The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has released its 2022 ranking, revealing Abu Dhabi as the number one destination in the Middle East for association meetings. As a globally recognised hub for the meetings industry, this ranking raises international awareness of Abu Dhabi as a leading business events destination and testament to the work that Abu Dhabi MICE sector has done to attract business events. With its diverse portfolio of world-leading infrastructure, hotels, state-of-the-art event venues and cultural offerings, Abu Dhabi is a thriving and dynamic business and events hub. There is something for everyone to experience at their own pace, from its world-class business venues and meeting facilities to attractions such as Al Ain, Saadiyat Cultural District and Yas Island – making it an ideal choice for those looking to host meetings, conferences and incentive trips. This year, Abu Dhabi has hosted a number of association conventions such as the 34th International Nursing Research Congress and is set to host the UNCTAD World Investment Forum, the International Conference on Advanced Robotics, the 13th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC13), the 12th World Environment Education Congress in 2024 and the IUCN World Conservation Congress in 2025. His Excellency Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi topping the ICCA 2022 ranking is an accolade which is the result of collective effort and collaboration amongst the UAE government entities, academia, Al Nukbha Ambassadors, Emirates Medical Association, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and the MICE industry. Renowned for a diverse portfolio of unique attractions, world-leading infrastructure, iconic hotels, state-of-the-art event venues and an unrivalled leisure offering, Abu …

DXB is getting ready to welcome 3.3 million travellers over the next 13-day period. With average daily traffic reaching 258,000 guests, August 26 and 27 are expected to be the busiest with culminated traffic of over half a million guests. Dubai Airports is working closely with airlines, control authorities, and commercial and service partners to ensure a seamless airport journey for guests. Here are DXB’s top tips for arriving guests: Travellers between the ages of 4 and 12 can use dedicated passport control counters to independently stamp their passports upon arrival at Terminals 1, 2, and 3 For those travelling with families, travellers over the age of 12 can use Smart Gates to speed up the passport control process Make the most of the DXB experience with various amenities in lounges, dining and shopping outlets, and duty-free The road through the airport could get busy during peak times. If possible, use the Dubai Metro, which has stations at DXB Terminals 1 and 3 DXB offers a range of other transportation choices — hail an Uber, Careem, RTA Taxi, or rent a car Those picking up guests should use DXB’s designated car parks or valet services to receive their guests in comfort. Access to the Arrivals’ forecourts in Terminal 1 and 3 is limited to public transport and other authorised airport vehicles only. Once in Dubai, visitors and returning residents can discover the beautiful Emirate through the city’s diverse attractions, cultural exhibitions, live performances, tailored family experiences and more.

Emirates and Philippine Airlines (PAL) have expanded their interline agreement, enabling Emirates’ passengers to access domestic points in Philippine Airlines’ network via Cebu and Clark, adding to the previously announced interline connections via Manila. Covering all three gateways in the Philippines served by Emirates – Manila, Cebu and Clark – this partnership expansion will provide seamless connectivity for passengers to reach even more destinations in the Philippines using a single ticket and convenient baggage policy. Emirates’ passengers can enjoy a convenient booking process to destinations in Philippine Airlines’ network including Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan De Oro, Davao, Iloilo, Caticlan and Puerto Princesa via Cebu; as well as Cebu, Caticlan and Busuanga via Clark. Philippine Airlines’ passengers can also benefit from the enhanced interline agreement and book Emirates-operated flights to Amman, Birmingham, Cape Town, Dammam, Dublin, Lisbon, Manchester, Muscat, and Riyadh via Dubai. The Philippine national carrier operates daily flights between Manila and Dubai, enabling convenient and seamless connections to cities in Europe, Africa, and other parts of the Middle East. The arrangement allows for passengers to obtain their boarding passes and check through their baggage all the way to final destination. Travel itineraries can be booked on emirates.com, philippineairlines.com, the Emirates and PAL mobile apps, or via both online and offline travel agents. The expansion comes months after Emirates and Philippine Airlines first announced their interline agreement, reaffirming the commitment of both airlines to serve growing demand by providing travellers with more choice and flexibility, as well as enhanced customer experiences. Emirates has been flying to the Philippines since 1990 and currently operates 25 weekly flights to Manila, Cebu and Clark. The airline is also the only air carrier to offer …

One of rugby’s greatest rivalries, between South Africa and New Zealand, will be reignited at Twickenham Stadium later this month with the two nations playing for a brand-new trophy, the Qatar Airways Cup on Friday, 25 August at 7.30pm. With Qatar Airways as Title Sponsor of this fixture, rugby fans from South Africa, New Zealand, the UK and around the world have the perfect means to attend this compelling match-up. The seven-time winner of the “World’s Best Airline” as voted by Skytrax, will take centre stage as the match Naming Rights Partner, and also be the broadcast partner for the Sky Sports coverage in the UK. Qatar Airways facilitates the movement of rugby fans all over the world to watch their favourite teams compete. The airline flies to more than 160 destinations, including Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg in South Africa. It will also resume direct flights to Auckland, New Zealand on 1 September this year. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is honoured to be the Title Sponsor and Naming Rights Partner for this match at Twickenham Stadium, hosting one the greatest rivalries in competitive sports history. The South Africa and New Zealand teams are giants in the world of rugby and we are excited to be part of this journey, while uniting the fans before the start of world cup. Qatar Airways has a long history of supporting global sports, including rugby, Formula 1 and football. We believe in bringing people from all over the world closer together through travel and sport and are proud to continue the expansion of our sports partnership’s portfolio.” TEG Rugby Live Managing Director, Stephen …

Skyscanner new research study reveals that 79% of UAE travellers are likely to hire a car during their next holiday.* The freedom to travel on your own terms combined with an increasing desire to explore off the beaten path destinations as 98% of UAE travellers are open to travelling to alternative or lesser-known destinations, where public transportation might be limited, has put road trips firmly back in the spotlight for 2023/2024 travel.**  With 84% of road trippers citing sustainability as an important factor when hiring a car, the interest in hybrid and electric cars is high. Almost half (41%) of UAE travellers surveyed have hired an electric or hybrid car during a recent holiday, whilst another 50% would consider it. Ayoub El Mamoun, Skyscanner Travel Expert said: “Our latest research shows that despite price being a key consideration for UAE travellers when hiring a car, only a third compare prices from different providers where significant savings can be made. Skyscanner is here to help, searching billions of prices every day from over 1200 providers in one place so that travellers can easily find and compare the best flight, car hire and hotel options to suit their travel needs and budget. “As well as saving on fuel, choosing an electric vehicle (EV) means you’ll also be exempt from low-emission zone charges in some cities, and enjoy free parking, provided they’re plugged in to a charging point. So whether you’re looking to reduce your traveller footprint or just looking for ways to save on your car hire, it’s easy to find cheap EV rentals with Skyscanner. Simply select, and tick Electric & Hybrid options under the ‘Low- Emissions Vehicle’ filter on the …

Sabre Corporation announced the availability of Lodging AI, marking the introduction of its Sabre Travel AI™ capabilities in the lodging sector and enhancing the power of Content Services for Lodging. Lodging AI can help travel agencies improve hotel attachment rates, creating additional revenue opportunities and providing travelers with more personalized lodging options. Using Sabre Travel AI™ machine learning models, the new lodging capability analyzes property attributes, customer trip segmentation, and traveler and agency preferences to generate custom lodging options and serve up properties that are most likely to be booked. “Artificial intelligence combined with data and insights, such as profiles and preferences, is a very powerful tool in removing friction from the travel booking process,” said Sabre Chief Product Officer Garry Wiseman. “As the next evolution of intelligent retailing capabilities supported through our strategic partnership with Google, Lodging AI brings more personalized results to enable agents to be more efficient in their workflows and to ensure travelers obtain the most relevant options available.”

Emirates announced it will operate an additional five-a-week service to London Heathrow starting from 31 October 2023 until 30 March 2024. This temporary service will meet market demand during the busy winter season and offer customers more travel choices. Emirates currently serves London Heathrow with six daily A380 flights. The additional flight will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and will be served by Emirates’ wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, fitted in a three-class configuration split between First, Business and Economy classes. Emirates flight EK41 will depart Dubai at 13:20hrs and arrive at London Heathrow at 17:20hrs, local time. The return flight, EK42, will depart London Heathrow at 20:15hrs and arrive in Dubai at 07:15hrs local time, the following day.

The total number of passengers travelling through airports of the Sultanate of Oman until the end of May 2023 grew by 71.5% to reach 5,223,992 as against 3,045,519 passengers during the corresponding period in 2022, according to the latest reported preliminary data released by the National Centre for Statistics and information (NCSI). The total number of passengers via Muscat International Airport stood at 4,718,497, comprising a rise by 79.5% compared to the same period of the previous year. Those passengers traveled onboard 36,315 flights, constituting an increase by 65.6%. Meanwhile, the number of passengers via Salalah Airport increased by 32.7% to reach 470,950 passengers onboard 3,468 flights, with an increase in the number of flights amounting to 26.4%, compared to the same period in 2022. The total number of passengers via Sohar Airport reached 6,999 passengers on board 110 flights, while the number of passengers via Duqm Airport reached 27,546 passengers on 258 flights.      

The Saudi Film Commission is expected to debut its new industry event, the Saudi Film Confex, in Riyadh running from 1-4 October in BLVD Expo, the four-day conference and exhibition will lay the foundations for the Kingdom’s future film industry ventures and will attract the world’s leading filmmakers, producers, directors, investors, and media. “Saudi Film Confex will encompass pillars that support activities and interests in the Kingdom, with the goal of enhancing the industry’s presence and promoting the economic value of film industry. Featuring the participation of various entities to showcase their services and innovation, curated workshops, and six interactive zones, the event is underpinned the growing economic role of the film industry in Saudi Arabia. The venue boasts 40,000 square meters of exhibition space, catering for over 100 exhibitors, 50 keynote speakers. Three main topics will be addressed throughout Saudi Film Confex, including industry trends, global practices, and challenges and opportunities in filmmaking. Thoughtfully designed workshops will be spread over three days, featuring practical training sessions led by specialists in the film industry’s value chain.

According to Statistics issued by the National Center for Statistics and Information revenues of hotels rated from 3 to 5 stars in the Sultanate of Oman at the end of June 2023 amounted to about 110 million and 31 thousand Omani riyals, an increase of 32 percent compared to the end of June 2022, which amounted to 83 million and 359 thousand Omani riyals. It further indicated that the total number of hotel guests increased by 27.4 percent, recording about 943 thousand and 68 guests at the end of last June, compared to 740 thousand and 50 guests in the same period of 2022 AD, while the occupancy rate recorded a growth of 10.8 percent to reach 47.1 percent, compared to 42.5 percent during the same period in 2022. The number of Omani visitors reached 337,682, while the number of Gulf visitors increased by 28.7 percent, to 72,849 inmates, and the number of European visitors increased by 46.3 percent, to 250,151 visitors. The number of registered American guests reached 29,899, an increase of 3.2 percent, and the number of guests from the African continent reached 5,451, a growth rate of 41.3 percent. guest, an increase of 252.2 percent.