Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has commenced an official partnership with the world’s preeminent Twenty 20 cricket league, the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL). Cricket is one of the most popular sports around the world. Through this partnership, STA aims to tap into a strong fanbase between the two countries, encourage affinity and increase awareness of Saudi as a leading destination for Indian travelers, especially among young people. With more than half of its population below the age of 30, India shares a similar demographic profile with Saudi Arabia, where 58 percent of the local population is in the same age group. As part of Saudi’s tourism strategy, India represents immense potential as it is expected to be Saudi’s largest tourism source market by 2030. The partnership is a strong example of Saudi supporting the country’s Sports sector. Saudi continues to strengthen its competitive advantage in the market, and it will look to welcome more than two million visitors from India this year. IPL is one of the biggest events on the international sporting calendar and the partnership adds to a growing portfolio of STA’s global strategic relationships. Partnerships like IPL are a key pillar of Saudi’s tourism strategy as they bring fans, athletes and nations together, while sparking curiosity from those that may want to be among the first to visit Saudi as a destination. The dynamic partnership builds on Saudi’s history and love for cricket, with the first governing cricket body established in 2003. In 2020, the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF) was established and it currently looks after 16 regional associations in 11 cities, and counts 8,000+ registered players and 400+ registered clubs, with a total participation of 35,000 …

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister and Chairman of the New Murabba Development Company (NMDC), announced the launch of the New Murabba Development Company which aims to develop the world’s largest modern downtown in Riyadh, contributing to the city’s future development in line with Saudi Vision 2030. The New Murabba project will be built around the concept of sustainability, featuring green areas and walking and cycling paths that will enhance the quality of life by promoting healthy, active lifestyles and community activities. It will also feature an iconic museum, a technology and design university, a multipurpose immersive theater, and more than 80 entertainment and culture venues. The project will be situated at the intersection of King Salman and King Khalid roads to the North West of Riyadh, over an area of 19 square kilometers, to accommodate hundreds of thousands of residents. The project will offer more than 25 million sqm of floor area, featuring more than 104,000 residential units, 9,000 hotel rooms, and more than 980,000 sqm of retail space, as well as 1.4 million sqm of office space, 620,000 sqm of leisure assets, and 1.8 million sqm of space dedicated to community facilities. Inspired by the modern Najdi architectural style, the “Mukaab” will be the world’s first immersive destination offering an experience created by digital and virtual technology with the latest holographics. The “Mukaab” will encompass a tower atop a spiral base, and a structure featuring 2 million sqm of floor space that will be a premium hospitality destination with a multitude of retail, cultural and tourist attractions, along with residential and hotel units, commercial spaces, and recreational facilities. The New Murabba project …

Tourism Malaysia boost its promotion activities in Iran by participating in the 16th Tehran International Tourism Exhibition (TITEX) which was concluded last week. This provided a platform to reconnect and further develop more partnership in positioning Malaysia as a preferred destination for Iranians. This four-day exhibition features networking sessions between travel experts, tourism and hospitality sectors that are based in Iran. Tourism Malaysiais participation in TITEX this year sees six tourism industry players from Malaysia including travel agensts, hotels and airlines namely BetterBooking Travel & Tour, Toranj Tour and Travel Company, Gulliver Tour and Travel Company, Siahrood Holiday Sdn. Bhd., IOI Cluster Hotels and Air Arabia. Malaysia’s participation in the exhibition provided an avenue for Malaysia tourism industry players to network and solicit for new business with the Iran counterparts. It is also a platform to update industry players of Malaysia’s latest tourism developments and strengthen awareness on Malaysia as an ideal holiday destination for this market. Furthermore, TITEX will also gave visitors an insight to the many exciting packages and to promote some of the country’s latest attractions and destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands and Penang for shopping, family fun and theme parks. Last year’s road show to Tehran which was led by the Director General of Tourism Malaysia, Dato’ Hj Zainuddin Abdul Wahab in May  2022, together with Malaysian travel trade players and officials validated that Malaysia maintains as one of the top of the mind travel destinations for this region. Tourism Malaysia’s promotion campaign as such is a continuous effort to boost inbound tourism to a greater height in the hope to achieve 15.6 million international tourist arrivals with MYR 47.6 billion in tourism receipts …

Emirates Palace Hotel has officially rebranded as Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi, signalling a new golden era as part of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group portfolio. This exciting chapter will celebrate and build upon the hotel’s distinctive legacy while introducing unparalleled experiences for guests, further cementing its position as world’s most iconic beachfront resort. Commenting on the occasion, H.E. Mohammed Al Junaibi said: “We are thrilled as Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi enters a new golden era of hospitality. Guided by the legacy and expertise of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, the resort is set to become an icon of global luxury in line with our leadership’s quest to extend world-class hospitality to anyone visiting or living in the UAE.” Commenting on the rebranding, James Riley stated, “Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi marks a milestone for our brand and confirms our commitment to the region. The palace is a globally recognised landmark in the UAE and we are delighted to manage a property with such rich historical and cultural relevance.” The beachfront palace boasts renovated rooms, innovative dining experiences, and brand-new spa and sports facilities, each elevated by Mandarin Oriental’s legendary service. The reimagined accommodation will include the region’s very first vegan rooms with compassionate design, sustainable bedding, plant based in-room dining options and cruelty-free bath amenities. The hotel’s new signature suites offer a haven of sophistication and style, complete with priority access to the resort’s facilities, whilst The EP Club comprises 660 square metres of elevated living, dining, and relaxing areas exclusively for members and suite guests. Crown Your Love at the Palace by Chaumet represents a highlight of the resort’s grand wedding offering, providing a luxury …

After a break caused by the pandemic, the 19th Azerbaijan International Travel and Tourism Fair AITF 2023 will reopen its doors at Baku Expo Center from 4 to 6 April. The organiser of the event is the Caspian Event Organisers company. Traditionally one of the leading events in the tourism sector of the entire region, the AITF exhibition brings together the leading players in the industry, provides them with the opportunity to establish new contacts, significantly expand the geography of sales and learn about the latest innovations and trends in the tourism industry. The AITF 2023 exhibition will bring together companies from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Cuba, Lithuania, Malaysia, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and other countries. The visiting card of the AITF exhibition are national stands, this year such countries as Belarus, Croatia, Poland, and others will exhibit them. Bulgaria, which is a permanent participant of the exhibition, will be the general sponsor of AITF 2023 this year. The exhibition will cover the following areas: Outbound tourism Domestic tourism Inbound tourism AITF 2023 will feature relevant sectors such as: medical tourism, educational tourism, overseas real estate, sports tourism, information technology in tourism, hunting and fishing, cruise ships, airlines, national and regional tourism authorities, ministries, embassies, travel agencies and tour operators. A rich business program awaits participants and visitors. Traditionally, within the framework of the exhibition, bilateral business meetings (B2B) will be held, at which representatives of domestic and foreign companies will discuss ways of cooperation and other forms of partnership in person. AITF 2023 is a long-awaited event for professionals in the tourism industry, as international and local companies will have the opportunity to …

Emirates announced that it will boost its operations to and from Cairo to 28 weekly flights, effective 29 October, 2023. The additional flights provide more options for customers to connect to Dubai and beyond with enhanced schedules and the opportunity to enjoy more of the Emirates A380’s signature experience. The operational boost will see Emirates operating four daily flights, thrice daily on the A380 and a daily service on the Boeing 777. Cairo has the highest deployment of Emirates A380 services in the MENA region, outside of Dubai. The additional services and upgrade of seat capacity  on the Dubai-Cairo route will help meet high demand to and from Cairo and support the country’s tourism revival with the addition of more than 2,200 weekly seats in each direction. EK921 will now operate daily, departing at 1200hrs from Dubai to arrive at Cairo International Airport at 1415hrs. The return service EK922 will depart from Cairo at 1615hrs, to arrive at 2145hrs in Dubai. Emirates’ third A380 service to Cairo, EK925 will depart Dubai at 20:40hrs landing at 22:55hrs. EK926 will then depart Cairo, the following day at 00:40 hrs, to arrive in Dubai at 06:10hrs. The Emirates A380 experience remains highly sought after by travellers for its spacious and comfortable cabins, and signature products that offer travellers the best experiences in the sky like the Onboard Lounge, First Class suites and Shower Spa. The airline currently deploys its flagship A380 to 41 destinations worldwide. The modern Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three-class configuration on flights to Cairo offer Emirates’ award-winning service and industry-leading products, with private suites in First Class, lie flat seats in Business Class and spacious seats in Economy Class. …

Qatar Tourism (QT) represented the State of Qatar in the 16th edition of the Tehran International Tourism Exhibition (TITE) 2023. As the first participation, QT’s booth included trade partners Qatar Airways, as well as The Torch Doha, Travel Designer WLL, Rixos Gulf Hotel Doha, and Banana Island Doha Resort. The tourism exhibition, which concluded at the Tehran International Permanent Fairground, presented the ideal opportunity for Qatar to highlight the latest developments in its tourism industry and showcase its newest tourism and hospitality offerings. In addition, it provided a platform for Qatar to network with prominent travel operators, agencies, and airlines in Iran, to increase business-to-business and business-to-consumer awareness on Qatar and provide an update on the destination’s offering. Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “Iran is one of 15 target markets identified by Qatar Tourism as a primary source for visitors looking to relax, rejuvenate and take in Qatar’s vibrant culture. Participating in TITE allows us to share with sellers in Iran the information they need to expand and promote tourism opportunities to Qatar for their local, resident population. Initiatives such as these are important to help Qatar Tourism achieve its 2030 strategy, which aims to increase the number of visitors to Qatar by threefold, increase spending by 3 to 4 times, and grow the GDP contribution of the tourism sector to 12% by 2030.” Visitors to the Qatar pavilion (Hall 41 – Booth 18) were invited to learn about Qatar’s unique culture, beautiful outdoor spaces, and warm hospitality, all while exploring some of the newest attractions and favourable travel regulations that are set to boost the visitor experience.

The Arab Aviation Summit (AAS) announced a partnership agreement with climate technology company CHOOOSE, to calculate and offset its carbon emissions at its milestone 10th event, taking place from March 6 to 8, 2023 at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre in Ras Al Khaimah. This partnership makes AAS the world’s first aviation and tourism event to calculate carbon emissions and to empower its attendees with the knowledge and opportunity to offset their own carbon emissions, underlining the Summit’s wider commitment to proactively addressing the impacts of climate change. Event participants will be able to calculate their estimated impact on the environment at registration and address their carbon emissions by opting for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) or carbon offset schemes from certified and verified sources monitored by CHOOOSE. The partnership between AAS and CHOOOSE will enable key data on different emission sources to be measured, including flight and land transportation and local emissions. This data will provide participants with a clearer picture of their environmental impacts and will allow them to make more considered decisions. The AAS itself will also participate in offsetting the emissions from the event  through the data produced by this partnership. The aviation and tourism industry is actively committed to reducing emissions to zero in the coming decades and has heavily invested in research and development to aid this ambition into becoming an on-the-ground reality. The AAS organising board, founding partners, and sponsors have underlined the sector’s commitment to carbon neutrality through this year’s partnership with CHOOOSE and through working with their Strategic Partner, the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, which is currently working to become the Regional Leader in Sustainable Tourism by 2025. …

From 18 March 2023, Air Astana will resume flights from Astana to Beijing with a frequency of two per week on Wednesdays and Saturdays and a further increase set for summer. The flights will be operated on Airbus A321LRs. In addition, from 2 March 2023, the airline will increase the frequency of flights from Almaty to Beijing to four times a week with plans to increase this to daily flights during the summer season. These will be operated on Airbus A321LR and Airbus A321neo. Adel Dauletbek, Vice President for Marketing and Sales at Air Astana: “As we begin to navigate the summer season, the airline is gradually increasing its capacity in China to meet the growing demand of the country with the largest economy and population. Our passengers have the opportunity to travel on comfortable Airbus A321LR and A321neo aircraft. We are confident that these flights will be in demand by passengers who are heading to China for business, tourism and other purposes.” The airline resumed flights to Beijing from 22 November 2022 after suspending operations with China in March 2020 due to the pandemic. From 2002 to 2020, more than 1,100,000 passengers were transported across this route.

Radisson Hotel Group is bringing its luxury lifestyle brand, Radisson Collection, to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city and governmental powerhouse. Radisson Collection Hotel & Conference Center, Abuja Nigeria marks the Group’s 9th hotel and 3rd Radisson Collection in the country, placing it firmly on track to achieve 15 hotels in Nigeria by 2025. Located next to the Presidential Palace in Maitama District, one of the most sought after and exclusive areas in Abuja, the hotel will be a 45-minute drive from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the country’s second busiest airport after Lagos. In proximity to the hotel is the city’s most popular market, Wuse market, Jabai Boat Club, a water based recreational facility and family entertainment center, and Abuja National Mosque, also known as the Nigerian National Mosque, built in 1984. The new-build, 249 room hotel will be the city’s first luxury hotel in Abuja, with an expansive range of rooms, from standard rooms and apartments to lofts and presidential suites. Spanning across almost 3000 square meters, the meeting spaces of Radisson Collection Hotel & Conference Center, Abuja Nigeria will consist of a dividable conference hall, five meeting rooms, a board room, as well as a pre-function area. Erwan Garnier, Senior Director, Development, Africa at Radisson Hotel Group, said: “With a vast potential for significant scale, both Nigeria and its capital city, Abuja have been identified as key markets within our robust development strategy to reach 150 hotels across Africa within the next five years. It is an honor to kick start the year by introducing our beloved luxury lifestyle brand for experience-driven travelers to the city of Abuja as its first luxury hotel.” Ramsay Rankoussi, Vice President, Development, Africa …