The Dubai HeliShow from November 6 to 8, 2018 at the E2 Royal Pavilion, Al Maktoum International Airport, is set to attract strong international participation from leading global players in the field of civil and military helicopter technology and operations. Set to be held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, the UAE, and Ruler, Dubai, the event will provide an ideal platform to analyse the emerging trends, learn about the latest technological innovations related to commercial helicopters and various other areas of civil defence and military, and explore prospective partnerships. The participants include Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai South, Dart Aerospace, Transmex Systems Int, Southern Cross Aviation, Flir Systems, DeVore Aviation, Motor Sich Middle East FZE, Vertex Aerospace (L3), Thuraya and Fujairah Aviation Academy to name a few. By bringing together exhibitors, decision makers, government and defence officials, besides commercial customers, owners, users and manufacturers in the industry for meaningful discussions and fruitful partnerships, Dubai HeliShow 2018 highlights the significance of joint efforts in promoting the growth and prosperity of the helicopter and homeland security industry regionally and globally. Ahmad Abulhoul, Managing Director, Domus Group, organisers, Dubai HeliShow 2018, said, “Helicopters are increasingly being utilised in industrial, hospitality and crisis management scenarios including military, transport and cargo, firefighting, rescue and offshore oil support. The high levels of interest expressed by leading international players in the helicopter industry in the event reaffirm the rising global confidence in the region’s potential to become an influential force in defining the future roadmap for the sector. All these factors make the Dubai HeliShow 2018 a strategic platform to showcase and discuss the …

Al Seef Hotel by Jumeirah has opened on the south bank of Dubai Creek. The property is spread across 10 clusters of Arabian Bayts (homes), tucked away amidst the rooftops and courtyards of a souk, offering guests tales of history and culture at every turn. With views down into the alleyways of the souk or out across the busy waterways of the Creek and a restaurant Saba’a, guests can book to stay from just AED 250 plus government fees and taxes as an introductory opening offer. The hotel has a unique Emirati-inspired design. The Arabian Bayts provide areas of personal peacefulness interspersed amongst the vibrant walkways within the hotel grounds – very much like the old neighbourhoods of decades passed. Further traditions of Emirati culture come to life behind the rough plastered walls, such as palm frond motifs, wooden ceilings and windows with traditional wooden panels that overlook the winding outdoor corridors of the Souk or Creek. The interiors of the 180 rooms and 10 suites reflect an age of pearl trading and Emirati crafts with a colour palette inspired by the UAE’s natural environment. Historical artefacts adorn the walls, with furnishings including old-style light switches, rotary dial phones, hanging oil lanterns and framed photographs of the souk and creek through the years – a visual exploration of the heritage of Arabia. Alessandro Cabella, Area General Manager, Jumeirah Group, said, “Al Seef Hotel by Jumeirah is a real passion project. Everyone involved in bringing this idea to fruition has been inspired by the prospect of offering our guests a unique and authentic experience inspired by the stories of Arabia. Everything within the property adds to the authenticity of the environment …

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is set to promote Sharjah’s unique tourism attractions during its participation at the ongoing World Travel Market (WTM) London, which will conclude on November 7, 2018 at ExCel London. SCTDA is participating at WTM London for the 16th consecutive year, bringing its distinctive tourism product offerings to the UK market featuring Sharjah’s family, culture, soft adventure and eco-tourism destinations. The initiative is in line with SCTDA’s commitment to meet the targets set within the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021 to attract 10 million visitors in the emirate by 2021. HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA, said that the Authority’s participation at the global event for the 16th year reflects its continuous efforts to achieve its strategic goals and objectives aimed at targeting major global tourism markets. The authority continuously works towards attracting a greater number of visitors from the UK and Ireland with unique offerings while showcasing a wide range of outstanding experiences and continuing to increase our international network in line with Sharjah’s tourism goals. The exhibition is an important addition to our ongoing efforts to provide the most important experiences and tourist products and provide new experiences to our visitors while capitalising on Sharjah’s diverse heritage. SCTDA’s programmes will showcase Sharjah’s unique tourism environment, which is naturally rich in biodiversity and the various tourism developments taking place in the emirate. Al Midfa further emphasised the importance of international exhibitions in promoting Sharjah’s tourism hotspots to the international market and attracting tourists and investors to the emirate, saying “We have seen the growing appeal of Sharjah as a destination for ‘business and leisure’ travellers as business executives learn to optimise long weekends …

Turkish Airlines welcomes a new era of Turkish aviation with the opening of Istanbul Airport. The world’s largest international hub will be home to Turkey’s national flag carrier and establish Istanbul’s place as the centre of the globe for aviation and travel. Upon final completion, the airport will welcome 200 million passengers per year. Coinciding with the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey, the Istanbul New Airport was officially opened by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President, Republic of Turkey. Passengers on the first Turkish Airlines flights to the new airport that was specially operated for the opening ceremony received souvenir tickets. Following the official opening of the New Istanbul Airport on October 29, 2018, Turkish Airlines is operating a limited number of domestic and international routes from the new airport, while all operations and existing flight schedule will run as usual from Istanbul Atatürk Airport. New, additional flights will be operated from Istanbul New Airport to Ankara, Antalya, Izmir, Azerbaijan (Baku) and TRNC (Ercan) until December 30. Pursuant to existing planning, on December 31, all operations will move from Istanbul Atatürk Airport, after which, all flights will operate from Istanbul New Airport. Turkish Airlines will be able to increase its network extension capacity and opportunities for new routes and timings with more slots available, allowing growth for both passenger and cargo transportation. The megaproject will be launched in four phases with the final phase set to be complete in 2028. The complex will boast six runways, four terminals and 233 aircraft parking positions, with the capacity to serve up to 200 million passengers a year with 500+ check in desks and 225,000 employees. Upon completion of the …

His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment has announced that the UAE will contribute US$1.5 million annually for the period 2019 to 2021 cumulatively amounting to US$4.5 million to fund the projects carried out by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). The announcement was made at the GGGI’s Assembly and Council in the presence of His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi, who led the UAE delegation at the assembly. Reiterating the UAE’s commitment to green development, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi said, “In the UAE, we are resolved to achieving a green economy as per the UAE Green Agenda 2030 adopted by the UAE Cabinet in 2015. During 2017-2018, we have made a lot of progress in the implementation of the Green Agenda 2030 and key policy developments with the assistance of the GGGI Abu Dhabi office team. The UAE Cabinet adopted the National Climate Change Plan 2050 in June 2017, which consolidates the country’s climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives under one integrated framework. As part of the Climate Plan implementation, we have recently conducted a comprehensive climate risk assessment across four key sectors and identified priority climate risks that require us to develop appropriate adaptation measures.” Highlighting one of the initiatives in green development in the UAE, His Excellency added, “The development of green growth indices is not new to us. We have already set 41 Green Key Performance Indicators to track the UAE’s progress towards achieving a green economy and offer regular updates through the UAE State of Green Economy Report. Furthermore, we launched the UAE Green Dashboard just last week, an open data platform which allows anyone to access and analyse underlying …

China’s Belt and Road initiative is expected to have major implications on trade and investment flows among Muslim countries, according to panellists addressing the topic at the Global Islamic Economy Summit 2018 (GIES) in Dubai. Entitled ‘One Belt, One Road, – How Might We Harness the Silk Route for the Islamic Economy?’, the panel highlighted the unprecedented opportunities for the Muslim nations that are located along the New Silk Road and examined the new growth opportunities that are opening up as the major infrastructure project progresses. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, the UAE and Ruler, Dubai, the fourth edition of GIES is organised by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre in cooperation with Thomson Reuters as strategic partner. Held from October 30-31, 2018, GIES attarcted the participation of over 3,000 key decision makers, policymakers, government officials, business leaders and industry experts from around the world. Launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, Belt and Road aims to improve connectivity and cooperation between Eurasian countries. During the session, Professor Nabil Baydoun, Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Dubai, spoke about the geographical importance of what is a new ‘Silk Route’ and how the project is an integral part of the Chinese plan for their economy. “It helps China increase trade among 65 countries and its biggest advantage is that it brings China closer to the world. Each nation needs to step up and play a part in working towards Belt and Road. Chinese regulations need to open the door to the world,” he said. Professor Wang Yiwei, …

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) is set to host a series of leading international events in its venues in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain during November 2018, covering key economic sectors like oil & gas, real-estate, investment and healthcare. The exhibitions and congresses to be held this month are significant to Abu Dhabi as these focus on key economic sectors identified in the Abu Dhabi Plan and its Economic Vision 2030, which falls in line with ADNEC’s strategy to enhance the emirate’s position as the region’s capital for business tourism. Currently, ADNEC is hosting the 10th edition of the International Real Estate and Investment Show (IREIS) running from November 1 to 3. It provides a platform to local and regional real estate companies to showcase their latest projects and offer the best investment opportunities by gathering investors, stakeholders and visitors under one roof. Exhibitors from Egypt, Spain, Morocco, Pakistan, Cyprus, the United Kingdom and the United States have their presence at the show, seeing more than 100 real estate companies showcasing over 300 projects. The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) will be held from November 12 to 15 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President, the UAE. At the event, world’s leading industry experts, policy makers and specialists will discuss the prospects of the energy sector in the country, the region and the world. Over 2,200 exhibitors from different countries will network, exchange experiences and best practices and showcase the leading technologies and business opportunities in this sector. The exhibition is supported by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry, and the Abu Dhabi Chamber, and …

Millenium Hotels has signed an agreement with Hotelbeds Group that grants all of the Hotelbeds Group brands (Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, Tourico Holidays and GTA) with direct real-time access to over 1.4 million of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ annual room nights in more than 60 global business and leisure travel destinations. The pact will strengthen Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ distribution through Hotelbeds’ presence in more than 140 markets, spanning a wide range of channels including airlines, MiCE operators, point redemption schemes, retail travel agencies and tour operators representing over 60,000 travel distributors. Mark Redmond, Head – Global Chains, Hotelbeds Group, commented: “We are delighted to be connecting to Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ global hospitality offering. This will be a strong relationship in delivering special rates and availability across the MHR portfolio to our clients, while giving MHR access to higher-margin, niche segments of the travel market.” Also, Nayan Peshkar, Senior Vice President, Digital, Distribution and Revenue Strategy, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, said, “We are pleased to be working with Hotelbeds. This supports the Group’s wider distribution strategy of reducing reliance on static rate and room agreements in the leisure segment.”

Amadeus has expanded its airline business unit capabilities at its Dubai regional hub covering Middle East, Turkey and Africa region. Following the regionalisation of all business units to get closer to their customers, teams in the Dubai regional hub now include those of airlines, travel agencies, airport IT, payments, mobile and legal. Sabine Hansen Peck, SVP, People & Culture, Communication and Brand, Amadeus, opened the new office of the Dubai-based Amadeus Regional Hub. Further, commenting on the occasion, she said, “The Middle East, Turkey and Africa regions are relevant and growing markets for Amadeus. This expansion reflects our commitment to the region.”

BYHOURS has officially launched in Manama, enabling users to select the desired check-in time to hotel rooms at any time during the day. The platform allows users to book hotel rooms in sets of three, six or twelve-hour timeslots. BYHOURS offers such flexibility in hotel stays in more than 3000 hotels in 25 countries across Europe, Latin America and the GCC region. This start-up is the first to introduce the concept of micro-stays and a pay-per-use finance scheme in the international travel and hospitality industry. It is aimed at international business travellers’ in-between meetings and for travellers spending time in cities for short layovers.