Abu Dhabi Airports has announced its airport-wide rollout of ‘Super-Fi’ that will increase internet upload and download speeds to a maximum of 200 mbps per user at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH). The Super-Fi internet access, the fastest airport Wi-Fi service in the world, has been installed and tested throughout all three terminals. The move comes as part of Abu Dhabi Airports’ commitment to enhanced passenger experiences, as well as its journey of digitalisation and innovation. It will now provide millions of travellers with improved online connectivity. Bryan Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “We understand just how important WiFi has become to the travelling public. At Abu Dhabi Airports, we value our customers first and foremost, placing a primary focus on their experiences while coming and going from the UAE’s capital. Access to fast internet is a crucial factor that makes a big difference for our travellers. Providing our customers with enhanced connectively services is in line with our vision of becoming the world’s leading airports group. We are proud to have rolled out ‘Super-Fi’ across the entirety of Abu Dhabi International Airport, free for all of our travellers. It is fast and reliable and allows our customers to keep in touch.  Technology is at the heart of our digital transformation strategy, and this improved internet infrastructure will open the door to further smart services and connected solutions.” In October 2018, Abu Dhabi Airports and Cisco signed an agreement that provides AUH with cutting-edge solutions that will support its digital transformation strategy, including operational efficiency, digital capacity and customer experience.

The latest addition to Dubai’s hospitality inventory is the opening of 326-roomed Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Jadaf Culture Village. The hotel enjoys an ideal location between Dubai International Airport and Downtown Dubai and is just 100 meters from Al Jadaf Metro station with easy access to the Dubai Mall, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and other key destinations in the city. Al Jadaf is one of the most historically significant neighbourhood’s in Dubai as it was the first hub for traditional dhow vessel building and repairing – putting it at the heart of the city’s vital trade routes. It remains the last location where dhows are crafted and with significant investment is shaping up to be a truly unique tourist destination in the region. “I am delighted to be opening Dubai’s fourth Hilton Garden Inn in Al Jadaf. While staying at the beautifully designed hotel, guests can relax by the rooftop pool, work out at the fitness centre, dine at the restaurant or attend an event in one of the spacious meeting rooms. I look forward to welcoming guests to this exciting new property,” said Jose Luis Ruiz Arroyo, General Manager, Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Jadaf Culture Village.  

RwandAir is set to commence flights to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa from April 2019. The airline will operate five weekly direct flights from Kigali to Addis Ababa with a CRJ-900NG aircraft. With flights to Addis Ababa, RwandAir will be offering seamless connections through its hub in Kigali between Addis Ababa and other African cities in its network. The addition of Addis Ababa is key to RwandAir’s growth in Africa and it’s also a bridge for strengthening the bilateral relationships and improving trade and tourism between the two countries. “As an expanding young airline, it is imperative for us to fly to Addis Ababa Bole International airport as it is one of the important hubs in Africa” said Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO, RwandAir. “By starting direct flights to Addis Ababa, we expect to offer better connections to East, West and Southern Africa” she added. With the addition of Addis Ababa to our network, RwandAir will reach out to 27 destinations in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Addis Ababa is not only the administrative, financial and commercial centre of the country but it also hosts the Headquarters of the African Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and many other regional offices for a number of international organisations.

Dubai World Trade Centre’s One Central has completed the last phase of its commercial and retail development ahead of schedule. With the release of 742,000 square feet of Grade A office space, the commercial and retail component is now complete and brings the total completed commercial and retail space in One Central to 1.72 million square feet, complete with a four-level basement of 4,380 parking spaces. The rapid pace of development of Dubai’s newest free zone business district reaffirms DWTC’s role as a destination developer and is set to further draw international businesses to set up base in Dubai. One Central offers an inter-connected space, seamlessly integrating offices, retail, residences, hotels and a wide variety of F&B offerings to DWTC’s mega-events venue and the wider city through a world-class transportation network. The next phase for development is AccorHotels’ 25-hours Hotel Dubai One Central, scheduled to be completed by June 2020. The hotel will be making its regional debut of the German hospitality brand outside Europe, and will be the largest brand in the world with 434 rooms. The hotel will feature a mix of modern rooms and suites with an eclectic mix of arabesque design elements. Once completed, One Central development will be a new urban destination with commercial office, retail, hospitality, residential, car park and open green spaces. Hotel accommodation will range from affordable hospitality, perfect for corporate stays, to premium accommodation for the leisure traveller. Gurjit Singh, Senior Vice President — Real Estate, DWTC said, “Through place making and place management, we have created a new top-of-mind vibrant urban destination with One Central, one that offers a competitive advantage with excellent locational connectivity. It is designed to address …

Al Ghaith Holdings has decided to re-brand its hospitality product Gloria Hotel to Two Seasons Hotel & Apartments under the management of Two Seasons Hotel Management LLC with effect from January 2019. The Two Seasons brand emphasises quality throughout its services, while the hotel offers comfortable accommodation in Dubai for travelling executives, families, holidaymakers as well as long-staying guests. The property has undergone substantial refurbishments from lobby to rooms to improve the product standards as well as in generating attractive selling points. The refurbishments have breathed a new life into the hotel and provide the new brand name with a strong foundation to reposition in the market. Two Seasons Hotel & Apartments boasts 1,010 rooms and suites in a prime location directly opposite to Dubai Internet City metro station. Apart from accommodation facilities, the key factor will be friendly and caring staff to exceed guests’ expectations. The new brand will still be an alcohol-free property but applying ‘BYO’ system. The concept of Two Seasons Hotel is determined as cutting-edge, trendy, funky and charming — echoes a new season of lifestyle hotels start up. Two Seasons Management Company is planning to launch brand new hotels in Dubai and Morocco in the coming two years which will include Hotel Deluxe Apartments, Beach Resort and Lifestyle Boutique Hotel. Freddy Farid, Managing Director, Two Seasons Hotel Management LLC, said, “The creation of our home-grown brand and the upgrading of our current property will enhance our guest interaction by offering personalised service and quality standard to our customers.”

The fifth edition of 30-day ‘Shop Bahrain’ festival, aimed at celebrating the Kingdom’s hospitality and tourism offering, will be held from January 1 to February 2, 2019. Organised by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), in cooperation with partners from the public and private sector such as Tamkeen, VIVA, Gulf Air and AA Bin Hindi Group as strategic partners, the festival will include a unique line-up of events and entertainment, a shopping experience and numerous prizes. 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, 6,000 airline tickets at special rates from Gulf Air, thousands of instant prizes from VIVA and much more. “Shop Bahrain” is one of the Kingdom’s major initiatives that aim to contribute to the national economy through stimulating the tourism and retail sectors. The fourth edition successfully achieved over 145,000 transactions with the value of 19 million Bahraini Dinars and more than 137,150 local and regional shoppers registered on the online loyalty system. Commenting on the upcoming festival, Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, Chief Executive, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, said, “We promise nothing but the best in the fifth-edition of “Shop Bahrain”, the largest nationwide event which aims to further drive the growth of the tourism and retail sector by attracting residents and tourists from our Gulf neighbours. Last edition hit a record with 19 million Bahraini Dinars of transaction value, and we are positive that this new edition will surpass all expectations. The 5th edition will serve a complete entertainment and fun experience for the …

Citymax Hotels from Landmark Group is set to open its first property in the Olaya district of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by mid 2019. Citymax Hotel Riyadh is the brand’s first hotel in KSA and the second to open outside the UAE. The opening comes at a time when mid-market hotels are on the rise and are poised to provide continued competition to the luxury hotel segment, by offering rooms with contemporary amenities at competitive rates. The three-star property will offer 65 rooms, as well as an all-day dining restaurant, Citycafé and a Lavazza coffee shop. Other facilities include meeting rooms and a fully-equipped gym and sauna. With long-stay guests identified as a key audience for the property, Citymax Riyadh will cater to both business and leisure travellers. The hotel is close to many local attractions, including Kingdom Towers, the Ministry of Interior and Al Faisaliah Mall. Aly Shariff, Chief Operating Officer, Citymax Hotels, said, “Mid-tier travel as a whole is on the rise, which puts us in a favourable position as the demand is certainly growing. This is especially true in Saudi Arabia, as the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to drive economic diversification has had a major impact on the hospitality industry.”

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has announced another successful year for its consumer and entertainment events as it closes 2018 having hosted over 500,000 visitors across more than 29 events. This shows approximately 7 per cent increase in visitor numbers for the consumer and entertainment events from 2017. Ranging from pop concerts and theatrical productions to consumer shows and sporting events, DWTC’s events calendar has been strategic in the evolution of Dubai as a global business, leisure and entertainment hub. Mahir Julfar, Senior Vice President — Venue Services Management, Dubai World Trade Centre said, “DWTC’s annual consumer and entertainment events calendar has become an important component of our MiCE sector offering as it continues to attract thousands of thrill seekers, super fans, sporting enthusiasts and music lovers from around the world. The number of attendees in 2018 is testament to the strength of this market segment. As we go into the new year, we look forward to contributing to the city’s exciting, multicultural leisure and entertainment offering with an unforgettable line up of events, shows and festivals for the entire family.” Over 420 exhibitors and 45,965 of the region’s pop-culture fans attended the Middle East Film & Comic Con in 2018, immersing themselves in international popular culture, film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics, collectibles, and more, through a series of talks, meet-and-greets, workshops, live events and an exhibition. Running for the 19th year, Modhesh World, Dubai’s largest indoor family ‘edutainment’ destination, was spread across eight halls over the summer months, featuring a plethora of attractions, experiences, games, shows, contests and workshops. The 22nd edition of Carpet Oasis drew in 24,000 traders and visitors from all over the world to explore …

As Dubai Shopping Festival has opened the retail tourism doors, Emirates and Dubai Mall will be collaborating to give the valued Emirates Skywards members some good deals during the festival which will go on until February 2, 2019. Emirates Skywards  is giving its members five strong reasons to shop this DSF in partnership with The Dubai Mall. Here is all one can hope for: 1. Earn Skywards Miles for spends at The Dubai Mall: Emirates Skywards members can earn Skywards Miles at the rate of up to one Skywards Mile per US$ 1 spent for all purchases over AED 100 at The Dubai Mall. Members simply have to download The Dubai Mall app, register for the Emaar Malls Rewards Programme, link their Emirates Skywards account to the app and then scan their purchase receipts for the Miles to be credited to their account. 2. Be the lucky weekly winner of 100,000 Skywards Miles: Emirates Skywards will be organising a lucky draw every week during the six weeks of DSF where one winner will be drawn at random earning 100,000 Skywards Miles. Emirates Skywards members who have scanned receipts in The Dubai Mall app for cumulative purchases of AED 300 or more per day will be automatically entered into the week’s draw. The more members shop at The Dubai Mall, the stronger their chances of winning. 3. Earn more Miles through our Emirates Skywards cobranded cards: Using an Emirates Skywards co-branded card when shopping at The Dubai Mall, this DSF will allow members to gain even more Miles for a single purchase. Emirates Skywards members can check the current list of financial co-brand card partners and terms and conditions. 4. Get …

Launched by Enter Air, a charter airline of reputed tour operator TUI Poland landed its inaugural direct flight carrying 185 passengers from Wroclaw to Ras Al Khaimah. The new route will be served once a week every Sunday, providing Polish travellers a direct and more accessible access to Ras Al Khaimah. Ras Al Khaimah’s attractiveness as a destination for international travellers continues to be strong, accounting for 62% of overall visitors in the first three quarters of 2018. As part of its Destination 2019 strategy, RAKTDA has significantly increased its promotions in Europe showcasing the diversity of the destination to core audiences in key markets. Commenting on the launch of the new route, Haitham Mattar, Chief Executive Officer, RAKTDA, said, “Over the last few years, Poland has become one of the strongest international tourism source markets to RAK, and therefore this step is an important strategic development that will further facilitate the successful bilateral ties between both the countries. Moreover, this new addition expands the network of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport even further, reflecting the strong global confidence in the Emirate’s travel and tourism industry. Europe is a key market for the Emirate, and we are confident that this new route will be extremely successful in increasing visitor arrivals to the Emirate even further.