Sharjah Light Village opens to visitors from 1st February 1st 2024 ahead of the Sharjah Light Festival which begins from 7th to 18th February 2024. Last year Sharjah Light Village attracted over 180,000 visitors from across the globe. Speaking at the event, HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority shared, “this year there are so many new immersive experiences and new small and medium enterprises joining us, almost 55 companies here located in the University City Hall in the Light Village and there are 12 locations in the Sharjah Light Festival in total across the emirate of Sharjah, the main city, Al Hamriyah and Khorfakkan and Kalba. Each location will give a different experience and different memory for our visitors from here and abroad and inshallah it will be forever. 15 international artistes participating in making these amazing installations and amazing artwork and video mapping in our iconic buildings in Sharjah and hope that our guests from everywhere from UAE and abroad enjoy their time during this month. ”  Personifying the rich heritage and culture of Sharjah to visitors and residents, Sharjah light festival will kick off in 12 iconic locations across the emirate. Year on year this event has become a key highlight which attracts tourists from across the globe. Various artists from different parts of the world participate and display their skills and they contribute immensely in terms of bringing out the rich heritage of the cultural emirate of Sharjah. Sharjah Light Festival continues on its journey of excellence and innovation, continuously updating its visions and ideas, developing the technologies it relies on, and adapting to new developments, in order to ensure sustainable, …

The BAPS Hindu Temple Abu Dhabi is the second largest in the world and it is expected to attract over 3million visitors over the first year.  Slated to officially open on 14th February 2024 by His Excellency Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India would be an invitation only event and the international visitors are able to visit from the 18th of February 2024 whilst a special announcement was made requesting residents of the UAE to visit after 1st March. Vishal Patel – Volunteer – BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi shared, “We anticipate a few million people shall visit the BAPS Hindu Mandir in the first year, owing to the substantial Indian population in the UAE and the strategic positioning of the Mandir between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. We cannot give an exact figure; however, please note that the Mandir is well positioned to capture a significant number of visitors into the future.” The entrance to the temple has the three Holy Rivers from India flowing towards the Mandir – Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvathi at the foot of the premises. The 360 degree immersive experience is also around the foot of the temple. Made out of sustainable materials, without the use of steel, the temple is made to an ancient method of architecture depicting stories from various civilizations. The seven spires depict the seven emirates and the use of Oryx and camels further enhance the culture between the two destinations the UAE and India, Jayaram Vaidyanathan – Managing Director and CEO – Sharaf Travel and Tourism Group, “This is a huge step towards further strengthening the people to people relationships and will certainly attract visitors from across all diverse cultures from …

Abeer Al Akel has been appointed acting CEO of the Royal Commission for AlUla, local media reported. She has been assigned the duties of CEO, replacing Eng. Amr Al-Madani following his arrest over corruption charges. Abeer Al Akel joined the Royal Commission for AlUla in 2017, and served as head of the Private Initiatives and Partnerships Sector. She also held several leadership positions, most notably director of the Strategic Delivery Department at the Commission; director of the Information System Department; director of the Productivity Department at SABB, and senior manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PWC). Al Akel is holder of a bachelor’s degree in computer science from King Saud University and completed the leadership development program from Harvard University. It is noteworthy that the Saudi Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) announced on Sunday the arrest of Amr Al-Madani for his alleged involvement in crimes of abuse of power and money laundering to the tune of SR206 million. The partners of Al-Madani in a company were also arrested after the Nazaha discovered that they managed, along with Al-Madani, to obtain contracts for the National Talents Company, owned by them, from King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy in an illegal manner.

Emirates has become the first international airline to join The Solent Cluster, a UK initiative focused on low carbon investments established to reduce CO2 emissions from industry, transport and households in the South Coast of England. The Solent Cluster is a cross-sector collaboration of international organisations, including manufacturers and engineering companies, regional businesses and industries, leading logistics and infrastructure operators and academic institutions. Emirates joins over 100 members as part of the Cluster, alongside founding members the Solent Partners (previously the Solent LEP), global energy provider ExxonMobil and University of Southampton. The founding members have each shared details of their vision for the Solent and how it could secure existing jobs and produce low-carbon fuels for a variety of sectors, including aviation. Sustainable aviation fuel potential The Solent Cluster has the potential to create a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant with an estimated fuel production capacity of 200,000 tonnes (200 kt) per year. If approved, the plant could start operating in 2032. Jet fuel produced by the SAF plant could avoid emissions of 563 kilotons of CO2 per year by producing fuel with 70% less emissions than fossil kerosene. Existing pipeline networks can supply the SAF from the plant to major airports served by Emirates such as Heathrow and Gatwick. Emirates’ long-term aspiration to secure UK-produced SAF with The Solent Cluster is in addition to several SAF initiatives the airline has announced over the last year. It follows Emirates’ A380 and Boeing 777 demonstration flights using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel in 2023. Emirates has expanded its partnership with Neste for the supply of SAF in 2024 and 2025 for its operations in Amsterdam and Singapore. The airline also uplifted SAF for the …

flynas launched a training program for its cabin crew and ground services employees on the best ways to care for passengers with autism spectrum disorder in cooperation with the Saudi Autistic Society, the first training workshops were held in Riyadh during the 3rd week of January 2024. Waleed Ahmed, the corporate communication director and the spokesperson at flynas expounded that the program held in Prince Nasser bin Abdulaziz Autism Center, included theoretical education and practical training by specialists and consultants from the Saudi Autistic Society for the members of the air hospitality crews and ground service employees at flynas, aiming to learn the best methods for dealing with passengers with autism and learning about strategies for effective communication and interaction with them. The program also included introducing participants to the characteristics of autism and how to interact with them, as well as training on providing a comfortable and supportive environment for passengers with autism, focusing on improving their travel experience, as part of the company’s social responsibility programs and its commitment to adopting initiatives with sustainable impact on society. The Saudi Autistic Society is the largest specialized association in the Kingdom accredited by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. It was established in 2003 to include its services throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to provide support, assistance and appropriate care and contribute to the integration of beneficiaries with autism spectrum disorder as well as community awareness. And contributing to the early detection of beneficiaries with autism spectrum disorder, through Prince Nasser bin Abdulaziz Autism Center in Riyadh, Prince Turki bin Nasser Autism Center in Jazan, and the daycare centers in Mecca and the Eastern Province.

flynas celebrated launching direct flights from Jeddah to two destinations in two continents within a couple of days, adding Mumbai, in India, and Asmara, in Eritrea, to its ever-expanding network of international destinations, in parallel with the objectives of the Pilgrims Experience Program (PEP) to facilitate access to the Two Holy Mosques and the National Civil Aviation Strategy to enable national air carriers to contribute to connecting KSA with 250 International destinations and to accommodate 330 million passengers and to host 100 million tourists yearly by 2030. Representatives from flynas and Jeddah Airports Company (JEDCO) attended the ceremony held at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to celebrate the launching of direct flights from Jeddah to Mumbai, the financial center and the most populous city of India in South Asia and to Asmara, the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, located on the Horn of Africa. As of Monday, January 15, flynas started operating two weekly direct flights to Mumbai on Mondays and Wednesdays and to Asmara on Wednesday, January 17, with two weekly direct flights on Wednesdays and Sundays. flynas connects more than 70 domestic and international destinations with more than 1500 weekly flights and has flown more than 60 million passengers since its launch in 2007, with the aim to reach 165 domestic and international destinations, in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030. The success of flynas was recognized with many international awards, including Skytrax International Award as the 4th Best LCC worldwide and the Best Low-cost Airline in the Middle East in 2023 for the sixth time in a row. Meanwhile, flynas won the Best Low-cost Airline Award in the Middle East from …

Etihad Airways is meeting customer demand by adding more flights to key destinations across the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. The latest increase means the airline now offers almost 27% per cent more weekly departures than last summer. The airline is increasing flights to Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Amman in Jordan, Beirut in Lebanon, as well as Colombo in Sri Lanka, and Kolkata and Bangalore in India. The enhancements are part of Etihad’s ambitious expansion of flights and frequencies to further boost Abu Dhabi’s global reach offering more flexible travel options for its guests. Etihad’s Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer Arik De said: “These latest flight increases aligned with our seamless and practical connections at Abu Dhabi and our growing global network offer our guests more opportunities to fly where they want to at a time that suits them. “It also makes it easier to enjoy a fantastic visit or stopover in Abu Dhabi as an integral part of their journey.” Destinations Change Total Frequency Start Date Jeddah +7 per week 28 per week 15 March 2024 Riyadh +7 per week 28 per week 15 March 2024 Amman +4 per week 11 per week 15 June 2024 Beirut +2 per week 7 per week 15 June 2024 Colombo +4 per week 17 per week 15 June 2024 Kolkata +1 per week 8 per week 15 June 2024 Bangalore +3 per week 17 per week 15 June 2024 Already announced Kozhikode New route 7 per week 1 January 2024 Thiruvananthapuram New route 7 per week 1 January 2024 Boston New route 4 per week 31 March 2024 Nairobi New route 7 per week 1 May 2024 Colombo +3 …

This extraordinary development, with an estimated value of AED 4.8 billion, will be ready for handover by 2026. The JW Marriott Residences & JW Marriott Al Marjan Island Resort will stand as a beacon in Marriott International’s residential portfolio. Following the announcement of their strategic collaboration with Marriott International in November 2023, WOW Resorts, a premium resort and residential developer, unveiled the JW Marriott Residences & JW Marriott Al Marjan Island Resort, on Al Marjan Island, one of the Northern Emirate’s premium tourism, business and investment destination. Al Marjan Island will be the home to the first JW Marriott branded residential property in the GCC. The luxury development is set to redefine coastal living in the UAE market and wider region. This significant development by WOW Resorts is anticipated to showcase the magnitude of their commitment to elevate the standards of residential living in the region. The development promises to be a fusion of cutting-edge design, world-class amenities, and unparalleled hospitality, creating an iconic landmark within the Al Marjan Island community. “This venture marks just the beginning of an exciting journey for WOW Resorts in the UAE. With more awe-inspiring projects in the pipeline, we are poised to redefine hospitality and real estate in this thriving market. We are ready to captivate and inspire residents in the years ahead, offering unparalleled experiences that reflect our unwavering dedication to excellence and commitment to the UAE,” said Anwar Aman, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of WOW Resorts. “We believe that the UAE has a discerning clientele with a taste for uncompromising luxury, and Ras Al Khaimah provides the perfect canvas for this vision. The breathtaking landscapes and thriving community of Al Marjan Island come together …

Cruise Saudi and Al Madinah Region Development Authority signed an MoU to foster economic development in historic Al Madinah Region. This will develop the region and expand facilities to accommodate an increased number of tourists, with a focus on social impact both locally and across Saudi, in line with Vision 2030. Both Al Madinah Region Development Authority and Cruise Saudi share the vision to advance and aid access to Al Madinah, developing the region and expanding facilities to accommodate an increased number of tourists. As part of the agreement, both parties will utilize their capabilities and experiences to achieve their shared vision. The MoU signing took place at this year’s Saudi Tourism Forum in Riyadh, the annual event which promotes Saudi as a tourist destination, and which provided the perfect backdrop for both parties to mark their intent to enhance the tourism offering in the region of Al Madinah. Madinah is the second holiest city in Islam, with beautiful architecture in abundance, such as the vast Al-Masjid an-Nabawi mosque with its striking green dome dominating the skyline, sites of historic interest such as the The Ghars Well (also known as Bir Ghars) and Mount Uhud which was the site of the second battle between the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the polytheists of his tribe of Quraysh, and impressive natural landmarks of farms and valleys. The Al Madinah region has a multitude of historic wonders to explore, as well as modern sights including the coastal city of Yanbu. Cruise Saudi will facilitate cruise passengers’ visits to the region via the Red Sea. Mashhoor Baeshen, Executive Director, Destinations Development & Management at Cruise Saudi said “Unique in history and culture, Al Madinah …

Construction of Bandar Al Khairan Resort worth RO 36m Started in Oman. The resort will include 121 hotel rooms, as well as various types of facilities, restaurants, spas and gyms on an area of 189,000 sqm. A ceremony was held to celebrate the start of construction work of the project which was designed to be a qualitative addition to the tourism sector in Oman. According to Oman News Agency, Salim Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, patron of the inauguration event, said that the project will support the tourism sector in Muscat. Al Mahrouqi added that the resort will meet the aspirations of guests and residents. The Ministry, he affirmed, will follow-up on the implementation of the project to augment local added value and provide job opportunities for Omani youth. The project will provide various opportunities for small and medium enterprises in Al Khairan and adjacent areas to offer their products and services.