The Dubai International Boat Show 2023 concluded recently at Dubai Harbour, after showcasing the latest sustainable innovations and advancements in the yachting industry. The 29th edition of the show saw prominent yacht manufacturers accelerate efforts to promote environmental sustainability, in line with the increasing demand for greener yachts and an industry-wide movement towards protecting our oceans. The Middle East’s largest and most established boat show was a proud industry changemaker attracting exhibitors showcasing eco-friendly materials and electric engines, as well as other solutions aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the yachting and water sports industries. Prominent distributors and brands leading the charge include Silent Yachts, as well as the JLS Training Institute, OKTA core, Magonis, Cummins Arabia, Sunkiss, Ocean 360, and the GEMS Education network. While some emerging energy technologies are still in various stages of development, a number of options available today can make a big difference. Silent Yachts, which exhibited at Dubai International Boat Show 2023 for the first time, produces the first ocean-going production yachts in the world powered by solar energy, which is used to charge the batteries and run the electric motor. According to General Manager Ahmed Almousawi: “This makes them carbon-free and the process is as sustainable as can be. They are called Silent Yachts because they truly are silent; you won’t hear any noises or feel any vibrations as you would from a traditional yacht fuel engine. Not only does this make the yachting experience more pleasurable, but it also protects the coral reefs and the marine life.” As the exclusive UAE dealer for the Ferretti Group brands, including Ferretti Yachts, Riva, Pershing and Itama; Ocean 360 has seen greater integration of …

Travelport announced a $200 million investment from the company’s owners, Siris Capital Group and Elliott Management. Following a strong first quarter performance, including best-in-class tech achievements and the acquisition of Deem, the new injection of capital will allow the company to continue executing against its aggressive growth strategy. “The $200 million investment from our owners, Siris Capital Group and Elliott Management, reflect their confidence in Travelport and the continued recovery of the travel industry,” said Greg Webb, CEO of Travelport. “The main advantage of private equity ownership is agility, which is crucial in a rapidly changing environment. This investment will allow Travelport to further advance its tech innovations, while fueling the company’s momentum.” This month alone, Travelport: Announced the game-changing acquisition of Deem, a leading corporate travel management platform, in order to fulfill a growing need for a tight, fully-integrated tool that provides access to all multi-source content, including NDC. Launched Smartpoint Cloud, delivering a more intuitive and efficient way for travel agents to sell and service travel, all while increasing sales of higher-value services for suppliers. Became the first GDS to offer a complete solution for American Airlines’ NDC content. The company’s next-generation platform, Travelport+, has had NDC content from American Airlines live for nearly a year now; and as of mid-March, the content is live across the entire Travelport portfolio. The $200 million investment, along with a recent refinancing that received the support of 100% of Travelport’s First Lien Lenders and materially lowered the company’s cash interest expense, provides Travelport with significant liquidity while demonstrating investors’ strong belief in the company’s bright future.

Doha was officially recognised as the Arab Tourism Capital 2023 by the Arab Tourism Organization for Tourism at a commemoration ceremony. Commenting on the occasion, Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “It is an honour to see Doha being named as the Arab Tourism Capital 2023 by the Arab Tourism Organization. One of the industry’s most prestigious accolades, the Arab Tourism Capital award is a testament of our exceptional achievements in leisure and hospitality. I am proud of our city’s tireless efforts that have culminated in this honourable recognition and look forward to further cementing Doha’s position as one of the world’s most sought-after leisure destinations.” The Arab Tourism Organization declared Doha as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2023, in its 25th session at the Arab League General Secretariat Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. The session was chaired by Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Nayef Fayez, amongst other prominent Arab leaders. Cities were evaluated based on a selection of criteria including tourism management, infrastructure and resources, safety and security, diversity of tourism activations, and preservation and protection of the environment. By continuing to host internationally renowned events, investing in hospitality offerings and expanding into more specialised areas of tourism, Qatar is in a perfect position to meet its goal of welcoming six million visitors a year by 2030. Held under the patronage of His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani at the Katara Cultural Village. The event took place on Arab Tourism Day (February 25), and was attended by tourism ministers, ambassadors and prominent leaders from the nations that are …

The latest addition to the Red Sea Project is the inland and overwater luxury accommodation with 73keys which entails reflective overwater orbs and inland luxury villas. A 45-minute boat ride from the mainland, a stay on Sheybarah guarantees ultimate exclusivity and bliss. Surrounded by crystal clear waters and away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, guests can enjoy water-based activities or choose to unwind on one of the island’s many white sandy beaches. The island features a spectacular 30 to 40-meter reef drop-off close to the beach providing the ultimate spot for exploring ocean life. Each overwater orb weighs around 150 tons and they complement the horizon with reflective mirror surfaces. The inland villas are inspired by sand dunes. Each villa will be set apart to give guests a sense of privacy. RSG appointed Mammoet for transport and installation of Sheybarah Island Resort’s villas, a key part of the Red Sea Project in Saudi Arabia. The Red Sea Global appointed Dubai-based Killa Design, one of the region’s leading architectural design firms, to design, one of the region’s leading architectural design firms, to design overwater and inland villas on Sheybarah Island. Sheybarah is one of their most ambitious islands, with futuristic steel orbs that float over the water, reflecting the sea, sky and reef below. The designs of the overwater villas are inspired by the natural surroundings, particularly the corals in their purest form, which make up the circle effect. The circle represents unity, integration, and wholeness, giving guests a sense of completion, confidence, and harmony. The inland villas are inspired by sweeping desert sand dunes and are set apart to give guests a sense of privacy. The design …

Emirates Airline now ventures on a new voyage with its Emirates Sealine, widely considered the QE2 among airlines and beloved by millions worldwide for its sumptuous services in the air and on land, will now be sailing across the seven seas with its newly-launched maritime arm, Emirates Sealine. Lucky ship-spotters and cruise aficionados witnessed glimpses of the first liner as it majestically sailed round Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah earlier today on its maiden sea trial – click here. Emirates Sealine is promising cruisers top-tier and never-before-imagined experiences as they voyage to rarely-before-seen ports of call. It placed a titanic, multi-billion-dollar order for an initial 10 cruise ships which are currently being fitted with the latest and the best. Having identified significant gaps in the industry’s offering, Emirates Sealine will give a wide berth to convention, offering a cruise calendar outside traditional seasons. The first cruise is scheduled to flag off from Dubai Harbour on 01 April 2024, with Karachi as the maiden port of call – harking back to the airline’s first-ever flight in October 1985. Itineraries and bookings will be open from 31 June. Emirates Sealine’s liners will dock at major cruise ports – charting a course from US to New Zealand – supported by the airline’s colossal network. Captain Jack Shallow, the newly appointed Chief Maritime Officer at the helm of Emirates Sealine said: “Emirates is no stranger to the seas, having been associated with powerboat racing in Dubai to Emirates Team New Zealand and more recently, the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team. While cities worldwide remain moored to challenges, Dubai is sailing smoothly at unimaginable knots and has outstanding cruise and other multi-modal transport infrastructure. “Technology, AI and …

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has issued resolutions,  with the approval of the UAE Federal Supreme Council, to appoint His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Minister of Presidential Court, as UAE Vice President, alongside His Highness Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, has issued an Emiri decree appointing Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

Emirates and United have activated their codeshare partnership, allowing Emirates customers to enjoy easier access to an expanded choice of U.S. destinations. Starting today, Emirates customers will be able to fly to three of the nation’s biggest business hubs – Chicago, Houston or San Francisco – and connect easily to an expansive network of domestic U.S. points on flights operated by United. Tickets are available to purchase from today on emirates.com as well as through trade channels including travel agencies. With the launch of the partnership, Emirates customers heading to the U.S., can now look forward to access to more than 150 U.S. cities in the United network, via the three gateways. Similarly, Emirates customers in the U.S. planning trips to Dubai and beyond have a myriad of choices and can utilise United’s services to easily connect to Emirates operated flights bound for Dubai, via Chicago, Houston or San Francisco. The world just got bigger for U.S. travelers journeying to Emirates’ extensive network beyond Dubai, including many unique destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. On the flights, passengers can enjoy Emirates’ award-winning services and a host of convenient travel benefits afforded by the agreement. Travellers with itineraries on Emirates’ codeshare flights can plan their entire trip on a single-ticket and take advantage of the airline’s baggage allowance, in addition to convenient bag check-through to the final destination. Emirates is also enabling its Skywards members to earn and redeem miles on all flights across United’s worldwide network. The partnership unlocks a host of popular destinations accessible from Emirates gateways such as Atlanta, Austin, Denver, Minneapolis and Phoenix. Emirates passengers planning trips to destinations such as …

Etihad Airways and China Southern Airlines are set to explore deeper and broader cooperation opportunities following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide passengers with an enhanced travel experience. Following Etihad’s move to Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX), which is also China Southern Airlines’ hub, the MOU provides scope for expansion of the current codeshare co-operation and allows the partners to explore extending global flight networks beyond the two carriers’ hubs, providing passengers with a more valuable, convenient and high-quality travel experience. This is further enhanced by Etihad services to China Southern’s home hub at Guangzhou Baiyuan, introduced in October 2022. The MOU also contains plans for mutual procurement opportunities across ground handling, cargo handling, bonded warehousing, catering, and maintenance, repair and overhaul in either Guangzhou, Beijing or Abu Dhabi, broadening cooperation opportunities in the airline supply chain. Mr. Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “This MOU will serve as a platform for a stronger ongoing relationship between the two airlines. Etihad looks forward to working with China Southern Airlines to explore comprehensive and pragmatic ways in which the two carriers can work more closely together, to drive greater value through our unique strengths at Beijing Daxing International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and further extend the reach of our joint network . Advanced cooperation between the two airlines sends a very strong signal to the industry and brings further hope of recovery for the global aviation and travel markets.” Zhang Dongsheng, Deputy Director General, Commercial Steering Committee of China Southern Airlines, said: “The signing of the MOU opens a new chapter of win-win cooperation between the two carriers, which will further strengthen our …

Maintaining its momentum from last year’s global tournament, Qatar welcomed a total of 730,000 visitors in January and February 2023, marking an increase of 347% from the previous year. The start of the year saw 340,000 international visitors in January 2023, a 295% increase year on year, and 389,000 visitors in February 2023, a staggering 406% increase from the same period last year. The month of February marked the highest number of international arrivals to Qatar in the past 10 years, with the exception of the months of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, making it the busiest month for tourism in the country. Having firmly established itself as a leading tourism destination with its high safety record, seamless public transport, pristine beaches and cultural sites, tourists from around the world continue to head to Qatar to experience the country’s unique blend of authenticity and modernity. The start of the year will have also seen visitors arriving to the peninsula to enjoy the line-up of festivities offered as part of Qatar Tourism’s “Feel Winter in Qatar” campaign, including performances by celebrated regional and international artists, the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition and other family-friendly events. Doha, the Arab Tourism Capital of the year, also hosted numerous world-class sporting events in the first two months of the year, including the Visit Qatar GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup 2023, Qatar TotalEnergies Open, and Qatar ExxonMobil Open, helping to promote the destination even further. Commenting on the record figures, Berthold Trenkel, Chief Operating Officer at Qatar Tourism, said: “We are excited to see the progress we have made towards achieving our 2030 strategy, which aims to welcome 6-7 million visitors annually, increase employment …