The Korean National Tourism Organization (KNTO) had recently organised a M!CE night at InterContinental Dubai Festival City on November 11, as part of its two-city roadshow covering Dubai and Istanbul. The roadshow aimed to showcase the outstanding venues, prime attractions, and capabilities of Korea to host international meetings and events in 6 major cities including Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Incheon, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon. The event witnessed participation from major inbound suppliers, hoteliers, tourism boards, tourism ventures, and government entities to strengthen the relationship with the leading Dubai Media City’s (DMCs) in the region and boost Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) arrivals to Korea as part of the M!CE marketing strategy. The KNTO office in Dubai had recently concluded a M!CE familiarisation trip to Seoul for major companies in the Gulf region to showcase the autumn season. The country has been positioning itself internationally as a highly preferred meeting destination. Jo Deok Hyun, Executive Director of Korea MICE Bureau, said, “We are very pleased to be here in Dubai for the first time as part of networking and relationship building in the GCC market. Korea is witnessing growing interest from the region and we are more than ready to welcome the groups and delegates and extend full support”. “We hope we have given our partners tonight all the needed knowledge and drive to what makes Korea an extraordinary destination for business events. KNTO will continue to offer special support and programmes for incentive groups coming to Korea,” said Kyoosang Kang, Regional Director of KNTO-Dubai.

Etihad Airways and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have relaunched their codeshare partnership to provide their customers with greater access to both airlines’ trunk routes between the UAE and Pakistan, and on Etihad services across its global network. The codeshare flights will be open for sale on November 13, 2019, with the first travel date from November 26. The partnership will see Etihad Airways place its ‘EY’ code on PIA services to and from Abu Dhabi to the Pakistani cities of Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar. PIA will place its ‘PK’ code on Etihad services from Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore to Abu Dhabi and vice versa, and also onwards from the UAE capital to Amsterdam, Bahrain, Colombo Chicago, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Madrid, Moscow, Washington D.C, and Zurich. Robin Kamark, Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer, said, “The UAE and Pakistan share strong historical, commercial and cultural links and this partnership with PIA is a natural progression for both carriers. It enables us to cater to the strong customer demand for both point-to-point business and VFR travel between the UAE and major cities in Pakistan.” Nausherwan Adil, Chief Commercial Officer of Pakistan International Airlines, said, “This is indeed a great opportunity for PIA to join hands with Etihad Airways connecting Pakistan to UAE and around the globe, expanding reach to more destinations for the convenience of our valued passengers.”

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) announced the sixth edition of the Sharjah Hospitality Forum under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council. The forum will be held on November 18, 2019, at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre in Sharjah. The 2019 edition of the Sharjah Hospitality Forum aims to provide the tourism sector with the global industry expertise and knowledge needed to achieve future growth, thereby enabling the sector to keep pace with global sustainable goals. A series of interactive sessions conducted by local and global experts on the importance of sustainable tourism in supporting businesses and ways to enhance the sustainable growth of the travel and tourism sector will be featured. H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, said, “We are keen to organise the sixth edition of the Hospitality Forum, bringing together an even larger group of experts and pioneers of the tourism, hospitality and travel sector. The initiative forms an integral part of our efforts to strengthen Sharjah’s position in the global tourism landscape, in line with the objectives of Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021. This year’s forum, themed ‘Sustainable Tourism creates Business Opportunities’ will highlight the importance of consolidating the concept of sustainability in the tourism sector to support local and global tourism.” “Thanks to the rapid growth of the tourism sector in the emirates which now contributes more than 8.8 per cent or more than AED 9 billion to the annual GDP of AED 102.5 billion. Through the hosting of the latest edition of the forum, we seek to …

Since its opening in 2017, Louvre Abu Dhabi has welcomed over two million visitors from around the world to enjoy the museum’s rich cross-cultural collection, eight ground-breaking international exhibitions and a range of cultural programmes for people of all ages and backgrounds. Louvre Abu Dhabi celebrates its second-year anniversary this month on the heels of several major achievements for the institution and the launch of new programmes, as well as a significant number of new artworks in the galleries. The institution has further solidified its commitment to education, inaugurating the Children’s Museum in July 2019, welcoming over 60,000 student visits while offering training and job opportunities for Emiratis and the local community. HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi said, “Two years ago, we launched this museum as a gift from Abu Dhabi to the world. Our vision was for a truly universal museum, a place that shines a light on our shared humanity through an incredible collection of artworks and artefacts from every corner of the globe.” Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, added, “In just two years, Louvre Abu Dhabi has established its reputation as a space for cultural exchange, community engagement and progressive dialogue. We have realised some significant milestones during this time, from major acquisitions of artworks for the museum’s collection to outstanding special exhibitions that have garnered global attention.”

Standard International, the parent company of The Standard is delighted to announce the opening of The Standard, Huruvalhi Maldives and to present the earliest guests with an enticing opening package. With 115 stunning private pool villas, the resort marks the brand’s first property in Asia. The resort is a short seaplane ride away from Male, nestled between the Raa and Baa Atolls, on a naturally protected island. While the Maldives has traditionally been a couple’s destination, as always, The Standard has approached the development with a fresh set of eyes. The resort offers an unmatched combination of relaxation, dynamic social life and vibrant cultural programming that also welcomes groups of friends or singles looking to meet others or just reset and recharge in paradise. The Standard’s newest property is providing a special promotional offer giving extra enticement to those who book early. The special opening rates start from US$ 395 per night, which includes overnight accommodation in one of the private villas along with buffet breakfast in their all-day dining restaurant which includes overnight accommodations in one of the private villas along with buffet breakfast in Kula, the all-day dining restaurant. Each of the 115 villas features its own private lounge deck and plunge pool, and guests can choose from one of six unique culinary offerings. The Standard, Huruvalhi Maldives presents culinary options that are inspired by the bounty and beauty of the Indian Ocean and guided by the brand’s commitment to authenticity. Whether you’re looking for adventure or to learn something new, at the heart of every Standard are unique cultural programming and curated experiences and all are island-inspired.

The 38th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) concluded after a record turnout of 2.52 million visitors through the 11-day event, organised by Sharjah Book Authority (SBA). The event witnessed the participation of Nobel laureates, Booker Prize and Oscar winners, along with 2,000 publishers from 81 countries. On November 7, 2019, SIBF set a Guinness World Record for successfully hosting the world’s largest simultaneous book signing ceremony in one location with 1,502 authors from the UAE and beyond signing their own books. To further expand the reach of books in the Middle East and African continents, SBA partnered with Big Bad Wolf Ventures Sdn. Bhd. (BBW) to set-up a regional branch at Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone. Under this new agreement, 1 billion books will be circulated across MEA countries over the next five years to widely introduce the literary products of individual nations to promote cultural exchange and appreciation. Sharjah Ruler allocates AED 4.5 million for purchase of books at SIBF 2019; His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah allocated AED 4.5 million for the acquisition of a selection of titles, brought in by publishers participating in SIBF 2019, to continuously update the emirate’s libraries with valuable reading materials and resources in history, literature, politics, arts, science, technology in Arabic and international languages. HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of SBA, said, “SIBF has grown to become one of the top three book fairs in the world, an event that publishers, authors, book lovers, and children wait a whole year to participate in. This 11-day cultural celebration is born out of the vision of HE Sheikh Dr. …

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has provided an outlook of the industry to stakeholders and partners, highlighting the positive year-to-date international visitation, sharing destination insights and drawing attention to the innovative marketing initiatives that have been launched to further boost visitor numbers. Dubai Tourism also discussed ways of increasing collaboration with its partners, and emphasised the importance of aligning with, and leveraging all efforts including the hosting of Expo 2020 Dubai to achieve the goals of Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2022-25. The strategic meetings were held recently between HE Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism and key executives from leading entities in the travel and hospitality sectors including Emirates, flydubai, Jumeirah, Marriot International, IHG, Al Habtoor Group, Atlantis, The Palm, and Emaar Hospitality Group. HE Helal Saeed Almarri, said, “Such strategic meetings serve as a platform to highlight various marketing campaigns and initiatives launched by Dubai Tourism to attract more visitors to the city. We would also like our partners to be aligned with the various developments in the industry and to take advantage of the diverse campaigns and all efforts that are being made to realise the goals of Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2022-25.” Neal Jones, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer – MEA, Marriott International, said, “We strongly believe in the future of Dubai and under the vision of its leaders, Dubai Tourism does a remarkable job of positioning and evolving Dubai as an international business and leisure hub.” Pascal Gauvin, Managing Director, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG, said, “We have a deep understanding of the country’s unique culture and business environment and an exceptional partnership with Dubai Tourism, who have been extremely focused on …

Russian tourists travelling to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are expected to generate an estimated US$1.22 billion in travel and tourism revenue by 2023, an increase of 19% when compared with figures from 2018. The latest Colliers research commissioned by Reed Travel Exhibitions predicts the UAE will witness the highest growth, with total tourism spend by Russian visitors projected to reach US$1.153 billion by 2023 and tourism spend per trip increasing 5% from US$1,600 to US$1,750. Looking at Russian outbound tourism figures, the country continues to be one of the top 10 source markets for the UAE, with 578,000 Russian visitors entering the UAE in 2018 and this number is predicted to increase at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.2% to 688,300 by 2023, according to Colliers International. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said, “With the oil price recovery, stabling of the financial markets and increased disposable incomes, Russia, once again, represents a significant growth area for travel and tourism revenue across the GCC.” Building on this, Saudi Arabia is expected to witness the second-largest increase closely followed by Oman, with total Russian tourism spend estimated to reach US$28,659,600 and US$21,788,000 respectively, by 2023. “Saudi Arabia’s Giga Projects are aimed to cater to the luxury segment of the tourism market targeting high-net-worth individuals and Russia is currently ranked fourth in the world in terms of the number of billionaires residing in the country, with 303 Russians representing a total billionaire wealth of USD$355 billion. Higher Russian visitor numbers will help support investment opportunities and economic diversification, in line with the kingdom’s plans to target 30 million visitors annually by 2030,” Curtis concluded.

Emirates’ first remote check-in terminal was opened to provide seamless connections for cruise passengers. The Emirates check-in counters, located at Port Rashid, will allow passengers who are disembarking from their cruise ships to check-in for their onward Emirates flight at the same facility. The new service will further enhance Dubai’s position as a premier international cruise destination and provides greater convenience for Emirates customers. With complimentary flight check-in facilities located at the same location as their cruise disembarkation point, customers will have the convenience of exploring Dubai without their luggage before heading directly to the airport for their flight. The Emirates check-in facility at Port Rashid will have eight counters where Emirates staff will check-in customers’ luggage and issue boarding passes up to 4 hours before flight departure. The facility will be open during the sailing period from October to April. In the next 6 months, 198 cruise ships are expected to dock at Port Rashid where approximately 280,000 passengers will have onward Emirates flights. Mohammed Mattar, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates Airport Services said, “We are committed to providing a seamless and hassle-free travel journey for our customers. With the increasing popularity of Dubai as a cruise tourism destination, we have ensured that every touchpoint in our customer journey for this important traveller segment is thoughtfully served. Our first remote check-in facility at Port Rashid will allow cruise passengers with onward flights the freedom to explore Dubai during their short transit.”

Al Ahli Travel and Tourist Agency rebranded itself as Al Zora Travel and Holidays. It is one of the most prominent travel agencies in Dubai for the past 42 years. Chief Guest for the event was HE Sultan Al Nuaimi Chairman Al Nuaimi Group. Speaking at the opening General Manager Joy Thomas stated that for the past 42 years they have been engaged in retail and corporate business providing specialised tailor-made packages for elite clientele on inbound and outbound holidays. Now, with the new branding, they hope to venture into holidays as Expo 2020, will provide the opportunity to further boost its business.