Marriott International Inc. announced that it has signed an agreement to introduce the iconic St. Regis brand to Oman. Expected to open in 2022, the 271-room St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort is planned to rise on a prime beachfront plot within Oman’s lifestyle and leisure destination, Al Mouj Muscat. The project also includes plans for 170 branded residential units, which are expected to include a mix of apartments, penthouses and townhouses.  “The signing of St. Regis in Oman is a natural progression for the brand’s portfolio, as the brand continues to become one of the most recognised and sought-after luxury hotel brands in the region,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East & Africa for Marriott International. “We are thrilled to bring this significant project to Oman, especially to this strategic location in one of the most desired waterfront masterplans in the city of Muscat.” Plans for The St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort envision a retreat for leisure travellers, with panoramic views over the Gulf of Oman to the front, and lush green landscapes of the Al Mouj Muscat golf course to the rear. Guests are expected to have access to an accomplished portfolio of leisure amenities in the Al Mouj Muscat community, including a planned 360-berth marina with attractive retail and dining options, as well as a clubhouse with watersport activities.

As a result of its continuous efforts to deliver a smooth and seamless passenger experience, Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) will close its City Terminal, effective from 06:00 am GST time on October 3, 2019. The closure of the terminal falls in line with Abu Dhabi International Airport’s commitment to providing passengers with a streamlined and comfortable experience that allows passengers departing from the airport easy access to their flights and onward destinations. All passengers travelling from AUH are encouraged to depart directly from the airport, where they will be able to enjoy the full comfort and amenities offered to them by Abu Dhabi Airports’ staff, or to visit the conveniently located Abu Dhabi International Airport Expo Check-In, located at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC), open seven days a week from 09:00 to 20:00 local time.

Sabre Corporation, the leading global travel technology provider, in partnership with TrendWatching—global consumer trends and insights experts—has released a consumer trends study explaining the ‘Retail Revolution’ in the hospitality industry. “Technology is changing the expectations of today’s traveller. They demand flexibility, optionality and a seamless shopping experience that goes beyond booking a guest room. This presents exciting opportunities for hoteliers to extend far beyond their traditional offerings,” said Clinton Anderson, President of Sabre Hospitality Solutions. The report details how innovative retail and hospitality players are harnessing six key consumer trends to drive innovation and improve their guest experience. It includes actionable insights to fuel creativity and gain a deeper understanding of how concepts can be applied to provide guests with convenience, relevance, fun, recognition and support – the things they crave in today’s retail-driven environment. Trend 1 -Sentient spaces Travellers are increasingly aware of an ever-growing ecosystem of cameras and sensors. Although sensitive to security concerns, they crave personalisation and are willing to share their data to get it. Truly smart physical spaces – retail stores, hotel rooms and more – are now built with technology ranging from facial recognition to robots that create experiences tailored to the guests moving through them.  Trend 2 – A-CommerceRetailers have mastered the use of algorithms and smart devices to increase convenience and serve up intuitive recommendations at crucial moments. Busy travellers will increasingly expect the same experience from their travel providers. Developing capabilities to automate shopping, selecting and purchasing activities will allow hoteliers to deliver increased simplicity – and a more meaningful experience – to their guests. Trend 3 – Village squaredSmart retailers are responding to society’s increasing sense of isolation by transforming …

When it comes to modern meetings, the rulebook has been thrown out the window and delegates have changing expectations. Boardrooms can often be stifling environments, filled with a range of emotions, from boredom to tension and frustration, leaving the question, how can we break out of the ‘bored-room’ and get the most of our meetings? The answer is IHG’s Unique Meetings, a portfolio of one-of-a-kind event spaces and experiences designed specifically for those looking for non-traditional meetings that are conducive to productivity, creativity and collaboration. Unique Meetings offer more than just four walls and were introduced to cater to the changing expectations of event attendees, who are looking for memorable experiences and stand-out venues. Whether it’s a tropical beach or a Bedouin tent, IHG provides alternative settings for business gatherings and has a team of event planners to assist with organising meetings and conferences that take advantage of the surroundings and leave guests with a long-lasting impression.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) announced that it will participate at GITEX Technology Week 2019, which will take place from October 6-10 at Dubai World Trade Centre, under the umbrella of the Sharjah Government. Underscoring its commitment to harnessing the power of technology in its efforts to promote Sharjah’s tourism sector, SCTDA will launch new innovative services at the Sharjah Pavilion of the event.   Commenting on SCTDA’s GITEX participation, H. E.Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, said, “The role of Artificial Intelligence within the business world has grown dramatically over the past decade and as a result, recent years have witnessed widespread adoption of AI applications by the travel and tourism industry as well. Thanks to the increased connectivity of devices, the Internet of Things (IoT) is also making its impact felt in the tourism and hospitality industry. ” “We consider GITEX an ideal platform to inform the public about our innovative smart services that have been designed to complement the UAE Smart Government goals to help customers save time and effort and to contribute to sustainable development process. The smart services developed by the Authority form part of the objectives of the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021, adopting an innovative approach to tourism as a key pillar of the Vision,” he shared.

His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, delivered the keynote speech to open the inaugural World Travel & Tourism Council Middle East & North Africa Leaders Forum 2019, held in partnership with Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre. Sheikh Saud confirmed in his speech at the event, which attracted hundreds of C-level tourism and travel industry delegates from around the region and the world, that Ras Al Khaimah has had a unique journey, from communities of pearl fishermen, traders and mountain tribes to the prosperous, growing Emirate we see today. Sheikh Saud said, “To create sustainable development here in Ras Al Khaimah, we have been busy trying to build one of the most diverse economies in the region. Currently, no single sector of our economy makes up more than 30% of GDP. And in terms of tourism, we’ve witnessed huge growth – tripling our visitor numbers from under 400,000 to over 1 million in just seven years.”  The one-day World Travel & Tourism Council Middle East & North Africa Leaders Forum 2019 brought together a select group of CEOs and regional travel and tourism leaders, along with Tourism Ministers and regional experts. Speakers included Raha Moharrak, the first Saudi woman and youngest Arab to summit Mount Everest; Paul Griffiths, the CEO of Dubai Airports; Raki Phillips, the CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority; Shaun Vorster, the Vice President of Expo 2020 Dubai; Princess Hayfa bint Abdullah Al Saud; and Gloria Guevara, the President & CEO of WTTC and former Tourism Minister of Mexico.

VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, relocates its Visa Application Centre in Abu Dhabi to a more accessible and premium location in terms of amenities and infrastructure. Commenting on the key features of the new centre, Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO for Middle East, South Asia & China, VFS Global, said, “The expansive new centre serves 27 client governments and provides outbound travellers from Abu Dhabi a very convenient visa application platform, ensuring enhanced quality of services and seamless procedures in a spacious environment. Visa applicants can enjoy personalised services while submitting their visa applications in the comfort of luxurious Platinum or Premium lounges.” Following the relocation, customers can submit their visa applications in an even more convenient and comfortable environment at the new VFS Global centre situated at Level B2 (Lower Ground), The Mall, World Trade Centre, Khalifa Bin Zayed the 1st Street (Airport Road), Abu Dhabi. The newly relocated centre is larger, with a greater applicant accommodating capacity compared to the previous centre, along with high security control and ample parking space.   From this centre, customers can apply for visas to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malaysia, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey, United Kingdom and Ukraine. In 2018, VFS Global processed approximately half a million applications from the United Arab Emirates alone, and Abu Dhabi centre accounted for over 80,000 visa applications.

UAE-headquartered hospitality company, TIME Hotels, has launched a new health and wellness initiative – ‘Healthy You. Healthy World’ – across all of its properties in line with its Tomorrow’s World Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.  As part of the initiative, TIME Hotels has expanded its offering of fitness and wellness activities, introduced a new health conscious menu and participated in a wide variety of activities to help promote healthy lifestyles for both employees and in-house guests.  At TIME Oak Hotel & Suites, an aqua fitness programme for female senior citizens has been introduced, taking place daily from 7 am to 9 am; while at TIME Ruby Hotel Apartments boxing classes are taking place twice a week for members and in-house guests; and at TIME Grand Plaza swimming lessons are available for both adults and children – taking place seven days a week between 8 am and 9 am. Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, TIME Hotels, said, “Every year TIME Hotels participates in a range of activities to raise awareness of several important regional and global initiatives while also taking the opportunity to support the health and wellness of both our employees and of course our guests. Everything we do is focused on having a positive impact and creating a legacy which generations will be able to learn from for many years to come.” Adding to this, Mugs & Munch, a pastry café and lobby lounge, has created a new healthy menu with a focus on fresh and locally sourced ingredients. Awadalla shared, “Creating a menu which offers interesting and healthy food options, with a focus on fresh and local ingredients, is incredibly important to us as we continuously work to broaden our …

Emirates will be operating its A380 service to Cairo International Airport on October 2, 2019, making it the first scheduled commercial airline to operate an A380 flight into Egypt. With the intent to make the world’s largest commercial passenger jet a part of the airline’s scheduled service to Cairo, this inaugural flight will re-affirm the airport’s infrastructure readiness ahead of regular A380 operations. The Emirates A380 service will operate as EK 927 and EK 928, departing Dubai at 08:15 hrs and arriving in Cairo at 10:00 hrs. The flight will depart Cairo at 13:15 hrs arriving in Dubai at 18:45 hrs on the same day. All timings are local. Adel Al Redha, Chief Operating Officer, Emirates, said, “Our close relationship with Egypt spans over 30 years and we reaffirm our commitment to the country by operating our iconic A380 to Cairo. We are setting the stage to make the popular A380 experience a part of our scheduled service to Cairo. We are confident that Egyptian travellers will enjoy the Emirates A380 experience, especially our innovative products such as the onboard lounge and shower spa.”

For the first time Azerbaijan tourism board will be partnering with the most coveted Arabian Travel Awards as its maiden destination partner on Ocober 22, 2019, at the Westin Mina Seyahi Hotel in Dubai. “We are delighted to be part of the Arabian Travel Awards 2019 and to be recognised by the travel trade across the region. We hope our collaboration with TravTalk will continue to drive awareness of our beautiful destination to travel agents across the Middle East. Azerbaijan has been delighted to witness a huge growth in the number of tourists from this region in recent years and really looks forward to welcoming many more in the future,” said Ms. Sevinj Zeynalli, Director of International Market Management. Arabian Travel Awards is a platform for the Middle East market to appreciate the efforts of those travel specialists owing to whom the travel and hospitality industry is booming. The aim is to encourage them to continue promoting tourism in the region. The awards are fair and unbiased, following a systematic method of internet-based voting. These awards are supported by media partners Travel TV.News, TravTalk Middle East and TravTalk India. The awards will be divided into four categories — Personal Awards, Business Awards, Trending Awards and Partner Awards. They will include awards for the 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, to name a few.