Qatar Airways Holidays has launched extensive travel packages for the inaugural FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021™ welcoming global football fans to enjoy the finest Qatari hospitality and follow their favourite team in person. The region’s showpiece tournament will take place from 30 November to 18 December, 2021. As Privilege Club is the Official Frequent Flyer Programme of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021™, members can earn double Qmiles when they purchase a travel package, including a hotel stay of three nights or more by 31 October 2021. New members who join Privilege Club can also enjoy a sign-up bonus of 1,500 Qmiles when using the enrolment code JOINMEPC21. Fans will be offered the flexibility to build their own package for the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021™ which includes flights with Qatar Airways, the Official Airline Partner of FIFA. The ‘Build Your Own’ feature will give them the functionality to choose their preferred travel dates, hotel accommodation and match tickets. Customers can secure access to bookings by visiting https://www.qatarairwaysholidays.com/qa-en/fifa-arab-cup-2021/overview. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “Not only will this tournament showcase the country’s readiness for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, but it will help us unite football fans from the Middle East and North Africa. With over 140 destinations to choose from, our network will provide them seamless connectivity across the globe. It is time for us to kick off with these unique travel packages and give people a memorable taste of Qatari hospitality, and reignite the region’s collective passion for football.” The tournament will take place exactly a year before the much-awaited FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ inaugurates and will serve as an opportunity to …

The Saudi Arabian Government has launched the Sustainable Tourism Global Center (STGC), a multi-country, multi-stakeholder coalition that will accelerate the tourism sector’s transition to net zero emissions, as well as drive action to protect nature and support communities. Launched  by HRH Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the Sustainable Tourism Global Center will support travelers, governments, and the private sector, to ensure that tourism enables growth and creates jobs, while playing its part to achieve the climate goals laid out in the Paris Agreement, including contributing to keeping the world to under 1.5-degrees Celsius warming. With the global travel and tourism sector responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Saudi Arabia has prioritized urgent action to support this important sector in its transition to net zero. The Global Center will be the platform to bring all the knowledge and expertise; it aims to be the “north star” for the tourism sector as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and transitions toward a sustainable future. Globally, tourism supports more than 330 million livelihoods – and pre-pandemic, it was responsible for creating one in four new jobs globally. Details of this coalition and the services it will provide will be formally announced during COP26. HE Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia said: “The tourism sector contributes to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions – and this is expected to grow if we don’t act now. Tourism is also a highly fragmented sector. 80% of businesses in tourism are small and medium sized enterprises who rely on guidance and support from sector leadership. The sector must be part of the solution. “Saudi Arabia, following the vision and leadership of His Royal Highness the …

Air Seychelles will operate a special return flight from Dubai to the Seychelles during the upcoming public holiday marking Commemoration and National Day in the UAE. Following the success of the seasonal flight routes launched earlier this year, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles has introduced a seven day return trip for UAE residents. The flight will depart Dubai International Airport Terminal 1 on Friday, 27 November 2021 at 8am whilst the returning flight will depart Seychelles on 3 December 2021 at 12.45pm. The convenient timings provide visitors with seven days and six nights in the Seychelles at an affordable rate. Economy Class travelers can take advantage of the attractive fares starting from USD340 (AED 1,250), whilst Business Class travelers can book their seats at the starting fares of USD1,020 (AED 3,743).  All fares are inclusive of taxes and flights are now on sale at www.airseychelles.com and through travel agents. All travelers to the Indian Ocean archipelago must hold a negative COVID 19 PCR certificate taken no more than 72 hours before departure regardless of vaccination status. Visitors must also complete the mandatory Health Travel Authorization at seychelles.govtas.com before arriving to the airport and observe existing health regulations including wearing face masks and social distancing during their visit. The flight schedule between Dubai International Airport Terminal 1 and the Seychelles are as follows: #Flight Origin    Destination         Departs                Arrives  Dates HM1015               Dubai    Seychelles           0800hrs 1230hrs Saturday, 27 November, 2021 HM1016               Seychelles           Dubai    1245hrs 1715hrs Friday, 3 December, 2021   The schedule shared is in the local time at each destination. Flights are subjected to government and regulatory approval including that of the health authorities at each destination. …

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, opened Ain Dubai, the world’s largest and tallest observation wheel. His Highness was accompanied at the opening by His Excellency Mohamed Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs. The landmark project is the latest addition to Dubai Holding’s diverse entertainment portfolio. Speaking on the occasion, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed emphasised Dubai’s continued commitment to developing the emirate’s offerings as a tourism and lifestyle destination and enriching the quality of life of people who live in Dubai. The unique experiences offered to visitors by the attraction, located in the heart of the lifestyle island destination Bluewaters, reflect the emirate’s aspiration to achieve the highest excellence in all sectors and spheres of life, he added. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed was welcomed by Amit Kaushal, Dubai Holding Chief Executive Officer, and key senior representatives from the Group. During the opening, which was also attended by HE Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and HE Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, His Highness was briefed on the key features of the new entertainment destination. He also watched a short film documenting various phases of the construction of the observation wheel, which took nine million man-hours to build. His Highness was introduced to the observation cabins of Ain Dubai, which provide visitors the perfect vantage point for 360-degree views of Dubai, over the waters of the Arabian Gulf. The 48 passenger cabins that circle the enormous circumference of the wheel have the capacity to carry more than 1,750 visitors at once.  One …

Mansoor bin Mohammed: Dubai’s steady growth as a global sporting hub has been made possible by the vision and strong support of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and the extensive investments made in world-class infrastructure under his directives. ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup is being held for the first time in the Middle East Dubai, the headquarters of the International Cricket Council, is all set to stage the finals of the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The seventh edition of the global tournament, being held for the first time in the Middle East, reinforces Dubai’s rising status as one of the globe’s most prominent and safest destinations for international sporting events. Dubai was chosen as the venue for the final of the 16-country tournament, featuring world cricket’s biggest stars, because of its exceptionally successful record of hosting multi-stage global tournaments. Furthermore, its comprehensive hospitality and health infrastructure as well as its ability to create the internationally benchmarked bio-secure bubbles necessary for the safe organisation of a tournament as extensive as the T20 Cricket World Cup made it the ideal venue for the event. HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council said: “Dubai’s steady growth as a global sporting hub has been made possible by the strong support and vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the extensive investments made in world-class infrastructure under His Highness’s directives. Encouraging international sporting activity and expanding the infrastructure in this sector, is a high priority of the leadership, and an integral part of the drive to transform Dubai …

Yousuf Lootah, Vice Chairman of Dubai Sustainable Tourism said: “Dubai continues to progress towards its goal to be one of the world’s most dynamic and forward-thinking, sustainable tourism destinations, aligned with the “Year of the 50th” announcement from HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.  Sustainability is one of the UAE’s four strategic pillars for the next 50 years and Dubai Tourism and Dubai Sustainable Tourism strive to collaborate with stakeholders, partners and private companies to boost wellbeing, act as a steward for nature and the environment, support communities and transform the economic future of the UAE.” Sustainable farming is gathering pace in Dubai. With a large focus on food security and regenerative farming practices, Dubai’s agricultural sector continues to grow with a record number of ecological farms for tourists and locals to visit, as well as take home the fresh produce. The city offers a multitude of opportunities for residents and visitors to support enterprise, as well as providing a new lens through which to experience Dubai.   As vertical farming, including aquaculture and hydroponic farming, become increasingly popular, they are helping the city chart the course towards a more sustainable future. Supporting the UAE’s food security goals , vertical farms are enabling consumers to be closer to their produce. Local produce is taking over the dining table at a number of destinations across the city, with eight of Atlantis, The Palm’s restaurants serving dishes with ingredients grown and harvested in Dubai. Local favourites such as, The Pangolin, The Locale at Andaz Dubai and more are also placing emphasis on using locally grown produce.     “Dubai is a city with a number of local …

Solidifying St. Regis Hotels & Resorts’ position as a leader in luxury, the iconic brand expects to expand its existing portfolio of 15 curated resorts with plans to debut eleven new enchanted escapes by 2025 in some of the world’s most coveted leisure destinations, including locales most desired by the next generation of luxury travelers within the Caribbean, North America, North Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific. St. Regis has 49 open hotels and resorts today, with 29 hotels and resorts in its pipeline, representing expected growth of nearly 60 percent over the next five years in both urban and leisure destination. “This is a pivotal moment for St. Regis as we expect to nearly double our existing resort portfolio by 2025. Our resorts offer a leisure experience inspired by the glamorous private retreats of St. Regis’ founding family, the Astors, and we cannot wait to bring the brand’s spirit of invention and cherished traditions to some of the world’s most beguiling destinations,” said George Fleck, Vice President and Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. “From Los Cabos to Sanya, and Marrakech to the Riviera Maya, we are thoughtfully expanding the brand while marking a commitment to providing extraordinary resort experiences in the places where we know global luminaries want to travel.” These highly anticipated new resorts will introduce the brand’s visionary spirit, avant-garde style and bespoke service in some of the most dynamic and compelling markets across the globe. Expanding its footprint in Mexico, St. Regis is expected to debut The St. Regis Kanai Resort in 2022 and The St. Regis Los Cabos Resort in 2023. Located in the captivating Mayan Riviera, The St. Regis Kanai …

Mark your calendars on November 23, 2021 at 11am UAE time, when we’ll be returning to Germany, this time with a special focus on its popularity as a shopping destination. The focus of this webinar will be on Breuninger, one of Germany’s most prestigious department stores. Travelers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have long sought out Germany. 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.” Shopping Destination 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 …

The improvement of the epidemiological situation and the developing progress in the vaccination roll-out, both in Spain and the Middle East has made it possible to ease the measures for entry into Spain for touristic purposes. The United Arab Emirates now joins the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait & Bahrain in the list of countries with low incidence. All passengers from these countries will be able to travel to Spain for touristic purposes without the need for a diagnostic test or a certificate of vaccination or immunity. i.e. tourists can travel regardless having any vaccination, diagnostic or recovery certificate. However, before travelling to Spain (even in transit) all passengers must have the QR code which is obtained from filling in the Health Control Form (FCS in Spanish), available in Spain Travel Health (www.spth.gob.es). “This is indeed a  great news especially for the GCC region as we have seen a significant  increase in numbers to Spain  in the past months and the trend continues . It shows that Spain is up to speed and the covid 19 situation is well contained .This update of reduced restrictions will definitely increase tourism numbers to Spain.We are happy to welcome GCC travellers to our beautiful country with open arms as always.Being a year yound destination , Spain has the added advantage to attract travellers for autumn and winter  & now the European Centre for Disease  and Control (ECDC) has listed Spain as one of the safest countries to travel which is even more assuring to travelers.  ” Daniel Rosado , Director – Spain tourism – GCC The FCS QR Code can be downloaded on the Spain’s Travel Health website or through the …

Continuing its success story in the GCC, Swiss-Belhotel International has announced the opening of Swiss-Belinn Sharq Kuwait. This modern and chic property, featuring 51 keys, is conveniently located in the heart of the Kuwait City overlooking the Kuwait Bay – merely 17 Km from Kuwait International Airport. Dr. Abdullah Abdulsamad Marafi, Owner and General Manager, Omniyat Real Estate, said, “We are pleased to partner once again with the Swiss-Belhotel International to bring our vision to life. Swiss-Belinn Sharq Kuwait enjoys a prime location in the city and will be the best in its category of accommodation choices. The renowned international brand like Swiss-Belinn, is a perfect fit and to offer a memorable experience to both short and extended stay guests.” Mr. Gavin M. Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss-Belhotel International, said, “We are delighted to boost our presence in the GCC with the opening of the stunning Swiss-Belinn Sharq Kuwait. This is our second property in Kuwait joining the Swiss-Belboutique Bneid Al Gar Kuwait and a beautiful addition to our portfolio of hotels in the region. Swiss-Belinn is a fast-growing mid-market brand we are truly grateful to Omniyat Real Estate for this wonderful opportunity. With its strategic location, Swiss-Belinn Sharq Kuwait provides a convenient address to both residents and travellers offering direct access to the city’s prime leisure and business attractions.” Mr. Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President – Operations & Development, EMEA & India; Senior Vice President – Group Human Resources & Talent Development, Swiss-Belhotel International, stated, “We are glad to start welcoming guests to the Swiss-Belinn Sharq Kuwait. Despite the ongoing market challenges in the wake of the pandemic, we have been steadily growing our presence in the …