With Eid Al Adha around the corner, it is time to gear up for the holy festivity. A time of joy and peace, this occasion is best celebrated with family and friends, in a spirit brimming with the love of sharing. This Eid, between July 8th and 14th, Taj Hotels in the Maldives are all set to welcome you and your loved ones to live an exclusive experience and make timeless memories in the mesmerizing Indian Ocean. From family-friendly journeys to refined feasts bursting with succulent flavours, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa and Taj Coral Reef Resort & Spa promise an unrivalled Eid vacation in a private haven of tranquility away from the hustle and bustle. Benefit from thrilling stay packages and Eid activities suitable for families and groups of friends, to enjoy quality time, indulge in luxury and wellness and entice your taste buds with gourmet halal meals. Spread across the Emboodhu Finolhu Island, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa offers you mind-blowing packages to match your vacation needs. You can choose “Suite Saver” to avail exclusive benefits, such as 25% off the best available rate, daily breakfast at 24 Degrees restaurant, personalized butler service, complimentary snorkeling equipment, a 45-minute spa treatment for two once during your stay, in addition to many other exciting inclusions. You can also opt for “Experience More” to avail 10% off the best available rate and benefit from a free daily breakfast and dinner at 24 Degrees restaurant, a free return combined speedboat transfer, among other fabulous benefits. For Eid Al Adha, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa  launched an extensive array of Eid activities and promotions, such as Shisha Promotion at Equator Bar. Satiate your …

Emirates adds another First Class experience with a new Home Check-in Service that offers customers the option to check in from home in a comfortable and convenient manner. This service is provided free of charge to Emirates’ First Class customers based in Dubai and Sharjah, where the Check-in Agents will visit their homes or hotels at pre-booked timings to complete all check-in formalities, including document verification, checking-in of baggage, and issuing boarding passes. There is an allocated counter at the airport for any last-minute extra luggage. The Check-in Agents will take the luggage directly to the airport, while customers can choose to go to the airport at their convenience using the pre-booked Emirates complimentary chauffeur-drive service. The complimentary Home Check-in service must be booked at least 24 hours prior to flight departure time and the latest check in for the home service is six hours before the flight’s departure. On arrival at Dubai International airport (DXB), which must be minimum of 90 minutes prior to the flight, customers can proceed directly to immigration and security, and then continue to Emirates’ dedicated First Class Lounge. All Emirates customers can experience a smooth and contactless experience at the airport by using the Emirates App to check-in and issue a mobile boarding pass and using the Emirates’ self-service bag drop. Registered customers can continue hands-free through the airport by using the integrated biometrics tunnel and smart gates at DXB. First Class customers can enjoy a full complement of trademark services located within the Emirates First Class Lounge, such as: a complimentary facial treatment at the Timeless Spa, complimentary services at Shoeshine by Mr Cobbler, four fine champagne vintages at the dedicated Moet and …

The global events industry has entered recalibration mode as it rebounds from a two-year COVID induced hiatus which has forced it to re-examine its future operation strategies and human resource challenges, the Middle East Event Show & Awards 2022 has heard. The show, which connects the Middle East MICE and live events industry, took place at the Madinat Arena, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai over June 15 and 16 with more than 70 innovative exhibitors and uniting over 2500 event and entertainment industry professionals with two days of interactive learning, connections, and collaboration. More than 50 industry leaders took to the event’s seminar stages to address emerging sector challenges including the need for greater sustainability through the creation of carbon neutral events with NetZero builds, slow technology adoption, inclusivity in the workplace and the likely impact of the emergence of the Metaverse. Dan Bolton, Owner & Director, BE Experiential & Dan Bolton Creative Management Agency said the turbulent COVID times had made future workforces address the very ethos of the industry and the sector now needed to address mounting concerns over sector sustainability. “As employers, we must be more transparent, authentic and communicative in how we perceive what we ask of our employees, since the wants and needs of the industry are rapidly changing,” he said. “The way to engage, manage, hire, retain and grow people needs to be more empathetic. Culturally, too, event industry employers need to move away from ‘virtual’ and focus on reconnecting with their employees in person.” “The industry is youthful in its essence; and we all have to come together and hire across the spectrum – with age, gender, race, and nationality not being an impediment in …

Hotelbeds has recently announced strong demand for Türkiye. In the last 4 weeks, the volume of bookings has doubled compared to the same period in 2019, bringing more than one million international visitors to the country in 2022. To celebrate this success and to reinforce the company’s commitment to Türkiye, Hotelbeds CEO Nicolas Huss – accompanied by CCO Carlos Muñoz, Commercial Director Jorge Cortés and Regional Sourcing Director Jaime Amengual – visited the country at the beginning of June. During their stay, they were able to organise key strategic meetings with the Turkish Minister of Tourism and Culture and the leaders of the TGA (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency), as well as with the Hotel Association of Türkiye (TÜROB) and several hotel partners. Hotelbeds CEO Nicolas Huss said: “It was a great honor to be received by the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and the TGA. We are very grateful for the opportunity to speak about our full commitment to the development of the destination and our plans for growth in the coming years. It was great to discuss the future of sustainability in travel as we explored different ways of collaboration. “We are also really pleased with the meeting we had with Ms. Müberra Eresin, President of TÜROB, and her team, where we were able to talk about Hotelbeds’ plans in Türkiye as we continue to grow together. At another meeting with AKTOB President Erkan Yağcı and his team, we were able to exchange valuable information about Antalya’s trends in tourism.” Nicolas accepted the invitation of AKTOB President Erkan Yağcı to be the keynote speaker at the 12th Resort Tourism Congress in Antalya in …

Manar Mall, Al Hamra’s flagship mall, and Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) have together launched RAK Airventure, the emirate’s first-ever hot air balloon ride. The hot air balloon accommodates two adults at a time and rises to a height of 30 metres, providing 360-degree views of Ras Al Khaimah’s break-taking landscape of beaches, deserts, mangroves, and mountains. Competitively priced at AED 75 for a ten-minute ride, many families, friends, and individuals can experience the unique, fun ride. Strategically located at Manar Mall, RAK Airventure will attract local, regional, and international visitors, boosting efforts to position Ras Al Khaimah as a leading tourist destination. It will support the emirate’s economic growth with the increasing number of visitors attracting new and popular high street shopping, leisure, and lifestyle brands to the mall. Visitors can also enjoy the many offerings of Manar Mall Promenade which will host major events and activations. From a wide range of restaurants and food trucks to spectacular views of the mangroves, the 100,000 square metre promenade is set to become the premier recreation and entertainment destination offering a complete family experience. Lee Anthony Northmore, Vice President of Manar Mall & Retail Leasing, said: “Our partnership with Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority has brought a new exciting hot air balloon ride to the emirate. As the first-ever hot air balloon ride in Ras Al Khaimah, it will undoubtedly attract many visitors to Manar Mall where they can also enjoy great food, retail, and entertainment experiences thereby boosting the emirate’s economic growth and position as a key tourist destination in the northern emirates.” RAK Airventure is open now and operates daily from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. Tickets can …

Stella Stays announces expansion into Turkiye, launching two towers in prime locations in Istanbul, Turkiye. Stella Stays Istanbul Etiler Tower and Stella Stays Istanbul Galata Tower will welcome guests from June and July 2022 respectively, offering tech-enabled, designer apartments with spacious living space, full kitchens and dedicated workspaces to both travellers and long-term residents. The launches in Istanbul mark the company’s first move into European markets, as part of an aggressive global expansion plan, after launching in Saudi Arabia in early June 2022. Stella Stays is actively exploring further opportunities in Turkey, as well as top destinations in Europe and globally. Mohannad Zikra, Co-founder and CEO of Stella Stays, said: “We are very excited about our expansion into Istanbul as it is one of the most visited cities in the world with north of 13 million annual visitors. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkiye projected about 45 million tourists and $35 billion in revenue for 2022 – a sharp recovery from the pandemic impact, with the majority of visitors coming from Europe. Istanbul is renowned for its rich culture, history, impressive architecture, a modern skyline and delightful shopping experience, which contribute to its popularity. Istanbul is also the gateway between Europe and Asia with a buzzing residential and hospitality real estate sector. These are the attributes that make Istanbul a perfect destination for Stella Stay’s global expansion. We plan to continue developing Stella Stays’s portfolio in Turkiye’s top cities and the surrounding regions.” Stella Stays enters global markets through master leases or profit-sharing agreements with real estate developers and property owners. The company uses proprietary algorithms that identify, evaluate, and select the most desirable properties around the world, …

Oman Air has amended its summer schedule to reflect increased frequency and flight resumptions. Based on the table below, the airline is boosting frequency to 8 Indian destinations: Bangalore, Mumbai, Kozhikode, Kochi, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, and Chennai as demand increases. Between Muscat and its operational India destinations, the airline introduced wide-body service, including the B787 Dreamliner and Airbus A330 in addition to the Boeing 737. Guests should check omanair.com for the most up-to-date flight schedules and times, as they are subject to change. Oman Air welcomes all guests to the Sultanate of Oman on board its award-winning flights. As of May 22, 2022, all COVID-19 preventive safety precautions and procedures previously in place at airports across Oman have been lifted. Guests departing Oman should ensure that they are aware of all pre-departure requirements and requirements during their flights, which are provided at omanair.com.

Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) confirmed that all preparations are finalized with the Kingdoms tourism facilities to receive the inflow of visitors in the coming period while taking the necessary precautionary measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and resume economic and tourism activity. BTEA stated that it has prepared several initiatives and projects aimed at promoting family tourism, as Bahrain is an ideal tourist destination for the GCC families to spend holidays, due to the presence of many tourists and entertainment attractions. The authority affirmed that it expects an increase in the inflow of visitors soon from the various entry points to Bahrain, especially through King Fahd Causeway after raising the level of government health coordination between the various GCC countries to adopt vaccination and recovery certificates to ensure the entry of visitors smoothly. BTEA pointed out that it launched a campaign through social media platforms targeting visitors from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The campaign focuses on digital marketing through the BTEA account on Instagram and Twitter (tourismbh)  to showcase all tourism activities in addition to the new tourism facilities in Bahrain that were finalized  during 2020. BTEA stated that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the flow of tourists from GCC countries especially from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The authority prepared symbolic welcome events by illuminating the control tower on the King Fahd Causeway in addition to some major buildings in several streets of the Kingdom in red and green colors, with the campaign slogan displayed on billboards inside some commercial complexes and promotional activities around the Kingdom which includes the Bahrain Bay area from 17 to 23 May. Bahrain Tourism Authority affirmed that it has coordinated …

Qatar Airways passengers who are Visa cardholders in Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, UAE and Pakistan are being rewarded with the chance to win special savings and prizes, including a fantastic FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ package thanks to Visa and Qatar Airways. The package includes match tickets along with 3-4 nights of hotel accommodation in Qatar. Some of the packages offered as prizes include airline tickets to / from Qatar. In time for making travel plans for this summer, the promotion also gives Visa card holders up to 12% discount for flight tickets booked from Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, UAE and Pakistan. The offer will be valid for online bookings completed through www.qatarairways.com using the promotional code VISA22, payment made with Visa cards and travel starting within the campaign period. The promotion will be offered for all Qatar Airways-operated destinations subject to certain exclusions. Qatar Airways VP Sales – Middle East, Levant, Caucasus and Pakistan, Mr. Dersenish Aresandiran, said: “The FIFA World Cup coming to Qatar this year is a major draw for passengers from all over the World. As the World’s Best Airline, we are delighted to be able to work with Visa to offer passengers the opportunity to join us here in Qatar for this extraordinary event.” Madhur Mehra, Visa’s Head of Merchant Sales and Acquiring for MENA, said: “As travel continues to reopen post-pandemic, this promotion is a great way to reward Qatar Airways passengers when they use their Visa card to book their travel. We are delighted to partner with Qatar’s national carrier to enrich Visa cardholders’ payment experiences with chances to win once in a lifetime and unique prizes.” Qatar Airways is providing incredible travel …

Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) and South Al Sharqiyah Governor’s Office signed a pact to develop several tourism projects in the governorate. The signing aligns with OMRAN Group’s endeavors to work in harmony with various stakeholders in order to stimulate the growth of the Sultanate’s tourism sector. The pact was signed by H.E. Yahya bin Badr Al Mawali, Governor of South Al Sharqiyah and Eng. Mohammed bin Salim Al Busaidi, Chairman of OMRAN Group, in presence of several officials from both parties. Under the pact, OMRAN Group will undertake technical support as well as supervise the execution operations of the multi-phased projects being developed in several Governorate’s destinations, where phase one will see a park development in Al Suwaih with a total area exceeds 65,000 square meters, as well as the development of another park in Al-Ashkharah extending over a total area of roughly 14,000 square meters. The two parks will provide a variety of tourism and entertainment facilities, including dining areas, retail outlets, kids’ playgrounds, and Campgrounds. On this occasion, H.E Dr. Yahya bin Badr Al Mawali, Governor of South Sharqiyah said, “The governorate draws plenty of local and inbound tourists owing to its rich and diverse destinations, which we seek to exploit, jointly with various stakeholders, to further stimulate the governorate’s tourism”. “Our collaboration with OMRAN Group aims at upgrading tourism services and products within those destinations, which in turn will open prospects and promising opportunities for local businesses and SMEs in the governorate”. Al Mawali added. Meanwhile, Eng. Mohammed bin Salim Al Busaidi, Chairman of OMRAN Group said, “This signing comes within the framework of the existing collaboration between OMRAN Group and South Sharqiyah Governor’s Office …