Category Archives: Govt

According to Greek tourism pages, cooperation in tourism topped the agenda at the recent visit between the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis  and Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha. Indicative of the positive climate between the two countries, earlier this year the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and Qatar Airways announced a joint campaign to promote Greece as a tourism destination in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Last week, the GNTO announced that it had partnered with online travel marketplace Wego to attract more travelers to Greece from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Meanwhile, Qatar Airways operates three weekly flights from Doha to Santorini, the third destination served in Greece by Qatar Airways together with Athens and Mykonos. The two leaders agreed to further tighten bilateral ties and deepen cooperation in other areas as well, including science, culture and sports. Mitsotakis went on to add that thanks to Greece’s strategic position in the area, it can become a bridge between Qatar and Europe and serve as a point of entry for energy for the European market, both through its station in Revythousa and Alexandroupolis. Lastly, he reiterated that Greece was a reliable partner and a pillar of stability in the region, particularly after the country’s exit from enhanced surveillance status this month, which opens a new chapter for Greece and paves the way for more investment opportunities.

For the fifth consecutive time Tourism Malaysia joins the Gulf Travel Show 5.0, this time as Platinum partner. The event is set to kick off on 28th and 29th September 2022 under the theme of sustainable tourism. Gulf Travel Show (GTS) is the only event which was built in with a purpose. When it first started out just after the pandemic whilst most borders were still closed, it gave the travel, tourism and hospitality fraternity an opportunity to ensure that confidence is restored in the minds of the people passionate about the industry. It was also a tool which connected online GCC buyers with exhibitors from across the globe. The fifth edition or GTS 5.0 demonstrates its commitment to uphold its social responsibility to ensure less carbon emissions yet bring all players to the table and learn and study the stakes, the many opportunities to make things right after a bout of almost two and a half years of pandemic era. Mirza Ghalib – Deputy Director, Tourism Malaysia – Dubai, “Malaysia is thrilled to welcome back Middle East tourists to visit and experience our country again. It is a timely opportunity for us to network with travel agents and tour operator partners from the Gulf region. As the platinum partner of GTS 5.0, Tourism Malaysia is having its own virtual pavilion with 15 booths of Malaysian delegates consisting of tour operator partners, hotels, and product owners.” Some of the partners from Tourism Malaysia expressed their comments as well. Sam Poh Choo, Director of Business Development & Marketing, The Taaras Beach Resort & Spa and Berjaya Tioman Resort “We look forward to creating awareness in the Middle East market for The …

Speaking with Travel TV at the 77th year of Independence celebrations of Indonesia in the consulate in Dubai, Hon. Candra Negara, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Dubai stated that this year is a special year as the borders have opened and they are focused on the “10 New Balis” project, to promote tourism from the UAE to Indonesia. The “10 New Balis” includes Borobudur Temple (Central Java), Belitung (Sumatra), Mount Bromo (East Java), Labuan Bajo (East Nusa Tenggara), Lake Toba (North Sumatra), Thousand Islands (Jakarta), Mandalika (West Nusa Tenggara), Wakatobi (Southeast Sulawesi), Tanjung Lesung (Banten), and Morotai (North Maluku). Hon. Candra Negara, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Dubai reiterated, “As we speak, we have an interesting promotion in JBR where we promote the Jakarta area, the diversified business city with lots of tourism offerings for both business and leisure travellers. The city of Jakarta with its rich cultural, heritage and especially the diving spots, because in Jakarta area there are over 40 small islands called thousand islands because there are so many clustered they are promoting it to the Emiratis and and expats in the JBR area. In Indonesia itself, we are trying to promote the tourism destination in 10 priority areas. We are now creating “10 new Balis” they spread from the Western part of Indonesia Sumatra, close to Malaysia and Singapore to the Eastern part of Indonesia in Papua. This eastern part is very important as it offers the best diving spots in the world called The Raja Ampat Islands, four hour flight from Jakarta, worth a visit to explore it’s beautiful virgin diving spot and nature. We are also looking at …

Dubai attracted 7.12 million international overnight visitors between January and June 2022, recording more than 183% growth in visitors compared to the 2.52 million tourists who visited Dubai during the same period in 2021, according to latest data from Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). This positive trend in H1 2022 places the city firmly on track to achieve its tourism goals for 2022 and beyond, and further reinforces its position as an international destination of choice. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “The vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the city of the future and the world’s best place to live, work and invest in has resulted in a resurgence of Dubai’s tourism sector. The growth in tourists reflects the resilience and dynamism of the emirate’s economy. His Highness’s vision has helped Dubai create a strong and stable economic foundation and a dynamic business ecosystem, enabling it to become a leading global hub for diverse sectors. The rapid rise in international tourist arrivals puts Dubai on track to achieve its ambitious target of becoming the world’s most visited destination. In the years ahead, Dubai will continue to develop itself further as a destination that offers compelling value to international travellers.” The number of tourists recorded in H1 2022 was close to the numbers achieved in the first six months of 2019, which saw 8.36 million tourists arriving in Dubai. The emirate’s ability to quickly return to near pre-pandemic tourism levels is even …

In a recent interview with Tracy Lanza Group Head of Global Brand Development at The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), shared that the development of The Red Sea Project will be in two phases, one to be completed by end of 2023 and second to be completed by 2030. She reiterated, “we’re looking forward to welcoming our first guests early next year. Following that, the first phase will be fully completed and operational by the end of 2023. It will include 16 resorts for a total of 3,000 keys, 18-hole championship golf course, luxury marina, and retail and entertainment facilities. Phase two is scheduled for completion in 2030, and will include 50 resorts with 8,000 keys, and 1,000+ residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites.” Commenting further that the work is on track in order to welcome guests, “We’re fortunate to be able to partner with some of the world’s most iconic hotel brands, including EDITION, St Regis, Fairmont, Raffles, SLS, Grand Hyatt, Intercontinental, Six Senses, Jumeirah, Miraval, Rosewood and Ritz Carlton Reserve. Some of these will be able to host their first guests by early next year, while others will open their doors in the months following.” In keeping with the Vision 2030 of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lanza shared, “The project supports the Saudi vision through the development of a brand-new tourism industry that has not existed in the Kingdom before. It will open the door for thousands of young Saudis to pursue new careers and opportunities. We expect to create up to 70,000 new jobs and contribute as a much as 22 billion Saudi riyals (USD 5.3 billion) to the nation’s GDP.”

In order to change business as usual, the city’s design will be completely digitized, and the construction industrialized to a large degree by significantly advancing construction technologies and manufacturing processes. The announcement of THE LINE’s designs is a continuation of NEOM’s progress in the development of its flagship projects such as OXAGON, its reimagined manufacturing and innovation city; and TROJENA, its global mountain tourism destination that will offer the Arabian Gulf’s first outdoor skiing; as well as the launch of two of NEOM’s subsidiaries: ENOWA, its energy, water and hydrogen company; and the NEOM Tech & Digital Company. His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Chairman of the NEOM Board of Directors, announced the designs of THE LINE, a civilizational revolution that puts humans first, providing an unprecedented urban living experience while preserving the surrounding nature. In January last year, His Royal Highness launched the initial idea and vision of the city that redefines the concept of urban development and what cities of the future should look like. The designs of THE LINE embody how urban communities will be in the future in an environment free from roads, cars and emissions. It will run on 100% renewable energy and prioritize people’s health and well-being over transportation and infrastructure as in traditional cities. It puts nature ahead of development and will contribute to preserving 95% of NEOM’s land. The announcement reveals the most important characteristics of THE LINE, which is only 200 meters wide, 170 kilometers long and 500 meters above sea level. THE LINE will eventually accommodate 9 million residents and will be built on a footprint of 34 square kilometers, which is unheard of when compared to …

The UAE’s flagship racecourse, Meydan, will commence its 2022/2023 season on Friday, 4 November with the first of 21 fixtures, the Dubai Racing Cub announced. This season will see an increase of visitors from across the globe. The events at Meydan Racecourse will culminate in the 2023 edition of the $30.5million Dubai World Cup meeting, one of the world’s biggest horse racing tournaments, set to be held on Saturday, 25 March. Commenting on the announcement, Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Racing Club, thanked His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nayhan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Emirates Racing Authority for the support he has extended to Dubai Racing Cub’s initiatives. “We are delighted to announce an enhanced programme for the 2022/23 racing season in Meydan,” said Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook. “We thank HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and the ERA team for their support, which has enabled us to enrich the fixture list and create a dynamic new programme that offers greater opportunities for international horses to compete here during the Carnival. “We are also grateful for the support of our local horsemen and women, as well as our loyal racegoers, and look forward to welcoming them back to our iconic Meydan Racecourse for the first of our ‘Racing In Dubai’ meetings on 4 November.” “Dubai continues to introduce initiatives to boost the sector and revitalise the global community of horse owners, trainers and other equestrian professionals. With its deeply-rooted traditions in horse riding, racing, breeding and various equestrian activities, Dubai also continues to be focal point for the global equestrian fraternity,” he added. The build-up to …

Ajman tourism is set to launch a number of innovative initiatives and projects to enhance the tourism sector as a part of the department’s efforts to showcase Ajman’s natural touristic destinations, and rich heritage, aiming to increase its visibility and attractiveness for visitors from all over the world, and achieve the emirate’s tourism vision. Ajman Museum Smart App – in conjunction with the renovation of the museum to provide a unique interactive experience enhanced with the latest technologies to stimulate all senses, through exhibits explained in Arabic and English, to promote it by providing a detailed audio-guided tour of all sections of the museum and a map of the site, opening times and how to reach the museum. The Visual Identity of Ajman Museum, Masfout Museum, & Al Manama Museum – Ajman Tourism also launched the new visual identity for Ajman Museum, Masfout Museum, & Al Manama Museum, one of its initiatives aimed at preserving the unique heritage of Ajman and present it in a renovated updated look. Moreover, the department unveiled the “Media Hub” which is a digital media library project, and an integrated platform for displaying promotional images and videos for Ajman that is constantly updated, and displayed on a dedicated page within the ADTD’s official website to serve all stakeholders and community, where images and videos can be downloaded, and to eventually become the largest digital archive documenting the main tourist attractions of Ajman. Ajman’s Heritage Path – Ajman Municipality and Planning Department revealed the latest activities of the Heritage Path project, which is located in the Al-Nakhil neighborhood and stretches over 1,025 km, linking heritage buildings starting from the Ajman Museum and the heritage district to …

With the aim of promoting tourism within the country, Kuwait tourism is on its way to develop a mega project in Messilah Beach by 2023. The project aims to develop Messilah Beach into an integrated and contemporary facility covering an area of 70,000 square meters, containing recreational and sports activities to meet the needs of visitors of all age groups throughout the year. As a center of attraction for families, the development of the project includes the provision of water games for all ages, in addition to swimming pools, sports and marine games, restaurants, cafes, shops and much more.

Star gazers, camping enthusiasts, leisure and adventure lovers, culture buffs, and families are all set for a memorable summer 2022 surprise as Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) unveils a wide range of unique world-class experiences at incredible value for residents and visitors in the emirate. From exclusive discount packages, buy-one-get-one-free offers, cash prizes, and more, Shurooq has rolled out diverse activities and experiences at its destinations that give more reasons to have fun in the sun this year. Commenting on the 2022 line-up of summer promotions, Mahmoud Rashid Deemas, Director of Operations and Tourism Development at Shurooq, said: “Shurooq’s commitment to providing quality leisure and learning experiences in a safe environment lies at the heart of our carefully curated summer offers, and gives residents and visitors more reasons to explore and enjoy the diverse attractions in the emirate. Sharjah has plenty to offer visitors in the form of attractive deals and offers across our portfolio to fuel interest in new experiences and enhance the emirate’s status as a must-visit destination any time of the year.” Khalid Al Qaseer, Director of Operations, said: “With an exciting array of unique leisure and recreational summer offers at our destinations, Shurooq enables residents and visitors of all ages to enjoy a variety of unparalleled experiences as it builds on the emirate’s status as a leading family-friendly destination in the region. The expansive range of offerings across Shurooq’s destinations this summer combines the best of leisure, entertainment, and education to offer a holistic experience to our growing community and holidaymakers.” Ladies can enjoy pianist performances, Zumba and Live DJ sessions every Tuesday during Ladies Day Season 2022 until September 13. Weekends, from Thursday to …