Category Archives: Associations

Tourism Malaysia Dubai & Jeddah is launching  Malaysia Specialist Certified Programme (MSCP) to educate travel professionals on destination information to become certified Malaysia travel experts. Conducted by Malaysian destination experts from the state tourism boards of Penang, Melaka, Selangor, Sabah, Sarawak, and Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), the programme comprises a series of six webinars, spanning one hour per session from March 9 to 25, 2021, designed specifically for travel agents. The travel agents will go into deep dives on major attractions, local events, and tourist accommodation premises in Malaysia during webinars. Besides that, the MSCP will also be used to promote Sabah and Sarawak as the new destinations for Middle East travellers. Shahrin Mokhtar, Director of Tourism Malaysia – Dubai, stated, “The MSCP is expected to make a significant headway which will enable us to reach a higher number of travel agents in the Middle East.” Putra Hilmy Elias, Director of Tourism Malaysia – Jeddah, added, “This programme ensures that the travel agents have knowledge of Malaysia and also allows them to grow their businesses by leveraging on Malaysia’s diverse tourism offerings.” The MSCP is a part of Tourism Malaysia Dubai’s initiative born out of the COVID-19 pandemic besides the ‘#WeMissYou’ hashtag strategy to spur the readiness of travel professionals in the Middle East once Malaysia is reopened for business. The participants will be awarded certificates and entitled to enter a lucky draw for the chance to win hotels stay in Malaysia with a validity period until 2022.

Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is gearing up to cross a brand new milestone in its journey of transforming Sharjah into a vibrant hub for sustainable eco-tourism in the region. The authority has announced that the family-friendly Moon Retreat, which will be the fourth eco-luxury retreat to join Shurooq’s Sharjah Collection brand, managed by Mysk by Shaza, is all set to welcome overnight guests – desert adventurers and glampers alike – from around the world in Q1 of 2021, when the UAE’s weather is ideal for immersing in the flurry of outdoor activities and nature-inspired experiences that the archaeologically rich Mleiha region has on offer. Khawla Al Hashimi, Director of Project Development at Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), said, “Moon Retreat offers camping enthusiasts, tourists and visitors of all ages looking to explore the region’s most stunning natural attractions, an unparalleled opportunity to indulge in unique holiday experiences and relax in nature, away from the hustle of the city. It is a part of Shurooq’s broader vision and mission to bolster the existing offerings at the Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism destination, transforming this historic land of archaeological wonders into a fully-integrated and serviced community for tourists and visitors looking for a one-of-a-kind adventure experience in the UAE.” She added, “Developing such eco-friendly retreats continues to position Sharjah as the hub of responsible tourism in the region. Shurooq’s eco-tourism projects have contributed significantly to helping tourists and visitors connect with our heritage and nature while playing a great role in boosting the emirate’s leisure and cultural status across the global tourism sector.  They not only contribute to making a positive impact on the environment and economy but also help …

Bringing together Travel Trade Partners together for the first time, an exclusively curated webinar to explore and Discover Saudi’s exciting new tourism offerings was conducted online. The global travel industry is undergoing its most profound transformation. As the landscapes evolves, it is more important than ever to continue to inspire, engage and educate travel trade for when the world safely re-opens and travel resumes. Saudi Arabia is a relatively new destination on the global stage. As the authentic home of Arabia, Saudi offers unique, diverse and unparalleled experiences, a land of natural assets, rich culture and heritage and adventure. To bring to light the Saudi offering, the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has launched ‘Journeys in Arabia’, an exclusive online event curated especially for Travel Trade Partners around the globe. The virtual engagement series, taking place across six markets around the world, is a first-of-its-kind initiative for STA, a source of inspiration and excitement, designed to inform partners about the diverse products and experiences that Arabia offers. The session provided insights into the current state of travel and the opportunities and challenges in addressing the growing demand and interest in Saudi as a new destination. Panelists discussed the huge shift in domestic travel and potential of the regional audience as an untapped segment, highlighting infrastructure, connectivity and capacity as the three fundamentals in further developing Saudi’s tourism ecosystem. Giga projects including NEOM were referenced as key in driving tourism to Saudi in the future, while investment into activities and experiences was also identified as critical components in elevating Saudi’s appeal amongst key stakeholders and potential partners.

Wego has signed deal with Singapore Tourism Board (STB) Middle East to reimagine travel in Singapore and invite travellers from the GCC to visit the country once the borders are fully open. As countries are reopening their borders and aim to vaccinate the population in the fight against coronavirus, people are gearing up to travel again. Singapore has also started their vaccination drive by rolling out the vaccines amongst healthcare workers, followed by elderly and now to all residents. Singapore has enough vaccines for its 5.7 million population. Wego and Singapore Tourism Board Middle East are working closely to raise awareness about reimaging the future of travel in Singapore through fresh and innovative experiences that will ignite travelers’ passions. The new initiative ‘SingapoReimagine’, prompts audience in the Middle East to reimagine how travel will be like through Singapore’s reimagined offerings, which will be available across Wego’s diverse targeted marketing channels. The country provides its visitors a safe and seamless travel experience through its initiative SG Clean Quality mark, which requires tourism establishments to adhere to stringent levels of hygiene and sanitization as well as Safe Management Measures (SMMs). The city has been reporting low cases over the past few months. A recent Brand Health Study, conducted by STB’s appointed market research company Ipsos, revealed that confidence in travelling overseas for leisure and business has been steadily increasing, with 76% of leisure travelers and 90% of BTMICE travelers indicating they are likely to travel in the next 12 months, if possible. Singapore is a city known for its great food, authentic culture, all around family friendly atmosphere and world-class attractions which have always been attributes that attract GCC tourists to the …

ZoodMall, the fastest growing B2C cross-border e-commerce marketplace app, operating in Central Asia and the Middle East, announced a new strategic partnership in Jordan with MENA region’s leading payment gateway, HyperPay, to offer customers a convenient and secure online payment experience at checkout when completing a purchase on the ZoodMall Application. Recent studies confirm that the e-commerce sector in the Middle East and North Africa region is on the verge of distinct levels of continuous growth during the coming period, coinciding with the increasing demand among consumers for electronic payment options, and the awareness of merchants of the need to enhance their electronic presence during the Corona virus pandemic. Trade in e-commerce platforms is expected to reach USD 28.5 billion in 2022, which is over 3.5 times the current trade volume and nearly 7% of total retail sales. “The vibrant e-commerce market has witnessed an unprecedented increase during the pandemic period with the volume of e-commerce in the Middle East and North Africa region currently about $ 8.3 billion. With our vision and determination to continually expand our customer experience, ZoodMall recently partnered with HyperPay. This affiliation will enable our Jordanian customers to make payments online, using Debit and Credit Cards with ultimate flexibility, security and ease and will be the stepping stone to roll out ZoodPay ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) payment options towards Local purchases including three easy instalment plans of up to 60 days without incurring interest charges.” said Mohammad Al Yousef , ZoodMall Jordan’s Country Manager “We look forward to a long-term partnership with ZoodMall Jordan, and help our new partners grow their presence in the Jordanian eCommerce market as well as unlock their full potential …

Sharjah Events has announced the launch of the #SeeSharjah campaign that aims to collate visual content shared on social media depicting the exciting activities, events and attractions held throughout the year in the Emirate. The ‘Sharjah Shines’ campaign stems from Sharjah Events’ vision to forge strong, meaningful and long-term connections with the public. Stunning, impactful photographs and videos will receive attractive prizes, and winners will be able to enjoy immersive experiences at some of Sharjah’s most popular tourist landmarks. Announcing the launch of the campaign, HE Tariq Saeed Allay, Director of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), said, “The objective behind the #SeeSharjah campaign is to utilise the powerful and innovative user-generated content shared on social media to create a sustainable content library that aligns with the vision of Sharjah Events. Compelling images that capture the beauty of the emirate and showcase the excitement and buzz during its year-long events and celebrations at museums, exhibitions, and other locations will find a place on sharjahevents.ae.” He added, “Monitoring user-generated content that creates an excitement about Sharjah’s wide range of events and activities is a unique opportunity to foster a long-term partnership with content creators and is a powerful resource to increase engagement with the public. Studies have revealed that more than 90 per cent of internet users both favour and trust user-generated content on social media platforms.”

FCM customers in the UAE and in several other growing FCM markets now have access to discounted rates for PCR/Serology tests and Nasal Swab/Deep Throat Saliva tests respectively, currently one of the lowest in the market for business travellers. In the UAE, FCM has formed a partnership with Medcare Hospitals & Medical Centres to provide this service to its clients at its Medcare Hospital Al Safa Dubai. “The business travel landscape and the needs of our customers have changed beyond all recognition over the last few months and business travel conditions will continue to evolve and shift as everyone comes out the other side of the global pandemic,” said Ciarán Kelly, Regional Director – Middle East & Africa, FCM Travel Solutions. “It is extremely important to partner with key private and public institutions to form an ecosystem that works together to operationalise cross-border travel. The reality is that many challenges lie ahead of us and the solution may not be straightforward. However, the process is an essential part of this transition into developing a safe and responsible cross-border travel system that works, and FCM is proud to be at the forefront of this initiative.” Dr. Shanila Laiju, CEO of Medcare Hospital Al Safa & Medcare Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital, said, “Medcare Hospitals & Medical Centres is committed to ensuring the wellbeing of our community. As a combined effort of the nation’s initiatives to offer its people a safe environment, it is our priority to facilitate this by creating this secure space for all people travelling into the UAE and those needing to travel out of the country. With borders steadily reopening, we ensure the most trusted and safe access to …

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) is inviting visitors to make this season truly unforgettable when they book a stay in the Emirate through its new ‘Funderful’ campaign. Whether looking to enjoy its outstanding hospitality, thrilling adventure attractions or authentic cultural experiences, anyone who books a well-earned break in one of Ras Al Khaimah’sparticipating 4- and 5-star hotels for two nights or more till May 31 will be entered into a series of special draws to win an array of prizes. Guests will also get the chance to tackle the campaign’s delightfully quirky tongue-twister ‘absoluxuchillexcitinfunderful’ via dedicated radio competitions to test how well they can get their tongues round the word that so deftly captures all that the Emirate has to offer as well as winning prizes. Guests looking to put their luck to the test or simply for a change in scenery can choose from a variety of accommodation options to suit every need. The campaign aims to highlight the Emirate’s diverse hospitality offer, following the success of its summer ‘Shortcation’ held last year, which generated more than 15,000 room nights over three months. Through this, Ras Al Khaimah was successfully able to position itself as a must-visit destination within the local tourism space, offering visitors the chance to unleash their adventurous side at the Jais Adventure Peak, explore its culture and heritage through its souks, the Pearl Farm and museums, as well as take to the great outdoors while trekking and hiking.  As a result, the Emirate placed first in the UAE in terms of ADR and RevPAR month and year-to-date, as well as leading RevPAR in the GCC.

BPG has secured two more marquee brands from the leisure and tourism sector. Motiongate Dubai and Singapore Tourism Board are BPG’s newest clients, capping off a year that has seen the 40 year-old agency enhance its omnichannel client roster. In 2020, BPG bagged a vibrant cross-sector mix of new clients and projects spanning fintech, retail, technology, media, telecom, life sciences and FMCG. Following a competitive tender, BPG Dubai has been appointed the social media agency in the MENA region for Singapore Tourism Board, the lead development agency for one of Singapore’s key economic sectors. BPG will use its creative and digital media expertise to bring alive Singapore’s ‘Passion Made Possible’ brand promise. The holistic digital remit also includes managing Instagram and Facebook for Visit Singapore ME. BPG Dubai has also won the contract to manage the public relations for Motiongate Dubai, the largest Hollywood-inspired theme park in the Middle East and the flagship theme park in Dubai Parks and Resorts. Avi Bhojani, CEO, BPG, said, “BPG Group has a 40-year legacy and deep understanding of the region. We have had the good fortune of supporting iconic regional destination marketing brands like DSF, DSS, Jumeirah, and more. We have partnered in communicating milestone initiatives, which shaped regional and global perceptions. Armed with our clients’ trust, we look forward to leveraging our extensive experience in destination marketing to support Motiongate™ Dubai and Singapore Tourism Board with our insights, refreshed digital skill sets and innovation.”

International Air Transport Association (IATA) is partnering with Emirates to become one of the first airlines in the world to trial IATA Travel Pass – a mobile app to help passengers easily and securely manage their travel in line with any government requirements for COVID-19 testing or vaccine information. IATA Travel Pass enables Emirates passengers to create a ‘digital passport’ to verify their pre-travel test or vaccination meets the requirements of the destination. They will also be able to share the test and vaccination certificates with authorities and airlines to facilitate travel. The new app will also enable travellers to manage all travel documentation digitally and seamlessly throughout the travel experience. Adel Al Redha Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer said, “While international travel remains as safe as ever, there are new protocols and travel requirements with the current global pandemic. We have worked with IATA on this innovative solution to simplify and digitally transmit the information that is required by countries and governments into our airline systems, in a secure and efficient manner.” Nick Careen, IATA Senior Vice President for Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security said, “With its global customer base and network traffic, Emirates as a partner will also bring invaluable input and feedback to improve the Travel Pass programme. This is the first step in making international travel during the pandemic as convenient as possible giving people the confidence that they are meeting all COVID-19 entry requirements by governments. As borders re-open, IATA Travel Pass will be further enhanced with more capabilities to meet all governments testing or vaccination verification requirements and Emirates customers will be among the first to have these services.”