphasizing its significant positive impact on Ajman’s tourism efforts. He stated, “The signing of this memorandum underscores our commitment to bolstering Ajman’s reputation as a distinctive tourist destination. This partnership will play a pivotal role in achieving our goal by leveraging AM & RS Holding Company’s experience …

Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel was awarded “Best Destination Wedding Hotel” at the Arabian Travel Awards for 2023.  This prestigious recognition is a testament to the hotel’s commitment to offering exceptional wedding experiences, luxurious accommodations, and world-class service. The prestigious travel awards is renowned for recognizing luminaries in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors, marking a significant milestone for these industries. The Arabian Travel Awards 2023 show was held at Sofitel Downtown Dubai, and was graced by H.E. Datuk Seri Ahmad Fadil bin Shamsuddin, Ambassador of Malaysia to the UAE who also presented the awards to the stars of the evening. Area General Manager, Mr. Iftikhar Hamdani, expressed his delight about this achievement: “Receiving the title of ‘Best Destination Wedding Hotel’ is a great honour. It reflects the unwavering commitment and effort we put into every wedding celebration. We aim to create magical moments for our clients, and this award is a validation of our excellence.”  He also conveyed his heartfelt gratitude to its team.  “In fact, this wouldn’t have been possible without our expert team of event planners and hospitality professionals.” Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel managed by Hospitality Management Holding, takes pride in its versatility and commitment to hosting a wide range of events. They are not only the perfect setting for dream weddings but also an ideal venue for various other occasions, including sports events, beauty pageants, conferences, and more. This achievement comes as a continuation of the hotel’s success, as they were previously recognized as the “Best 5-Star Luxury Hotel in Ajman 2021” by the Arabian Travel Awards.  Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel looks forward to providing its clients with remarkable experiences that create cherished memories.  

It was announced by His Excellency Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council that GCC states have unanimously approved a Schengen style GCC tourism visa, at a meeting of regional interior minsters at the GCC summit in Muscat, Oman on November 8 According to the Secretariat news, His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), stated that the unified GCC tourist visa project represents a new achievement which is added to the blessed accomplishments made by the Cooperation Council, in light of the sound directives of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC who placed close attention to the achievements of the GCC security cooperation. His Excellency’s remarks came during the 40th meeting of Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Interior Ministers of the GCC which took place under the chairmanship of His Excellency Sayyed Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior of Oman and President of the current session, in the Omani capital Muscat. Present in the meeting were Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Ministers of Interior in the GCC member states. At the beginning of his speech, His Excellency the Secretary General extended the highest expressions of thanks, appreciation and gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Sultan of the Sultanate of Oman and Chairman of the current session of the GCC Supreme Council, and to the esteemed government of the Sultanate of Oman and the honourable people of the Sultanate, for their backing and tireless efforts made to support the joint GCC action to maintain the Council’s march and progress in order to achieve the lofty goals of the aspirations of the citizens …

The Ajman Department of Tourism Development (ADTD) officially sealed a significant partnership with Karisma Hotels and Resorts at the World Travel Market in London 2023. This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a testament to their joint commitment to attracting investment opportunities that will boost tourism not only in Ajman but also in the broader United Arab Emirates. The agreement reflects their mutual desire to support, develop, and strengthen their collaborative efforts within a defined institutional framework, respecting the unique roles and responsibilities of each party and aligned with their shared goals. Both parties are determined to facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences to harmonize their visions for the future. Under the terms of this MoU, the two entities will collaborate on the assessment of tourism and hotel projects in the Emirate of Ajman. Their primary focus will be on the development of comprehensive five-star resorts and hotels in Ajman, along with entertainment ventures and similar initiatives. His Excellency H.E. Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi, Director General of the Ajman Department of Tourism Development, expressed his optimism about this pivotal partnership, stating, “This strategic alliance with Karisma Hotels and Resorts marks a significant milestone in our journey to promote tourism in Ajman. Through this agreement, we aim to foster investment opportunities and emphasize the establishment of top-notch integrated resorts, ultimately enhancing Ajman’s reputation as a premier tourist destination. We firmly believe that this collaboration will lay the foundation for sustained growth and success in Ajman’s tourism sector.” Mr. Nemanja Kostic, CEO of Karisma Hotels and Resorts, shared his enthusiasm, saying, “We are excited to embark on this journey alongside the Ajman Department of Tourism Development. Karisma Hotels and Resorts have a proven …

Tourism Malaysia showcased its remarkable achievements in leveraging data to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and redefine the tourism landscape at the ForwardKeys event during the World Travel Market 2023. Speaking at the event, Mr. Iskandar Mirza Mohd Yusof, Senior Director of AERO at Tourism Malaysia, emphasised the pivotal role of data in charting the course for Malaysia’s tourism revival. “Data has been our guiding light during these challenging times,” he said. “It has been instrumental in not only assessing the readiness for the reopening of tourism but also in shaping our marketing strategies in response to evolving traveller preferences.” Key Messages: Pandemic Recovery through Data: Mr. Yusof highlighted how data-driven insights were crucial in determining the readiness to reopen tourism activities after the Movement Control Order (MCO). Surveys involving the domestic population provided valuable information that shaped guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The surveys revealed a high demand for domestic travel, leading to the staged reopening of tourism activities. For international markets, surveys with overseas tourism stakeholders informed the establishment of travel bubbles and the eventual reopening of international borders on April 1, 2022.   Data-Driven Marketing: The data collected during the pandemic became the cornerstone of Tourism Malaysia’s marketing efforts. It played a pivotal role in developing new marketing narratives for both domestic and international markets. This data was also instrumental in redefining services and product offerings within the tourism sector.   Identifying New Markets: Mr. Yusof underscored the importance of data partnerships with various government agencies and organisations, such as the Department of Statistics, Central Bank of Malaysia (BNM), Immigration, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economics (KE), academic institutions, and international bodies. This collaboration …

Almosafer and Trip.com Group are expanding collaborations to pioneer unique holistic travel experiences for tourists and visitors to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and make the destination more accessible to global markets. The collaboration aims at enhancing inbound travel by promoting the Kingdom as a top-tier travel destination in the region. The collaboration will also fortify corporate travel across the Middle East and boost inbound tourism from Asian markets. Leveraging the comprehensive range of travel services offered by Almosafer, together with the global reach and cutting-edge technology and data aggregation abilities of Trip.com Group, both industry giants will open exciting opportunities for travellers and strengthen the tourism landscape of Saudi Arabia. Building on Almosafer’s regional expertise and deep understanding of the needs and preferences of visitors in the region and beyond, Trip.com Group will increase visibility of the immersive and enriching tourism experiences in Saudi Arabia across its data-led and technology-driven platforms. Muzzammil Ahussain, CEO, Almosafer, said: “As Saudi Arabia’s leading travel company, Almosafer remains committed to bring guests and visitors seamless travel experiences and support them in making informed decisions to easily access the Kingdom’s unique attractions. In line with our digital first approach, we are excited to expand cooperation with Trip.com Group to further this goal and support the ambitious tourism mandate of Saudi Vision 2030. The partnership will give Saudi Arabia higher visibility in both regional and global markets and together, we aim to elevate Saudi Arabia as a captivating destination for all age groups and interests.” Boon Sian Chai, Managing Director and Vice President of International Markets at Trip.com Group, said: “We are excited to increase cooperation with Almosafer, to attract tourists to the beautiful destination of …

ATS Travel bagged triple awards with Saleem Sharif, Deputy Managing Director ATS Travel honoured as DDP Gamechanger, ATS Travel as ‘Best TMC UAE’ and Travelclub as ‘Most innovative start up B2B Travel Portal at the 6th edition of the Arabian Travel Awards. Saleem Sharif, Deputy Managing Director ATS Travel shared, “Today I stand with lot of gratitude to DDP for having extended this honour to me. I thank my stakeholders who have always been supportive and encouraged me to do whatever I’ve done for my organisation and for the trade. And of course, my excellent team, who has always been of big support. I dedicate this award to each one of you from the travel trade who has always encouraged me and helped me to reach where we’ve reached today.”

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) and Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collectively initiate and pursue cross-destination tourism promotion and marketing initiatives between the Musandam Governorate, Sultanate of Oman and the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The agreement was signed in London at WTM, between Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and Dr. Hashil Obaid Al Mahrouqi, Chief Executive Officer of OMRAN Group during a signing ceremony held at the World Travel Market, one of the most influential annual global exhibitions on travel and tourism. The MoU provides an official platform for both parties to cooperate on initiatives aimed at attracting more international visitors while positioning Ras Al Khaimah and Musandam as leading global tourism destinations in the Middle East. The agreement will see leaders of both organisations work together to create opportunities for travellers to visit both destinations, Ras Al Khaimah and Musandam, in a single trip. The partnership between the destinations is a natural fit, with just a 90-minute drive between them and a shared mountain range, the majestic Hajar mountains, among a wealth of other shared natural landscapes. Furthermore, their intertwined cultural heritage and historical connections only serve to enrich and strengthen this unique collaboration. To this end, the MoU sets forth a framework for greater collaboration and dialogue on marketing initiatives to promote cross-destination tourism. This includes facilitating ease of access in transportation between Musandam and Ras Al Khaimah, developing favourable visa arrangements for international travellers to visit both destinations and initiating tourism packages, adventure offerings and partnership opportunities. Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism …

Time Hotels walked away with two titles at the 6th edition of the Arabian Travel Awards with Passionate hotelier Mohamed Awadalla, CEO Time Hotels as the DDP Trailblazer and Time Hotels as ‘Fastest Growing Brand’. Awadalla shared, “The Arabian Travel Awards are renowned for their steadfast dedication to advancing excellence in the tourism and hospitality sectors throughout the Middle East and North Africa region. Being part of such an event not only spotlights the achievements of the nominees but also serves as a testament to their dedication and contributions. Earning recognition as a “Fast Growing Brand” is a moment of triumph and acknowledgment that can profoundly impact both personal and professional dimensions of one’s life. It often signifies the culmination of relentless effort, unwavering dedication, and an unyielding commitment to excellence within the travel and tourism industry. This award serves as a token of appreciation for all members of the TIME team and acts as a motivating force for the challenging year that lies ahead.”

The WTM Global Travel Report, in association with Tourism Economics published the number of leisure visitors to the region in 2023 is expected to reach 33 million, compared with 29 million in 2019. This 13% increase means that the Middle East is the only region fully recovered from the pandemic in volume. When measured in dollar terms, the Middle East leads the way, in growth terms, with a 46% increase in inbound spend compared with 2019. The Middle East is also outperforming all other regions for domestic travel, which has grown by 176% since 2019, albeit from a low base. The success of the region’s recovery from the pandemic is driven by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with their commitment to tourism showing signs of success. The report notes that “both countries are investing heavily in tourism infrastructure, viewing tourism development as a key strategy to diversify away from hydrocarbons reliance.” Inbound and domestic in both markets is fully recovered from the pandemic. For Saudi, inbound is outperforming 2019 by 66% in dollar terms, with the UAE registering a 21% increase. For domestic visits, the countries are ahead by 37% and 66% respectively. The next year is also looking good for the region’s overall inbound and domestic market as well as its two major markets. “Saudi Arabia will lead growth due to new visa arrangements and continued capacity development,” the report says, also noting Dubai’s “ability and desire to attract and host large-scale events of all types…” The picture is similar for domestic, with Saudi and the UAE reinforcing their leadership position in 2024. The long-term picture is also positive for the region and Saudi in particular. Over the …