Category Archives: Exhibitions

Second edition of the Singapore Tourism Board Virtual Roadshow to be held on Wednesday February 3, 2021 from 10am to 4pm UAE time. Sentosa Development Corporation will partner with the event and travel trade partners from the Middle East will have the opportunity to meet them one on one. Jacqueline Low, Director of Sales, Business and Channel Development, Sentosa Development Corporation stated that they will update the latest offerings, “ We will be providing updates on Sentosa’s latest offerings to help our partners plan their itineraries for when travel resumes for more markets, and provide assurance that Sentosa is ready to welcome guests, anytime they are ready.” She further reiterated, “Sentosa has an array of personalized and intimate experiences that can appeal to the Middle East travellers. With a steady increase of Middle East travelers to Singapore, this can mean new source market(s) for the island businesses to develop.With travel restrictions still in place, a face to face interaction may not happen so soon. A virtual roadshow allows us to share what Sentosa has to offer. This helps us strengthen the awareness and increase the mindshare of our beautiful island in Middle East while we await earnestly to welcome their visit.”,

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will conducts its second virtual roadshow on Wednesday February 3, 2021 from 10am to 4pm UAE time. Beverly Au Yong, Area Director, Middle East, Singapore Tourism Board, shared  “Through the virtual trade roadshow, Singapore Tourism Board in Middle East is offering an opportunity to Singapore stakeholders to share reimagined initiatives and offers with the regional trade partners. Singapore Tourism Board will continue engage its travel trade partners to provide support through these challenging times. The virtual roadshow provides an exclusive opportunity for the regional travel trade partners to virtually connect with multiple service providers in Singapore. This platform allows our trade partners to deepen their ties, discuss business opportunity and get updates about the various services, offers and products available in Singapore following the pandemic.”  

According to research conducted as well as commissioned by Reed Travel Exhibitions, the organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), many travel experts are expecting a surge in workations in 2021 and beyond, a trend that was apparent in 2019, but one which now has such pent-up demand due to the coronavirus travel restrictions. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, which will take place live at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) May 16-19, 2021, said, “The hotel industry in the Middle East has gradually started to recover, especially in places such as Dubai. Staycations created the initial demand after lockdown, the next step has been the continued growth of workations, which are also referred to as bleisure stays, which tend to bring in more visitors from overseas. Longer term, the ‘on the go’ executive will be a far more common sight in hotels, whether it’s Gen Z singletons, millennial professionals, or freelancers who can earn a living from a laptop,” added Curtis. “And on that point, as an example, Dubai has introduced a remote visa programme that would entitle visitors to stay for up to 12 months, with access to co-working spaces and government support services,” said Curtis. “Covid-19 has completely disrupted the traditional office culture and the hospitality sector has been quick to offer alternative solutions for those looking to combine working from home with leisure time. The introduction of the workation concept is not just a novel idea, it’s about making adjustments to meet the new market demands, allowing those who are not currently working from their office to enjoy a luxury hospitality experience whilst continuing their work commitments,” said Mark Kirby, COO of Emaar Hospitality. …

Residents and visitors can enjoy sensational winter sun getaways with an exclusive selection of hotel deals and promotions on offer this Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF). Running until 30 January, there’s still plenty of time to check-in to some of the city’s best five-star properties, beachfront getaways and neighbourhood retreats. Wintertime in Dubai is when the city really comes to life, with the wonderful combination of picture-perfect weather, blue skies and amazing offers and entertainment available as part of DSF’s superb lineup of activities, promotions and much more. Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), organisers of DSF, has highlighted some of the best deals available so residents and visitors can enjoy days filled with sun-soaked shopping experiences and cool evenings relaxing with friends and family at a hotel of their choice. After a hard day’s shopping at the DSF sales, guests staying at the Rixos the Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites can unwind in a luxurious rejuvenation treatment available as part of the property’s indulgent self-care holiday offer. The promotion includes 25 per cent off all-inclusive stay rates, a complimentary 30-minute body massage per person, once per stay, and 20 per cent off massages and hammam treatments throughout the stay. Located on the banks of the historic Dubai Creek and a short stroll from some of the city’s oldest and most eclectic neighbourhoods, the Canopy by Hilton Dubai Al Seef hotel is the perfect choice for residents and visitors looking to discover the Dubai Shopping Festival Market at Al Seef Presented by Al Foah as well as historic old Dubai. This DSF, the hotel is offering a great deal for foodies looking to indulge in traditional Mediterranean-style seafood and international dishes …

Al Barakah International Investment revealed the latest progress of Abu Dhabi’s much-anticipated waterfront social dining and entertainment destination. Commenting on the progress of Al Qana and the market situation, Fouad Mashal, CEO of Al Barakah International Investment, developer of Al Qana said, “Al Qana is our ultimate touristic project that will provide a very unique experience we all envision for the Entertainment and Tourism sectors in the UAE. As the tourism sector recovers from the travel restrictions due to the pandemic, Al Qana would be ready to receive visitors in 2021. We are almost there, and it will be worth the wait! 2021 is the year we and the UAE celebrate the country’s 50th anniversary.“Our top priority is to adapt to the new social norms in place to ensure the safety of visitors coming to this special social destination. Our team is working on new protocols and procedures with the relevant authorities to ensure the required guidelines are applied fully at our premises. There are exciting times ahead of us and Al Qana will be a unique contribution to this.” Stuart Gissing, General Manager of Al Qana said: “There are high expectations for Al Qana, a cornerstone development for the future of the UAE. It’s the realization of a seven-year vision from Al Barakah International Investment that will positively enhance Abu Dhabi’s reputation. We are committed to bring to the market a new way of experiencing entertainment. We are not a mall but a vibrant lifestyle destination of entertainment for all age brackets.”

Al Hai project in partnership with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Emaar. Featuring immersive, innovative and sustainable art installations that were four months in the making, Al Hai is electrifying the buzzing Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, opposite the Address Downtown hotel, through specially installed lights and clever use of shadows. Commenting on Dubai Culture’s participation in this initiative, Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, Director of Marketing & Corporate Communication, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Arts & Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, said, “Dubai Lights is an innovative event that aligns with the aspirations of our inspiring leadership and reflects the keenness of Dubai Culture to collaborate with various government and private agencies to enrich the cultural and aesthetic scene of our emirate.” Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said, “Al Hai is a wonderful and intriguing addition to the packed lineup of entertainment and activities on offer throughout this edition of DSF. The artistic project truly captures the essence and unique nature of the traditional Emirati neighbourhoods that can be found across Dubai by inviting visitors to explore their unmistakable landmarks and architectural features through the highly innovative use of immersive lighting techniques.“AlHai’s light creations will be instantly familiar to long-time Dubai residents and also welcoming to visitors who will be able to stroll through an entire neighbourhood just by following the different installations in place along Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard.”

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will be the host of the World Congress of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS World Congress) 2024, which marks the first time this signature event is held in the region since launched in 1994. RTA was privileged by hosting the event following its nomination by ITS Europe, an organisation to which RTA has recently been affiliated. The Congress is supported by three prominent entities of the industry, namely ITS Europe, ITS America, and ITS Asia-Pacific. His Excellency Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said, “Hosting the ITS World Congress 2024 in Dubai underscores the rising global standing of the Emirate in the field of ITS, the confidence of such reputed entities in the role of Dubai, and the ability of the city to stage successful global events.” “The hosting of the Congress comes in light of the massive steps made by Dubai in advancing ITS as witnessed by the portfolio of smart projects undertaken by RTA in anticipation of the future such as intelligent transport centres, and self-driving transport as well as the enablers of the 4th Industrial Revolution such as the IoT, AI applications, machine learning, big data, robotics, and mobility power solutions,” said Al Tayer. “RTA is keen to keep abreast of the Government’s future directions of transforming Dubai into a smart, innovative and sustainable city that uses cutting-edge telecommunication and digital technologies. In this regard, RTA is proceeding ahead with the Dubai Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy aimed at converting 25% of total mobility journeys in Dubai to smart self-driving journeys by 2030. As such, advancing the smart mobility is based on three elements: customer’s …

Philippine government has announced that the construction of the Philippines Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has already reached 87 per cent completion. Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (PDTI) and Commissioner General Secretary Ramon Lopez said that ‘Bangkóta’ is on track of its scheduled handover in March 2021, with the teams involved exerting full efforts. Bangkóta also highlights the country’s passion for sustainability—sourcing majority of its materials from the local markets of UAE. According to Lopez, such readily available materials are among the contributing factors that led to them staying on track of their schedule despite the movement restrictions caused by the pandemic. Lopez said, “The Pavilion’s concept, including the materials to be used, has been well thought of by the creators, a reason it became easier for the team to go ahead and build the design. While recent restrictions brought about by the pandemic posed a challenge, they also unleashed within the team their resourcefulness and creativity—allowing them to pull such magnificent work without any delays.” Omar Shehadeh, Chief International Participants Officer, International Participants at Expo 2020 Dubai, also commended the efficiency of the team in terms of the construction of the pavilion, saying, “The sheer passion of the people behind the Philippines Pavilion is truly commendable, and I am honoured to have witnessed their creativity and hard work coming to life through Bangkóta. I am confident that Filipinos in the UAE will be further proud of their identity once they get to witness what the Philippine team has prepared for them in the upcoming Expo 2020.” Hjayceelyn Quintana, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE , for her part, expressed her pride for the team behind the pavilion, saying, “This …

Dubai Airshow is set to return for its 17th edition on November 14-18, 2021, to be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence. One of the most successful air shows in the world, the event will be held with the support of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Airports, the UAE Ministry of Defence and Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects and organised by Tarsus F& E Middle East. The event will be the only Airshow of its kind to take place in a live format, highlighting Dubai’s leading response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the world-class safety measures implemented in the emirate. Dubai Airshow will be the most important and critical point of convergence in 2021 where the future of global aerospace industry will be showcased and analysed. Welcoming experts from commercial and business aviation, defence and military, aircraft interiors, air traffic management, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), space and air cargo, the show will serve as an ideal platform for re-thinking strategies, navigating uncertainty and scaling up operations to ensure the smooth re-establishment of the industry in general. Tim Hawes, Managing Director of Tarsus F & E commented, “The Dubai Airshow 2021 will demonstrate the evolution of the aerospace industry and the fast acceleration of digitalisation as a result of the pandemic. The event brings together the entire aerospace ecosystem, showcasing the latest technology and innovation from across the industry. The industry has been impacted significantly by COVID-19 and we are excited to use the Airshow as a platform to demonstrate the necessity of the aerospace and aviation industries and …

ITB China organizers have announced to launch an ITB China Special Edition in 2021. The two-day business event will make its debut in Beijing from May 7 – 8,  2021, to deliver an innovative showcase for business exchanges while providing a stage for sharing industry insights for the travel industry. The regular edition of ITB China 2021, together with the accompanying ITB China Conference in Shanghai, is being rescheduled to November 24-26, 2021. “Fueled by promising news about vaccine developments we all anticipate upward trends in 2021. The way to real market recovery, however, will be a steady and gradual one that our industry will have to walk jointly in order to reach a post pandemic new normal”, said David Axiotis, General Manager of ITB China, further adding, “As the next major milestone, ITB China is once again leading the way with a tailor-made event format, the ITB China Special Edition 2021. Taking place in Beijing in spring next year, we expect a promising outlook on cross-border travel and emerging business opportunities at that time. Lastly, ITB China 2021 in Shanghai is set to once again serve as the leading platform to connect with the world’s largest travel source market, strategically rescheduled to the end of the year, paving the way for a strong rebound of the industry in 2022.” “The progressive recovery of the Chinese travel market is a highly encouraging sign to the tourism sector in Europe. Together with our members, we will continue monitoring the latest changes in the industry and building on our close cooperation with Chinese partners to prepare for a speedy recovery of international travel as soon as the health situation allows,” said Eduardo …