Attracting a wide segment of tourist population from GCC countries, Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort has weaved several offers for GCC guests including ‘Your Holidays in Ocean View’, which starts at MAD 2650 per night; ‘Unlimited Golf Offer’ at MAD 2300 per night; ‘30 Days Advance Purchase’, which offers visitors a special 15 per cent off, ‘Family Holidays in Mazagan’ starting at MAD 1800 per night and ‘Emirates Skywards Special Offer’, which allows visitors to enjoy exclusive benefits and earn 1Miles for every $1 spent on accommodation when booked via this website or reservations call numbers. Additionally, the resort has also crafted deals for its GCC tourists including ‘Etihad Guest Members Offer’ and ‘Exclusive AlFursan members offer’. “Of the guests that visited the resort, 12 per cent were GCC visitors, who look for real, authentic experiences. At Mazagan Beach and Golf Resort, we have crafted some special offers which not only serve as an attraction for the GCC visitors, but also align with their idea of ‘memorable holiday experiences’,” said Khadija El Idrissi, Director of Communication and Public Relations, Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort.

JA Hatta Fort Hotel celebrated the festive season in the greenest way to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment. Around 275 recycled car tires have been used to build a unique Christmas tree. The tree was made up of recycled car parts, recycled timbers, LED fairy lights and a GI chain. Deborah Thomson, General Manager, JA Hatta Fort Hotel, commented, “As we continue with our holiday celebrations and enjoy the festive period, it’s important that we remember the environment around us. Our ‘very green’ tree is a small reminder to keep recycling and contributing to sustainable initiatives. It’s a fun and different way to celebrate Christmas and we look forward to welcoming all our guests to JA Hatta Fort Hotel over this joyful period.”

The opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island and the hosting of Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix contributed to a dramatic surge in hotel guests staying in the emirate during November. The month saw a 16 per cent rise in guests in Abu Dhabi’s hotels and hotel apartments compared to the same period in 2016, according to figures released by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. With 4.3 million hotel guests staying in accommodation across Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain Region and Al Dhafra Region in the first 11 months of the year, the emirate has witnessed 9 per cent year-on-year growth and is on target to reach a record 4.9 million guests by the end of December. HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said, “While November and Q4 is traditionally a strong period for us, particularly with visitors from Europe, we are encouraged by the sector’s performance during the month and the increase in hotel guests across all three regions. The opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi was a monumental event, not only for Abu Dhabi but also for the whole of the country and indeed the region, contributing enormously to our appeal as a ‘must visit’ destination.”  

Launching new customer service innovations for the holiday season, Cebu Pacific (CEB) has invested over AED 4.4 million per year over the next five years by implementing customer-facing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions. These solutions are set to improve airport operations and make online booking services more convenient for passengers. Cebu’s new service called Max Airport is a digital platform that allows the airline’s Philippine airport personnel to remotely check-in passengers, assign seats, facilitate payment for baggage and other ancillary services, and even print boarding passes. The MAX Airport suite, which is installed on iPads, is now being used by CEB ground staff at the NAIA Terminals 3 and 4, in time for the expected surge of passengers during the yuletide season.

In a move to encourage tourists to visit the destination, Rwanda has announced that any person living anywhere in the world is entitled to receive a 30 days visa on arrival for a nominal charge of US$30. “We are happy to announce that from January 1, 2018, any person living anywhere in the world is entitled to receive a 30 days for $30 on arrival visa in Rwanda. Most people don’t travel due to hassle of obtaining visa to enter a country. In terms of tourism, ease of visa actually can contribute to the revenue of the country,” stated Yasmin Amri Sued, Chargee d Affaires – Consulate of the Republic of Rwanda.

Ascott, the world’s largest serviced residence provider, has secured two properties in Accra, Ghana. The 220-unit Ascott 1 Oxford Street Accra will open in phases from 2019, while the 40-unit Kwarleyz Residence will open in 4Q 2018. Lee Chee Koon, Chief Executive Officer, Ascott said, “We are excited to close a record year of growth for Ascott with the successful addition of Africa to Ascott’s global footprint. Ascott added 18 new cities across nine countries and secured a record of over 21,000 units in 2017. This is not only twice the increase in 2016, but also Ascott’s largest ever portfolio expansion in a single year. As these properties progressively open and stabilise, we can expect more fee income contribution to Ascott annually.

The much-awaited Dubai Frame will be opened to the public as soon as next week. Visitors can pre-book their tour through the website or app apart from the paper tickets that will be available too. Only a specific number of people will be accepted at one time. The Dh160-million Dubai Frame will provide visitors with a 360-degree view of Dubai as they walk through a 93-metre glass bridge to see old Dubai from the north and modern Dubai from the south. The rectangular structure, consisting of two 150-metre towers, connects the past and present of Dubai. Visitors will enjoy a journey through time for only Dh50 for adults and Dh30 for children. Free tickets will be offered for children under three, people over 60 and people of determination.

Air Arabia is set to introduce flights to Sheremetyevo International Airport from February 1, 2018, boosting the flight to serve the Russian capital with a double daily frequency. The flight complements the airline’s existing daily services to Moscow’s Domodedovo International Airport. The flight will operate four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) at 09:10 hours, and arriving at Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) at 13:35 hours local time. The return flight will depart Sheremetyevo at 14:35 hours, landing in Sharjah at 20:45 hours local time. Air Arabia will upgrade to a daily Sheremetyevo flight from March 1, 2018, which will join the current daily flight to Domodedovo to serve Moscow with a double daily frequency.

Etihad Airways is set to launch a second daily flight between Abu Dhabi and Amman, effective March 25, 2018. The double daily year-round schedule will provide greater choice to local passengers travelling between Abu Dhabi and Amman, with attractive timings of early afternoon and evening departures from the capital cities of the UAE and Jordan, respectively. The additional flights, operated by an Airbus A320 with 16 seats in Business Class and 120 in Economy, will also improve connectivity over Abu Dhabi to a wider network of destinations across Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. Peter Baumgartner, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said, “Increasing frequency to some of our destinations globally is a focus as it ensures more travel options for guests looking for greater flexibility. With improved schedules, we are also offering attractive timings to benefit residents in the UAE and Jordan, and create even better connections over Abu Dhabi to many markets across our network.”

Emirates is set to launch a new daily route from Dubai (DXB) to London Stansted (STN) on June 8, 2018. With its strategic position close to the tech and pharma hubs of Cambridge and Peterborough, Emirates will be the first Middle Eastern airline to operate out of the popular North East London airport. The daily route will be operated by the airline’s new three-class Boeing 777-300ER offering customers six  seats in First Class, 42 in Business Class and 306 in Economy Class. The aircraft is fitted with fully enclosed private suites in First Class, as well as refreshed Business and Economy Class cabins. Flight EK33 will depart Dubai at 09:30hrs, and will arrive in London Stansted at 14:10hrs. On its return, flight EK34 will depart London Stansted at 21:10hrs and arrive in Dubai at 07:05 on the following day. Opening the London Stansted gateway was a strategic decision by Emirates to serve the thriving business community in London’s north east and the wider 7.5 million population that fall within its catchment area. Hong Kong, Dubai, Shanghai, Singapore and Mumbai are the most popular business destinations from the East of England, which Emirates serves daily through its Dubai hub.