The Lufthansa Group airlines Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Air Dolomiti introduced more flexible rebooking options from March 31, 2020. The new extensive waiver policy for rebooking applies to both existing and future bookings worldwide. The airlines will waive the rebooking fees for all newly booked flights worldwide and offer a one-time rebooking – regardless of condition of the original booking fare purchased. Passengers can in future rebook to a new travel date until December 31, 2020 without rebooking fees. The new waiver policy for existing bookings applies worldwide for tickets purchased before March 5 with a travel date up to April 30, 2020. Passengers can rebook to a new date up to December 31, 2020 without any rebooking fee – regardless of condition of the original booking fare purchased. The departure and destination airports must be identical. If the original fare is no longer available, the corresponding difference must be paid. The rebooking must be made before the original travel date. With this new waiver policy, the Lufthansa Group Airlines are responding to the wish of many customers to help make their travel plans more flexible under the exceptional circumstances caused by the spread of the coronavirus.

The Saudi Entertainment Ventures Company (SEVEN) has announced the expansion of new entertainment complexes to prime locations across the Kingdom. These will delight residents and tourists alike and contribute to positioning Saudi Arabia as a hub for entertainment and leisure. The entertainment complexes will meet the fast-growing tourism sector and contribute to realising the goals outlined in Saudi Vision 2030. They are being developed in key strategic geographic locations, providing large resident populations with innovative leisure choices that will appeal to all the family. Each complex will feature several entertainment and leisure choices including cinemas, play areas, rides, F&B, attractions and more. Abdullah Al Dawood, Chairman of SEVEN, said, “We have a clearly structured development plan to build 20 entertainment destinations, 50 cinemas and two large theme parks in prime locations across the Kingdom. We are committed to realising the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to accelerate the creation of world-class entertainment assets in the Kingdom that support economic diversification, create new jobs, and contribute to socio-economic progress. Our complexes will position the Kingdom as an entertainment, culture and tourism hub of the region.” “At SEVEN, we believe in promoting and creating opportunities for the private sector to thrive in the fast-evolving entertainment landscape of the Kingdom. We are inviting the most ambitious and creative business partners and vendors to join us in our remarkable step forward to shape the entertainment landscape of the Kingdom,” said Al Dawood. 

Arab Aviation Summit, to be held on March 16 and 17, 2020 at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE has been postponed to Q4 2020, due to the ongoing concern regarding the incidence of COVID-19, ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants. The 2020 Arab Aviation Summit (AAS), the region’s leading aviation industry event earlier  announced an array of top executives for its eighth edition. Themed, ‘Linking cultures, driving economies,’ the summit was supposed to bring together an audience of key industry stakeholders and experts to participate in high-level dialogue on the latest trends, challenges and opportunities facing Arab travel and tourism. 

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) participated in the 20th Saudi International Wedding Fair 2020, held from March 5-7, 2020 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is considered the ideal one-stop wedding event for couture, fashion and jewellery. The Bahraini pavilion, covered an area of 25 m2, included exhibitors from hotels including Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa, Al Areen Palace & Spa Bahrain in addition to the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air. The 20th Saudi Wedding Fair 2020 was the largest bridal event in the industry across KSA and the GCC, provided participants with the opportunity to showcase their latest products and services in the wedding sector. The event provided an ideal platform for participants and visitors alike to meet and connect with renowned international companies, as well as network with VIPs. On this occasion, Dr. Ali Follad, Acting Director of Marketing and Tourism Promotion Directorate at BTEA, said, “We look forward to showcasing what the tourism industry has to offer those who want to host and celebrate their special occasions in Bahrain. Our participation comes in line with our efforts to participate in regional and international events as we strive to strengthen Bahrain’s position as a leading tourism destination in the region and further develop the local tourism sector.”

Riyadh Travel Fair 2020 has been postponed from March 26-28, 2020 to September 1-3, 2020 in line with precautionary measures due to the international rapid spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The ongoing coronavirus crisis hit Saudi Arabia earlier this week with the first case of an infected individual recorded. Saudi authorities were quick to act, quarantining 70 people who were in contact with that individual. Many other precautionary measures have also been taken by the Saudi authorities prior to this and continue to be implemented. After consultation with government authorities, partners and travel industry experts around the world, a difficult decision was made to postpone the Riyadh Travel Fair until beginning of September 2020. Bander Al Gryni, General Manager ASAS Exhibitions – organiser of the Riyadh Travel Fair (RTF), said, “We are planning to make the 2020 September edition the biggest event to date, with an increase in both the number of exhibitors and visitors. We expect around 275 exhibitors representing more than 50 countries to take part, with more than 50 national and regional pavilions to share the floor. Once opening our doors, we are planning for more than 30,000 visitors over the three-day period.”

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports, inaugurated the Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC), the nerve centre of Dubai International (DXB) – the world’s busiest international airport with 86.4 million international passengers in 2019. The state-of-the-art facility enables a collaborative approach to managing airport operations by providing information and analyses based on data collated from more than 50 systems fed by 7 billion data points. The AOCC allows operator Dubai Airports, government agencies, airlines and other service partners to monitor every aspect of the operation in real time as well as predict developing situations to respond to them more efficiently. Harnessing big data has helped Dubai Airports deliver a smooth experience to some 240,000 passengers daily and achieve breakthrough service improvements including 40 per cent reduction in queue time since 2018 and a record 99.96 per cent baggage delivery success rate in 2019.

Premier Inn Barsha Heights will be the ninth UAE property for the UK-based brand, to open in 2021. The hotel will be a partnership between Premier Inn and MBT Hotel Management & Hospitality, it will be MBT’s first ever expansion into the hotel industry. The mid-market hotel brand prides itself on its British hospitality, high quality product and good night guaranteed promise, all whilst remaining a budget-friendly option for travellers from around the globe. The new hotel will contain 219 rooms covering 14,450 sqm and will feature a licensed bar, restaurant, pool, gym and a Costa Coffee, the perfect addition in the bustling neighbourhood for residents and tourists alike. Adam Nicholls, Managing Director for Premier Inn Middle East said, “Barsha Heights is a perfect location, nestled between the Marina and Downtown Dubai, a thriving hub of businesses, residents and nightlife.” Niveen Ibrahim, Executive Director MBT Hotel Management and Hospitality, commented, “You can’t go wrong when you choose the experienced and right partners to work with and that’s exactly what we have with Premier Inn.” Hasan Hamadeh, Director of Operations AGCEW said, “This is AGCEW’s 3rd Premier Inn project in Dubai and we aim to deliver above expectations as we have done in the past. This is our first project with MBT and JT+Partners and we hope they will continue to be our customers for future endeavours.” Joe Tabet, Managing Director, JT & Partners said, “Our mission is to design a better world for people to live and work in, a world with exceptional, high-quality, iconic, environmental and socially sustainable developments that will overcome the challenges of the constantly developing global high technology advancement of the future.”

Rotana has signed a management agreement to operate Palmeraie Resorts in Marrakech, under its new name, Palmeraie Rotana Resort. Located in the heart of the famous palm oasis in Marrakech, the resort is a stone’s throw away from major landmarks and top attractions in the city, making it the ideal choice for business and leisure travellers alike. Founded in 1993 on a sprawling 230-hectare site, Palmeraie Rotana Resort consists of the 315-room five-star Hôtel du Golf Rotana, the Golf Club Rotana with 11 exclusive suites and the 314-key Palmeraie Palace, for which a full refurbishment is currently being planned. Guy Hutchinson, President & CEO, Rotana, said, “At Rotana, we continue to pursue market expansion and sustainable growth by extending our brand presence to new geographies. With this exceptional opportunity in Morocco, we have reached a new milestone in our journey to transform the region’s hospitality industry”. Hutchinson added, “The complex has a long history and has established a strong reputation in the destination which we will ensure continues to grow. We will immediately deliver upgrades for the Hôtel du Golf Rotana, the Golf Club Rotana and other key components within the development. Our absolute focus however will be on improving the quality of operations, enhancing the product offerings and delivering a level of performance across the complex that will continue to enhance the fine reputation of this outstanding resort.”

Al Faya Retreat and the Al Badayer Retreat situated in the Al Badayer desert, which are part of the ‘Sharjah Collection’ – the luxury hospitality brand of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), managed by ‘Mysk by Shaza’, were visited by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. During the tour, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah gained detailed insights into the world-class facilities which are being offered by both retreats, and their distinctive features which position them as one of the major eco-friendly and heritage hospitality property in the UAE. During his visit at Al Faya Retreat, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi was introduced to all the modern and cultural elements infused into the one-of-its-kind luxury destination. Originally built in the 1960s as two stone buildings, one of which was a medical centre and the second a store near one of the oldest and most important fuelling stations in Sharjah and the UAE for local commuters, Al Faya Retreat was restored using elements that reflect the general nature of the desert environment. Its floor-to-ceiling windows allow visitors to enjoy stargazing at night. His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah also visited the Al Badayer Retreat, a first-of-its-kind picturesque desert retreat in the UAE that offers luxury hospitality services in the heart of the tranquil Al Badayer desert in Sharjah, where he was introduced to the retreat and its full range of world-class services. The design of Al Badayer Retreat is inspired by the UAE heritage, and allows visitors access to a unique tourism experience in the heart of the desert in the central region of Sharjah central …

Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced a management agreement with Umm Alqura for development and construction of a Grand Hyatt branded hotel in the holy city of Makkah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Located in close proximity to the Grand Mosque, the hotel will be an integral component of the King Abdul Aziz Road (KAAR) mixed-use urban development project, designed to support one of the fastest-growing religious tourism markets in the world.  “The country’s significant strides to boost tourism complements our own commitment to creating a pipeline in markets that matter most to guests and World of Hyatt members. Consequently, the opening of Grand Hyatt Makkah will strengthen the Kingdom’s vision to attract more tourists and offer guests an elevated, luxury experience with plans to open further properties in the holy city in the near future,” said Ludwig Bouldoukian, Regional Vice President of Development, Middle East and North Africa for Hyatt. Yasser Abuateek, CEO of Umm Alqura for Development and Construction, said, “One of our key ambitions is also to add value to the local real estate market, and by introducing globally renowned brands we are making significant strides towards achieving this objective.” Peter Fulton, group president – Europe, Africa, Middle East and Southwest Asia, Hyatt, said, “Grand Hyatt Makkah is being designed to meet the unique needs of both visitors and pilgrims and is set to become its own captivating destination within this cultural and religious destination.”