Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), completed the transfer of its operations from Terminal 2 to Terminal 4 at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom in cooperation with its ground services arm, Saudi Ground Services (SGS) as well as Europe Handling. Led by the General Manager of International Stations, Mr. Muhammad Al-Zaydi, a SAUDIA and SGS team collaborated to support Cobalt, the UK local ground services company and to ensure the smooth running of the ground services. This collaboration signifies SAUDIA’s efforts to providing the best services to its guest as well as showcase the wide capabilities of SGS locally and globally. It also emphasizes the synergy of SAUDIA Group’s ecosystem and its ability to cover all aspects and requirements of work in the industry. SAUDIA and SGS both honored the working teams on Tuesday 26 July 2022 for their success in managing the transfer process at Heathrow Airport. The honoring ceremony was in the presence of the Saudi Ground Services CEO, and VP Ground Operations in SAUDIA, Mr. Mohammed Baakdah praised the working team’s efforts and emphasized the importance of the mutual and continuous cooperation between the companies under SAUDIA Group. While Mr. Raed Al-Idrissi commended the team for achieving a high degree of responsibility and efficiency and stated his pride towards the qualified young men and women in the team. It is notable that SAUDIA announced the transfer of its operational services at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom Terminal 4 on July 7, 2022. SAUDIA operates 48 flights between the Kingdom and UK, with a capacity of more than 13.9 thousand seats. And 28 weekly flights between Riyadh and London in both directions, with a capacity of 8.1 thousand …

The number of visitors to Seychelles has surpassed figures for the whole of 2021 during the third quarter of 2022, proof of tourism recovery in the country. The 182,850th passenger disembarked at the Seychelles International Airport at Pointe Larue on Wednesday, 27th July 2022, topping the 182,849 passengers who travelled to the island destination last year. As a token of appreciation, the passengers of the morning flights were treated with small gifts from the Tourism Department. The Director-General for Destination Marketing, Mrs Bernadette Willemin, noted that given the difficulties the tourism sector has endured these past two years, she is proud of the great feat that has been achieved. As in previous years, Europe remains the main market source, which accounts for 73.83 per cent of all arrivals. Leading the European market are France and Germany, with the former drawing in a total of 24,615 visitors since the start of the year to week the end of week 29. Behind the European market sits the Asian market, with the United Arab Emirates, Israel and India taking the lead, respectively. “We are delighted to once again be celebrating a significant milestone in our journey towards the recovery of the local tourism industry. Reaching 2021 figures in only 7 months, is an achievement that would not have been possible without the collaborative effort of the government and private sector. We are keeping our eyes on making yet another hit in our 2022 arrival numbers,” said Mrs Willemin. Emphasising the importance of remaining competitive as a destination, Mrs Willemin added that the tourism team has been focused on reinforcing its marketing strategies and intensifying its online presence. “As a destination, we are striving …

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) announces its highest visitor numbers since the onset of Covid-19, with the Emirate reporting visitor arrival numbers in line with pre-pandemic footfall across the first six months of 2022. The impressive H1 performance saw the Emirate welcome over 521,085 international and domestics visitors between January and June 2022, a total increase of +21% vs H1 2021 and a return to pre-pandemic figures from YTD June 2019. The Emirate’s strong performance in 2022 was bolstered by the opening of several new hotels and resorts, including Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah on Marjan Island, the InterContinental Mina Al Arab, the first InterContinental Hotels Group property in the Emirate, and most recently, the debut of Mövenpick at Al Marjan Island, located on a 300-metre stretch of golden shoreline and home to the largest floating water park in Ras Al Khaimah. The Emirate now boasts over 8,000 keys, with 4,617 new keys in the pipeline over the next few years. Celebrated for its outstanding nature, adventurous leisure, and authentic offerings, Ras Al Khaimah has quickly become one of the most sought-after sustainable destinations in the Middle East, most recently being included in Time magazine’s World’s Greatest Places of 2022. The annual list, which features 50 must-visit global destinations, highlighted Ras Al Khaimah for its adventure offerings and stunning, unique topography and geodiversity. In recognition of the Emirate’s incredible natural surroundings, the Authority has continued its development of sustainable new attractions to draw visitors both locally and internationally. A key new attraction to open was the Jais Sledder, the region’s longest toboggan ride, spanning over 1,840 exhilarating metres of hairpin curves and reaching speeds of up to 40 …

Ishraq Hospitality and Capital Elite Development have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to launch two new hotels in the New Capital, Cairo, Egypt. The properties will jointly add around 600 keys to the Egyptian hospitality market when they open to guests in 2025. The hotels will be developed by Capital Elite Development, a leading real-estate development company in Egypt, born through the development of the New Administrative Capital. The developer is part of the Mustafa Mansour Group and has earned a reputation for its commitment to delivering state-of-the-art projects for its clients. Ishraq Hospitality will work closely with Capital Elite Development to bring the project to fruition, following which, the group will manage operations at both properties, with the goal of adding to its well-earned reputation for highly successful third-party hospitality management. “The signing of the MoU between Ishraq Hospitality and Capital Elite Development brings together two companies that are well regarded leaders in their respective fields. The partnership will see the combining of world-class project development and hospitality management experience, which will result in the delivery and operation of two properties that are sure to dramatically enrich the burgeoning Egyptian hospitality sector. “We are very excited to embark on this journey with Capital Elite Development to expand into one of the most culturally significant tourism destinations in the world,” said Sherif Beshara, Group CEO at Mohamed & Obaid Almulla Group. The signing of the MoU aligns with Ishraq Hospitality’s strategic expansion plans, which were first unveiled in May at the Arabian Travel Market 2022 in Dubai. During the event, the company announced its intent to expand into Egypt, while further developing its home base market of the UAE. …

Le Méridien Fairway has reopened its doors to guests with the promise of the most relaxing getaway experience. Amongst the hustle and bustle of the city, Le Méridien Fairway is situated within a close proximity of the enchanting Dubai Creek providing guests luxury comforts and easy access to Dubai’s main attractions, some of which include The City Centre Mall, The Gold Souk and the infamous Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. Le Méridien Fairway boasts an array of pristine facilities, for those looking to lounge in lavish settings, the outdoor swimming pool is the perfect destination. The Peak Health Club is the hotels renowned fitness studio ideal for guests looking to stay active during their relaxing retreat. For those who are looking to indulge in delicious offerings, Le Méridien Fairway showcases three spectacular restaurants. Petit Café is the all-day dining restaurant offering mouthwatering international dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Patrons looking for a laid-back option can look to the Press Club bar where guests can revel in exclusive promotions. The promotions include a bucket of hops, happy hour and buy one get one free deal. The bar is open to revelers from 3pm to 2.30am. The Lobby Bar is ideal for business lunches, for the price of AED 39 only guests can enjoy a speedy and light business lunch daily, from 11am to 3pm. For the main attraction, Le Méridien Fairway presents a range of beautiful rooms that boast views, comfort, and relaxation. The room categories include: Deluxe Rooms King/Twin – Recently renovated in 2021 the 40 sqm Deluxe Guestrooms offer a great escape for those looking for a relaxing experience. Perfect for leisure and business travelers the Deluxe …

Seera Group and flyadeal have signed a partnership agreement, to directly integrate Seera’s booking engines with flyadeal’s reservation system. Seera is the first ever travel company in Saudi Arabia to sign a direct integration agreement with flyadeal. The new partnership creates a direct channel for Almosafer, Seera’s travel business, to sell flyadeal’s full range of product offerings including a choice of fare families, as well as ancillaries such as meals and baggage additions. The direct integration will help improve efficiency by streamlining the process to make changes to bookings while reducing the time needed for manual tasks for Seera’s agents. At the signing ceremony recently at flyadeal’s HQ in Jeddah, Majed Alnefaie, CEO at Seera Group, said: “flyadeal is an important partner for us and we are pleased to be the first in the Kingdom to sign a direct integration agreement with them. Our customers can now benefit from the full range of flyadeal’s offerings and a smoother ticket issuing process. I have no doubt that this agreement with flyadeal marks the beginning of a very fruitful, mutually beneficial partnership. Going forward we will work together to ensure the best experiences and best value for our customers.” Con Korfiatis, CEO of flyadeal, said: “This is the first of its kind partnership for our company, which will add multiple options to customers through the umbrella of a strategic partnership with Seera, a major player with extensive experience in the field of marketing travel and tourism services. Creating a direct channel to provide a full range of booking offers at all price classes, in addition to offering various products and other miscellaneous services such as seat selection, meal purchase, added baggage, and …

Aleph Hospitality has solidified its presence in Uganda by taking over management of the Best Western Plus The Athena Hotel in Kampala earlier this month. Best Western Plus The Athena is a contemporary four-star hotel situated in the upscale neighbourhood of Bugolobi, on the outskirts of the capital Kampala. The boutique hotel features a restaurant, cocktail lounge, outdoor garden, pool and gym, as well as a business centre and conference facilities. The hotel is located in the central business district of Kampala. Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality said: “We are delighted to welcome the Best Western Plus The Athena Hotel into the Aleph portfolio. Seven years ago, when we identified a gap in the market for independent hotel management companies, I could not have imagined that today we would be managing 12 hotels in Africa, with many more properties in the pipeline.” Owner of Athena Investment Ltd, Ms Grace Kavuya, said: “We are excited to work with the experienced team at Aleph Hospitality and look forward to taking the hotel and our guest experience to the next level. With the strong post-pandemic recovery in travel globally, and the country’s continued investment in the hospitality sector, we are confident that there is a bright future for our hotel and the tourism industry in Uganda.” Aleph Hospitality, which has targeted 50 hotels in the Middle East and Africa by 2026, manages hotels directly for owners, either on a franchise basis for branded properties or as a white label operator for independently branded hotels.

Being one of the 12 destinations which offer visa on arrival for expats from UAE, Azerbaijan tourism has taken one step further to include in their specialized itinerary an authentic and historical location known as Sheki located at about four and a half hour drive from Baku, this city charms its visitors with its Silk Road ambiance with caravanserais and hammams, delicious cuisine, natural surroundings and warm hospitality. Palace of Sheki Khans together with its historic centre is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Built in the shade of hundreds-year old plane trees, this 18th-century palace was the summer residence of Sheki khans – the-then rulers. One of the most distinctive features of this architectural pearl is its interior decorated with floral frescoes and shebeke windows made by filling wooden lattices with tiny glass pieces without using any nails and allow a ray of lights to come through in a magical manner. Another must-visit spot is the Karvansaray hotel established within a 18th-century caravanserai where you can feel the ancient Silk Road vibe while having the best of local sweets and enjoying the much famous tea culture in Azerbaijan. Speaking of sweets, you will notice that there are many sweet shops in the streets of Sheki. Quite famous for having a sweet tooth, locals here are masters in preparing some of the best sweets such as bamiya and halva. Bamiya are fingers of dough draped in syrup while Sheki’s signature halva is a type of pakhlava made of very thin dough layers packed with ground nuts, syrup, saffron and spices. Especially the latter reminds of a true work of art, and you can take it home as a great souvenir …

Qatar Airways ramps up all-inclusive FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ travel packages for fans to secure their place in world football’s biggest event. The additional packages include match tickets, flights and accommodation throughout the course of the tournament, allowing passionate football fans to book their seats and follow their favourite team during the first FIFA World Cup™ in the Middle East. The airline originally launched these packages in September 2021 to cater to millions of anticipating fans, and now with less than 130 days to go until the mega event, a worldwide demand for match tickets has risen and these travel packages provide fans guaranteed tickets to experience matches in person. In a few easy steps, they can purchase match tickets, flights, and accommodation through a single dedicated platform by visiting: qatarairways.com/FIFA2022. If they are not yet members, fans need to ensure they join the Qatar Airways Privilege Club by visiting qatarairways.com/PrivilegeClub in advance, after which they will then be able to access the fan travel packages portal and select their options, which come with booking flexibility and seat reservations for their preferred games. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is proud to be the Official Airline of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and bring the world’s most prestigious sporting event to the Middle East for the first time. We anticipate unprecedented demand throughout the tournament, and as part of our agreement with FIFA, fans from around the globe can rely on us to enjoy this once in-a-lifetime journey from start to finish. The fan travel packages will guarantee passengers a remarkable bucket-list trip and seamless travel experience.” The tournament will be …

A little over a month since it inaugurated its first flight, Emirates has announced plans to boost connectivity and increase travel options for customers flying between Dubai and Tel Aviv with a second daily flight, starting 30 October 2022.  The additional morning frequency is in response to high demand for travel to/from Israel, and builds on the success of Emirates’ existing operation, as the airline reaffirms its commitment to growing its presence in the country. The second daily flight will be served by the modern and efficient Emirates Boeing 777-300ER in a three class configuration. The new schedule will operate as follows: EK 933 departs Dubai at 0815hrs arriving in Tel Aviv at 0950hrs. EK 934 leaves Tel Aviv at 1150hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1650hrs*. The second flight provides Emirates customers from Israel with additional travel options to Dubai, as well as convenient onwards connections to popular destinations. The new flight also unlocks enhanced connectivity to a multitude of points within Emirates’ global network such as Auckland, Brisbane, Perth, Bali, Seoul, and Singapore, as well as points across India, among others, making it easier for Israeli travellers to discover new places with shorter transit times. The service will also provide customers traveling to Israel with more flexibility when planning their trip with the choice of a morning arrival at Ben Gurion airport, in addition to the existing EK931 service which arrives in the evening. Customers can also take advantage of Emirates’ partnership with flydubai when planning their travel, which includes a robust schedule of multiple daily codeshare flights. Travellers flying with Emirates can enjoy the best experience in the sky, with thoughtful product touches and exceptional service provided by …