Category Archives: Govt

In a significant step towards fostering innovation and supporting entrepreneurship in Oman’s tourism sector, the Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) is launching the first edition of its Hackathon, taking place currently until 21 December 2024, the event brought together developers, designers, and young entrepreneurs to develop creative solutions addressing challenges in the tourism sector and other key areas, including energy, environment, logistics and other sectors. The hackathon will be held in strategic partnership with the Oman Across Ages Museum and Al Dakhliya Governorate. It will also collaborate with several Oman Investment Authority entities and be executed by Al Jabr, a regional leader in startup development and institutional innovation in the MENA region. The OMRAN Hackathon serves as a dynamic platform for technological and creative talent to collaborate in a competitive environment, crafting innovative ideas in fields such as technology, artificial intelligence, health, and environmental sustainability. Participants will work to transform these ideas into prototypes or actionable projects. The event launch will be celebrated on the 14th of December at the Oman Across Ages Museum. This will be followed by an innovation sprint at Dusit D2 Naseem Resort in Al Jabal Al Akhdar on 19 and 20 December, featuring two days of intensive brainstorming and mentorship. The Hackathon concludes with a ceremony on 21 December, also at Dusit D2 Naseem Resort, where teams will present their final projects to a panel of esteemed judges and compete for recognition and prizes. Developers, designers, university students specialising in technology, tourism, and business, as well as entrepreneurs from the tourism and technology sectors, are encouraged to participate. Out of over 100 registered teams, only 30 will be selected, ensuring a showcase of the …

A Qatari delegation, led by representatives from Qatar Tourism and the Ministry of Interior, and members of the Permanent Committee for the Management of Sea Ports and Passports, Mwani Qatar and the General Authority of Customs, concluded a visit to Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat recently. These meetings provided a platform to explore ways of collaboration, exchange best practices in logistics and port management, and discuss strategies to enhance the cruise tourism experience. Commenting on the visit, Omar Al Jaber, Head of Tourism Development at Qatar Tourism, said: “Our visit to Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat was an opportunity to network with our Omani counterparts and exchange in-depth knowledge in key operational areas including immigration and customs, terminal logistics and passenger services. By sharing experiences and consolidating best practices, we are committed to improving Qatar’s cruise experience and strengthening regional cooperation to achieve sustainable growth in the cruise tourism sector.” During the discussions, the Qatari delegation addressed key operational areas, including passport and customs procedures, station operations and logistics, and the roles and responsibilities of tour operators and ship agents. The attendees also discussed ways to enhance cooperation, strengthen bilateral relations and develop the cruise sector in both countries. The visit was carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism of the Sultanate of Oman, where the delegation held high-level meetings with Omani officials, including representatives from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Transport, the Royal Oman Police and the port operator (Asyad).  Qatar’s cruise sector has become a key focus of Qatar Tourism’s strategy, with consistently strong growth rates in recent years. During the 2024-2025 season alone, Doha Port is expected to welcome …

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority announces “Sharjah Championship Week” which is one of the most important events in the Sharjah tourism calendar as it draws spectators from across the world. The final round of the UIM F1H2O World Championship will be held at Sharjah’s Khalid Lagoon, with the participation of 19 drivers representing 9 teams, competing for the top three positions in the largest and most prominent championship of its kind in the world.  This takes place during the “Sharjah World Championships Week,” which attracts a selection of world champions in powerboat racing. Organized by “Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority,” the event will take place from 6th to 8th December and it will determine the world champions for the 2024 season for both drivers and teams. Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, Sharjah is hosting the “Sharjah World Championship Week,” the final round of the UIM F1H2O World Championship, “Grand Prix of Sharjah,” in its 23rd edition. His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, highlighted the importance of the final round of the UIM F1H2O World Championship as a significant global achievement for the UAE in general, and Sharjah emirate in particular, in the field of marine sports. He added, ” We are delighted to welcome world champions and fans of this thrilling sport to such a prestigious event. Hosting this championship reflects our commitment to supporting international sports while providing a prominent platform for world champions to compete on UAE soil. We are fully prepared to host …

Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector continues its impressive growth, advancing 15 positions in international tourism receipts and leading the Top 50 ranking in upward movement. According to the UN World Tourism Organization, Saudi Arabia ranked 12th in 2023, making a significant improvement from its 2019 ranking. Saudi Arabia has led G20 countries in growth on the UN Tourism Barometer, achieving a 73% increase in international tourist arrivals and a 207% rise in international tourism receipts based on the latest data from the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2019. These impressive gains reflect the Kingdom’s success as a leading tourism destination. The steady increase in international tourist arrivals further underscores the trust visitors place in Saudi Arabia’s rich and diverse attractions. Globally, international tourist arrivals reached 96% of pre-pandemic levels in the first seven months of 2024, totaling an estimated 790 million tourists – an 11% increase over the same period in 2023. The Middle East maintained the lead as the strongest-growing region, with international arrivals rising 26% over 2019 levels.

Qatar Tourism announces, the number of visitors by the end of October 2024 has reached a new high of 4 million, matching the total visitor count for 2023.  This year-to-date total represents a 26% increase in international visitors compared to the same period in 2023. This is a positive indication that we will reach even higher numbers by the end of 2024, especially with the kick-off of the winter season and the array of activities that has been planned for this period. GCC nationals make up 41.8% of visitors, with the remaining 58.2% from international markets. The top 10 visitor markets include Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of India, United Kingdom, Kingdom of Bahrain, United States of America, State of Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, Federal Republic of Germany, United Arab Emirates, and People’s Republic of China. To date, 56.2% of visitors arrived by air, 37.84% by land, and the remaining 5.96% by sea. Additionally, Qatar’s hospitality sector has grown significantly, surpassing 40,053 hotel keys (as of September 2024) as part of Qatar’s enhanced tourism infrastructure.  

Qatar Tourism has launched its new cruise season 2024/2025, with the arrival of the luxury cruise ship Resorts World One, which is expected to become the largest in the history of the industry, with 95 cruises, including 33 partial turnovers, 11 departure and return flights, and 4 flights arriving in Qatar for the first time. The luxury cruise ship Resorts World One has launched its first voyage to Qatar and is scheduled to make 23 scheduled visits, carrying 72,000 visitors. Qatar is expected to welcome more than 430,000 visitors from November 2024 to April 2025. During the season, renowned cruise ships such as Minechef 4, MSC Euribia, Aida Prima, Costa Esmeralda, Norwegian Sky and Celestial Journey will dock at Doha Port, reinforcing Qatar’s growing position as a leading global cruise tourism destination. Building on the success of theprevious cruise season 2023/2024, during which Qatar welcomed 73 cruise ships and more than 347,000 visitors, the new season is expected to continue the pace of growth in the cruise sector with a new record performance. During the previous season, Doha Port welcomed world-renowned vessels such as MSC Vertusa , Seaborne Encore, Aida Prima, Artania, Minechef 2, Azamara Journey and MS Rivera. and MS Hamburg and Norwegian Down. H.E. Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, President of Qatar Tourism, said: “Stimulating the growth of Qatar’s cruise sector is a key component of our National Tourism Strategy 2030, and the 2024/2025 cruise season is expected to see a 30% increase in the total number of vessels, as well as a 24.5% increase in the total number of visitors compared to the previous season, reflecting the growing demand for cruises in the region. With new partnerships …

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has successfully concluded its participation in the 43rd World Travel Market (WTM) in London. The three-day event, which attracted thousands of professionals from the global travel and tourism industry, helped SCTDA to reinforce Sharjah’s position as a rapidly growing destination for international tourists. WTM 2024 provided SCTDA with a prime platform to highlight its diverse and rich tourism offerings to a diverse audience of industry professionals, particularly those from Europe, which represents a significant and growing tourism market for Sharjah. His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, highlighted the strategic importance of the EU market to Sharjah’s tourism ambitions. “With almost 350,000 European tourists visiting Sharjah this year, which accounts for 7% increase from last year this shows that the Europe continues to be a vital market for us. We anticipate even stronger growth by the end of 2024, driven by our active engagement in platforms such as WTM.” At a well-attended press conference held at WTM on November 7, SCTDA unveiled significant advancements in the emirate’s tourism infrastructure alongside new hospitality projects that promise to enhance Sharjah’s appeal as a destination of choice for cultural, leisure, and adventure tourism. Key highlights included the Sharjah Safari, the largest safari park outside Africa, and the Moon Retreat, an innovative desert glamping experience, which offers a new concept and style of accommodation experiences amidst nature. “Sharjah Tourism” will also highlight the natural and topographical diversity that characterizes Sharjah’s tourism product, ranging from cultural, leisure, environmental, and beach experiences to adventures, alongside hotel accommodation experiences. These projects underscore the emirate’s commitment to expanding its offerings and products in the fields of eco and adventure …

Qatar Tourism has announced the update of the instructions governing the maritime tourism transport activity, including the licensing of marine tourism transport offices and marine tourism transport in all its categories (A, B and C). In line with international best practices, Qatar Tourism has issued a new classification guide for owners and operators of marine tourism transport, specifying the technical requirements and specifications that must be met by these means that comply with the Tourism Regulation Law No. (20) of 2018. According to these updates, Qatar Tourism confirms that any Class A boat that does not meet the classification requirements and criteria referred to in the Classification Guide No. 1.1 of 2024 will not be allowed to operate, be present or dock in the Doha Corniche area. Categories of tourist transportation include: 1. Class A – includes boats used for short trips only, operating within the Corniche area. 2. Class B – includes boats used for long journeys, operating outside the Corniche area. 3. Class C – includes boats used for long trips that provide accommodation and meals (premium and luxury boats such as yachts). Individuals can operate Category A only while Categories B and C are operated only by licensed tourist offices. Managers of maritime tourism transport offices, boat owners and operators are required to ensure compliance with the new instructions within the allocated time frame as of 25/8/2024, and the means of transport have been given 3 months from the date of issuance of these instructions to abide by them. Qatar Tourism regulates and develops the tourism industry, promotes private sector investment and sets the strategic direction of the sector. Mr. Fahad Hassan Al-Abdulmalik, Director of Tourism Licensing …

Qatar Tourism, through the Service Excellence Academy, has launched a new training program titled ‘Qatar Ambassadors: The Road to Excellence’, which is being implemented in collaboration with the Police Officers Institute of the Ministry of Interior, with the aim of improving the visitor experience at all entry and exit ports by developing the skills and knowledge of port and passport officers. The first-of-its-kind training program lasted for three days and concluded with the handing over of 20 graduates certificates of completion on October 22 at the Civil Defense Officers Club. During the program, the important role of passport officers as “ambassadors of Qatar” who make first and last impressions that often last for visitors was recalled. Interns gain the experience and skills to deliver exceptional services and seamless experiences for all passengers. The program aims to enable officers to deal with diverse situations with professionalism, empathy and care, by enhancing their effective communication skills, emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity. The program includes five modules: the role of migration in the travel experience, mastering effective communication skills, striving for excellence, emotional intelligence, and Qatar ambassadors. Commenting on the training programme, Mr. Omar Al Jaber, Acting Head of Tourism Development, said: “The Qatar Ambassadors: The Road to Excellence programme is a joint effort and collaboration between Qatar Tourism’s Academy of Service Excellence and the Police Officers Institute to provide training for frontline workers dealing face-to-face with visitors to Qatar, as the first to receive visitors upon arrival in Qatar. The role they play in representing Qatar is vital to maintaining the mental image of our country in front of visitors. At Qatar Tourism, we are committed to achieving the highest standards of …

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICA) showcased  6 innovative projects that reflect the authority’s leadership in the field of digital transformation and employing the latest technologies to develop the smart services system to meet the aspirations of customers and their current and future needs at the recently concluded GITEX Global event in Dubai. The list of projects that DEWA is participating in during the current edition of the exhibition includes 6 diverse projects, namely the Wired Your ID project, the Emirates Express Corridor, Smart Travel, Institutional Connectivity Services, Bureaucracy Zeroing Platform, and Digital Certification via Face Print. His Excellency Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of the Authority, stressed that  the Authority’s participation during the current session of the exhibition is characterized by the diversity of its displayed projects, the quality and leadership of the innovative ideas it contains, and its continuous endeavor to delight the beneficiary customers, in addition to that it reflects the Authority’s constant keenness and clear vision to develop the service system according to the pulse of the customer, foresee the future, predict developments and prepare for them by creating development projects that contribute to supporting the security of society and make its members happy by providing flexible proactive services that support security. Controlling border crossings enhances the economic growth of the state and attracts entrepreneurs and those with talent and experience. His Excellency added that DEWA’s participation reflects the advanced level achieved by DEWA in the field of digital transformation and the development of the smart services system that is provided to customers, community members and those wishing to visit the country, work, invest and live in it, as …