The 2019 Annual Conference of International Mountain Tourism Alliance will be held from 27 to 29 October in Guiyang, China. With the theme “Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future in Mountain Tourism”, focusing on major issues such as ecology, green, environmental protection, poverty alleviation, and innovation, the conference will explore a path for the sustainable development of world mountain tourism in a global context.  The conference has three key activities: IMTA Council Meeting, Inaugural Ceremony of IMTA Headquarters Building, and Opening Ceremony & Theme Forum. Keynote speeches and exchange ideas will be delivered on two subjects: Progress of international mountain tourism and 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, and Protecting environment, green development and benefiting people- the eternal theme of sustainable mountain tourism. IMTA is an international non-profit civil association constituted by tourism institutions, groups, enterprises and individuals in major mountain countries and regions in the world on a voluntary basis. It is committed to protecting and utilising mountainous tourism resources, promoting the prosperity of mountain tourism, and advancing the sustainable development of mountain and ecological tourism. At present, IMTA’s headquarters will provide professional services to all members, build a dialogue, exchange, cooperation platform for members and rely on the endowment of mountain resources to guide the agglomeration of peripheral industries. To promote the prosperity of world mountain tourism and build a high-end exchange platform for international tourism circles and mountain tourism destinations, the “Mountain Park Province” Guizhou initiated the establishment of the International Mountain Tourism Alliance.

DAMAC Properties has announced that it’s Paramount Tower Hotel and Residences on Sheikh Zayed Road is 80 per cent ready. The project, which was envisioned by DAMAC Properties in collaboration with Paramount Hotels & Resorts, features one of Dubai’s highest infinity pools on the 64th level. Once complete, the infinity pool will offer hotel guests and residents a breath-taking panoramic view of Dubai’s Burj area from a height of 235 meters. Inspired by the glamour that is synonymous with Hollywood and the chic Californian lifestyle, the 64-story mixed-use development houses the ultra-luxurious, five-star Paramount Hotel and luxury residences. The residences, on the other hand, combine the comforts of home with superior amenities and service. The residences feature multiple bedrooms and spacious interiors with separate dining and living areas. Niall McLoughlin, Senior Vice President, DAMAC Properties, said, “The 80 per cent completion of Paramount Tower Hotel and Residences with one of Dubai’s highest infinity pools overlooking Downtown Dubai is a testament to our commitment to bringing the most differentiated living experiences to the region. Our vision resonates with Dubai’s growing relevance as one of the world’s top tourist destinations.” DAMAC Properties’ strategy of creating mixed-use developments that attract investors, residents and tourists alike, is aligned with Dubai tourism’s strong performance and positive outlook. Located 15 minutes away from Dubai International Airport and in close vicinity to Downtown Dubai, Paramount Tower Hotel and Residences offers its residents the very best of the Dubai lifestyle.

Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate Dubai has appointed Hazem Aouad as Director of Sales and Marketing (DOSM). He will be leading the growth of the 396-key property with a steady focus on corporate business, strengthened leisure partnerships, and a strategic approach to meeting and events. Aouad, a Lebanese national has 20 years of hospitality experience and has worked with five-star luxury resorts to city properties across the Middle East. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Hotel & Tourism Management from the Notre Dame University in Lebanon and a Postgraduate Diploma at University Cesar Ritz, Brig, Switzerland. Ian Rydin, General Manager speaking on Aouad’s appointment “Aouad will spearhead the team in developing and implementing commercial business strategies through the building and maintaining key accounts, maximising revenue streams, and further capitalising the hotel’s presence as the closest premium five-star hotel near the Dubai Expo 2020 event site.”

Al Safeer Travel, one of the leading travel agencies in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has signed an exclusive multi-year agreement with Sabre Corporation, to continue to use its technology to manage travel. Under this agreement, Al Safeer Travel will continue to access Sabre’s intelligent platform, Sabre Red 360, allowing it to bring a higher degree of data, content and flexibility to differentiate its offering, compete more effectively and grow faster in the region.  It will also provide rich and competitive content access for Sabre’s marketplace of more than 400 airlines, 750,000 hotel properties, and hundreds of tour operators, rail, car and cruise providers, giving Al Safeer Travel the opportunity to sell personalised travel packages from suppliers all over the world. “Sabre and Al Safeer Travel have enjoyed more than 20 years of a successful strategic partnership, which has enabled Al Safeer Travel to evolve into a leading travel company in the region,” said Abdul-Razzaq Iyer, Vice President, Sabre Travel Network Middle East. Jamal Al Asoomi, General Manager, Al Safeer Travel and Tours, said, “We are working with Sabre to recruit new capabilities in mobile, data analytics and online travel to help us extend our reach to new customers and markets – and are looking forward to another decade of success.”

VFS Global officially inaugurated its new Abu Dhabi Joint Visa Application Centre at a more comfortable and premium location in terms of amenities and infrastructure. The newly relocated centre is situated at Level B2 (Lower Ground), The Mall, World Trade Centre, Khalifa Bin Zayed the 1st Street (Airport Road), Abu Dhabi. Spread across 24,000 square feet, the new centre serves 28 client governments and is expected to process over 100,000 visa applications annually. The centre is equipped with 72 application submission counters and can accommodate up to 1,500 applicants a day. For customers seeking luxury and convenience, the Abu Dhabi centre offers 24 submission counters in its Premium Lounges. The new centre is dedicated to the memory of the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Former Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Founding Father of the UAE. Representing the UAE government and having unveiled the statue of His Highness Sheik Zayed – H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al Banna, Ambassador of the UAE to India, said, “Abu Dhabi is thrilled to welcome the seamless and automated VAC experience that this centre will deliver to travellers from Abu Dhabi.” Commenting on the launch of the new centre, Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO for Middle East, South Asia & China, VFS Global, said, “The launch of the new Abu Dhabi centre, which is one of the biggest in the region, reflects our vision to provide world-class facilities to match the UAE capital’s strong demand for best-in-class visa application services.”

In a bid to promote the destination as a touristic hub in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia took several initiatives recently. Her Highness Princess Haifa Mohammed Al Saud – Vice President of Strategy and Planning, Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) stated that they have launched four types of visas to provide an opportunity for more travellers to visit the kingdom. In this regard, there are 49 countries who could apply for the visit visa option online to book their visa within just three minutes or visa upon arrival. For the remaining countries they can still go to the embassy and apply for the visa. There are four different travel purposes under this scheme; Umrah, leisure, visit family and MiCE. You have different options, it is a 300 Riyals visa with multiple entry for 90 days and valid for one year. There is an additional medical insurance that could also be obtained at the time of application for the visa. Her Highness stated, “In terms what we are doing to further attract people to the destination we conducted a consumer surveyor with 20,000 pool of people from 17 countries and we have realised that one of the key issues is awareness and not enough information on the destination of Saudi Arabia hence we are strengthening the communication element with our strong campaign to give the people to feel the beauty of Saudi Arabia as a first step. We are starting with four key destinations and we have developed 15 sites that are ready around each of the four destinations which include Riyadh, Jeddah, Madina and the eastern province and three more destinations to be added and 38 total …

Etihad Aviation Group, owner of the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier, announced the signing of an agreement to launch ‘Air Arabia Abu Dhabi’, the capital’s first low-cost carrier. Etihad and Air Arabia will establish an independent joint venture company that will operate as a low-cost passenger airline with its hub in Abu Dhabi International Airport. The new carrier will complement Etihad Airways’ services from Abu Dhabi and will cater to the growing low-cost travel market segment in the region. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “With the emirate’s diverse attractions and hospitality offerings, travel and tourism plays a vital role in the economic growth of the capital and the UAE. By partnering with Air Arabia and launching Abu Dhabi’s first low-cost carrier, we are serving this long-term vision”. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said, “Home to the first low-cost carrier in the MENA region, the UAE has developed over the years to become a world-leading travel and tourism hub. We are thrilled to partner with Etihad to establish Air Arabia Abu Dhabi that will further serve the growing low-cost travel segment locally and regionally while capitalising on the expertise that Air Arabia and Etihad will be providing”.

In the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammad Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports, Bryan Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yao Yabo, President of Beijing Daxing International Airport (BDIA), establishing a framework for the sharing of best practices and the exploration of potential opportunities for future collaboration. Speaking after the signing, Thompson commented, “This agreement is the result of the close social and economic ties between the UAE and China, and we look forward to working with our Chinese colleagues to enhance our partnership at all levels. We are the first airport to sign an agreement with Beijing Daxing International Airport, highlighting Abu Dhabi International Airports status as a regional aviation hub and commitment to collaborating with partners from across the globe.” Yao Yabo commented, “On September 25, 2019, the Chinese President Xi Jinping officially announced the opening of Beijing Daxing International Airport. We believe on the basis of long-term and win-win cooperation with Abu Dhabi Airports, the two sides will jointly make more contributions to China’s civil aviation and the world’s civil aviation.”

Over 500 travel professionals from around the world met in Istanbul to celebrate this year’s theme ’10 years of Turkish Airlines Corporate Club’ as the airline enters a new era from its new home at Istanbul Airport, the world’s biggest airport terminal built from scratch. M. İlker Aycı, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Turkish Airlines, opened the conference on October 8, 2019 and the programme featured leading figures in the travel industry. M. İlker Aycı said, “Turkish Airlines continues to grow its operations and the products and services offered to its corporate passengers and eagerly embrace the opportunities that our new home at Istanbul Airport offers. We are committed to providing our guests an elevated travel experience and welcome them on our journey from the World’s Meeting Point.” Turkish Airlines Corporate Club is dedicated to serving the best of Turkish hospitality to its corporate customers and is committed to offer a range of advantages through its loyalty programme. Appreciating that time is of the utmost importance to its guests, the Turkish Airlines Corporate Club provides maximum flexibility of ticket booking, use of Istanbul Airport’s exclusive lounges and pre-boarding advantages such as a generous baggage allowance.  Once onboard, valued members are invited to enjoy excellent products and services. Business Class guests have exclusive use of flatbeds to stay refreshed, free WiFi to stay connected and Flying Chefs who serve top class catering.

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing hosted a series of strategic meetings with tourism and media companies across the GCC, highlighting the positive performance of the emirate’s tourism industry during the first eight months of 2019. The series of stakeholder meetings discussed the region’s standing as Dubai’s strongest volume generator (representing 20 per cent of all tourists welcomed into the city) in the first eight months of the year, with its lead contributor, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), bringing in more than one million tourists as the second largest source market. Chaired by Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), the meetings were held as part of the Department’s ongoing commitment to further enhancing collaboration with partners in traditional strongholds and emerging markets in line with Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2022-2025. The delegation toured Kuwait, followed by Riyadh, and Jeddah, and included senior representatives from Expo 2020 who provided an update on major developments of the hugely anticipated event and explored effective collaborations in the lead up to a momentous year for the emirate. These partnerships aim to drive stronger destination appeal for target audiences across the GCC, particularly across the family segment and those visiting friends and families, as well as targeting emerging segments. Dubai Tourism’s efforts to create targeted and customised experiences for GCC tourists is reflected in the Department’s always-on calendar of strategic activations, marketing campaigns and ongoing trade and business partnerships.