Category Archives: Associations

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 …

His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, co-hosted a virtual meeting of the UNWTO Global Tourism Crisis Committee with the organization’s Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The meeting’s participants, which include UNWTO Member States and representatives from global industry organizations, discussed the importance of multilateral cooperation and tangible action to facilitate the safe and seamless resumption of international travel. These efforts will support the sector’s recovery by building confidence among travelers and tourism businesses. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb asserted the Kingdom’s leadership in coordinating and shaping recovery strategies: “As the global community continues to navigate the effects of the pandemic, we must find new and innovative solutions to bring our countries into the new normal, while paving the way to recovery, and ensuring that no country is left behind. This should be based on collective, coordinated and tangible action to ensure that as we build back, we emerge stronger and more resilient.”

Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) has announced a strategic partnership with Chalhoub Group. This partnership comes as part of DCT’s Medyaf programme, the industry nationalisation initiative aimed at preparing talented young UAE nationals for careers across tourism touchpoints including the retail sector. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of DCT and Wassim Eid, President People & Culture at Chalhoub Group . The MOU will pave the way for the development and career support of DCT students and UAE nationals in various roles in the retail sector. Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of Dubai College of Tourism, commented, “Our partnership with Chalhoub Group will provide a major boost to our Medyaf programme to create more opportunities for talented Emiratis to work in the retail sector. The continuing collaboration with the private sector in Dubai comes within the framework of strategic measures being undertaken to meet a key goal of Dubai’s tourism strategy to make the city the world’s No.1 most visited, revisited and preferred destination.  During these challenging times, there is even greater urgency to expand the pool of local talent by working with industry partners like the Chalhoub Group to achieve the goals of our industry nationalisation drive, a critical element in strengthening the city’s tourist-facing workforce and adding to the sustainability and growth of our industry.” Commenting on the agreement, Wassim Eid, President People & Culture, Chalhoub Group, said, “We are proud to partner with the Dubai College of Tourism to support a new generation workforce and attract UAE nationals to join the luxury retail sector. DCT is giving young talents a great opportunity by introducing them to the private sector and …

“Malaysia has already placed strict SOP’s and at present open for business travellers. We are looking at opening travel bubbles with our neighbouring countries like Singapore and Thailand and by Q3 or 2022 exploring to open to other markets starting with China, Japan and India and then reaching the Middle East. We are constantly reviewing all possibilities, SOPs are already in place for various touristic areas and hotels in keeping with international standard. It is good to connect with all of you for the first time from Middle East and India together at the second edition of the Gulf Travel Show,” says Manoharan Periasamy – Senior Director of International Promotion Asia & Africa Division – Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board. He adds, “We participated in November 2020 for the first time at the Gulf Travel Show and due to the positive feedback received from the travel trade we pledged our support as diamond partner at this second edition with 10 selected partners from Malaysia showcasing their many offerings for two whole days. It is a great opportunity to be with the industry players from Middle East and India as they are two of the key source markets; Middle East in top 5 and India in top 10. For this year, we are promoting the hashtag  #WeMissYou to the market indicating that we miss the tourists coming to our beautiful country and can’t wait to see them again at the Malaysian shore soon.” Shahrin Mokhtar, Director of Tourism Malaysia – Dubai shared, “We have been keeping the Middle East agents engaged by conducting a specialized training programme to learn more about the destination and all its offerings, our participation in the Gulf …

The inaugural virtual press conference was held on the opening day at the Gulf Travel Show 2021 conducted by Tourism Malaysia. It started off with the promotional video for Malaysia Truly Asia, which transported you virtually from pristine beaches to amazing nature getaways, cultural splendor at Sarawak village, street food and fine dining options, theme parks with the longest water slide, and the famous Petronas tower describing the breathtaking destination of Malaysia. Mohamed Lotfy – PR & Communications from Tourism Malaysia Dubai office welcomed the media and introduced the speakers for the press conference. Opening remarks were made by Manoharan Periasamy – Senior Director of International Promotion Asia & Africa Division – Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, greeted the Middle East and Indian media for their presence. “It is good to connect with all of you for the first time from Middle East and India together at the second edition of the Gulf Travel Show. We participated in November 2020 for the first time at the Gulf Travel Show and due to the positive feedback received from the travel trade we pledged our support as a diamond partner at this second edition with 10 selected partners from Malaysia showcasing their many offerings for two whole days. It is a great opportunity to be with the industry players from Middle East and India as they are two of the key source markets; Middle East in top 5 and India in top 10. For this year, we are promoting the hashtag  #WeMissYou to the market indicating that we miss the tourists coming to our beautiful country and can’t wait to see them again at the Malaysian shore soon. Malaysia has already placed strict …