In response to the unique challenges of 2020, Hospitality Sales & Marketing International Middle East (HSMAI) has introduced ROC@Home, a full-day Global Revenue Optimisation experience taking place on June 17, 2020. The day-long session involves live sessions from the Middle East, Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, and is designed to fuel industry recovery and revitalisation efforts. Neither a virtual conference nor a replacement for HSMAI in-person ROC programmes, ROC@Home is an opportunity for hotel revenue professionals to reset, refocus, and re-energise, with an exclusive free toolkit to guide learning and engagement, and more than 20 live expert-led sessions hosted by HSMAI’s regions around the globe. “ROC@Home is the first experience of its kind,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, President and CEO of HSMAI. “By focusing the attention and energy of revenue professionals from around the globe, HSMAI’s regions are building a global network of experts who will have the insights, tools, and resources needed to lead the industry into recovery.” “An event like ROC@Home provides a dedicated opportunity to work with colleagues whilst connecting to industry leaders around the world,” said Mona Faraj, Managing Director, HSMAI Middle East. “In these challenging times, divergent thinking will create opportunities and platforms such as ROC@Home can ignite the innovation and motivation for successful strategies within the region.” At the heart of ROC@Home is a free toolkit available to hoteliers around the world. It includes advice and inspiration from some of the world’s most respected revenue optimisation leaders. Hospitality and tourism professionals can participate either with their teams in-person or virtually, or on their own, and can now sign up to receive the free toolkit and be part of a ROC@Home Industry Survey.

The Empire State Building (ESB) celebrated Eid al-Fitr on May 24, 2020, with a tower lighting in green – a colour that symbolises peace and purity in Islam – along with ESB’s signature “Heartbeat of New York” effect. This special tribute commemorated the end of the holy month of Ramadan, embodying the enduring spirit and joyous festivities taking place around the globe, and raising awareness about the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Eid-al-Fitr, or “the Festival of Fast-Breaking,” marks the conclusion of a month-long spiritual renewal for the global Muslim community. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world traditionally observe a strict fast from sunrise until sunset, participate in prayer, and gather together as friends and family to break their fast and share in acts of kindness. This year gratitude and appreciation are more important than ever as Muslims worldwide have experienced a Ramadan amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The heartbeat signature effect for Eid al-Fitr was meant not just to celebrate the holiday, but to also recognise Muslims in their shared global battle against the illness; and to extend wishes for health, peace, and connectivity during these unprecedented times. Additionally, the Empire State Building sparkled on the hour in yellow, blue, silver, red, white, and green in honour of first responders. A five-minute moment of darkness was observed in honour of those everywhere, who have lost their lives in the pandemic as well as those who grieve for them.  

After a successful first webinar session about Madrid and Barcelona – the popular areas of Spain, the second session to be held on June 10, 2020 will consist of another region which is quite closer to the travellers of the GCC as it has the history and culture which bonds them to the destination. Daniel Rosado Bayon, Tourism Counsellor, stated, “We want to provide an opportunity to all those interested in learning more about the varied destinations within Spain, some are more known than others and this tri-series will ensure that everyone obtains the knowledge about the sights, food, shopping, cultural, historical and art focused areas within the varied cities in Spain. In this second session our focus will be on Andalusia or Andalucia in Spanish. The region is also world famous for bullfighting, great climate, flamenco, gastronomy like tapas, fiestas, beaches and the varied diverse geography. So join us once again and learn about a rich destination that has the most interesting offerings for all ages.” Al Andalus was the name given by the Muslims during the Middle Ages to the Iberian peninsula. Nowadays Andalucia is the southern region of Spain, which offers a great variety of landscapes, from the mountain range of Sierra Nevada to the coastal towns in the Mediterranean sea. Andalucía is famous for its stunning beaches, fabulous monuments such as the Cordoba Mosque or the Alhambra Palace, the flamenco, it´s gastronomy and their zest for life. Other regions such as Valencia will also be covered in this journey through the wonders of Spain.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has announced a strategic partnership with Bureau Veritas Certification (Bureau Veritas) to launch the ‘Safeguard Assurance Program’ – an initiative to ensure that all operations within the hospitality sector resume safely and efficiently. Bureau Veritas will support the Authority in implementing stringent health, safety and hygiene measures across all Ras Al Khaimah hotels to mitigate any possible risks for employees and guests and provide complete peace of mind. The partnership will see Bureau Veritas conduct an independent audit, with all costs covered by RAKTDA, under its “SafeGuard Assurance Program” for 45 hotels, as part of the RAK ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel campaign. The additional audit process serves to further validate the safety and hygiene measures and processes already put in place by the Authority in partnership with Government Authorities, and takes its ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification to the next level. Having operated in the field of risk management for more than two centuries, Bureau Veritas has developed its SafeGuard Assurance methodology in collaboration with experts in the field, ideally suited to organisations looking to restart their business efficiently. The auditing process will involve sharing a checklist of measures to be implemented across the properties, an onsite inspection and an unannounced visit. Individual properties will be assessed on factors including: commitment to the program; respect for social distancing guidelines; compliance with hygienic practices and measures; as well as surveillance and management of any issues.    

Airports Council International (ACI) World and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have called on governments to ensure any new measures introduced for airports and airlines in the wake of COVID-19 are supported by scientific evidence and are consistent across the world. ACI and IATA have jointly issued a paper laying out a pathway for restarting the aviation industry – Safely Restarting Aviation – ACI and IATA Joint Approach. Airlines and airports have cooperated to build a roadmap for resuming operations which reassures the travelling public that health and safety remain the overall priorities. ACI and IATA are both central members the COVID-19 Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) being led by the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). CART enables the collaboration among governments and between governments and industry, which is vital to ensure the harmonisation and consistency of measures that are essential to restoring air connectivity and passenger confidence in air travel. “Airports and airlines have come together with ICAO and the wider aviation industry to address the biggest challenge ever faced by commercial aviation in restarting a global industry while continuing to halt the spread of COVID-19,” ACI World Director General Angela Gittens said. IATA’s Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said, “Safety is always our top priority and that includes public health. Restoring air connectivity is vital to restarting the global economy and reconnecting people. Our layered approach of measures recommended by airports and airlines safeguard public health while offering a practical approach for a gradual restart of operations.”  

Bavaria-based Outdooractive, Europe’s largest outdoor portal for hiking, cycling, mountain biking and skiing, has acquired UK-based ViewRanger, featuring a range of additional destinations and exceptional routes and trails, across the globe. ViewRanger, which is based in Cambridgeshire, in the UK, is a GPS navigation app which runs on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Android smartphones and watches. It is used by more than 4.6 million explorers around the world to plan, navigate, and share outdoor adventures. Hartmut Wimmer, the Founder and CEO of Outdooractive, commented, “Our two brands complement each other perfectly and we have already been working closely with ViewRanger to consolidate our combined routes and showcase additional destinations to a wider community of subscribers across both platforms. Our users share a passion for exploring and enjoying the outdoors. By bringing together insider tips from travel writers and tourism partners with recommended routes from publishers and other enthusiasts, we help them to plan their adventures.” Craig Wareham, the co-founder of ViewRanger said, “Integrating our technology with the Outdooractive platform, not only improves the user experience, but adds significant value, to trade professionals looking for a comprehensive resource.” The outdoor adventure market in Europe and the UK, is expecting major growth, as social restrictions, in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, are gradually lifted. Initially research suggests that staycations and local tourism will be the first to recover, but given time international visitors will want to experience the great outdoors as well. “We firmly believe that healthy activities in tranquil open countryside, staying in small family-run guesthouses and hotels, will be in great demand, and offers a more sustainable alternative to busy beach resorts and other mainstream attractions. Indeed, creating awareness …

Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), an institution established by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), is helping students to stay focused and engaged during the current period of self-isolation and social distancing through its interactive online learning programme. Ensuring there are no gaps in their learning, the motivational programme enables students to continue building key industry skills and knowledge whilst studying towards their chosen course and preparing for remote internships upon the completion of the semester. By introducing virtual learning techniques, the college’s inspirational instructors have been able to minimise disruption to student development by following the same schedule as if they were in the classroom, with virtual interactive sessions that include a mix of practical demonstrations, live guest speakers, Q &As, group presentations, role-plays and assessments, which are then presented online. Commenting on the programme, Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of DCT said, “The situation we are facing today is unprecedented, but we have endeavoured to adapt to the new reality with our distance learning initiative. By developing a comprehensive and integrated electronic learning and training environment, we are able to empower our students to continue their education with as little disruption as possible, and remain resourceful and fully engaged at this time. The initial response from our students has been very positive and we commend both them and our highly professional instructors for embracing this new system so seamlessly.” DCT’s distance learning programme also goes beyond practical and theoretical learning to provide mental health support including yoga, nutrition, and tips for remaining motivated. The ‘Wellbeing Challenge’ was introduced to provide students with a holistic package over the Spring break to help combat the disruption to …

The Higher Organizing Committee of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) has announced that the 18th edition of the exhibition, which was scheduled for September 29 – October 3, 2020, will be rescheduled to September 2021, under the theme of ‘Sustainability and Heritage… A Reborn Aspiration’. The 18th edition of ADIHEX will be organised by the Emirates Falconers’ Club at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of Emirates Falconers’ Club. The decision to postpone the exhibition for a year was taken in consideration due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, to ensure the health and safety of all participants and visitors. H.E. Majid Ali Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of the exhibition has revealed major changes for exhibitors and visitors including enhancing the quality of its exhibits, products, and unique innovations from the world of hunting and equestrian; maintaining ADIHEX’s profile as the largest annual event of its kind in the Middle East and Africa. The comprehensive expansion plan also includes improving the content of the event by providing innovative services, technologies, activities, and events with a renewed vision, strengthening the exhibition’s role in preserving the UAE’s heritage and promoting sustainable hunting. This is in addition to organizing more environmental, heritage, art, educational and awareness-raising activities.  

As per the directives of the Ras Al Khaimah government and Crisis and Disasters Management Federal Authority, leisure assets including Al Hamra Golf Club, Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club along with two signature hotels, The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah – Al Hamra Beach and Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah have reopened. Christopher Hewett, Vice President – Hospitality, Al Hamra stated, “Al Hamra Golf Club has opened to club members, hotel guests and UAE registered golfers with stringent preventive measures in place such as limited player capacity, single use carts, limit on players per groups as well as sanitisation of all carts before and after use. Body temperatures of members, guests and employees are checked on the arrival with sanitising programmes and social distancing measures being implemented across the club’s food and beverage outlets. We are also in the process of implementing the latest new F&B technology which removes the need of menus by allowing guests to view the menu, order items and pay directly from their mobile device.” “Al Hamra, along with our hotel partners and the Public Service Department of Ras Al Khaimah (PSD), have implemented a full sterilisation programme and are undertaking various measures across all of our hospitality and leisure assets, such as training for safe guest interactions, guest education programmes, elevated hygiene standards and revised operational procedures. Furthermore, our hotels are in the final stages of implementing RAKTDA’s ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification’, which is an excellent initiative by the Emirate’s Tourism Authority, that aims to boosts confidence and rebuild trust in the emirate’s tourism industry amid concerning and challenging times. The achievement of the certification will solidify Al Hamra’s destination-wide measures and reiterates Al Hamra’s goal of …

As virtual interaction becoming the new norm in this period of COVID-19, you can now experience Dubai as one of the world’s best family destinations through a range of online activities that families can do together from the comfort of their homes that will also keep everyone happy and entertained. LIVE FROM DUBAI- Enjoy the best of Dubai’s local talent across fitness, culinary, dance, theatre, arts, comedy and more, thanks to a curated ‘Live from Dubai’ event series brought right into your living rooms by Dubai Calendar, the city’s go-to entertainment and events guide. Streamed each week from Wednesday to Saturday via the Dubai Calendar Instagram Page, the Live from Dubai’ series offers an innovative family-friendly programme of entertainment, activities and engaging sessions hosted by some of the biggest and brightest stars in the UAE. THRILL RIDES- Who said that you can’t experience the thrill of a rollercoaster simply by staying at home? Check out the list of thrills below and immerse yourself in popular rides from the comfort of your own home! Mad Pursuit at Motiongate, Dubai- Madagascar Mad Pursuit unleashes your wild side, sending you on an electrifying adventure through the circus! This madly fast rollercoaster will definitely make you move it, move it! The Bullet Train at Motiongate, Dubai- The twists and turns in this fast paced ride leave you with an adrenaline rush that you won’t be forgetting anytime soon! Experience the journey from District 12 to The Capitol with a multi-angle video that leaves you on the edge of your seat! Dragon Gliders at Motiongate, Dubai- Toothless and Hiccup are promising the adventure of a lifetime with an invitation through the mysterious Forbidden Island, captivating …