The Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has announced a new social media competition under the #MyDubai initiative, offering Dubai residents the chance to win two Emirates return tickets for their friends and family to visit them in the city. The competition will select two winners each week for 15 weeks starting from October 15, 2018 to January 31, 2019. The competition calls on all residents to share compelling moments in their lives that highlight the diverse culture and soul of the city. Participants can submit their entries on the MyDubai Facebook page, or simply upload those on their personal Instagram and Twitter accounts by using #MyDubai and #MyInvite. Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing said, “The passion for the emirate that exists amongst both UAE nationals and the communities of more than 200 nationalities living here is a key driver for Dubai’s success. These residents take pride in posting about their experiences in the city and sharing their special moments with the world. The best advocates of a city are the people who live in it and through this campaign, we hope to encourage residents to highlight what truly lies beneath the urban and technological experiences and highlight why Dubai has maintained its position as the fourth most-visited city in the world. What started out four years ago as a city-wide initiative to create the world’s first autobiography of a city has today grown into a mammoth library of user-generated content that has allowed us to tell a unique story by capturing real-life dynamic moments that both residents and visitors experience in this remarkable destination”.

Travelport has signed a long-term supplier agreement with Jet Airways that will be effective from April 2019 and enable online and offline travel agencies around the world to shop, book and manage itineraries for leisure and business travellers. Jet Airways will also deploy Travelport’s Rich content and Branding, from which over 270 airlines now benefit by displaying graphical content, their fares families and a full range of ancillary products. Damian Hickey, Head, Air-Travel Partners, Travelport, commented, “Travelport’s commitment to the Indian travel market and the provision of the widest range of content has been further evidenced today with the announcement of this new mutual commitment between Jet Airways and our company beginning April 2019. Furthermore, our position in the rest of Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas means that we are able to deliver to them a wide mix of international travellers. This is in addition to the millions of outbound and domestic Indian travellers they serve.”

Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore how municipal waste can be converted into jet fuel. Representing a major development in the adoption of sustainable fuel, the project would aim to use the final jet fuel on Etihad Airways’ flights. The MoU mandates the two entities to undertake an initial feasibility study towards developing a flagship waste-to-fuel facility in Abu Dhabi. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “Waste-to-biofuel is a cutting-edge technology – one that Etihad Airways believes will have a profoundly positive impact on the aviation industry, while also providing waste management solutions and a cleaner environment. The adoption and upscaling of sustainable energy supplies is a crucial step towards reducing Etihad Airways’ dependency on fossil fuels, allowing the airline to grow sustainably and offset carbon emissions. This landmark agreement signed with Tadweer today reflects Etihad Airways’ mutual commitment to sustainability, and the airline hopes that it can bring about lasting change to the sustainable energy landscape in the UAE.” Dr Salem Al Kaabi, Acting General Manager, Tadweer, said, “The MoU aligns with our mandate to deliver highly innovative industrial and municipal waste management solutions, as well as our commitment to the National Agenda of the UAE Vision 2021 and Abu Dhabi Waste Master Plan 2040 that aims to divert 75 per cent of municipal solid waste away from landfills.”  

ITB Asia 2018 has begun with over 1,000 exhibitors and buyers each, under the theme “Travel Reimagined” at the the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Compared to 2017, the show has seen a 20 per cent increase in new exhibitors following the growth in demand from Asian and European participants. ITB Asia 2018 has also experienced more than 125 per cent growth in the number of hotel groups signing up as part of the Buyers Programme Partners. At the three-day conference concluding on October 19, top industry leaders will deliver insights on the key trends provoking disruption across the travel industry and how brands are innovating to stay competitive. Commenting on the event, Katrina Leung, Managing Director, Messe Berlin (Singapore) -Organiser, ITB Asia, said, “ITB Asia continues to maintain its position as the leading travel trade show in Asia. It remains one of the top business platforms for connecting exhibitors and partners with key decision makers in the MiCE, corporate and leisure travel industry. Working in close collaboration with our partners and exhibitors, we are delighted to unveil one of our most engaging and exciting programmes yet. We look forward to welcoming visitors to this year’s show.”

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has announced hosting four major weddings, with more than 2,000 guests arriving via Gulf Air. Dr Ali Hassan Follad, Adviser to the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, said, “We are pleased to be hosting four major Indian weddings in the upcoming months which will contribute USD$5 million to the Kingdom’s GDP and further promote Bahrain as a prime wedding destination. The weddings will be held between November 2018 and February 2019. The BTEA aims to provide the needed support to seamlessly host weddings in Bahrain by providing turn-key solutions, including organising logistics, venue selection, in addition to liaising with suppliers and industry professionals such as Gulf Air.” Bahrain boasts a number of four- and five-star hotels with a dedicated service sector that is able to offer all services from food and beverages, entertainment and unique wedding concepts.

The fifth edition of The World Green Economy Summit (WGES) 2018 is set to be held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, UAE and Ruler, Dubai, from October 24-25 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre with the theme ‘Driving innovation, Leading change’. At the press conference organised in Burj Al Arab, HE Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, UAE; HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE), Managing Director and CEO, DEWA and Chairman, WGES were present, along with many other dignitaries. During the press conference, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer announced that the summit will be attended by prominent leaders including HE Francois Hollande, former President, France; HE Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, UAE; HE Thoriq Ibrahim, Minister of Environment and Energy, Maldives; Nezha El Ouafi, Secretary of State to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development, in charge of Sustainable Development, Morocco and Christiana Figueres, Former Secretary General, UNFCCC, along with an elite of global experts, thought leaders and executive officials in green economy and sustainable development.

The Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) has announced that the Dubai Shopping Festival Mega Raffles promotions – the Infiniti Mega Raffle and the Nissan Grand Raffle – have begun on October 15, 2018. The two popular and much-awaited mega raffles, offering incredible prizes every day, will run in cooperation with Arabian Automobiles, the flagship company of AW Rostamani Group and ENOC – two strategic partners of DFRE. The upcoming edition of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) will run from December 26, 2018 to January 26, 2019. Shoppers can buy raffle tickets for the Infiniti Mega Raffle and participate in the ongoing Nissan Grand Raffle promotion more than two months in advance. At the Infiniti Mega Raffle, one lucky winner will be chosen daily to take home an Infiniti QX50 plus AED 150,000 in cash. To enter the daily draws, customers need to purchase a raffle ticket for AED 200 from October 15 onwards at selected EPPCO and ENOC petrol stations, zoom stores, metro stations, kiosks at main streets, shopping malls, Gold Souk and the Global Village. In addition, five lucky raffle ticket holders will get a weekly chance to win AED 20,000 each over a period of five weeks during the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), totaling AED 100,000 per week. Besides, one raffle ticket holder will also get a chance to win a mega cash prize of AED 500,000 as DSF concludes. Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) said, “The Dubai Shopping Festival’s continued success rests on its three pillars – shopping, winning and entertainment. Shoppers eagerly wait all year round for DSF to arrive to grab incredible opportunities such as the mega raffles which have …

Air India Express flights are now arriving and departing from Terminal 1 at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Originally, the airline departed from Terminal 1, and arrived at Terminal 2. The transition from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 for the arrivals occurred on September 30 and is in line with Abu Dhabi Airports’ commitment to ensuring quality service and a seamless passenger experience. The Indian subcontinent remains one of the most popular destinations for travellers departing from AUH, reflecting the close cultural and economic ties between the UAE and India. The Indian flag carrier operates seven daily flights between Abu Dhabi and six destinations in India, including New Delhi, Cochin, Kannur, Mangalore, Trivandrum and Calicut. Ahmed Al Shamsi, Acting Chief Operations Officer, Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “At Abu Dhabi Airports, we are committed to enriching passenger experiences and providing world-class services. As one of our closest partners, we are pleased to announce Air India Express’ relocation to Terminal 1 and look forward to ensuring its guests enjoy a convenient and entertaining travel experience through Abu Dhabi International Airport.” PA Umadevi, Airport Manager, Air India & Air India Express operations, said, “Air India Express is pleased to announce the transition of its arriving flights to Terminal 1 at Abu Dhabi International Airport, which reflects our commitment to providing exceptional services to our passengers. The level of services offered to us by Abu Dhabi Airports helps us ensure our customers’ satisfaction and meet the rising demand in the Abu Dhabi market.”

Bali Government Tourism office issued a statement with regard to the earthquake which recently triggered with a magnitude of 6.0 struck at the depth of 12 km underground causing tremors that were felt throughout East Java, Bali and Lombok.  It stated that the incident took place in Situbondo, over 120 km away from Bali and tourists are safe in the area and that there was no tsunami threat as an aftermath. A A Gede Yuniartha Putra, SH, MH – Head of Bali tourism office and Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana, Chairman of Bali tourism board issued this joint statement but informed tourists that they can access weather forecast on www.bmkg.go.id or contact BPBD (Regional Disaster Management Agency) on landline +62361251177.

The Italian Embassy in Bahrain has opened a new visa application centre in Manama in partnership with VFS Global. In a joint statement, VFS Global and the Embassy said the new centre will provide greater seamlessness to visa application processing and resident visa applicants in Bahrain need not submit their Schengen visa applications at the Embassy. The visa application centre run by well-trained professionals will provide secure processing of entry permit requirements in a friendly ambience. Applicants can also opt for the comfort and privacy of a premium lounge. Inaugurating the visa application centre, HE Domenico Bellato, Ambassador of Italy to the Kingdom of Bahrain, said, “We are pleased to start a new chapter of cooperation with VFS Global, providing a state-of-the-art service in collecting applications for short-stay visas for travel to Italy and Malta as their main destinations in the Schengen area. We are confident that the new visa application centre will further increase the number of Bahraini citizens and residents in choosing Italy as their destination for tourism and business.” Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO – Middle East, South Asia & China, VFS Global, said, “The Italian mandate to VFS Global follows a 14-year old relationship with the client government and it is our commitment to provide efficient, secure and convenient visa application services to the residents of Bahrain travelling to Italy and/or Malta as their main destinations in the Schengen area.”