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 …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) successfully concluded the ‘Experience Abu Dhabi GCC Roadshow 2022’ in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Kuwait recently. The roadshow drew the participation of 17 DCT Abu Dhabi partners, including Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the UAE; and Miral Destinations, the one-stop trade and promotional partner for Yas Island and Saadiyat Island. The partners jointly showcased how GCC families, couples and youth can enjoy Abu Dhabi’s diverse range of exciting, inspiring and restoring experiences in the winter season. The roadshow kicked off in Saudi Arabia, a top five source market for Abu Dhabi,  with the final leg concluding in Kuwait. Through one-on-one meetings, presentations and group discussions, DCT Abu Dhabi and its delegation met with nearly 600 travel trade professionals where they presented the new destination campaign, ‘Experience Abu Dhabi. Find Your Pace’ as well as highlighted the action-packed Abu Dhabi Calendar that continue to feature a vibrant line-up of sports, family fun, culture, music and nightlife events. Abdulla Yousuf, Director of Travel Trade and Market Development at DCT Abu Dhabi said: “It was an absolute pleasure to meet our valued travel trade partners in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and to share everything that Abu Dhabi has to offer in the new year and beyond. The GCC region continues to be one of our biggest source markets for leisure travel in Abu Dhabi. Through this roadshow, we were able to reaffirm our support for our valued stakeholders, showcase our destination highlights, and introduce our new destination campaign, which is inspiring more and more travellers to consider Abu Dhabi for an unrivalled holiday experience.” The roadshow also spotlighted the many …

Hilton is on its way to introduce Bo Vue Hotel in Bodrum, its part of the Curio Collection by Hilton and one of the first to open by April this year. Situated along the Aegean Coast, The Bo Vue Hotel Bodrum, Curio Collection by Hilton is home to 1.2 kilometres of private white sandy beach and 102 stylish, modern rooms, complete with glittering sea views. Guests can enjoy a range of world-class dining options, including delicious Mediterranean and Aegean cuisine at Bo Giorno, Turkish feasts at Delmanzo or sumptuous seafood at Bacalao. Those looking to unwind won’t be short of options – indulge in a relaxing treatment at the ‘Spa Soul’ or take a refreshing dip in either the indoor or outdoor pool. For travellers looking for a little more adventure – the hotel is ideally located for local exploration – just a short drive away from the popular town of Yalikavak and a 40-minute drive to Bodrum Castle and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus – one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Welcoming guests from April 2023.

Emirates has sealed an agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Bahamas to promote tourism to the Caribbean archipelago. The airline and The Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism will embark on joint initiatives to boost visitor traffic into the islands from key markets across Emirates’ network. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Group Chairman and Chief Executive and HE Tony Joudi, Ambassador of The Bahamas to the UAE and the State of Qatar at the Emirates Group Headquarters. Also present at the signing ceremony was Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer and Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for the Americas. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Group Chairman and Chief Executive said: “We are pleased to collaborate with The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Bahamas in supporting its goals to boost the nation’s tourism economy. Through our partnerships with United and Air Canada, we look forward to playing a key role in promoting The Bahamas as a key leisure destination. Our global customers from across our network can enjoy Emirates’ services to our points in North America and benefit from enhanced connectivity and access to the islands.” His Excellency Tony Joudi, Ambassador of The Bahamas to the UAE and the State of Qatar said: “I would like to thank Emirates for playing a role in strengthening the connection between the two countries. Tourism is the lifeblood of our nation’s economy and, by growing visitor arrivals to our tropical island paradise, we hope to achieve our goals of stimulating the tourism economy and providing impetus to the business climate. “Emirates is a …

The newly announced five-star hospitality offering from Shurooq, occupies 784 hectares of the Sharjah Safari project, the largest wildlife safari in the world outside Africa, and offers unparalleled opportunities for observing and photographing the Big Five of Africa – the rhino, buffalo, elephant, lion, and leopard – in a natural, desert setting. When complete, the Al Bridi Nature Reserve will be home to a wide variety of animal species including the native mountain gazelles. It will consist of two parts – a 40-hectare recreation of carefully selected African Rift Valley highlights, and a 650-hectare safari adventure. The reserve will feature the largest collection of African herbivores in the world, including some 45 sub-species of antelope. With 35 Keys contains 21 one bedrooms, 8 two bedrooms and 6 three bedrooms with all other modern amenities such as Gym, Spa and pool and Kids club.

Among the many new hotels to be opened by Hilton this year the first would be Hilton Cairo Nile Maadi which   is a newly built hotel offering 255 spacious rooms and suites with a modern design. Located on the Nile Corniche in the upscale district of Maadi, guests staying at the hotel’s stylish suites will enjoy panoramic views of the Nile, complemented by a view of the pyramids on a clear day. The hotel will house Hilton’s renowned Eforea spa, a fitness center with a Nile view, an outdoor pool, and a variety of dining options including in-door restaurants and a Nile view rooftop bar. Perfect for both leisure and business, the hotel will also feature an executive lounge as well as state-of-the-art meeting and event spaces.