To  promote destinations like Bali, Lombok, Jakarta, Bandung, Sumatra, south Sulawesi, Visit Indonesia Tourism Office is conducting workshops and roadshows in the Middle East. According to Nour Aridi, Country Manager, Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO). The roadshow will begin in Bahrain on September 26 at Sofitel Manama, then move on to Sheraton Muscat on October 3, and reach UAE on October 18 in Dubai and October 19 in Abu Dhabi.  

Scheduled to open in the beginning of 2018, Al Bait Hotel will be preserving the majority of the traditional houses in the area which were exclusively chosen to build and shape the hotel. Managed by GHM hotels, the this AED 100 million Al Bait Hotel has been designed to provide guests with a unique and unrivalled experience of the best Sharjah has to offer. These houses will keep the names of its original owners and rooms so as to highlight the environment and lifestyle of the Emiratis who lived in these houses in the past. Located in the heart of Sharjah, the hotel brings to light Sharjah’s legacy and thoughtful vision to revive the heritage in the region by the protection and restoration of the historic fabric within the city and the Emirate at large. This will allow guests to experience the atmosphere of the past through elements that are in harmony with culture, society, history and civilisation as well as the hospitality and etiquette of the United Arab of Emirates.    

With an aim to attract high-end travellers, Marriott will open doors of its 300-room Renaissance Downtown Hotel, Dubai, on October 15, offering a clear view of the iconic Burj Khalifa. This will be followed by the debut of The Bulgari Resort & Residences Dubai slated for December, 2017. W Palm is scheduled to open early next year and the second W in Amman Jordan by Q1 next year. The St. Regis Cairo is the next big property to open by December and the sophisticated Edition Hotel Abu Dhabi will see the light of day next year, reveals Neal Jones, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. In terms of mid-scale brands, two Aloft properties will come up one next to Deira city center and the other at the Palm.

Emirates is increasing its flight frequency between Dubai and Tunis from six to seven times a week starting October 30, 2017. The additional Dubai-Tunis flight, an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, will operate every Monday. The aircraft offers eight luxurious private suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 310 seats in Economy Class. The added flight will give passengers in Tunis greater access to Emirates’ global route network, particularly destinations in the Middle East, GCC, West Asia, Asia Pacific region and the US, with just one stop in Dubai. The added frequency will also offer importers and exporters an additional 23 tonnes of cargo capacity in each direction.

According to the latest Middle East and Africa Hotel Construction report by Top Hotels Projects, commissioned by The Hotel Show Dubai 2017, the UAE has been identified as the busiest country for hotel construction in the Middle East and Africa and 83 hotel projects are set to open next year. The region currently has more than 200 hotel projects in the pipeline, with Dubai (164 projects), Abu Dhabi (25 projects) and Ras Al Khaimah (12 projects) seen as the busiest areas for hotel construction in the UAE. Some of the most anticipated hotel openings include Dubai’s Rosemont Hotel and Residences, Curio Collection by Hilton (730 rooms) and Fairmont Abu Dhabi Marina Hotel & Residences (812 rooms).

The first Outbound Travel Bazaar was held in Abu Dhabi at InterContinental Hotel on September 21, 2017. The brainchild of travel expert Mario Anthony, Proprietor, Luxury Connections, the event saw participation from buyers hailing from Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The Ambassador of Finland stated that this was the first time that Finland was promoting the destination for MICE sector and that they were able to have many buyers with genuine inquiries as the destination is currently an emerging market for the UAE. The show started off with an interactive session with two experts in the field of travel followed by B2B sessions. The B2B meetings were a closed door event and allowed ample time for both buyers and sellers to connect.

The International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC), the Greater Mekong subregion’s international travel event, concluded its 13th annual event in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A total of 5,282 meetings were conducted between the buyers and sellers during the three-day event, a 45 per cent increase from last year, reaffirming the importance of the event as the key bridge in the tourism industry for both inbound and outbound markets in Vietnam and the region. Endorsed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism, Vietnam, and the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, the event was organised by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, Informa Exhibitions, and the Vietnam Trade Fair & Advertising Joint Stock. ITE HCMC 2017 continued to be the leading travel trade event for the international and local travel businesses, creating unparalleled networking opportunities for them to keep up with the travel trends and establish connections with new business partners, further boosting the tourism potential of the country and the ASEAN region. ITE HCMC 2017 showcased the strong participation of 300 international and local travel companies, including international promotion agencies from Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey.

Abu Dhabi Airports has achieved 65 per cent increase in earnings before interest, depreciation and amortisation (EBIDA)/ operating profit during the January-August period this year compared to the same period in 2016. This was announced after the company’s executive team weekly meeting that took place at Al Ain International Airport last week, led by Abdul Majeed Al Khoori, Acting CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports. The company grew its operating revenue by 26 per cent, which impacted the 65 per cent EBIDA increase for 2017. One of the key contributors to this increase is the passenger facilitation charge introduced in July 2016. Previously, UAE airports were some of the few around the world that didn’t implement transfer passenger fees. In response to market change, the government approved the charges and hence these were implemented across all airports in the second half of 2016. Abu Dhabi Duty Free and Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone were other key contributors to the revenue increase through the growth trend registered in passenger spend, and the addition of new retailers and concessionaires, as well as the increase in property and space rentals across Abu Dhabi Airports. On this achievement, Abdul Majeed Al Khoori commented, “We are very proud of our performance this year. Abu Dhabi Airports’ mission and goals revolve around a highly effective and efficient management of resources and manpower to maintain positive trend in profit growth. Supported by planning a smart and versatile strategy, we were able to turn challenges into opportunities and register record achievements in all aspects of our business.”

General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) in collaboration with Spanish company Indra Sistemas (Indra) will develop a new air traffic management system for Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Centre. The new system will enhance and modernise its capabilities in order to cater for the growth of the air traffic management sector in the country. The Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Center provides air traffic control services to more than 2,500 air traffic movements per day. The new system which has been characterized as a “Next Generation Air Traffic Management System”, will be one of the most advanced systems in the world. It’s specifications and functions are being applied for the first time in the world, ahead of the timelines set forth by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to meet the Aviation System Block Upgrade modules as identified in the Global Air Navigation Plan. Once implemented, which is expected to be completed in mid-2020, the project will be a strong pillar of the country’s infrastructure and will represent a significant contribution to the advancement of the aviation sector and the country’s economy for the next 20 years. The system will include functions to support and enhance safety and efficiency, with a clear focus on the automation of many processes. It will also include the potential to enhance airport operations and will be environmentally friendly.  The system will help to save fuel and create an eco-friendly aviation system in the county through the exchange of flight information from pre-departure phase until the arrival gate at the destination airport. His Excellency Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, the Director General of the General Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE, said, “We believe in continuous and sustainable investment in …

Etihad Airways is the first airline in the region to offer fully-automated credit card installment plans in partnership with PayFort, an online payment service provider in the Arab region. The initiative allows Etihad Airways to offer consumers who book directly via Etihad.com that range from three to 60 months. 17 of the region’s leading banks are taking part in the programme. Justin Warby, Vice President Digital Strategy and Innovation, Etihad Airways, said: “Etihad is committed to continually enhancing the travel experience by providing greater choice and flexibility to our guests while ensuring we make it as easy and secure as possible to transact through our direct channels, including Etihad.com. By partnering with PayFort we’re able to offer fully automated, best in class technology solutions provided by the industry leaders. We’re taking a global outlook and bringing best practice to the region. ” With over 20 payment methods available on its website, Etihad Airways offers diverse payment solutions to meet both global and local needs. Warby said this initiative was designed to assist low to medium income travellers and families by empowering them with the ability to book travel without the burden of having to pay for it up front. Etihad Airways created its specialised Digital Transformation & Innovation team as an in-house research, development solution delivery programme to lead the airline’s digital transformation. Its mission is to turn Etihad Airways into the industry’s leading, integrated airline capable of harnessing emerging technologies and capabilities, big data and innovation to create a product and service offering unique to the individual passenger.