The 5th edition of the Bahrain Shopping Festival – ‘Shop Bahrain’ – is taking place from January 1 to February 2, 2019. Celebrating the best of the Kingdom’s tourism and retail sectors, the event offers a unique shopping experience filled with many valuable prizes for shoppers. The 30-day festival has been organised by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) in cooperation with a number of strategic partners from the public and private sectors including Tamkeen, VIVA Bahrain and Gulf Air, as well as the AA Bin Hindi Group. During the launch, Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, Chief Executive, BTEA, commented, “The Bahrain Shopping Festival reflects the keenness of the authority to host local events of global standards and attract visitors and tourists from all over the world by joining a wide range of entertainment events and the chance to win valuable prizes. “This edition of the festival aims to stimulate the national economy by focusing on retail and tourism sectors. The transactions recorded in the last edition reached a total of BD19 million and attracted more than 122,000 visitors from Bahrain and other countries. In this edition, we expect to attract more visitors and generate greater values through the valuable prizes and activities offered by the partners from both public and private sectors,” he added. Prize partners include Gravity, Awal Gas, Hawar Beach Hotel, Kitchen for Life Company, the Ice Cream Shop and Rahim Holdings. This year’s edition will feature more than 73,000 prizes including 11 cars, electronics from AA Bin Hindi Group, 5,000 airline tickets at special rates from Gulf Air, thousands of instant prizes from VIVA and much more. The loyalty system enables shoppers to enter …

The new five-star hotel Stella Di Mare at Dubai Marina is now open to welcome its guests. The brand new property offers a wide range of top-class amenities for both travellers and the UAE residents, alongside six restaurants and bars. Stella Di Mare, meaning ‘the star of the sea’ in Italian, is ornate, elegant and designed to the highest-possible quality. The 369-room hotel offers art deco style suites, twin and king rooms, a fully-equipped spa with an extensive range of beauty treatments and stylish meeting venues. A true one-of-a-kind feature is the 1920-inspired grand ballroom, serving as the ideal venue for bigger events, occasions, and glamourous wedding receptions. Stella Di Mare brings a new dining hub to the south edge of the Marina. The property comprises 252 king rooms, 72 twin rooms and 45 suites, all of which are fully air-conditioned and fitted with high-speed Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, personal safe, mini-bar and 24-hour room service. The 550 sq metre roman bath-inspired spa offers a variety of treatments, including massages, facials and beauty therapies. There are separate male and female saunas, a steam room, an indoor jacuzzi and a stunning outdoor temperature-controlled swimming pool. The health and wellness options also include an indoor gymnasium with a range of high-quality equipment, plus a salon offering hair, nail and other beauty treatments.

As a result of the efforts by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) to promote the Kingdom of Bahrain as a destination for weddings and other happy occasions, the Kingdom of Bahrain hosted an Indian wedding of the son of Indian businessman, Sushil Mantri, from Bengaluru, from December 15 to December 17 2018, at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay. The event attracted more than 800 guests who travelled on Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, from various Indian cities, including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai, and from other parts of the world. The three-day wedding included a series of activities, the first of which was the arrival of the bride and groom in a traditional Bahraini environment and means of transportation; the groom arrived on a purebred Arabian horse accompanied by traditional Indian music and dancers, while the bride arrived to the scene of the wedding onboard a traditional boat at Bahrain Bay. After the ceremony, Bahrain’s skyline was adorned with a display of fireworks to celebrate the wedding and the Kingdom’s national holiday, commemorating the joy of both glorious occasions. On the second day of the celebrations, the guests were invited to a traditional Souk (bazaar) that was hosted at the Hotel’s large halls, allowing guests to witness traditional Bahraini craftsmen at work, manufacturing beautifully-crafted products made of gold and pearls, traditional women’s and men’s clothing; and enjoy traditional sweets and beverages that were presented. To conclude the third and final day, a special social and sports programme was organised at Bahrain International Circuit to enjoy karting as a final farewell. Commenting on this occasion, Dr Ali Hasan Follad, Adviser, BTEA, said, “BTEA has played a pivotal role …

Tens of thousands of visitors have visited the National Festival of Heritage and Culture, the 33rd edition of Janadria, organised by the Ministry of National Guard under the slogan ‘Faithfulness and Loyalty.’ The heritage village at the festival as well as the shows of the folk groups from various regions of Saudi Arabia and some Arabian Gulf countries are popular and have become a milestone in the most beautiful elements of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Janadria is the largest cultural festival in Saudi Arabia and the largest event of its kind in the world that is being held for 21 days during the period from December 20, 2018 to January 9, 2019 as part of efforts to intensify attention to the Saudi heritage and regional and international visibility. In addition, it promotes a dialogue of cultures and civilisations between nations and people. The heritage village at Janadria is attracting thousands of families from different age groups, in addition to the artisans who are present throughout the festival area, especially in the folk market. The National Festival of Heritage and Culture offers heritage lovers a unique application which includes a complete definition of the Janadria Festival, a map of the stands and elements of the festival, activities and updated news about the festival on a daily basis. The folk groups programme is one of the most important pillars of the festival and there are more than 700 people that reflect the folk heritage, customs and traditions of all regions of Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries of the UAE, Bahrain and Oman.

With the new year festivities ending, Emirates expects the season to escalate even more with travellers returning to their original destinations or others headed towards a new outbound destination over this weekend and the next weeks to come to due to Dubai Shopping Festival which will attract more visitors to the destination. More than 180,000 travellers will be making their way to Emirates’ dedicated Terminal 3 facilities from January 1-5, 2019. The busiest day in the first week of 2019 was  January 2. With road works going on around the main airport highways and roads during this time, Emirates urges customers to build in extra time for their journeys to avoid potential delays. Customers are reminded to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight departures. Passengers can physically check in at the airport as early as 24 hours before flight departure, and are requested to check in no later than 2 hours prior to departure, regardless of class of travel. Customers who check in less than 60 minutes prior to their scheduled flight departure will not be accepted for travel. Customers can also check in online on both their desktops and mobile devices from 48 hours to 90 minutes before flight departure. In addition to online check-in services, Emirates also offers convenient car park check-in facilities in Dubai with 16 check-in counters located in Zone C. Customers heading to Emirates Terminal 3 can choose to drop their luggage at one of the 46 dedicated bag drop counters in Economy Class or separate counters in First Class and Business Class from 6 hours to 90 minutes prior to departure. Families travelling with small children can use dedicated Family …

Moving into The Greens with a bang, Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens is the third hotel to open as part of Jumeirah Group’s upscale casual brand. Opening in Tower 3 of the Onyx Towers, the hotel is high on design synonymous with other hotels within the Zabeel House by Jumeirah collection; but inspired by New York loft living, with contemporary and yet quirky art and design throughout the hotel, representing the spirit of the Zabeel House by Jumeirah brand perfectly. The Onyx is a stylish integrated community with three towers of residential, commercial and hospitality buildings, as well as a podium of 32 retail and F&B outlets located in the heart of Dubai. A hotel to appeal an intrepid traveller, it is perfect for those looking to stay in a social destination in the heart of new-Dubai, but are also able to enjoy the conveniences of a Jumeirah-endorsed hotel, all at a great price. There are two restaurants too: LAH LAH, a pan-Asian eatery and Social Company – a ground-floor restaurant with a difference; Native Club, a new multi-purpose sports and leisure club open for both membership and hotel guests; outdoor pool perfect for a swim, or for sun-worshipping on the quirky pop-art and retro-inspired furniture and cabanas.

Opened just two months ago, Global Village, in its 23rd season, has already hit a record number of 3 million visitors attending the venue in this short period. Guest number and sales statistics for the period October 30 to December 31, 2018 showed a massive increase in its popularity and validated the status of Global Village as the leading family destination in the UAE and the Middle East region. This major increase in popularity of the region’s first family destination for culture, shopping, and entertainment has been helped by the drastic changes and upgrades its infrastructure this season. A resounding endorsement of the stellar guest experience it offers is the large proportion of repeat visits by guests. They find the variety of its cultural and entertainment shows attractive and the shopping options are exceeding expectations for both residents and tourists in the UAE. Bader Anwahi, CEO, Global Village, said, “We strive to achieve the highest international quality standards and provide a distinctive and diverse entertainment experience that brings out the rich heritage and diversity of the participating cultures. But that is not the only reason for repeat visits and our dedicated and growing fan following. We offer something for everyone and help them experience, explore and enjoy in a convenient and exciting environment. Guests have appreciated our quality improvements as well as the several infrastructure enhancements that we continue to develop upon every season to help make their visits a pleasure. We expect to welcome a record number of guests this season that will also positively impact the tourism industry in the UAE. Global Village has become an international family destination by any standard and is considered as one on …

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) is rolling out a set of initiatives to deliver end-to-end ‘Only in Dubai’ experiences to ensure tourists get to enjoy an unforgettable stay in the emirate, and encourage repeat visitation, as part of efforts to further strengthen and sustain the city’s world-class propositions. One of the key pillars of Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2022-2025, the ‘Only in Dubai’ set of initiatives will deliver authentic and world-class end-to-end destination experiences across travel touchpoints that are tailored to relevant segments of tourists. The tourism strategy announced by Dubai’s visionary leadership aims to make Dubai the most-visited city in the world, targeting 25 million visitors annually by 2025, and the unparalleled ‘Only in Dubai’ experiences will offer regular unexpected delight moments and active reduction of detractor moments or pain points that will positively impact guest happiness to inspire the millions of tourists to re-visit Dubai. Measuring visitor recommendation and satisfaction is being done through Tourism’s Happiness Index, which was launched under His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, the UAE and Ruler, Dubai. This index measures not only Dubai’s ability to exceed service expectations, but also helps ensure that every visitor to Dubai becomes a passionate loyalist and a firm advocate of the city. Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said, “While our world-class propositions and experiences showcase the diversity of the destination offerings and provide segment-based preferences for tourists, we are working closely with our partners and stakeholders to curate, create and deliver personalised end-to-end experiences. Visitors will be able to enjoy at every step of their journey, which starts from …

Arabian Tea House serves traditional Emirati cooking and Arabic cuisine to its visitors, sprinkled with cultural significance and a historical setting. Visitors can indulge in delicious Emirati breakfast trays, light lunches, grills and wide variety of teas from Australia, China, India, Canada, and Czech Republic. It’s an amazing place to experience Emirati culture, replete with adorning photographs that will take you down the memory lane to the Old UAE in the 1960s. Arabian Tea House is a perfect addition to the Souq as it’s the beacon of Emirati hospitality. In the 1950s, Souq Al Shanasiyah was a thriving trading area and point of convergence for traders from neighbouring countries. Today, Souq Al Shanasiyah at the Heart of Sharjah is a heritage and trading landmark that attracts visitors and tourists by linking the past with the present and keeping a visionary perspective on the future. Keeping its reputation of a vibrant and bustling commercial hub, Souq Al Shanasiyah features multitude of products of various products. The souq has just added – Arabian Tea House to its eclectic portfolio.

The first edition of the Global Investment in Aviation Summit (GIAS 2019) will kick off in Dubai with the participation of aviation ministers and heads of civil aviation authorities from around the world on January 28 & 29, 2019. Eminent personalities marking their presence at the two-day aviation event include HE Eng Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and Board Chairman, General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA); Sheikh Salman Al Sabah, Chairman, Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and Eng Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunication; Abdul Hakim bin Mohammed Suleiman Al Tamimi, Chairman, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation; Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, President, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO); Hadi Sirica, Aviation Minister, Nigeria; Blade Nzimande, Minister of Transport, South Africa; Volodymyr Omelyan, Minister of Infrastructure, Ukraine; Monica Azuba Ntege, Minister of Works and Transport, Uganda; Captain Sameh El Hefny, President, Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority and Ricardo Fenelon Junior, Director General, National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil, and other decision makers. His highness Engineer Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansori, Minister of Economy and Head—Board of Directors, UAE- GCAA, stated, “The summit coincides with the remarkable achievement of increasing the number of passengers through Dubai international airport to reach over one billion, as it was stated by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the state, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who expressed his delight over holding the event in Dubai to exchange experiences and information between international experts in aviation sector, as well as holding partnerships that would support investment in aviation. The Global Investment Aviation Summit in Dubai highlights UAE’s leading regional role in aviation sector which is …