The Spain Pavilion was presented at the Dubai 2020 World Expo, which was inaugurated on 1st October under the slogan Connecting minds, creating the future. Spain participates in this exceptional event, which provides an opportunity to -showcase its image and serves as a remarkable platform for engaging in business, cultural, scientific and technological diplomacy. Expo Dubai 2020 (the Expo retains 2020 in its name) opened its doors nearly one year later than originally planned due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is the first global event enabling collective reflection since the health crisis hit and caused months of international anxiety. It is a unique occasion for the world to come together and reflect on a future that is more aligned with the wellbeing of all individuals and in better balance with our environment. Expo Dubai 2020 Expo Dubai 2020, under the theme Connecting minds, creating the future, and recognized as an “Event of Exceptional Public Interest”, will be held until the 31st of March 2022. The event is the first world expo hosted by an Arab country and the region of the Middle East and is expected to bring together more than 200 participants and attract over 25 million visitors. The Spain Pavilion The slogan Intelligence for life sums up the main communication objectives of the Spain Pavilion: its ingenuity, ability to innovate and commitment to preserving a good quality of life on the planet for the present and future generations. The pavilion presents and represents Spain at the expo, a singular event for boosting the country’s branding and a unique platform for engaging in business, cultural, scientific and technological diplomacy. The Spain Pavilion is located in the Sustainability District, close …

The pavilion officially opened in an elegant ceremony on the morning of Friday, October 1, the vibrant destination has revealed more details about what visitors can expect from its exciting line-up of special events. Welcoming special guests H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Ajarin Pattanapanchai, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy & Society and the Commissioner General of Section for the Thailand Pavilion and Ambassador Waravuth Pouapinya, Thailand Ambassador to the UAE, the intimate and exclusive ceremony featured a carefully selected guest list of Dubai’s most significant dignitaries, professionals and journalists. Historically one of the most popular representations at every staging of the amazing World Expo show, Thailand is bringing its largest, and most impressive pavilion in 150 years to the UAE from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. Located in the Mobility District on a plot of more than 3,600 sqm, the dynamic space takes visitors through the story of ‘Digital Thailand’, the nation’s technologically driven, economic vision. In addition to connecting Thailand to the rest of the world, the Pavilion aims to showcase the full wonder of authentic Thai culture. Filled with colour, beautiful decor and charm, the ‘Miracle of Smiles’ pavilion has pulled out all the stops to create an uplifting and enlightening journey that showcases the true essence of Thailand. Thailand intends to use Expo 2020 to forge new connections and make significant steps towards creating a more sustainable future. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) assigned the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) as the body responsible for creating its cutting-edge and technology filled pavilion. Primarily organised by Index Creative Village, Thailand’s top creative company, UAE-based …

Ishraq Hospitality, a division of the Mohammad & Obaid AlMulla Group, announced the launch of its newest upscale hotel in the new part of Dubai located next to Expo Dubai 2020 site. Holiday Inn Dubai Al Maktoum Airport comes in line with the company’s expansion plans in the region and is adjacent to another successful property owned by the company; Staybridge Suites Dubai Al-Maktoum Airport which comprises a total of 606 rooms. The hotel also enjoys a strategic location as it is in proximity to Expo Dubai 2020, next to Al Maktoum International airport and top attractions such as Dubai Park & Resorts. Holiday Inn Dubai Al-Maktoum Airport is set to become a leading business destination with its 300-pax pillarless ballroom, boardroom with daylight, meeting rooms, business centre and a co-working environment. It also caters to the needs of families and leisure guests as it provides a perfect destination to escape the city hustle for a staycation with more than 600 rooms and apartments, perfect for families, where kids eat and stay for free under 12 years old. The hotel has a large 24/7 gym, spa, hair salon, yoga studio, pool bar & lounge, and the South Central; lounge, kitchen, bar and terrace. Chady Kanaan, General Manager of Holiday Inn Dubai Al Maktoum Airport and Staybridge Suites Dubai Al Maktoum Airport, added: “Now that we have our two hotels open and running, we are looking forward to receive our esteemed guests in our new properties right in the heart of in this new business hub. And with the offerings we have, we are confident that we will be the hotels of choice for family and business travellers alike.” Alexander Suski …

With South African Airways (SAA) resuming operations, Emirates has been working closely with SAA to reactivate its long-standing partnership which aims to improve the customer experience and provide more value to travellers when flying on both carriers. The move also helps cement SAA’s standing and position and will build growth momentum as the carrier initially restarts flights to six African destinations. Emirates and SAA have been working towards increasing alignment across products, services and reactivation of synergies between loyalty programmes, and will be initially kicking off with a reciprocal commercial arrangement. The agreement includes SAA coded and Emirates-operated routes between South Africa and Dubai on a single ticket, enabling travellers to seamlessly check-in their bags to their final destinations from 1 October. Emirates will also place the SAA code on major trunk routes between South Africa and Dubai. Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline, remarked on the revival of the partnership: “The partnership between Emirates and South African Airways builds on our shared commitment to providing customers more schedule choices and increased connectivity across Africa and through our growing network. We value our nearly 25 years of successful partnership with SAA and we are working hard to take more positive steps forward to continue to grow our relationship and provide our customers with even more connectivity in the future.” SAA’s Interim CEO Thomas Kgokolo says, “As SAA starts to rebuild, the long-standing partnership with Emirates is both valued and critical to our future growth plans : “We share the same vision of seamless, efficient, and excellent customer service with connectivity to multiple destinations. We are confident this partnership will lead to the addition of more route and destination options, …

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA)  announces the opening of Banan Beach in Ras Al Khaimah by the end of 2021. The hotly anticipated glamping resort will welcome guests for beachside vibes, campfire gatherings, yoga and wellness sessions, making it the ideal spot to enjoy memorable experiences with loved ones. Located on Al Marjan Island, renowned for its beautiful shoreline and relaxed atmosphere, the chilled beach getaway will feature numerous facilities including vibrantly coloured tepee designed tents located around a central firepit, private chalets, family-friendly attractions, barbeque areas, designated spots to practice mindfulness, as well as an outdoor cinema screening a mix of blockbusters and family-favourites for all to enjoy. The new attraction aligns with the Authority’s recently announced Sustainable Tourism Destination Strategy that will see the Ras Al Khaimah become the regional leader in eco-tourism by 2025. All furniture, fixtures, doors, windows and decorations for the chalets and tents, will be handmade by the Banan Beach team using recycled, locally sourced and biodegradable materials. The resort’s sustainability theme will also extend to its dining concepts, with natural and sustainable methods such as wood and charcoal for cookery used in its kitchens, instead of the conventional electricity and gas. Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “Banan Beach is the perfect addition to our growing portfolio of family-friendly outdoor activities in Ras Al Khaimah. The sustainably driven camp aligns with our mandate to invest and launch authentic new tourism initiatives across the Emirate, and underscores our ability to continuously adapt to meet changing traveller needs and the growing desire for experiences in safe, open environments. We look forward to welcoming resident, local and international visitors …

Latvian airline airBaltic has launched direct flights between Dubai and Riga, Latvia. airBaltic now links the both cities with four weekly flights, offering a wide variety of convenient connections to travellers coming from Dubai to further destinations in Europe. Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: “We see a great potential in strengthening the business ties between UAE and Latvia. airBaltic team is glad to launch this new route to Riga which is a vibrant and dynamic city in the Baltic States. The new route will play an integral role connecting the two countries and will be of a significant benefit to travellers both in the United Arab Emirates and Latvia.”   Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports: “We are delighted to welcome airBaltic to the DXB family with the launch of their services between Dubai and Riga. Creating this additional connectivity during the year of EXPO adds to the growing strength of the DXB hub, and we are confident that it will boost the number of visitors travelling between Latvia and the UAE.”   Flights between Dubai and Riga are operated by the Airbus A220-300 aircraft. A complete schedule of airBaltic flights and tickets for the new destinations are available on the company’s homepage at www.airbaltic.com.

Emirates will restart flights to London Gatwick Airport (LGW) from 10 December, responding to the easing of international travel restrictions and an upsurge in passenger demand for winter sun. The world’s largest international airline will resume services to its second London gateway with a daily flight operated by a B777 aircraft, across First, Business and Economy class. Flight EK015, will depart Dubai International (DXB) at 0740 and arrive in London Gatwick (LGW) at 1140, while flight EK016 will depart London Gatwick at 1335 and arrive in Dubai at 0040 the following day (all times are local). The addition of London Gatwick Airport to flight schedules in December will restore Emirates’ UK operations to six gateways, alongside the six times daily A380 London Heathrow service; double daily A380 flights to Manchester, ten weekly service to Birmingham, daily service to Glasgow, and four weekly service to Newcastle. By the end of December, the airline will offer 84 weekly flights to the UK, making it easier for UK customers to access Emirates’ growing global network of over 120 destinations – close to 90% of Emirates’ pre-pandemic network, and for international travellers to visit the UK. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer commented, “We’re very pleased to resume Emirates flights to and from London Gatwick, offering more ways for people and businesses to connect with our ever growing global network. With the UK simplifying travel and accepting international vaccination certificates, we’ve seen a big surge in demand as people have been a lot more confident in booking trips for the coming months and further ahead, be it for business, a winter sun escape or to visit family and friends. Gatwick has long been a …

Dubai has underlined its status as a wedding destination of choice for couples looking to celebrate their big days and reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with wedding planners to create exceptional, safe experiences. Leading the way globally as the sector recovers in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau, recently hosted the latest edition of its Global Wedding Excellence Retreat, highlighting the city’s comprehensive offerings and creating stronger relationships with the wedding planner community. With the strategic focus on the tourism and events sectors in Dubai, the city has established itself as a destination of choice for couples celebrating their special days, thanks to its wide range of hotels and venues, diverse and world class gastronomy, easy accessibility for guests and local expertise. Along with other business, leisure and social events, weddings have resumed and been taking place safely and successfully thanks to the city’s effective response to the pandemic. Building on this, Dubai this week hosted 17 wedding planners from India to explore the latest offerings and get a better understanding of the experiences and services available in the city. Taking place 23-26 September, the 4th edition of the Global Wedding Excellence Retreat was supported by stakeholders from across Dubai, with a tailored itinerary to showcasing both new and established hotels, venues and attractions. Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: “Amid the wider growth of Dubai’s tourism and events sectors, the city has established itself as a leading destination wedding option, appealing to couples and planners looking to create memorable experiences. Showcasing the city once again to wedding planners has provided us with …

Abu Dhabi has significantly expanded its eco-tourism offerings with the announcement that new marine protected sites across the emirate have now been made accessible to the public. The newly unveiled areas will give residents and visitors a host of new options for exploring the emirate’s coastline and waterways, with the initiative also supporting the emirate’s maritime industry.  The announcement was made at the Monaco Yacht Show by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in partnership with the Environmental Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), Abu Dhabi Maritime and Abu Dhabi Ship Building. The Monaco Yacht Show, the annual luxury trade show specialising in the maritime industry, took place from 22 to 25 September. It was attended by hundreds of yachting enthusiasts and professionals, including captains and crews, as well as yacht management companies, yacht agents and owners.  A new marine reserves map of the capital and its waters, which outlines the new areas open to the public, is the latest addition to the emirate’s growing portfolio of tourism offerings. Known for its pristine beaches and islands, the UAE capital used the Monaco event to demonstrate its capabilities as a superyacht destination by showcasing its offerings and plans for the marine industry. “Abu Dhabi’s marine sites are a significant part of our tourism sector,” said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi. “Our strategy involves expanding our tourism offerings in a sustainable manner that caters to the growing demand for more activities across the destination. The newly announced marine protected sites will not only support the growth and success of yacht management companies in Abu Dhabi but will …

The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) in Saudi Arabia is taking the concept a step further by carving a luxury hotel into a rock mountain for its future guests to literally immerse themselves in. Set in one of the most dramatic desert landscapes in the world, the Desert Rock resort is being integrated into the stunning mountainside and offers panoramic views of the mountain canyons below and a canopy of stars above. As part of The Red Sea Project, TRSDC recently revealed a first look at Desert Rock’s designs, which are intended to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s spectacular natural beauty and Nabatean heritage.  “Since the inception of the Desert Rock project, creating a development that combines luxury, sustainability and an immersive experience for our guests has been at the heart of it all,” said John Pagano, TRSDC CEO. “We cannot wait to welcome guests to enjoy a stay at this unique property.” Inspired by the surrounding beautiful mountains, volcanoes and wadis, Desert Rock will feature 48 villas and 12 hotel suites. A variety of accommodation styles will be available to best meet guests needs, from ground level dwellings to crevice hotel suites midway up the mountain. An impressive feat of engineering, a select number of rooms will sit within the excavated rock-scape, giving guests access to stunning views of Saudi Arabia and opportunities for star gazing, all from the comfort of your room.  The unique rock formations included in the resort architecture were produced by a series of cataclysmic seismic events thousands of years ago, and so the architecture has been designed to keep this natural beauty while also reducing energy consumption, supercharging the ecosystem, and regenerating native flora. This innovative architecture …