The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has been recognised by the European Cultural Travel Network (ETCN) for ongoing commitment to placing sustainability at the forefront of its global tourism campaigns. As Germany’s tourism industry experiences an increase in international travel demand, the country’s global brand image has been further enhanced with two major Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards 2021 accolades for GNTB campaigns. Two of Germany’s leading 2021 campaigns were recognised during the ETCN’s annual meeting in Athens. The ‘Feel Good’ campaign took second place in the ‘Walking Tourism and Slow Travel – Synergies with Cultural Tourism’ category, while the ‘Wanderlust Germany’ campaign, aimed at inviting travellers to discover the country’s nature-based highlights through a dedicated walking and cycling tours, won the National Level title in the ‘Special Jury Prize – Assessing the Impact of the Pandemic’ category. The Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards 2021 was co-hosted by European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN), Europa Nostra, the European Travel Commission (ETC) and the Network of European Regions for a Sustainable and Competitive Tourism (NECSTouR). “Sustainability has always been a priority and central theme for positioning Germany as an outdoor travel destination. These awards further demonstrate a direct link between Germany’s excellent reputation, and a growing willingness to adapt to sustainable practices,” said Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales and Marketing of the German National Tourist Office. “Our marketing activities and successful recovery strategy for restarting incoming tourism have positioned Germany as the leading travel destination despite the increasingly fierce competition among other destinations.” According to SiteMinder’s World Hotel Index, hotel bookings for foreign guests in German hotels increased by 30.8 per cent across 400 global hotel booking channels, as of …

The Austrian National Tourist Office held a travel workshop in Dubai today to shed light on the latest travel updates to Austria and the reasons that put the European country on top of the travellers’ lists. The event, organized in collaboration with Emirates Airline and 13 Austrian partners representing tourist boards, companies, and hotels, was attended by many representatives from the local media and travel trade companies. During the event, the CEO of the Austrian National Tourist Office, Lisa Weddig, highlighted the diverse experiences Austria offers and the factors that make it a popular travel destination around the world. “Austria welcomes visitors with myriad offerings that fulfil all aspirations. Whether travellers come to enjoy its cultural heritage, picturesque nature, family adventures, or to savour its flavours, they will undoubtedly find what they are looking for and more,” Weddig said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the tourism industry worldwide, but thanks to the successful management of this crisis by the Austrian government, we have witnessed a rapid recovery with the return of travel. The health and safety regulations in place have highly contributed in rebuilding the travellers’ trust and made the summer holiday season a remarkable success,” she added. The summer holiday season in Austria was marked by a clear recovery, and travellers from the GCC region played a major role in this. The Director of the Austrian National Tourist Office in the Middle East, Robert Groeblacher, elaborated: “Since the return of touristic travel between Austria and the GCC at the end of June, we  witnessed an increasing number of visitors from this region to Austria. This observation is supported by figures, as 263,000 overnight stays done by GCC travellers …

Wego partnered with the German National Tourist Office to get travelers to experience Germany and Berlin in the new norm. Germany has eased travel restrictions to encourage GCC travelers to explore the country’s 51 UNESCO World Heritage sites which include the awe-inspiring castles and old towns that add a medieval flair. Bahrain and the UAE have recently been added to the German safe list alongside Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, making it easier for visitors from the GCC to explore the country again, especially in the winter season. The reduction in restrictions applies to all travellers twelve years and above regardless of individual vaccination status, with visitors now able to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of travel, a valid vaccination certificate, or proof of recovery. For full entry requirements to Germany, visitors are advised to refer to www.bmi.bund.de. As part of the collaborative campaign, the German National Tourist Office and Wego will be shedding light on the outdoor adventures, winter activities, and festivities on offer across Germany this winter for families, couples, and solo travelers, in addition to Berlin’s sights and tourist attractions to entice GCC travelers. Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, MENA and India, Wego, said: “Our partnership with the German National Tourist Office marks another step towards promoting tourism and encouraging people to travel again in the new norm. Our searches show an increase in the appetite for GCC travelers to travel to European countries after hiatus and Germany ranks amongst the top European destinations.” Germany offers nature-oriented holidays for all adventure seekers and solo travellers which includes the bountiful parks by the south of Hamburg, the nature trails along the …

The 50th UAE National Day Celebrations will mark the country’s Golden Jubilee, since the nation’s founding in 1971, officially marked by the federal unification of the six emirates (seven in 1972 after Ras Al Khaimah joined). These two tables compare the same dates ranges on event date for National Day, meaning that it is a like for like comparison. Pre-covid, whilst the UAE remains #1 as a top destination, it is far more heavily weighted in 2021 vs 2019, with 84% of travellers choosing to travel in the UAE. Whilst travel restrictions have eased, vaccine rollouts have ramped up and PCR test costs decrease, travellers still appear to be choosing to stay local and travel within the Emirates as opposed to 2019 where there was a much higher distribution of travellers looking to travel abroad. Taking the same date range and looking further at the breakout by city, whilst the ranking has not changed significantly between 2019 and 2021, there is a slightly higher % of travellers that are looking to travel to Dubai (53% in 2021 vs 49% in 2019) versus the other Emirates. Looking further at the top departure dates between 2019, 2020 and 2021, taking the same date range as previously mentioned, there was a far higher % of people who travelled to the United Arab Emirates ahead of National Day (45% 3 days ahead of National Day), versus 2020 and 2021, where people travelled to the United Arab Emirates the day before National Day. In observing the search to travel lead times, we also found a much shorter search to travel lead time window in 2021 vs 2019 with 39% of hotel search events taking place within …

Just in time for the UAE’s Golden Jubilee, Emirates Official Store has released a limited edition, curated collection of special items that celebrate the journey and achievements of the nation that Emirates calls home. Aviation lovers living in the UAE and around the world can choose from a wide-ranging assortment of commemorative merchandise with the unique ‘50th United Arab Emirates’ design that can be found on the special anniversary Boeing 777 and A380 liveries flying around the world. The collection features everything from A380 1/250 scale aircraft models to lapel pins in varying shapes and sizes, aircraft shaped metal keyrings, scarves, pique cotton polo shirts and tumblers. Emirates Official Store has also launched a sustainable collection of merchandise for the 50th celebrations including caps and notebooks made from recycled materials. The products have all debuted across Emirates Official Store retail locations, at Dubai International Airport and at the Emirates Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, as well as the Emirates Store website. In addition, Emirates Official Store will be debuting its latest First Class comforts collection offering an exclusive taste of its signature experience – on the ground. Customers can take home the airline’s popular plush blankets, featuring an ultra-soft, velvety fleece texture that warms up any winter night. The blankets come in a pastel soft blue. The super-soft blankets are also available with and without arm holes and leg pockets. First Class experience enthusiasts can also purchase the airline’s latest versions of the Hydra Active™ luxury moisturising sleepwear range. The collection is available for men and women, and features micro-encapsulation technology with shea butter and argan oil, which are released with movement to ensure that skin stays conditioned, soothed and protected. …

Kuwait Airways organized a press conference on the Company’s latest developments in the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic and the recent achievements of the Company’s Board of Directors and the future work plans, where the conference was presided by the Kuwait Airways Chairman, Captain Ali Al-Dukhan, in the presence of the Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Maen Razouqi and various officials at the Company. Speaking during the conference, the Chairman of Kuwait Airways, Captain Ali Al-Dukhan stated, “ We are all aware of the difficulties that the entire world experienced as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, especially the tourism and aviation sector, which was immensely affected by this pandemic, leading to severe stagnation in travel movement and effecting air traffic around the world in general. Kuwait Airways undoubtedly has been one of the airlines that faced these difficulties, as the current Board of Directors of the Company took over the leadership of Kuwait Airways during the pandemic, and in its first year, it encountered difficulties, most notably the challenges of operating during the pandemic and working towards developing and improving the performance of Kuwait Airways to higher levels and under these circumstances.” Al-Dukhan added, “Kuwait Airways is one of the few companies in the world that did not receive any financial assistance of any kind from the owners during the pandemic period, as well as faced many difficulties including stopping operations of commercial flights for several months due to the pandemic. Then the step by step resumption of operation and gradual increase of activity at Kuwait International Airport and determining its share of operating at the equivalent of only 30% of the total share determined for Kuwait International Airport, resulted …

Oman Air Holidays has signed a strategic partnership with Saudi International Travel Company (SITC), with the aim to promote domestic tourism offerings in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman. The partnership reflects both organizations’ commitment to provide an extensive range of bespoke tours and packages that combine the very best hospitality, leisure, and tourism experiences in the Middle East. The agreement paves the way for Saudi International Travel Company (SITC) to offer its travel and tourism services to passengers traveling to Saudi Arabia on Oman Air for business, leisure or investment purposes. The strategic partnership will focus on offering wide-ranging recreational options and turnkey travel and tourism services for visitors arriving to the Kingdom from Oman and strengthening cooperation between both countries. Mundher Al Shaikhani​, Senior Manager at Oman Air Holidays, said, “The partnership between Oman Air Holidays and Saudi International Travel Company (SITC) will strengthen the relationship between the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the delivery of innovative holiday products and services, and will contribute to the tremendous growth potential of both countries’ tourism ecosystems. This aligns closely with the objectives of Oman’s Vision 2040 and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.” Mr. Sultan Suleiman, Chief Executive Officer of Saudi International Travel Company, said, “The partnership enhances strategic cooperation based on the innovative approach followed by private companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to expand investment opportunities across markets with the aim of developing and providing a series of distinctive, high-efficiency tourism services in both the Saudi and Omani markets.” Since June 2021, Saudi International Travel Company has been providing Institutional Quarantine accommodation for Oman Air Holidays’ guests who arrive in …

As Dubai continues to drive global travel recovery and growth, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) – Dubai in cooperation with Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has launched a Five-Year Multi-Entry Visa for employees of multinational companies, to further accelerate momentum across tourism and all other business sectors. HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai said: “The new Five-Year Multi-Entry Visa is the latest in a series of initiatives launched by Dubai to create new opportunities for professionals and talented individuals across the world to grow and thrive. The city has been steadily rising in status among the world’s biggest metropolises as a hub for travel, business, investment and talent, offering visitors an experience that is not only productive for work and business, but also enriching in terms of lifestyle and culture. Dubai seeks to dynamically adapt to evolving global conditions, embrace change and develop innovative initiatives to deliver future growth and offer new avenues for development and transformation, while remaining one of the world’s safest and most secure cities.” In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the best city in the world to live, work and visit, the Five-Year Multi-Entry Visa has been introduced to further simplify visa application procedures, provide ease-of-access to the city and extend the duration of stay of international visitors. The Five-Year Multi-Entry Visa is especially beneficial to employees of foreign-owned firms as it enables them to participate in events, conferences, training courses, exhibitions and …

Travellers in the UAE are favouring the same holiday destinations year after year for home comforts and familiarity, with the pandemic leading most to being less adventurous than usual according to new research from Marriott Bonvoy, the travel loyalty programme that encompasses hotels, resorts, home rentals and experiences across 30 brands in 138 countries. UAE travellers seek the familiar post-lockdown The figures show that just a quarter (27%) of those going abroad plan to visit somewhere new for their post-lockdown holiday. The Maldives and Turkey are jointly the number one destinations for those from the UAE for their next getaway. Nineteen per cent of those planning a holiday abroad intend to visit The Maldives, and the figure is the same for Turkey. However, seven in ten of those going to Turkey (73%) say they have gone on holiday there previously and 48% have been multiple times. Meanwhile, 68% of those going to the Maldives have been there before. Egypt is the third most popular destination for post-pandemic breaks amongst those from the UAE travelling abroad (17%), followed by the UK (13%) and Italy (13%). In total, 88% say they will be going on holiday in the next 12 months. Seven per cent plan not to, whilst 6% remain unsure. It appears that lockdown has had an impact on where those from the UAE are choosing to go for their post-lockdown holidays. Over half (51%) say the pandemic has led to them being less confident in visiting new places. Amongst those who do not plan to go away 52% say that this is specifically due to a lack of confidence in travel post-Covid. The aim of the research is to look into how …

In a few hours it is time to once again experience Germany, the most popular shopping destination for the GCC travellers when they host a webinar on Breuninger, one of Germany’s most prestigious department stores today 11am UAE time. With the recent announcement that the limitations on GCC travellers have been relaxed, it is once again time to discover some of the destination’s new and renovated experiences. The German National Tourist Office will host a special webinar to highlight the various offerings, with a particular emphasis on Germany as a shopping destination. “I’m looking forward to refreshing our industry partners on destination Germany and informing them of the latest travel guidelines to Germany while also highlighting one of the most prestigious department stores Breuninger,” said Yamina Sofo, Director Sales and Marketing, German National Tourist Office, Gulf Countries. We’d like to invite you to pre-register for the event and come prepared with all of your questions.” For a moment, everything was put on hold due to the pandemic, but now it’s time to revisit and rediscover the many shopping spots throughout Germany. Travellers and shoppers can find anything they want, from discounts to fine couture, from second hand knickknacks to futuristic treasures, from worldwide to traditionally German brands, always prompt, easy to find, and, at an unbelievable low cost. The unique selling characteristics of one such retail destination, Breuninger, will be highlighted in this webinar. It will be a chance for the travel industry to rediscover the destination after the Covid era. “For 140 years, the fashion and lifestyle company Breuninger has been setting high standards in the areas of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle, “ said Lena Schulz, Manager Tourism Marketing-Breuninger …