Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) launched a Travel Behaviour Survey – Screening Questionnaire of individuals and families residing or working in Dubai, as well as companies based in the Emirate. This step is part of RTA’s efforts to revamp its strategic roads and transport plans, enhance roads and public transport networks and services to provide a smooth and safe transportation experience for the public and keep up with the urbanisation of the Emirate in line with the Dubai Urban Plan 2040. The survey, which runs from January to June 2023, covers more than 7,000 samples of the population of Dubai and the neighbouring emirates. It covers 5,000 families (citizens and residents), 1,500 individuals visiting or working in Dubai, and 500 cargo transport companies operating in Dubai. “Over the next few days, RTA would launch a survey to measure the mobility trends and behaviours of residents and visitors of Dubai. Communication channels with the public would include home questionnaires, field visits, personal interviews, and online interviews including smart apps. The process involves the use of artificial intelligence technologies to reach the largest possible number of individuals,” said Muna Al Osaimi, Director of Transportation Strategic Planning, Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, RTA. “The results of the survey will be collected, analysed, and studied in a professional and transparent manner to conclude the best findings. Such deliverables will assist RTA in updating its strategic and operational plans for the road network and mass transport systems, including the Dubai Metro and Tram, public buses, marine transit means as well as individual and soft mobility means. “The public is a major partner in our efforts to improve transport services in the Emirate. Therefore, we …

Hilton Skanes Monastir Beach Resort will mark Hilton’s debut in Tunisia by summer this year, offering breath-taking views of the Mediterranean and a pristine white-sand beach surrounded by private lounging areas. Guests can indulge in ultimate resort-relaxation with five spectacular outdoor and indoor swimming pools to choose from alongside a thalassotherapy spa & wellness centre. With 346 stylish rooms and suites, the hotel is perfect for foodies, family travellers and fitness enthusiasts alike, complete with seven restaurants, a variety of fitness facilities and a kid’s club. The resort is also a perfect destination for retreats and business meetings, with a meeting space including a spacious ballroom and three meeting rooms equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.

The first Emirates A380 to be completely refurbished under the airline’s US$ 2 billion retrofit program has been deployed on the Dubai-London Heathrow service, operating as EK003. Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “Customers will notice the difference the moment they step onboard – the spacious A380 will look and feel even more impressive and comfortable. With our latest interiors and products, this newly refurbished aircraft elevates our inflight experience in all classes of travel, and enables us to offer more Premium Economy seats to meet customer demand. I’m particularly proud that this refurbishment work was designed, conducted and completed inhouse at our facilities in Dubai, to the highest standards of quality and safety. It reflects the world-class aviation capabilities and infrastructure that exists within Emirates, and here in the UAE.” The fully refreshed A380 features Emirates’ latest products and interiors across all cabins, including 56 Premium Economy class seats on the main deck, and new colour palettes evident in the carpeting and wall panels. On the upper deck, First and Business Class seats sport Emirates’ latest cream-coloured leather upholstery and lighter-toned wood finishing, similar to the airline’s ‘game changer’ product. Emirates’ signature ghaf tree motif also features prominently throughout the interiors, including hand-stencilled panels in the First Class Shower Spa. The next Emirates A380 aircraft lined up for its make-over is A6-EUW, and work is expected to be completed by the end of this month. As the program progresses, engineers will work simultaneously on 2 aircraft. This means that one aircraft in the fleet will be withdrawn from service every eight days and transferred to Emirates Engineering facilities. By 2024, all 67 A380s assigned for refurbishment will have …

Cathay Pacific welcomes the Hong Kong SAR Government’s latest measures to facilitate quarantine-free travel between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, as well as the lifting of transit restrictions, effective 8 January 2023. In light of today’s announcement, Cathay Pacific will more than double its flights into the Chinese Mainland, operating 61 return flights per week between Hong Kong and 13 Mainland cities from 14 January 2023. This compares to the 27 flights per week from Hong Kong to the Mainland, and 50 flights per week from the Mainland to Hong Kong that the airline is currently operating. Cathay Pacific is working actively to resume and add more flights progressively between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland in the coming weeks, with the aim of operating over 100 return flights per week by March 2023. Vishnu Rajendran, Area Manager, Middle East for Cathay Pacific said, “The new year has welcomed us with positive developments. We have always had strong connections into the Chinese Mainland and are delighted to more than double our frequency. With the Chinese Mainland lifting its quarantine and transit requirements, we anticipate the demand to travel further grow particularly with the upcoming Chinese New Year. The increase in operations will provide travellers, particularly from the business and trade segment with more options and accessibility to travel.” From 8 January 2023, Cathay Pacific will increase its flights between Hong Kong and Beijing to 10 pairs per week, and between Hong Kong and Shanghai (Pudong) to 21 pairs per week. The airline is also resuming flights to Guangzhou with five return flights per week. Meanwhile, from 14 January 2023 the airline will increase its flights between Hong Kong and …

Etihad Airways is boosting its flights to Bangkok, Thailand by doubling its frequency. From 26 March 2023, the airline will fly twice a day on the Abu Dhabi – Bangkok route, providing a total of 14 weekly nonstop services to Bangkok Airport (BKK). The flights will offer Etihad’s award-winning service and comfort across both Business and Economy Class cabins. Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “With our convenient morning departure from Abu Dhabi, our second Bangkok flight has optimised timings for those UAE residents wishing to have a break in Thailand. Moreover, the return departure from Bangkok allows for those Thai residents to arrive in Abu Dhabi in the morning to have a head-start in exploring what the city has to offer in terms of business and pleasure. It further reaffirms our commitment to bringing more guests to enjoy Abu Dhabi.” Bangkok is a world-renowned destination in its own right as well as being the gateway to travel throughout Thailand and further across South East Asia for millions of visitors every year. The new frequency will make it even more convenient for people connecting to flights to and from Thailand through Etihad’s growing global route network. Etihad Airways has just been rated third in the list of Top 20 Safest Airlines 2023 compiled by AirlineRatings, the highest placed carrier in the Middle East. Flight schedule for Abu Dhabi – Bangkok service, effective 26 March 2023: Flt Desg Dept Arp Dept Time Arvl Arp Arrv Time Freq   EY  402 AUH 22:50 BKK 08:20 Daily   EY  403 BKK 20:15 AUH 23:30 Daily   EY  404 AUH 10:30 BKK 20:00 Daily   EY  405 BKK 02:25 AUH 06:00 Daily …

Abu Dhabi Maritime, established by the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) and AD Ports Group as the primary custodian of Abu Dhabi’s waterways, has announced that it has launched a new Public Water Taxi service within the greater Yas Bay and Raha Beach community, in collaboration with Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences. The Public Water Taxi service will enhance connectivity between a number of Abu Dhabi’s waterfront attractions while offering an alternative transport option for the public. It will initially operate across high-demand locations including Yas Bay, Yas Marina and Al Bandar with further stops to follow. The service will be open seven days a week following scheduled timings which ensure vessel availability at each stop every hour. H.E. Dr. Salem Khalfan Al Kaabi, Director General of Operational Affairs, Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) said: “We are working closely with AD Ports Group as part of our collaboration with Abu Dhabi Maritime to provide advanced services that will boost the emirate’s connectivity making access to high-demand destinations even easier for Abu Dhabi residents and tourists. The new Public Water Taxi service underscores our efforts and commitment to developing state-of-the-art maritime services needed to support Abu Dhabi’s global position as one of the best destinations to live, work and visit.” Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral, said: “Our partnership with Abu Dhabi Maritime for the launch of the Public Water Taxi Service reiterates our commitment towards further positioning Yas Island as a top global destination for entertainment and leisure. With enhanced connectivity, residents and visitors will have the opportunity to navigate, explore and enjoy the island’s world-class offerings and landmarks. “The launch …

East coast of the UAE is to gain yet another resort consisting 20 (1bedroom) simple units20 (1bedroom) Luxury units and 5 (2bedroom) units, in addition a Royal Villa with private pool, Clifftop Restaurant, Kids Area, Gym & Spa. Al Jabal resort is located in the picturesque Mountain/ Sea landscape of Khorfakkan, on the East Coast of the UAE. A predominately mountainous and rocky landscape discreetly conceals the beautiful Heart Beach between two peaks – creating a unique beach-facing hillside setting. The retreat responds to key identified landscape features. The Villa accommodation will be located within the gently sloping beach-facing lower bay of the cove. The Clubhouse & Restaurant will sit on the shear hillsides in order to create dramatically situated landmark buildings commanding sea and sunrise/ sunset views. The Spa, Royal Villa & Reception will be located on natural/ man-made plateaus. All the elements will be connected with pedestrian routes minimizing the interruption from the outside world.  

It was announced that DoubleTree by Hilton Sanliurfa (Türkiye) is slated to open this year. With a history spanning over 12,000 years, the city of Sanliurfa in Türkiye is a must-visit destination. DoubleTree by Hilton Sanliurfa is the perfect base for exploring the rich history – located just a short drive from the centre with its many historical buildings, parks, and museums. Elsewhere, the Neolothic archaeological heritage site and ruins of Göbekli Tepe are only a short car journey away from the hotel. After a day of exploration, guests can indulge in a relaxing treatment, including a traditional Turkish bath in the property’s dedicated spa or they may prefer to opt for a refreshing dip in the indoor pool. The 190-room hotel is certified eco-friendly and offers DoubleTree by Hilton’s award-winning friendly and reliable hospitality.

Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences, in partnership with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, announced it has reached 90% construction completion of the next-generation marine-life theme park, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, Yas Island’s latest mega-development. The development, which is due to open this year as the latest addition to Yas Island’s tourism offering, includes the UAE’s first dedicated marine research, rescue, rehabilitation and return center. To be located next to the marine-life theme park, the research and rescue center will open this year. It will support regional and global conservation efforts, providing an advanced knowledge hub with a focus on indigenous Arabian Gulf and marine life ecosystems. The center will be led by world-class marine scientists, veterinarians, animal care professionals, rescue experts and educators, who will collaborate with peers, environmental organizations, regulators and academic institutions to impact long-term conservation efforts in the region. The rescue team will also be available to support the authorities 24/7. Built on five indoor levels with a total area of approximately 183,000sqm, the marine-life theme park is in the final stages of construction completion of the interior themed guest environments, habitats, rides, and immersive experiences. Utilizing SeaWorld’s vast experience operating world-class marine-life theme parks for over 55 years, the purpose-built habitats and ecosystems for the animals that will call SeaWorld Abu Dhabi home have been designed and built using the latest technologies, aiming to provide the residents a dynamic environment that replicates their natural habitat. The marine-life theme park, set to be home to the region’s largest and most expansive multi-species marine-life aquarium, will feature a myriad of immersive experiences and interactive exhibits, inviting guests from around the world to broaden their knowledge …

Oman Air has partnered with HSBC Oman on a unique and innovative international payments process, which will dramatically increase efficiency and security. Via a centralised treasury hub in Oman, HSBC’s Global Disbursement solution, developed as a bespoke service for Oman Air, will deliver simultaneous multiple currency payments and an improved track and trace function for every transaction. The new service enables Oman Air to process foreign currency payments through a single bank account, using HSBC’s extensive global network and transparent FX rates. This reduces dependency on other third party banks, reducing the costs of processing these payment types and the hours worked in doing so. This strengthens the relationship with HSBC as Oman Air’s bank of choice for international payments. “Oman Air continues to invest in innovative financial solutions as a crucial component of our success as a truly global airline,” said Oman Air Chief Executive Officer Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi. “HSBC’s Global Disbursement solution provides us with simplicity, expediency, and security. We are confident that this partnership will enable us to achieve a more streamlined international payments procedure and ultimately, enhance our guest experience,” Eng. Abdulaziz continued. “At HSBC Oman, we are committed to innovating in our technology to make banking easier, more accessible, and more secure for our clients. Our Global Disbursement solution is designed to simplify the cross border payment process by reducing costs, minimizing risk and improving transparency. Our Global Payments Solutions Team has a proven record of providing clients across the MENAT Region with a comprehensive suite of market leading, innovative solutions and products to help them do business every day,” said Melika Betley, CEO of HSBC Oman. The Global Disbursement solution will introduce significant …