Dubai Customs announced that its Passenger Operations Department efficiently handled over 1.23 million bags for 281,775 passengers on board 187 cruise ships between January and November 2024, underscoring its commitment to providing world-class customs services at Port Rashid and Dubai Harbour amid the continued growth of Dubai’s maritime tourism sector. Khalid Ahmed, Director of the Passenger Operations Department at Dubai Customs, highlighted the Department’s pivotal role in supporting Dubai’s tourism growth. “We are committed to supporting Dubai’s growing tourism sector through a strategic vision that focuses on delivering efficient, state-of-the-art customs services, ensuring a seamless travel experience for passengers arriving by air or sea. Our efforts support Dubai’s tourism goals and the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33,” he said. “We take pride in being an integral part of Dubai’s global achievements in tourism and travel, through iconic hubs like Dubai International Airport, Port Rashid, and Dubai Harbour.” Ahmed also underscored Dubai Customs’ commitment to fostering the growth of maritime tourism by providing seamless and world-class services to cruise passengers. He noted that close collaboration with strategic partners plays a key role in delivering outstanding services at cruise terminals, attracting more visitors and further establishing Dubai as a global tourism hub. Falah Al Sammak, Senior Manager of Passenger Operations at Al Maktoum International Airport, reiterated Dubai Customs’ ongoing efforts to innovate and enhance its services. “Dubai Customs is continually developing its services to ensure smooth and efficient travel through its customs checkpoints, including Dubai International Airport and the city’s renowned maritime hubs. Dubai’s unique position as a bridge between East and West requires exceptional year-round service standards for travellers and tourists,” Al Sammak said. As the 2024-2025 cruise season kicks …

Air Arabia celebrated the inaugural flight of its new non-stop service from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport to Moscow Domodedovo International Airport, marking an exciting milestone in the airline’s expanding network. The new service operates three times a week, offering enhanced connectivity between the UAE and Russia. A ceremony was held at RAK International Airport to commemorate the occasion, attended by representatives from Air Arabia, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport Authority, and other dignitaries. Schedule to Moscow, effective December 27, 2024 (all times local): Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Frequency G9 830 Ras Al Khaimah 18:20 Moscow 23:05 Airbus A320 Wednesday/Friday/Sunday G9 831 Moscow 23:55 Ras Al Khaimah 06:25 Airbus A320 Wednesday/Friday/Sunday “We are pleased to inaugurate our new route connecting Ras Al Khaimah to Russia’s capital city, Moscow.” said Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia. “This addition reinforces our commitment to offering our passengers affordable and convenient travel options while supporting the growth of tourism and trade between the UAE and Russia.” Air Arabia’s current network from Ras Al Khaimah offers passengers direct connections to major cities including Cairo, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, and Calicut. With a modern fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, Air Arabia offers passengers added comfort and a value-added experience with ‘SkyTime’ a free in-flight streaming, and ‘SkyCafe’ an onboard catering service at affordable prices. In addition, Air Arabia offers ‘Air Rewards’ an innovative and generous loyalty program through which passengers can earn, transfer, and spend points. Customers can now book their flights between Ras Al Khaimah and Moscow by visiting Air Arabia’s website, calling the call center, or through travel agencies.

Red Sea Global (RSG) welcomed the inaugural flynas flight from Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport to Red Sea International Airport (RSI) marking the launch of the first direct connection from the Eastern Province to The Red Sea destination. Flights will operate twice a week, every Thursday and Saturday, serving both The Red Sea destination and surrounding areas. This new route, alongside existing flights from Riyadh and Jeddah, enhances connectivity between The Red Sea destination and the broader Kingdom. Strategically positioned, RSI lies within a three-hour flight for 250 million people and an eight-hour flight for 85% of the world’s population. Since September 2023, The Red Sea destination has been welcoming guests to five of its world-class resorts, with regular schedule of domestic flights operated by SAUDIA have been servicing RSI. In 2024, RSI marked another milestone by receiving its first international flight from Dubai International Airport, operated by flydubai. These developments underscore RSI’s role as a vital gateway, seamlessly connecting travelers to one of Saudi Arabia’s most breathtaking destinations. Once fully operational, RSI will run entirely on renewable energy, sourced from the destination’s expansive solar farms, featuring 760,500 photovoltaic (PV) panels and one of the world’s largest off-grid Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Currently, all airside operations, including critical infrastructure such as Airfield Ground Lighting, the Instrument Landing System, the meteorological building, and various mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, are already powered exclusively by renewable energy. This achievement reflects RSI’s commitment to sustainable innovation and environmental stewardship. Upon project completion in 2030, The Red Sea destination will comprise 50 resorts, offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and more than 1,000 residential units across 22 islands and six inland sites. It will …

Qatar Tourism announced a new milestone with the number of international visitors to the State of Qatar exceeding five million in 2024, reflecting a growth of 25% compared to 2023, reinforcing Qatar’s position as a leading global tourism destination. H.E. Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, President of Qatar Tourism, said: “The number of visitors exceeding five million is a landmark achievement for the State of Qatar and is an embodiment of Qatar Tourism’s vision of establishing Qatar as one of the world’s leading family tourism destinations. The 25% year-on-year growth, coupled with exceptional sales of nearly10 million hotel nights, is a testament to the effectiveness of the strategy and the efforts of partners. This achievement is not just a celebration of what has been achieved, but also a foundation for future growth, as we continue to provide exceptional experiences and services in all tourist destinations to every visitor.” “Between 2022 and 2030, we aim to almost triple the number of visitors, at least double tourism spending within destinations, and increase the contribution of the tourism sector to GDP to between 10 to 12%.” GCC nationals accounted for 41% of visitors in 2024, with the remaining 59% coming from other international markets. Major markets, including Saudi Arabia, India, the UK, Germany and the USA, have shown significant growth, reflecting Qatar’s diverse appeal. In addition to exceeding the target of 4.79 million visitors, Qatar exceeded its annual target of 8.8 million hotel nights, and has so far recorded nearly 10 million hotel nights sold this year. To date, 56% of visitors have arrived by air, 37% by land, and the remaining 7% by sea. In addition, Qatar’s hospitality sector has grown significantly, …

FITUR Cruises, the space dedicated to the world of cruises at the International Tourism Trade Fair organised by IFEMA MADRID, promises a packed programme of activities and presentations aimed at both professionals and the general public with which to discover the latest news and future trends of the industry. Over the five days of the Fair (22 to 26 January), FITUR Cruises, organised by FITUR in collaboration with Cruceroadicto.com, announces different initiatives aimed at showcasing the essence of cruise tourism. Cruise Campus is an innovative system of mini-courses that, in a practical way and with the help of experts in different areas of marketing, communication and even professional travellers, will be dealing with aspects related to the cruise experience from all perspectives. At the weekend, in addition to the Cruise Campus talks, the popular Cruise Scavenger Hunt sponsored by Intermundial will be taking place, in which teams must solve clues and visit a series of cruise ship stopover destinations throughout the FITUR halls to enter a final draw to win cruises for two, excursion vouchers or travel insurance. Along with this, on Thursday 23 January, FITUR Cruises will hold the third edition of the Cruceroadicto Awards in an event attended by the finalists in each category. These international awards are the only cruise awards voted 100% by the Spanish-speaking travel community. In this regard, to guarantee that it is the traveller who has the last word, these are the first awards in Spain to be certified by the AENOR quality mark ‘commitment to transparency and impartiality’. The awards will be presented in the categories of best ship, cruise line and port of the year 2024. Likewise, this edition has an …

Accor and Naif Alrajhi Investment announced the signing of the first TRIBE and TRIBE Living addresses in Saudi Arabia within King Salman Park project. TRIBE Riyadh King Salman Park -The new-build property will feature 250 rooms, two restaurants, including a rooftop dining experience, alongside adaptable meetings facilities and banquet hall. Guests will enjoy wellness-focused amenities, including a state-of-the-art gym and swimming pool, designed to offer both comfort and inspiration for all travelers. This milestone reflects both TRIBE’s ambitious global expansion and the Saudi Vision 2030 to create vibrant urban spaces that inspire residents and visitors alike. This follows the King Salman Park Foundation’s announcement last year to develop the first real estate investment plot within King Salman Park, in partnership with Naif Alrajhi Investment. This agreement reinforces the strong and growing partnership between Accor and Naif Alrajhi Investment following the successful launch of Fairmont Ramla Serviced Residences last year. TRIBE is redefining modern hospitality with its bold, design-led approach that offers everything guests need and nothing they don’t. The brand delivers intelligently crafted spaces that are unapologetically modern, stylish, and accessible – perfect for the new generation of travelers seeking comfort, functionality, and affordability in a connected and contemporary setting. Situated in King Salman Park, one of the world’s largest urban parks, Package 1, spans an impressive 290,000 square metres. This project represents the first mixed-use development in the park to be developed in partnership with Naif Alrajhi Investment and will include residential units, commercial offices, retail spaces, restaurants, a school, hotel, community facilities, and public spaces. Strategically positioned near key park attractions such as the Royal Arts Complex and Visitors Pavilion, the district offers easy access to King Abdul Aziz Road, two …

Small investments in accessibility and innovation can deliver be a game-changer for tourism destinations everywhere. But, despite 1.3 billion worldwide people already experiencing significant disability, many destinations and tourism businesses are still failing to embrace the many benefits of welcoming these travellers. The latest research makes clear the growing demand for accessible travel: Globally, 1.3 billion people already experiencing significant disability.50 million of whom live in the Middle East region alone, 1 in 6 of the population set to be aged 60 and over in 5 years’ time, Travellers with disabilities being accompanied by 2 to 3 additional clients. The new guidelines on accessible tourism, produced by UN Tourism and our partners, set out how both destinations and businesses can harness the power of innovation and investment to boost accessibility in every way. Within the European Union, more that 70% of the 80 million persons with disabilities can afford to travel and enjoy tourism. In Asia and the Pacific, the potential market size is of 690 million people and in Latin America and Caribbean this figure reaches 85 million people. UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “Everybody should be able to enjoy tourism. At UN Tourism we have been advocating for accessibility for many years, and the benefits have never been clearer. The new guidelines on accessible tourism, produced by UN Tourism and our partners, set out how both destinations and businesses can harness the power of innovation and investment to boost accessibility in every way.” UN Tourism guidelines for accessible travel Accessible tourism is game-changer for improving mid- and low-season performance; its customers are extremely varied and loyal; it creates jobs and significantly improves reputation of destinations and businesses …

flydubai announced new seasonal summer flights to Al Alamein International Airport (DBB). The new daily operation will offer flydubai customers more options for travel next summer to one of the most exciting, up-and-coming holiday destinations in the region. Flights to the Mediterranean leisure destination will operate daily from Terminal 2, Dubai International (DXB) between 21 June and 07 September 2025. The direct flights will offer customers from Dubai, and across the network, easier access to Egypt’s popular Al Sahel North Coast. Commenting on the start of operations, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “we are excited to add Al Alamein to our seasonal summer schedule. The daily operation will enable more visitors to enjoy the stunning Mediterranean coastlines, beautiful beaches and vibrant atmosphere of Egypt’s North Coast region. flydubai remains committed to stimulating free flows of trade and tourism in underserved markets and supporting Dubai’s aviation hub.” With the addition of its summer operations to Al Alamein, flydubai grows its network in Egypt to three destination including Alexandria and Cairo (Sphinx), served by 21 weekly flights. The carrier has seen growing demand for its operations to the new airport in Cairo since the launch of its flights last year, giving passengers more options for travel via a new gateway to the capital. Sudhir Sreedharan, Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent) at flydubai, said: “we continue to look for new opportunities to grow our network and offer our customers more options for travel, especially during busy travel periods. Al Alamein is a fantastic new edition to our summer offering which includes popular destinations such as Batumi, Bodrum, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Mykonos, Santorini and …

SAUDIA has signed a strategic partnership with Resal, a leading Saudi company specializing in digital rewards solutions and loyalty programs. This collaboration allows Resal customers to convert their earned points from purchases via the Resal app into AlFursan Reward Miles, granting them access to various travel benefits and exclusive offers from AlFursan Loyalty Program. The agreement was signed by Essam Akhonbay, Vice President of AlFursan Loyalty Program at Saudia, and Hatem Al-Kameli, CEO of Resal. Essam Akhonbay stated: “This partnership underscores our unwavering commitment to enhancing our loyalty offerings and strengthening our connection with AlFursan members. We remain dedicated to expanding our network of partnerships and delivering added value to Saudia’s guests.”  Hatem Al-Kameli said: “We are delighted to partner with AlFursan Loyalty Program, one of the most prominent and prestigious loyalty programs in Saudi Arabia and the region. This partnership reflects Resal’s vision of fostering a culture of loyalty and offering diverse reward experiences that meet our customers’ aspirations.” AlFursan provides its members with an extensive range of benefits, including the option to add an extra piece of checked luggage, priority on waiting lists, bonus miles, and lounge access. Members also enjoy a diverse selection of offers and rewards through 40 global partnerships, including banks, hotels, car rental companies, telecommunications, retailers, and insurance companies. Resal is a leading Saudi company in prepaid digital card solutions, loyalty programs, and rewards, providing integrated technical solutions for businesses, merchants, and individuals through its diverse offerings, which include Resal Business Solutions, Resal Merchant Solutions, and the Resal Wallet. The company is distinguished by its strategic partnerships with over 1,000 entities across the public and private sectors.

Coco Grill & Lounge, the latest addition to Downtown Dubai’s vibrant culinary landscape, has officially opened its doors, set to redefine the dining and lounging experience in the city. Boasting an impressive capacity of 300 seats, Coco Grill & Lounge fuses luxury with innovative dining, offering a menu that reflects the rich cultural tapestry of the World cuisine. With a proven track record in creating exceptional culinary experiences, previously realised with the distinguished Coco Tower Bridge, Coco Asia in Essex, and Coco Canary Wharf, NazCorp proudly unveils the renowned Coco brand in Dubai, marking another milestone in the region’s gastronomic scene.Coco Grill & Lounge aims to transport its successful culinary concepts, honed in London’s competitive dining scene, to Dubai’s discerning elite. The restaurant captivates with its stunning exterior, featuring butterfly-wing-inspired doors that usher guests into an enchanting reservation lobby. Upon entering, patrons are welcomed into the main dining area, highlighted by a striking victory statue that serves as an emblem of the restaurant influenced by Greek mythology alongside a “Green Room” that caters to intimate and business conversations. The circular layout is adorned with lush greenery and striking emerald green, gold, and red elements, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a luxurious ancient tomb transformed into an elegant dining sanctuary. A glass ceiling overhead illuminates the space, casting exquisite light patterns across the umbrella-shaped ceiling. Guests will be enveloped in a botanical theme evoking the grandeur of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, promising a visually stunning dining experience. Designed for versatility, the lounge caters to everything from casual daytime meals to lavish evening events. At the heart of Coco’s offering is an innovative menu that seamlessly blends global flavours with dishes such …