The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences, have announced that the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi has reached 25% completion, with the UAE-based construction group ALEC having been appointed as the main contractor earlier this year. Located in Saadiyat Cultural District, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is anticipated to be the largest of its kind in the region, allowing visitors to travel on a 14-billion-year journey through time and space – from the earliest origins of our universe to a thought-provoking perspective into our Earth’s future. Due to be completed at the end of 2025, it will be a scientific research and teaching institution and an educational resource for learning about the evolving story of our planet, aiming to ignite a life-long passion for the natural world in visitors of all ages. H.E. Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi will bring a new dimension of educational discovery to the Abu Dhabi community, as an entirely unique cultural attraction that offers visitors and residents endless inspiration. With work now underway on this pioneering institution, the realisation of our vision for the Saadiyat Cultural District moves one step closer. When completed, Saadiyat will offer the highest concentration of cultural experience in the world, cementing Abu Dhabi’s position as an innovative global destination of choice.” Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral, said: “Through our partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi, we have been able to make strong progress on the development of this iconic cultural landmark. The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi will provide visitors with …

VOX Cinemas is excited to announce that Coldplay’s ‘Music of the Spheres’ World Tour special from Buenos Aires, with a special guest appearance from BTS member Jin, will be broadcasted live across its cinemas in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt and Lebanon on Saturday, 29 October. With this worldwide broadcast of the band’s sold-out concert from Argentina, Coldplay fans across 70+ countries can unite and experience their favourite band’s record-breaking world tour on the big screen. The one-night only event promises a stadium-like spectacle bursting with classic Coldplay hits, lights, lasers, fireworks and stunning cinematography directed by acclaimed BAFTA-winning and Grammy-nominated director Paul Dugdale. The event is also set to feature the first-ever live performance of BTS member Jin’s new track “The Astronaut”, co-written by Coldplay. The ‘Music of the Spheres’ World Tour kicked off earlier this year, marking the British rock band’s return to live performing after the COVID-19 pandemic. From March to September, Coldplay members Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Phil Harvey and Will Champion are travelling across Latin America, North America and Europe and are set to end their six-month world tour with a special live broadcast from Buenos Aires – the first-ever live worldwide cinema broadcast of a concert from Latin America. VOX Cinemas previously screened ‘Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams’, the band’s hugely successful seventh concert tour in 2018. Last March, it also broadcasted ‘BTS Permission to Dance on Stage – Seoul: Live Viewing’ in the MENA region, which sold out tickets after just 30 minutes in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. VOX Cinemas regularly screens alternative content such as concerts, football matches and documentaries to cater to the different tastes …

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) unveils its first round  of confirmed speakers for its upcoming Global Summit to be hosted by Saudi Arabia, which includes leaders from some of the world’s largest Travel & Tourism businesses, Saudi officials, and tourism ministers from around the world. Taking place at the magnificent King Abdul Aziz International Conference Centre in Riyadh from 28 November to 1 December, the global tourism body’s highly anticipated 22nd Global Summit is set to be the most influential Travel & Tourism of the year. Under the theme “Travel for a Better Future” the event will focus on the value of the sector, not just to the global economy, but to the planet and communities around the world. During the Global Summit, industry leaders and international government officials will gather in Riyadh to align efforts to support the sector’s recovery and address future challenges, ensuring a safer, more resilient, and more sustainable sector. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Minister of Tourism said “WTTC will arrive in Riyadh as tourism enters a new era of recovery. Bringing together global leaders from both the public and private sector, the Summit will be fundamental in building the better, brighter future the sector deserves. There is no doubt our ambitious investment, sustainability and travel experience goals can be realized through global collaboration and WTTC’s Global Summit in Riyadh will provide a platform for these important conversations, while ensuring visitors enjoy the hospitality and opportunities of one of the world’s fastest growing tourism destinations.” Business leaders set to take to the stage include Arnold Donald, Vice Chair of the Board of Carnival Corporation and Chairman at WTTC; Anthony Capuano, CEO, Marriott …

NYC & Company, New York City’s official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau, released a new Arabic-language version of the organization’s acclaimed Halal Travel Guide. NYC & Company, the first US tourism organization to create a dedicated resource for Muslim travelers, launched the translated guide during a Middle East Sales Mission engaging travel agents and tour operators across the region. Led by NYC & Company’s Makiko Matsuda Healy, Managing Director, Tourism Market Development and five New York City tourism partners, the sales mission will take place from October 23-28 in Doha, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. This comes as New York City’s tourism rebound continues with an expected 56.7 million visitors in 2022, roughly 85 percent of record 2019 visitation of 66.6 million. This year, international visitation is expected to triple to 8.3 million, including approximately 140,000 visitors from the Middle East. “As tourism recovery accelerates and we continue to welcome global travelers to New York City, our goal is to provide trip planning resources which authentically reflect our diverse communities across all five boroughs–as well as those of our visitors,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO of NYC & Company. “A major commitment to Muslim travelers was the launch of our Halal Travel Guide earlier this year–a first for any US destination. We’re pleased to now launch the new Arabic-language edition of our guide to halal travel in New York City, and we greatly look forward to welcoming visitors for their next vacation or business trip.” First launched in English earlier this year, the evergreen Halal Travel Guide spotlights and encourages visitation to the rich abundance of halal restaurants, Muslim history, and tourism sites across New York …

The most coveted awards in the region, Arabian Travel Awards will once again host the industry winners at the Le Meridien Hotel and conference center in Garhoud on 16th November 2022. This year’s edition is special as the focus is on sustainability. Arabian Travel Awards is a platform for the Middle East market to appreciate the efforts of the travel specialists who have contributed to the booming travel and hospitality industry. The aim is to encourage them to continue promoting tourism in the region. The Arabian Travel Awards are fair and unbiased, following a systematic method of internet-based voting. These awards are supported by Tourismbreakingnews.ae, TravelTVmiddleeast.news and TravTalk Middle East who are premier media partners for the coverage of the event. The awards will be divided into four categories: Personal Awards, Business Awards, Trending Awards and Partner Awards. They will include awards for Best Business Hotel, Best Family Friendly Hotel, Best City Hotel, Best Green Hotel, Best Leisure Hotel, Best Destination Management Company, Best Hotel Apartments, Best B2B Travel Portal, and Best Luxury Hotel to name a few. San Jeet Director Arabian Travel Awards shares, “Our awards this year is very special as it recognizes the untiring efforts of the industry experts. This year as the borders open, the travel, tourism and hospitality experts were able to restore to levels enjoyed pre-pandemic time. Most had to redefine the way forward in the post covid era, as we can confidently call it. Applications are still open to vote for those in the industry and who has been in the forefront promoting and working to go over and beyond the general norms of the industry. Middle East has always been the most …

VOX Cinemas, the dedicated cinema arm of Majid Al Futtaim, is proud to launch VOX Culture, which provides audiences with greater access to the wealth of local creativity and culture within Lebanon. As part of the new initiative, VOX Cinemas’ auditoriums will provide a platform for a diverse range of multidisciplinary curated events including stand-up comedy, live theatre, concerts, and screenings to appeal to all ages. To celebrate the launch, VOX Cinemas in Beirut hosted a Fireside Chat with Ignace Lahoud, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim Leisure, Entertainment & Cinemas before local comedians Jessica Maghamess, Yorgo Kmeid, Jalal Achkar and Tera Irani took to the stage to entertain the crowd. VOX Culture builds on VOX Cinemas’ commitment to innovate and diversify its offering with alternate content, give back to the communities in which it operates and champion local creative talent. “VOX Cinemas believes that the cinema is more than just a place to watch a movie and plays a key role in bringing communities together and enhancing cultural life. Throughout the pandemic and economic crisis, we witnessed the vital social value of cinema, which provided an inclusive space for the people of Lebanon to enjoy shared experiences together. VOX Culture was established from our desire to champion the arts, be part of the cultural scene in Lebanon and make a positive impact in the local community. We look forward to building on the momentum and establishing VOX Culture as a signature programme that we can roll out across other markets in the future”, said Ignace Lahoud, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim, Leisure, Entertainment & Cinemas. Since 2013, VOX Cinemas has been bringing the magic of movie to Beirut. …

Saint Petersburg Committee for Tourism Development and City Tourist Information Bureau will hold events in the framework of the roadshow: presentation of tourist programs and hospitality industry services of Saint Petersburg in the cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 1-2 November 2022: On 1st November, it will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah and 2nd November at Fairmont Riyadh, Riyadh. Being the city of white nights and drawbridges, St. Petersburg is quite unique in Russian history. It has remained the magnificent capital of the Russian Empire for more than two centuries and now retains its status as the cultural centre. The historical part of St. Petersburg with its world-known museums, theatres, art galleries, architectural monuments is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List – the State Hermitage Museum, Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, the National Library of Russia and the State Russian Museum are some of them. According to statistics, the number of tourists in St. Petersburg has reached 10 million in the pre-pandemic period. And even more than 10 million! The event is aimed at developing partnership between enterprises of tourist industry of St. Petersburg and travel industry’s representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Presentation will feature new sightseeing programs, classical and new tourist attractions, museums, historical and cultural monuments, events. Participants from St. Petersburg include St. Petersburg tour operators, DMC, representatives of St. Petersburg hotels and representatives of cultural institutions and other tourist infrastructure of St. Petersburg. The program will consists of B2B workshop followed by a presentation of St. Petersburg’s tourism potential, ending the evening by hosting a dinner with cultural program and raffle of prizes from St. Petersburg participants. To attend the “Visit Saint Petersburg!” …

Etihad Airways has partnered with World Energy, a carbon-net-zero solutions provider, to operate the first NetZero flight powered entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Book & Claim, delivering delegates to COP27 with zero net emissions. The airline will operate its Washington Dulles to Abu Dhabi service, routed via COP27 venue Sharm-El-Sheik to demonstrate the only feasible path to net-zero commercial aviation using current technology, while showcasing the challenges and opportunities of SAF. Mariam Alqubaisi, Head of Sustainability & Business Excellence, Etihad Airways, said: “This initiative is about proving NetZero commercial aviation is possible, but equally facing up to the significant logistical challenges the industry faces to turn the possible into the routine. Etihad endeavors to make good on its rigorous commitment towards sustainable aviation through the Greenliner programme in partnership with Boeing, GE and other aviation leaders in 2020, followed by the addition of the Sustainabile50 programme in partnership with Airbus and Rolls Royce, coupled with our commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and halving our net emission levels by 2035. “Through these programmes, we have run a series of ecoFlights over the past two years to test and validate several concepts, and we have made refining and implementing sustainability initiatives an intrinsic part of our day-to-day operation. The NetZero flight is the next logical step after our EY20 operation from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi in October last year, where we reduced emissions by 72% compared to the same flight in 2019. “This isn’t about solving only Etihad’s emissions, but about supporting the entire industry to address the biggest challenge we face over the next three decades.” Gene Gebolys, CEO, World Energy, said: “Aviation is how the …

In a move to promote accessible travel and tourism, Gulf people of determination information technologies has developed an app designed for those who are short of hearing to travel without a hassle. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people who need some kind of assistance amounts to one billion people, who are served by another one billion, hence making this segment accounts for 1/3 of the world population. The total number of tourists with disabilities amounts to 120 million out of a total of 1.2 billion tourists around the world in 2017. These tourists have spent billions of dollars and millions of tourist overnights. Nida Inamdar Marketing Manager for GPDIT shares, “Amsaan is a customised software designed for Deaf and People with Hearing loss. In one click the user can connect with a sign language interpreter and choose which sign language you want to use. It will connect the user with an online Sign Language Interpreter who will translate the conversation between the participant and the deaf person. Amsaan eliminates the necessity for an onsite sign language interpreter, allowing Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals to communicate without assistance using their smartphone or through a preinstalled tablet.” She reiterated how the app works and the benefits, “We have currently deployed AMSAAN in the hospitality sector. We are committed to making most facilities deaf-friendly so that deaf tourists and residents may travel without any barriers and have a pleasant stay at the hotel. We are also endeavouring to implement AMSAAN in other essential sectors such as transportation, healthcare, HoReCa, banking and many others. Since it is a video relay service, it requires a wifi or data connection …

Emirates has recently activated its codeshare partnership with Batik Air, expanding choice and connectivity options for its customers with access to 25 Indonesian points on a single ticket and one baggage policy. Under the newly activated agreement, Emirates has placed its code on 8 routes operated by Batik Air via Jakarta to – Balikpapan (BPN), Denpasar (DPS), Medan (KNO), Manado (MDC), Padang (PDG), Surakarta (SOC), Surabaya (SUB) and Makassar (UPG). In addition, via an interline agreement, Emirates customers can also easily access  17 more domestic Indonesian points via Jakarta and Denpasar, to cities such as Praya (LOP), Semarang (SRG), Sorong (SOQ), and more. Tickets can be booked on www.emirates.com, Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s) and via travel agents, for travel immediately. Emirates has been serving Indonesia for over 30 years, since the commencement of its first flight to Jakarta back in 1992. The airline continues to contribute to the recovery and growth of Indonesia’s travel and trade sectors, carrying international tourists and business travellers, as well as transporting essential air cargo to and from global markets. Earlier this year, Emirates had launched its codeshare agreement with Indonesia’s national carrier, Garuda, allowing its customers to access eight domestic points in Indonesia, beyond Jakarta and Bali. Emirates currently has codeshare cooperation agreements in place with 26 airline partners and two rail companies around the world, as well as 110 interline partners worldwide. The airline offers its customers truly global connectivity to over 130 destinations across 6 continents.