Unitsky String Technologies Inc. (UST), the Belarusian-based eco-friendly, safe and comfortable transport solutions specialised, has completed the first stage of the uSky freight and passenger elevated string rail transport system for use in global logistics at its test facility in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Marking uSky’s first commercial project launch, the company has set plans to increase its portfolio to 10 projects by the end of 2022. The first commercial uSky project will now transit from the “innovation” and “venture capital” stages to the “investment business” stage. In parallel, Unitsky will continue testing the sustainable transport solution prior to widespread deployment next year. “This is a key milestone in our development,” said Anatoli Unitsky, Founder of Unitsky String Technologies and uSky Transport. “By leveraging our cutting-edge, proprietary technology, we are demonstrating the agility, versatility and capabilities that our cost-efficient, elevated string rail technology can bring to destinations. Tailored to support both cargo and passenger logistics, uSky delivers high speeds and performance of transportation (up to 150 km/h and up to 50,000 passengers per hour) and can be established at a fraction of the cost to other solutions with a minimal ecological impact.” Investment in the design, construction, and certification of uSky’s urban transport and freight facilities in the UAE has already totalled more than US$14 million. Stage 1. Urban freight and passenger complexes The first elevated string rail transport project implemented in the MENA region includes both passenger and freight transport options. The rolling stock includes unmanned electric rail vehicles – uCar passenger modules and uCont freight modules – designed to travel on a suspended string rail overpass at speeds of up to 150 km/h off the ground. The first …

The world’s first “Museum in the Sky” is a joint collaboration between AlUla and SAUDIA Airlines, to highlight the significance of AlUla as a living museum, with only a small fraction of archaeological sites identified currently being investigated. The flight will take off from Riyadh to AlUla on the 4th of November 2021. Onboard the flying museum, a replica collection of artefacts discovered in AlUla during excavations by archaeologists reveal some of the mysteries of AlUla’s ancient civilizations. SAUDIA is also using the opportunity to launch their new In-Flight Entertainment System (IFE), Discover Saudi Arabia, on which passengers will be encouraged to watch the Discovery Channel documentary movie – Architects of Ancient Arabia – a 2021 release full-length documentary movie produced by PowderHouse revealing that some of human civilization’s first building blocks were set in place in AlUla. An introduction to the documentary will be provided by Archaeologist, Dr. Rebecca Foote, the Director of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Research at The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). As well as introducing the documentary that she appears in, Rebecca will offer an explanation about the artefact museum pieces and passengers will have an opportunity to ask questions. Dr. Rebecca Foote said: “There is an extraordinary volume of work ongoing in AlUla by both local and international archaeological teams, and yet we are only just beginning to understand the complexity of AlUla’s past. AlUla is a true hidden gem in the Arabian Peninsula, and we are slowly revealing its secrets. I am looking forward to sharing more about our work to the passengers onboard SAUDIA’s Museum in the Sky.” Kerrie McEvoy, Channel Director, Discovery Channel, Europe, Middle East & Africa said: “We are …

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has announced its participation in the World Travel Market (WTM) Expo 2021, which is being held at Excel London in the British capital from November 1-3, 2021. WTM 2021 aims to explore the profound changes that global tourism has witnessed over the past two years. The WTM agenda includes enhancing international communication in order to establish ways to rebuild, innovate, and take advantage of the current opportunities to reshape the global travel and tourism system as the pandemic progressively recedes. SCTDA is heading the Sharjah delegation, which includes representatives from Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (SHUROOQ), Expo Centre Sharjah, Sharjah Institute for Heritage, Sharjah Sports Council, Sharjah Airport Travel Agency (SATA), Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa, Sharjah Collection, TravTalk, Golden Sands Hotel Sharjah and Adventure Activities Platform Mughamer.com. H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, stressed the importance of this year’s edition of the WTM, the first to take place as the travel and hospitality sector begins the return to a pre-pandemic footing, commenting that the Sharjah delegation intends to leverage the opportunity to highlight the travel and tourism objectives of the Emirate of Sharjah. “Sharjah’s participation at this year’s World Travel Market comes within the framework of achieving the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, which is to consolidate the position of the Emirate of Sharjah globally, through launching qualitative development and infrastructure projects and intensifying efforts to restore momentum to the tourism sector, considering that it is one of the most important pillars of the national economy. Our participation this year will …

Marriott International, Inc. has signed an agreement with The Red Sea Development Company to develop two luxury hotels as part of the highly-anticipated Red Sea Project in Saudi Arabia. The St. Regis Red Sea Resort and The Red Sea EDITION are expected to further enhance Marriott International’s footprint across the Kingdom where it currently has a portfolio of over 30 properties with more than 9,000 rooms across ten brands.   “We are excited to be working with The Red Sea Development Company to introduce St. Regis Hotels & Resorts and EDITION to one of Saudi Arabia’s most-anticipated projects,” said Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International. “These milestone signings illustrate Marriott International’s commitment to the growth of the tourism sector in the Kingdom and highlight increased demand for lifestyle and luxury accommodations and experiences.”   The St. Regis Red Sea Resort Solidifying St. Regis’ position as a global leader in luxury, The St. Regis Red Sea Resort marks the brand’s introduction in Saudi Arabia and the continued growth of its portfolio in the Middle East. Situated on a private island, the resort is expected to feature 90 villas, two signature restaurants, an outdoor pool, fitness centre, and spa, in addition to a Children’s Club. Expected to open in 2023, the exclusive resort will offer the brand’s visionary spirit, avant-garde style and bespoke service.   The Red Sea EDITION EDITION Hotels redefine the concept of luxury by offering an unexpected collection of one-of-a-kind hotels. Located on the Red Sea Project’s main island, Shaura, The Red Sea EDITION is slated to open in 2023 with 240 guestrooms, including one-, two- and three-bedroom suites. The property is set …

Wego and Oman Ministry of Heritage and Tourism have signed an agreement to promote Oman tourism attraction sites in the GCC region. Oman has opened its borders to visitors from the GCC and it recently announced that it is open for travel for COVID-19 vaccine holders from 1 September 2021. The Sultanate has eased its travel restrictions, lifting flight prohibition for people travelling from previously banned countries. It is implementing precautionary measures and following through with the vaccination drive across the country, ensuring safe travel for everyone. All travelers to Oman should present a vaccine certificate containing a QR code that states they have received two doses of a vaccine that is approved in Oman (Pfizer BioNTech, Oxford Astrazeneca, Covishield AstraZeneca, Sputnik, Sinovac, Moderna, and Sinopharm, or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson). The last dose of the vaccine needs to have been received not less than 14 days before the arrival date. Travelers should have done Pre-registration via (https://covid19.emushrif.om ) and upload the vaccine certificate as well as the COVID-19 PCR certificate, both containing QR Codes. Over 550,000 searches were performed on Wego’s platform in Q3 2021 from the GCC to Oman. Out of these searches, 34% from KSA, 27% from UAE, 16% from Kuwait, 14% from Qatar, and 10% from Bahrain. Haitham bin Mohammed Al Ghassani, Director General of Tourism Promotion at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in the Sultanate of Oman said: “We are glad to partner with Wego. Oman has always been at the forefront of tourism, and this partnership reflects our commitment to continue the positive momentum in months to come. We are confident that this association will help us to promote Oman …

Emirates has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Seychelles Tourism Board at Expo 2020. The agreement reaffirms the airline’s commitment to the island-nation and outlines joint initiatives to promote trade and tourism to the country. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean, and Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary Tourism Department, Tourism Seychelles. The agreement was signed in the presence of H.E. Mr Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister for Foreign Affairs & Tourism and Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer. The ceremony was also attended by Emirates executives: Orhan Abbas, SVP Commercial Operations Far East; Abdulla Al Olama, Regional Manager Commercial Operations Far East, West Asia & Indian Ocean; Oomar Ramtoola, Manager Indian Ocean Islands; Silvy Sebastian, Business Analysis Manager West Asia & Indian Ocean; and executives of Tourism Seychelles: Bernadette Willemin, Director General Destination Marketing Tourism Seychelles; and Noor Al Geziry, Tourism Seychelles Middle East Office. Ahmed Khoory, SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean at Emirates, said: “Emirates has shared strong ties with Seychelles since 2005 and the island nation remains a very important market for us. The agreement signed today is a strong testament to our commitment and support to the island-nation. We thank our partners for their ongoing support and we look forward to continue growing our successful partnership.” H.E. Mr Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister for Foreign Affairs & Tourism, said: “Emirates airline has been constant and steadfast with their support towards Seychelles and we are indeed grateful for that. Therefore, we would like to express our support for the coming year with the hope that it will be a better year for both Seychelles and the airline.” The …

Etihad Airways has announced the launch of flights to the holy city of Medina from 27 November 2021. Medina will be served three times weekly from Abu Dhabi using a modern two-class Airbus A321. Fatma Al Mehairi, Vice President Sales UAE at Etihad Airways, said: “We look forward to reconnecting Abu Dhabi with Medina, a city of enormous historic and religious significance for Muslims around the world. Our flights will support the growing demand for religious travel and strengthen the existing air links between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, a key travel market for Etihad Airways.” The service has been timed to provide religious, leisure and business travellers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia with convenient flight options as well as connect seamlessly to major cities in the Indian Subcontinent and Asia for those travelling to and from Medina through Abu Dhabi. Located in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, Medina is a three-hour flight from Abu Dhabi. The city is home to Prophet Mohammed’s Mosque and burial site and an important holy place for Muslim pilgrims. The country’s two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina are allowing full-capacity attendance for worshippers who are fully vaccinated following an easing of restrictions earlier in October 2021. Medina will be Etihad’s fourth destination in Saudi Arabia after Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh. The route was established in 2014 but was temporarily suspended in 2020 as a result of travel restrictions following the COVID-19 pandemic. Guests flying to Medina are not required to quarantine if they are fully vaccinated with either two doses of Pfizer, Oxford AstraZeneca or Moderna, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson, or have received two doses of Sinopharm …

The first ever virtual webinar was conducted by McArthur Glen for the Middle East clientele. The event was attended by specialised agents in the Middle East region such as UAE, Kuwait, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. San Jeet Director Buzz Travel Marketing welcomed all the agents from across the region and shared an overview about the luxury shopping destination. “Travel resurgence is taking place in a big way and people are now looking at going for holidays and we like to see the good times ahead of us inshallah, everything will be wonderful, even better than 2019. Each one of you who has joined us today is an expert handling the Middle East traveler and is very familiar with their demands and needs of the Middle East traveler. so the customer remains the same. We also understand at this moment of time everyone is looking at Europe as it is the only continent which has opened up to a great extent to the Middle East traveller.” San Jeet shared that shopping is part and parcel of travel whether they travel for leisure or business, shopping is an integral part of travel. “We are presenting a chain of high quality designer outlets with designer products from 25% to 70% all luxury chic products with authentic outlets of the high end brands. All these designer outlets are in one place so it makes it extremely easy for the travellers. You can just walk across and compare different brands which is very much family oriented. Children are well looked after as they have special areas, food wise there is ample amount of variety including halal cuisine, coupled with hands free …

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) – the organisation responsible for delivering the required infrastructure, host country planning and operations, and legacy projects for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – has signed an agreement with Accor, a world-leading hospitality group, to manage operations and deliver services to Qatar’s host country real estate portfolio through the end of 2022. The agreement was signed in Doha, Qatar, in the presence of H.E. Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. H.E. Ali Al Kuwari, Minister of Finance and Chairman, Katara Hospitality, and H.E.  Hassan Al Thawadi, SC Secretary General, were also in attendance. Engineer Yasir Al Jamal, Chairman of the SC’s Operations Office, and Vice Chairman, Technical Delivery Office, signed the agreement alongside Sebastien Bazin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Accor, and Katara Hospitality’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Humphries. The agreement will see Accor provide personnel to operate what will be the largest serviced real estate operation in the world, and include front office (check-in/check-out), operational supplies and equipment as well as housekeeping services among others. The agreement will make use of the country’s full real estate portfolio, further illustrating Qatar’s commitment to sustainability.   H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the SC said: “This groundbreaking agreement is another example of how Qatar’s approach is truly historic – not only in terms of setting the highest delivery standards, but also for legacy planning. By making full use of existing residential apartments and villas in Qatar, we can offer visitors a range of affordable and comfortable options; while also ensuring we have a sustainable hotel market that does not leave …

IHG® Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of a Management Agreement with The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), an affiliate of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to open the InterContinental Resort Red Sea in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Situated within the premium Red Sea Development destination, the new InterContinental Resort is scheduled to open during Phase One of The Red Sea Project’s development. Activity for the first phase of development is well underway and is on track to be completed by the end of 2023. Speaking on the announcement, Haitham Mattar, Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG said: “With a strong legacy in the country, we remain committed to leveraging the growth opportunities that are aligned with Saudi’s Vision 2030 and the priority destinations highlighted within the Saudi Tourism Strategy. We are excited to partner with The Red Sea Development Company, one of the world’s most ambitious regenerative projects, to strengthen our offering in Saudi Arabia and collaborate on sustainability related initiatives to protect the natural, historical and cultural environments that make this destination unique. These initiatives are in line with IHG’s Journey to Tomorrow, a 10-year action plan focused on commitments to drive change for people, communities and the planet. We also look forward to building scale in the Kingdom to deliver a landmark development that will cater to the needs of diverse guest profiles expected to visit the country in the coming years.” The announcement comes during Intercontinental Hotel’s and Resorts’ diamond anniversary celebrations, marking 75 years of pioneering luxury travel with a celebration of rich heritage, iconic hotels and exclusive experiences.  The brand has become synonymous with bold exploration, travel and cultural discovery and …