VFS Global has opened a UK visa application centre in Riyadh, close to the Diplomatic Quarter. The company said that the new centre in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which will serve travellers to the UK & Australia, is equipped to handle more visa applicants conveniently with increased seating capacity and ample parking space, while also offering ancillary travel services facilities within the premises. Officially inaugurating the new visa application centre, the Ambassador of United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia, HE Simon Collis, said, “‘Our customers in Saudi Arabia are extremely important to us, and we continually look for new and innovative ways to improve the visa service we offer, both to Saudi nationals and local residents. For Saudi nationals, the average processing time for non-settlement visas is less than five days.” The new centre is located at Al Hada District, besides Courtyard Marriott Hotel and close to Ritz Carlton, Riyadh. Visa applicants to the UK and Australia can access details on visa application procedures at  www.vfsglobal.co.uk/sa/en Commenting on the launch, Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO for Middle East, South Asia & China, VFS Global, said: “The new stand-alone centre has been designed to provide a comprehensive experience to applicants in terms of visa processing and accessing necessary travel services under one canopy. The UK continues to remain a popular destination for tourism, business and student visitors from Saudi Arabia. The latest visa figures show that over 130,000 Saudi nationals were issued a UK visa in the last year. We are confident that the new centre for the UK and Australia visa applicants will provide enhanced convenience to the customers.”

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) joins the tourism delegation from the UAE led by the Ministry of Economy to visit three Scandinavian cities as part of the ‘Visit UAE’ roadshow. The delegation comprising eight government officials, Emirates airlines and 29 representatives from the hotels and travel agencies across the UAE, is visiting Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen from September 17 to 21, 2018. SCTDA will showcase the enriching tourism experiences in Sharjah with its diverse culture and heritage to encourage more people from these cities to visit the emirate. Participating in the roadshow is one among the number of activities the authority intends to implement in the next couple of months to help drive tourism growth. The workshops to be held during the roadshow will provide a platform for SCTDA and the UAE delegation to strengthen partnerships with their counterparts in the Scandinavian cities. HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA, said: “The tourism sector is a major pillar in the UAE’s efforts in economic broadening, a key strategy for the country’s transition to the post-oil economy and the ‘Visit UAE’ roadshow will contribute in achieving this vision. Our country has continued to gain popularity across the world as a leading destination in the Middle East. We look forward to capitalising the opportunity to present our market offerings in these European cities and strategically position Sharjah as a destination of choice.”

Over 750 local and international companies have participated in this year’s Hotel Show held from September 16 to 18 at Dubai World Trade Centre. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO and Chairman of the Emirates Group inaugurated the event and the leisure show, which sees participation from various technology and sports equipment companies that have revolutionised the hospitality trade. The hospitality leadership forum opened with Olivier Harisch, CEO, Emaar Hospitality Group sharing the road to 2020 and how Emaar copes with the number of rooms, strategies to recognise women in leadership roles at Emaar, how they use technology as an enabler, etc. He reiterated that people have an emotional investment in hotels and thus, hotels need to be constructed in a smart manner alongside a smart procurement. Philip Wooller, Director for Middle East and Africa at STR Global reiterated the evolving scale and structure of Dubai’s room supply. He said that Dubai is on its way to a steady growth plan as it is an emerging destination, which still leads the way with US $180 as average room rate. Apart from the forum, the inaugural Chef’s table and the second Middle East housekeeper’s league of champions events enthralled the visitors further. Various companies supplying décor had created masterful resort areas, which received enough attention from the participants.

Abu Dhabi Airports, in collaboration with Emirates Red Crescent, has launched its ‘Flight of the Children of Zayed’ initiative, under which it recently organised a trip for 31 orphans to Sir Bani Yas Island. The initiative comes under the framework of Abu Dhabi Airports’ ongoing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and Year of Zayed programme. Abu Dhabi Airports is committed to organising various social initiatives and sponsoring charities in line with its vision of becoming the world’s leading airports group. As a part of the ‘Flight of the Children of Zayed’, Abu Dhabi Airports collaborated with various authorities, including the Federal Authority For Identity and Citizenship, Abu Dhabi Police GHQ, Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism, the Tourism Development & Investment Company that sponsored the recreational activities and accommodation on the island and Abu Dhabi Aviation that provided air transportation. The initiative included a safari on the island and a variety of water sports. The children also planted trees bearing their names and received souvenirs. Abu Dhabi Airports commended the staff across all the organisations involved that contributed, coordinated and implemented the ‘Flight of the Children of Zayed’ initiative.

Tavellers to Muscat can now experience luxurious hospitality with the recent opening of Fraser Suites Muscat. The 120-key property is Frasers Hospitality’s first in Oman, offering business and leisure to travellers in the heart of the capital. Under the ownership of Amer Al Suleimani and co-owners, Ammar Al Suleimani and Ahmed Al Suleimani, Fraser Suites Muscat seeks to redefine the concept of hospitality. Located in the landmark mixed-use complex, the serviced residence offers guests a range of one to three-bedroom apartments, each with stunning views of the city. Its prime location puts it in the vicinity of a host of F&B outlets, mega shopping and lifestyle destinations like the Mall of Oman and Muscat Grand Mall, several large multi-national companies and Muscat International Airport. This spacious property, with modern and elegant furnishing reflecting the essence of the city throughout, also hosts a range of amenities for residents to enjoy. A grand ballroom is also available for events and conferences for up to 800 people. The launch of the property is in line with the growth strategy of Frasers Hospitality, which aims at expanding its global presence with new properties in the Middle East and Africa.

With just a few days left, the Arabian Travel Awards is all set to recognise the efforts of the travel, tourism and hospitality professionals. The black-tie award show will be conducted in Dubai on September 20, 2018. An exclusive invitation-only event, it will involve some of the most prominent personalities from the region. The Chief Guest for the event will be HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority. Owing to the dedication and commitment of professionals working not only in the emirates, but also in the Middle East that has revolutionised the travel industry, United Arab Emirates has become a hub for travel, tourism and hospitality. The Arabian Travel Awards is a platform for the Middle East market to appreciate the efforts of the travel specialists who have contributed to the booming travel and hospitality industry. The Awards aim to encourage them to continue promoting tourism in the region, especially since all roads are set and ready for the Expo 2020 and beyond. Following a systematic method of internet-based voting, these Awards are fair and unbiased and are supported by TravelTV.news, TravTalk Middle East and TravTalk India – premier media partners for extensive coverage. The awards will be divided into four categories: Personal Awards, Business Awards, Trending Awards and Partner Awards. To name a few, these include awards for Best Business Hotel, Best Family-Friendly Hotel, Best City Hotel, Best Green Hotel, Best Leisure Hotel, Best Destination Management Company, Best Hotel Apartments, Best B2B Travel Portal and Best Luxury Hotel, among many others.

The Executive Committee of the Arab Air Carriers’ Organization (AACO) held its 82nd meeting in Amman, which was hosted by Royal Jordanian (RJ) Airline. The meeting, held at InterContinental Hotel, was headed by Saleh Bin Nasser Al Jasser, Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines and Chairman of AACO Executive Committee. The attendees included RJ President & CEO Stefan Pichler, AACO’s Secretary General Abdul Wahab Teffaha and the CEOs of eight Arab airlines that are members of the Executive Committee. The participants held discussion on tackling several strategic issues and development of some joint projects among AACO members. Besides, the committee discussed internal issues regarding preparation of AACO’s 51st Annual General Meeting to be held between November 5 and 7, 2018. Pichler said RJ is pleased to host the chief executives of the Arab Carriers, and he underlined the significance of these meetings that gather the Arab airlines under one umbrella to find the best solutions to the problems that the aviation industry faces in the region. Royal Jordanian has been an AACO member since 1965. Teffaha said that one of the tasks of the Executive Committee is to supervise the work of the organisation and discuss the main issues that concern the Arab Carriers in various fields, which include joint projects among members being managed by AACO, aero-political matters in the world and the region and AACO’s priorities in the upcoming days. AACO is made up of 33 Arab airlines that operate over 1,400 aircraft with an average age of 7 years, half the age of other global fleets.

The new five-star luxury destination Grand Millennium Business Bay has opened on the banks of the Dubai Water Canal. Scheduled for an official opening at the end of 2018 and all set to become a landmark in the vibrant district of Business Bay, the 251-room hotel will cater to a mix of leisure and business travellers, with plans for seven F&B venues, 11 fully equipped meeting rooms brimming with natural daylight, a 455 square metre ballroom to accommodate more than 600 guests, spa, health club and swimming pool. Currently in its soft opening phase, the facilities available for business include the Beau Rivage Bar, a casual European inspired café opening out onto the canal waterfront, The Podium, the international all-day-dining restaurant and the Lounge. Ziad El Hawi, General Manager of Grand Millennium Business Bay, comments, “Grand Millennium Business Bay offers all the modern comforts and state-of-the-art facilities to please any type of traveller – whether it’s tourists to Dubai; thanks to our close proximity to the airport and city’s iconic attractions or residents who will seek out our F&B outlets, MiCE and leisure facilities.”

Travelport has announced signing a new multi-year content agreement with Etihad Airways. The deal involves continued use of the company’s leading merchandising tools, Travelport Rich Content and Branding and Travelport Sponsored Flights, as well as its business intelligence solutions for airlines, Travelport Business Intelligence. Further, Etihad has also renewed its contract with Travelport Digital to continue to extend their digital reach and deliver innovative mobile services to its customers. Etihad, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, uses Travelport Rich Content and Branding to provide Travelport’s 68,000 connected agencies with a graphically-rich experience when searching for and booking its branded fares, as well as greater access to its ancillary offers. The Travelport Sponsored Flights digital media offering is then used by the airline to further promote its flight options through highly-targeted advertising solutions. Travelport Business Intelligence is used by Etihad to arm its sales, marketing and network-planning teams with the information required to respond effectively to industry change, minimise operating costs and increase profits.

With Ukraine remaining an important market for flydubai, it has announced moving its existing operations to Boryspil International Airport (KBP) Kiev with effect from October 28, 2018. Besides, from October 02, double daily flights will be available between Kiev and Dubai. flydubai had launched its operations in Ukraine in 2013 and currently offers 17 weekly flights from Kiev and Odessa to Dubai. Ukrainian citizens travelling to Dubai can benefit from a Visa-on-Arrival, which is valid for 30-days and is free of charge. Through flydubai’s partnership with Emirates, Ukrainian passengers are offered unmatched travel options via Dubai’s aviation hub. flydubai flights FZ 728/727 and FZ 730/729 will operate daily between Boryspil International Airport (KBP) and Dubai International, Terminal 2 (DXB), effective from 28 October 2018. Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial at flydubai, said, “We welcome the start of our double daily service from Boryspil International Airport, which provides a more convenient travel experience and better connectivity via Dubai’s aviation hub to some of the most popular leisure destinations.” He further added, “Our passengers from Kiev were also one of the first on our network to enjoy our new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft with a flat-bed in Business Class and optimized space and comfort in Economy Class.”