Category Archives: Associations

MENA Leisure and Attractions businesses are all set to welcome a larger number of visitors during Ramadan and the subsequent Eid holidays. The Leisure and Attractions industry is not only one of the greatest contributors to national GDPs in the region, but it also brings immense joy to families looking to spend more quality time together during Ramadan and Eid. Making the Holy Month a truly memorable time for families, the region’s theme parks, family entertainment centres, water parks, and other attractions continue to bring stunning world-class experiences to visitors. Rosa Tahmaseb, Secretary-General at MENALAC shares, “The MENA region is highly enthusiastic about leisure. This paired with Ramadan and Eid, a period during which people have more time to spend on themselves and their loved ones will result in a much-needed revenue uptick for our sector”. Tahmaseb comments, “We’re thrilled to see technology being adopted more regularly at multiple attractions across the MENA region. The uptake of technology means that our ever-evolving industry can clearly see the benefits of better technology, both from a business management tool view as well as the increased hygiene and security measures that come as standard with various ticketing and cashless cards systems”. She continues, “It is fantastic to see how each attraction adopts the new technologies available to them from amusement parks in Dubai with their contactless technology to Cultural sites in Saudi Arabia”. Sustainability also plays a key role in the industry’s future with eco-friendly features forming a cornerstone of up and coming projects in the region. Renowned for its passion for leisure and entertainment, the MENA region remains committed to bringing its residents and international visitors world-class experiences. As waves of cultural …

The 2021 edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM 2021) taking place for the very first time as a hybrid event from 16-19 May (physical) and 23-25 May (virtual), will see Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) pull out all stops to ensure that the destination remains in the global spotlight with unique events, projects and initiatives designed to further accelerate tourism momentum in this landmark year for Dubai. Over 70 representatives from government bodies, hotels, destination management companies and tour operators will join Dubai Tourism at the Dubai stands in Hall 3 of the Dubai World Trade Centre to safely welcome stakeholders, partners and visitors to a key industry event within a physical setting, as part of continued efforts to lead the recovery of global tourism. Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Tourism said, “ATM will play a pivotal role in strengthening the industry in what continues to be one of the most challenging periods for global tourism. With Dubai being the host destination and as one of the longstanding official partners of the event, our participation together with a cross-section of industry representatives is fundamental to the global efforts underway in dealing with a rapidly evolving situation as well as to drive post-pandemic tourism growth.  As we look forward to support ATM’s efforts to help rebuild the travel sector and facilitate business within our industry, we will also leverage this important platform to showcase the breadth of Dubai’s tourism proposition and innovative projects and initiatives while underlining that the health and safety of residents and visitors remains our top priority. We are committed to realising our tourism strategy of making Dubai the most visited and one of …

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) hosted the latest quarterly meetings of its Business Events and Exhibitions Committees, providing industry stakeholders with updates on restarting and scaling up events since their resumption in September and the roadmap for the sector as Dubai continues to lead the global recovery. Held virtually to maximize attendance during the Holy Month, the two meetings, presided by His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, were part of a series of meetings and townhalls the department has hosted throughout the global pandemic to both keep stakeholders updated on all stages of the recovery and obtain their inputs on various issues. His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, said, “Guided by the city’s prudent leadership over the past year, Dubai has been able to lead the way globally not only in wider tourism recovery but specifically in the restart of business events. Thanks to the efforts of our stakeholders across the sector, the momentum we built at the end of 2020 has gathered pace this year, with strong optimism for the coming months to further leverage our status as one of the few cities globally to be safely hosting business events of all sizes. As the countdown towards Expo 2020 Dubai continues, business events are playing a vital role in attracting more visitors and showcasing this as a safe city for international gatherings, and also recapturing economic growth across all economic sectors.  We remain attuned to the needs of our stakeholders as we continue on our path and welcome their input, collaboration, and expertise.” HH Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, said, “Guided by the city’s prudent leadership over the past …

Israel is reopening its doors to vaccinated tourists starting at the end of May, supported by the launch of a strategic campaign that ensures as many foreign tourist arrivals as possible in 2021.  The announcement was made by the Minister of Tourism Orit Farkash-Hacohen at a press conference held in Tel Aviv.  “Israel today is a world leader in safety and health, and we will make sure every potential tourist knows this when planning their summer or winter vacation,” Farkash-Hacohen stated, “We cannot miss this opportunity – and, as minister of tourism, we won’t.” “Dubai has great tourism potential for Israel,” the Minister said, adding “The UK and the US have always been large markets for inbound tourism to Israel. I have no doubt, we will see many tourists from all three countries within a short period of time.” Farkash-Hacohen also announced the ministry would reinstate a directive incentivizing foreign airlines to operate flights to the Ramon Airport located outside of Eilat. The incentive, which was in place before the COVID pandemic, is now being budgeted at a cap of NIS 25 Million, which will enable foreign carriers to receive financial incentives for every tourist they bring to Israel. “In recent years, Indian travellers have become familiar with the cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and now we want to introduce them to the resort city of Eilat, on the shores of Red Sea.  Once international travel resumes from India, we are confident that Eilat will be a destination on the minds of the Indian travellers, so we want to make progress with potential flight routes when the demand comes.” said Sammy Yahia, Director of Tourism, India & Philippines. “Ensuring …

Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), part of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), organised a virtual workshop for national tourism companies to highlight its efforts in preparing Emiratis to play a vital role in the sector. The workshop, which was hosted under the Medyaf programme, DCT’s industry nationalisation initiative, also provided participants with updates from the tourism sector and the College’s plan for the key fourth quarter period, as the country prepares to host the Expo 2020 Dubai from October. The contribution of the tourism sector to Dubai’s GDP; the city’s advanced infrastructure and diverse attractions and experiences; the top searched places to visit in the emirate, as well as the shopping, dining and entertainment destinations, in addition to the hassle-free entry process for visitors were among the topics discussed at the workshop. Participants were also informed about the wide range of health and safety measures that are in place across the city to ensure that the safety and well-being of travellers, from arrival to departure, remains the city’s top priority. The workshop highlighted Dubai Tourism’s passion to support local Emirati talent and national companies that employ highly qualified Emiratis, through courses taken at the Dubai College of Tourism such as the Online Tour Guide Course. It is important to provide the tourism sector with UAE nationals as they are regarded as the best-placed candidates to introduce the Emirati culture, heritage, and customs to visitors. They will also be able to provide information and share experiences with tourists that stem from their own understanding of Emirati society and its unique culture and traditions.

Emirates and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) have begun to implement full digital verification of COVID-19 medical records connected to testing and vaccination for travellers based in the UAE. Emirates customers who have undertaken a PCR test in Dubai can choose to check-in without presenting their physical COVID-19 PCR test report. Moreover, customers who have received their COVID-19 vaccination at a DHA health centre in Dubai can, together with their COVID-19 PCR test results, have their documents synchronised during flight check-in. The new streamlined verification procedures will enable secure and faster processing times for customers departing from Dubai International Airport. The information will then be matched up with the entry requirements of the destination. Emirates will only process the relevant information specifically related to the COVID-19 entry requirements of the customer’s destination. Once check-in formalities are completed, information related to COVID-19 medical records will be immediately discarded from the Emirates systems. The integration comes less than two months after the signing of the MoU between Emirates and the Dubai Health Authority and is a first-of-its-kind agreement between an airline and a government health authority. The integration also makes Dubai one of the first cities in the world to implement full digital verification of traveller medical records related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination. Adel Al Redha, Chief Operating Officer for Emirates Airline said: “The UAE government has been very supportive and is one of the leading countries in the use of technology and digital applications. This initiative is in line with the government’s vision and we are delighted to take this step within the aviation sector to cooperate with DHA in linking our systems together to enhance the customer experience by …

Dubai Way created by Dubai College of Tourism has been reimagined to offer a series of new and engaging practical courses in a bid to uphold the world-class hospitality experience the city is known for. Dubai College of Tourism has refreshed the courses in keeping to domestic demand and global travel trends in light of the evolving situation faced by the global tourism industry. The Dubai Way platform provides the opportunity to broaden the knowledge and enhance the skills of government and private sector staff engaged in tourist-facing roles, such as those working at hotels, airlines, airports, malls, transportation systems, theme parks and tourism attractions to help them become more knowledgeable and therefore more resourceful to visitors seeking to know more about Dubai. By better understanding the tourism industry, Dubai’s unique selling points and the key pillars of the Dubai brand, learners will feel confident to interact with both visitors and residents from all cultures and nationalities. Essa Bin Hader, General Manager at Dubai College of Tourism, said, “As a leading destination, we truly believe in ensuring that every tourist arriving in Dubai must enjoy the most exceptional experiences and hospitality at all tourist touchpoints across the emirate. The new courses that are being introduced by the College will further highlight the important role played by the Dubai Way platform to ensure that people employed in tourist-facing roles are equipped with the required knowledge, market insights and excellent customer service skills when engaging with domestic and international travellers. As Dubai strives to achieve the goal of becoming the best place in the world to live, stay and visit, there is no better time than now, in this landmark year of …

A special MoU and joint cooperation to establish a general framework for the development of the tourism sector through financing tourism projects in the Arab region, with special emphasis on least developed Arab countries was signed under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Bandar bin Fahd Al Fahid, President of the Arab Tourism Organization (ATO) – Mr. Ayman Amin Sejiny, CEO of the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) (https://ICD-ps.org), member of the Islamic development Bank Group (IDBG), and His Excellency Mr. Khaled Murad Reda – Assistant Secretary General of the ATO. On this occasion, Ayman Sejiny declared that this memorandum fulfils the objectives of the ICD, aiming at enhancing and improving the structures and mechanisms of cooperation among the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (including the Arab countries), as well as responding to their needs by extending financing for development projects and carrying out supporting activities that foster human development and institutional efficiency. The memorandum also tends to implement ICD strategy, which aims to finance investment projects with developmental impacts and to promote activities related to capacity-building, especially for the organizations in charge of promoting investment and trade in IDB member countries. Besides, the Memorandum seeks to build a strategic cooperation relationship between ICD and the ATO especially in the current circumstances, where the tourism sector has been severely affected by the repercussions of the spread of the Corona epidemic. On his part, H.E. Al Fahid expressed his pleasure to sign this memorandum through which many programs and consultations will be presented that serve and support the tourism industry in the Arab world, with emphasis on less developed countries in terms of …

Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has extended exemptions of tourism and municipality fees for hotel establishments operating within the Emirate until June 30th, 2021. The exemption follows directives from Abu Dhabi Executive Council that are part of the economic stimulus package and are part of ongoing efforts to support the sector in overcoming challenges from COVID-19. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, DCT Abu Dhabi introduced a series of initiatives and stimulus packages beginning in March 2020 to support hotel and tourism establishments in the capital. “This initiative is in line with our vision of sustaining and supporting the tourism sector, especially in the exceptional and urgent circumstances that currently face the sector,” said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of the Tourism and Marketing Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi. “This decision supports partners and stakeholders in revitalising the tourism sector and ensuring that it recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing hotel and tourism facilities with the opportunity to develop and improve their experiences and products. Close collaborations between the public and private sectors are vital, and we are committed to working hand-in-hand to pave the way towards a brighter future,” he added.  

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) hosted a virtual town hall meeting for industry stakeholders, providing an overview of the tourism sector and global travel updates and trends, as well as insights into source markets, initiatives, campaigns and events designed to highlight Dubai’s position as the destination of choice for families in the summer. The Summer 2021 Virtual Town Hall, presided by Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), is part of the regular top-level industry engagements initiated by Dubai Tourism to ensure the entire industry is seamlessly aligned with the marketing communications and campaigns dedicated to tourism growth. The meeting, attended by over 600 key executives from the hospitality, travel and attractions sectors, reviewed the progress made by the industry since the reopening of the city to domestic tourism in May 2020 and international tourists in July 2020. It also reviewed the strong measures in place to safeguard the health and well-being of residents and visitors. During the meeting, it was noted that the wide ranging steps taken by Dubai to successfully manage the pandemic resulted in the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) awarding the emirate the ‘Safe Travels’ stamp. Dubai also launched its own compliance programme, the DUBAI ASSURED stamp to certify and recognise establishments across the tourism ecosystem that have complied with all safety protocols. An ongoing countrywide vaccination campaign has also placed the UAE among the top five nations globally in terms of overall vaccine rollout. The Town Hall provided an insight into Dubai Tourism’s direction and plans for Summer 2021, to enable stakeholders to leverage and benefit from the various marketing initiatives and ensure the …