A.A. Al Moosa Enterprises LLC welcomed the opening of the four-star Ramada Hotel & Suites Sharjah, an addition to the growing number of  mid-market properties in the UAE. In support of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah’s vision to increase investments in the Emirate, the new Ramada Hotel & Suites Sharjah was inaugurated in the presence of HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority. The event was attended by Faisal Al Moosa, representing AA Al Moosa Enterprises, owner of the Ramada Hotel & Suites Sharjah, dignitaries, VIPs, corporate guests and the media. The hotel is managed by Wyndham Hotel Group. The property which is previously known as the Ramada Sharjah has recently undergone extensive renovations and upgrade. The hotel now features 343 rooms and suites that will cater to all kinds of business and leisure travellers.

Etihad Airways has launched its first flight to Baku, capital of Azerbaijan from Abu Dhabi. The inaugural flight, EY297, departed Abu Dhabi with a special delegation including diplomats, dignitaries, media representatives and senior members of Etihad Airways’ management team. On arrival in Baku, the aircraft was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute, followed by the customary display of the Emirati and Azerbaijani national flags from the cockpit windows. Flying three times a week using a 136-seat Airbus A320, configured with 16 seats in Business Class and 120 in Economy Class, the new flights will operate every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, providing optimal daylight timings for guests departing and arriving in Abu Dhabi and Baku. The schedule provides convenient connections to and from the airline’s global network and has been timed evenly throughout the week to provide a mix of weekend, short stay and business travel options. Etihad Airways and Azerbaijan Airlines recently announced a codeshare partnership which now sees Azerbaijan Airlines place its ‘J2’ code on Etihad Airways services between Baku and Abu Dhabi. Under this partnership, Azerbaijan Airlines guests will be able to book codeshare flights to and from Abu Dhabi and connect onto Etihad Airways’ extensive global network.

The UAE will continue to lead the GCC’s luxury hospitality segment to 2022, with 73 per cent of existing luxury hotel stock and 61 per cent of the region’s current luxury pipeline located in the country, according to data released ahead of Arabian Travel Market 2018, set to be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 22-25. The research demonstrates that luxury properties have increased three-fold in the GCC in just 10 years, with 95 per cent of these properties operated by international management brands. Despite taking the lead position, the UAE will face strong competition from Saudi Arabia, which is expected to witness the most significant increase in luxury hotel supply to 2022, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 18 per cent from 2018 onwards. Historically, Saudi Arabia dominates CAGR trends, with luxury property development from 2013-2017 accounting for 11 per cent of the Kingdom’s growth in supply, compared to 8 per cent in the UAE, 7 per cent in Kuwait, 6 per cent in Oman and 5 per cent in Bahrain. In 2017, the UAE topped the table, with 35 per cent of the year’s pipeline made up of luxury projects most concentrated in Dubai.

According to Dubai tourism, Dubai will be the first city to embark on the journey of democratising travel through the use of emerging technologies as it adds an additional distribution channel for hotels in its first phase, as its recently announced 10X initiative. Launched at the World Government Summit by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai Government as one of the ‘Dubai 10X’ projects, Dubai Tourism (DTCM) is set to implement this ground-breaking programme within the next 24 months, enabling Dubai to enhance distribution of its tourism inventory through a future-proofed virtual B2B marketplace for the travel industry. Explaining the objective of 10X, Al Maktoum said, “Success of governments is determined by their ability and flexibility to re-invent themselves, and upgrade their services to cater to the evolving needs of the community.” Dubai Tourism aims to give global guests direct choice across the breadth and depth of the local tourism inventory within a highly safe, transparent and real-time environment. As the first mover in the facilitation of this type of technologically advanced, secure and scalable digital solution for the travel industry, it positions Dubai as a think-thank and innovation leader seeking to truly democratise travel.

Tourists can now expect to experience a one-of-a-kind shopping destination on their visit to Dubai during the latter part of the year as the emirate is building one of the most exclusive malls in the world with a 365 day miracle garden in the centre. According to Fahimuddin Sharfuddin, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member, Cityland Group, “With consistent progress on both the construction and leasing side, we look forward to launching Cityland Mall during the fourth quarter of this year and add a unique dimension in terms of retail to the UAE market. We are working to conclude the leasing activities by adding an additional 30 per cent of leased retail space by year-end.” In terms of construction, 60 per cent of the project has been completed as of February 2018. By the end of Q2, 2018 the site will be open for most of the mall tenants to come in and commence their fit-out works. The landscaping contract for Central Park has been awarded to Miracle Garden Landscaping, the company behind the world-class landscaped projects such as Dubai Miracle Garden and Dubai Butterfly Garden. The 200,000 sq.ft. Central Park will provide a unique experience for shoppers and has been designed to accommodate 7,000 shoppers at a time in its vast expanse.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed up with Dur Hospitality for a franchise agreement of Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace, under the master franchise agreement signed earlier for four hotels. Currently operating as Riyadh Palace Hotel, the property is expected to be rebranded to Crowne Plaza by June 2018. The hotel totals to 304 rooms, over 1400 sqm of meeting space, a business centre along with an outdoor pool, lounge and a spa. It offers a range of authentic and contemporary cuisine at the hotel’s restaurant and at the Lobby Café. Ahdab, President, Hotel Operations—Dur Hospitality said, “We are delighted to partner with IHG yet again, for their world-class brand Crowne Plaza, making this our second hotel with them, following the opening of Holiday Inn, Tabuk. Riyadh has solidified itself as a commercial hub, attracting business travellers from domestic and international markets.” “Incorporating an element of French design, the hotel is strategically located in the Ministries Area, a popular business district, making it an ideal and convenient location for the business community”, he further added.

Emirates Skywards, a loyalty programme popular for its unique offerings has reached 20 million members. Those travelling from Dubai on Emirates flights during the week beginning March 4, 2018 can look forward to surprises at check-in, onboard and in the lounges for some of its longest-standing members. In an average month, Emirates Skywards welcomes 220,000 new members across the globe. The top five countries with the largest member bases are spread across four continents reflecting Emirates’ six-continent global network. UK has the biggest membership base at 2.6 million, followed by the US with 1.8 million members, Australia with 1.7 million members and India and the UAE following closely with 1.4 million members each. “The programme has evolved in the 17 years since its inception in line with changing travel and lifestyle habits. Emirates Skywards is focused on delivering ever more personalised experiences for its members. We provide a wide array of earn and redeem options across a number of categories – travel, retail and lifestyle and across geographies, leveraging more than 100 partners worldwide,” explains Dr Nejib Ben Khedher, Senior Vice President, Emirates Skywards.

Dubai Health Authority, in collaboration with the Thumbay Group, celebrated the achievements of the emirate’s healthcare sector and recognised several game changers in the industry. His Excellency Humaid Al Qutami, Chairman of the Board and Director General, Dubai Health Authority, graced the Annual Health Awards 2018 ceremony as the chief guest. As many as 35 winners in 23 categories including private and public-sector organisations and individuals, as well as 17 legendary dignitaries were recognised for their pioneering roles in shaping the healthcare industry of the region. Dr. Thumbay Moideen, Founder President of Thumbay Group, was also present. “We would first like to thank you all for attending the award ceremony, symbolising a new addition to the arena of excellence, creativity and innovation that distinguishes Dubai from other international cities. We would like to congratulate the winners and thank the Thumbay Group for its cooperation with DHA and keenness in supporting the Authority’s efforts to provide a competitive environment among the health sector and its employees,” Al Qutami observed. He further added, “We derive the values of positive competition from His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The award was also inspired by His Highness Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council.”

Dubai Airports has confirmed plans to close Dubai International’s (DXB) southern runway for a 45-day period in 2019 to conduct a comprehensive upgrade designed to boost safety, service and capacity levels. The upgrade work is scheduled to take place from April 16 to May 30 when passenger traffic historically ebbs due to a seasonal lull. The southern runway refurbishment project will involve the placement of approximately 60,000 tonnes of asphalt and 8,000m3 of concrete to strengthen and resurface the runway and the adjacent taxiways. While ongoing runway maintenance is scheduled on a weekly basis, more extensive upgrades require a complete closure of the runway. Dubai Airports will also use the opportunity to install 800 km of primary cables and replace over 5,500 runway lights with more modern, economic and environment friendly technology. Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports said, “In the months ahead, we will be working closely with Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, airlines and other stakeholders to ensure we optimise service and capacity during this period next year and minimise the impact on our customers. While we regret any inconvenience this may cause to our airline customers and passengers, these upgrades are absolutely necessary to heighten safety, boost capacity and pave the way for future growth.”

In its efforts towards international expansion, Turkish Airlines has introduced flights to Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone. With existing services to city hubs of Accra, Lagos, Bamako, Conakry, Dakar, Abidjan, Cape Town, Johannesburg and a lot more, the airline now adds Freetown as its 52nd destination in Africa. The flights will operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The services will provide a link between Istanbul Atatürk International Airport and the Lungi International Airport via Ouagadougou.