Category Archives: Govt

Hotel guests to all three regions of Abu Dhabi increased in total by 5 per cent in September as compared to the same month in the previous year, according to figures released by the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi. Increases for hotel guests have been recorded as 14 per cent in the Al Dhafra Region, 8 per cent in the Al Ain Region and 4 per cent in Abu Dhabi city with a total occupancy rate of 69 per cent. Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General, Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, said, “Globally, we have invested heavily in marketing Abu Dhabi as a destination of distinction with an emphasis on its history, culture and heritage. Our strategy is to highlight Abu Dhabi as a wealth of natural and man-made attractions across all regions while providing luxurious yet affordable choices of accommodation.” While September saw a slight drop in domestic tourists into Abu Dhabi, the month was marked by a surge in Chinese hotel guests, recording an increase of 133 per cent in comparison to September 2016. India remained the largest international source market with more than 33,000 hotel guests during the month.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Club membership programme has been opened for registration. Members will receive a range of exclusive benefits and the chance to become part of a vibrant cultural community. Throughout the year, there will be special opportunities for members and their families to enjoy exclusive enhanced experiences, events and activities, including previews of the museum’s four temporary exhibitions each year. Art Club members can visit and revisit Louvre Abu Dhabi, discovering something new each time. Options include a Member+1 package, with unlimited free access for a member and one guest, or Member+5, which includes up to five named guests. Members and their guests can also enjoy free admission to Musée du Louvre in Paris and other partner museums. Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said, “The Art Club is a platform for meaningful enrichment, discovery and new experiences. It will be a meeting place where a unique global community comes together in an atmosphere of cultural understanding and inspiration. Membership offers unparalleled access to Louvre Abu Dhabi’s exceptional collections, exhibitions, events and special programmes.”

The UAE passport remains the most powerful in the Middle East, with Chad in Africa as the latest country to grant citizens visa-free travel. According to Arton Capital’s latest ranking, the UAE passport is ranked 26th globally with a visa-free score of 126. The list comes as the Republic of Chad announced on the sidelines of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York that UAE nationals will now be exempt from pre-visa entry requirement. Emiratis can enter Chad without a visa for up to 90 days per visit. In the Gulf region, Kuwait was ranked the second most powerful passport to have with a visa-free score of 85, followed by Qatar (80), Bahrain (75), Oman (71) and Saudi Arabia (69). Globally, Arton said that Paraguay’s recent removal of visa requirements for Singaporeans propelled Singapore’s passport to the top of its Passport Index with a visa-free score of 159. Conversely, the US passport was said to have fallen down since President Trump took office.

The National Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) in Abu Dhabi and Dubai participated in ‘One Million Signatures of Loyalty to the Nation’, a national initiative launched by the Al Dhaid Cultural and Sports Club in cooperation with the Emirates Vision Media Network and the Happiness Ambassadors Volunteers. The aim of the initiative is to gather one million signatures on pieces of material distributed to government agencies and public and private sector institutions over the next three months. The initiative was welcomed by officials, employees and clients of the GCAA. Both Emiratis and residents alike decorated the piece of material with messages of love and support for the UAE. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of UAE, GCAA said, “Our loyalty to our beloved country and its values has no limits, the values of giving are firmly rooted in the hearts and minds of its residents.” He also believed that such initiatives served to “strengthen ties to the homeland and allow them to express their loyalty to the UAE under the leadership of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.”

The Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi will launch an incentive scheme to develop content and programme collaboration with the private sector to drive inbound tourism growth. Already home to more than 800 events including spectacles such as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi Food Festival, Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and the Abu Dhabi Classics international concert season, the tourism body is now incentivising international, regional and local companies to build on this success and further enhance the programme. Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General, Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, said, “Throughout the year, we host a wide range of flagship events as part of our ongoing commitment to creating rich, engaging and vibrant cultural experiences for our residents and visitors. We intend to expand our events calendar in partnership with the private sector while adding value to our established events programme.” The Advantage Events Abu Dhabi initiative is being introduced to boost the emirate’s appeal as a thriving tourism destination by funding leisure and entertainment events driven by the private sector.

The Dubai Free Zones Council and the Federal Tax Authority organised a workshop on Value-Added Tax (VAT), to be implemented in the UAE from 2018. More than 70 representatives of companies operating across Dubai’s various free zones participated in the event. With the aim of helping free zone entities fulfil their tax obligations, the workshop provided an overview of VAT and related mechanisms, the implementation timeline, products and services it will cover, as well as tax-exempt sectors. The session clarified the impact of the new tax law on activities such as bookkeeping as well as on the preparation of invoices and other financial documents. Dr Mohammed Alzarooni, Secretary General of the Dubai Free Zones Council, stressed on the importance of the workshop for enabling entities operating in the free zones to prepare for full compliance with the new tax legislation. He said, “Companies must take effective measures to adapt their operations, financial management and information systems to the new tax environment. The necessary changes are also set to impact professional capacities – accountants will need additional training and the job market may see a surge in tax adviser vacancies.”

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) introduced its innovative Hospitality Sustainability Board Game to all hotels under the Jumeirah Group. Around 40 professionals from hotels under the Jumeirah Group and students of Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management participated in the event held on October 4. The Board Game is an important awareness tool of the Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) initiative launched by Dubai Tourism that aims to encourage hotels in the emirate to focus more on eco-friendly practices and efficiently manage their resources. More than 400 participants from over 150 establishments in Dubai played the game so far during events and roadshows organised by Dubai Tourism. The latest game was hosted by Peter Stubbs, Director of Compliance & HSE, Group & Corporate, Jumeirah Group while Solaiman Al Rifai, Senior Project Manager, Tourism Development and Investments, Dubai Tourism made a presentation on DST and explained the mechanics of the game. The Board Game was developed jointly with Emirates Wildlife Society-WWF, one of four key partners of DST initiative.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has inaugurated its new East Coast office and tourism information center in Khorfakkan, one of the emirate’s attractions for local, regional, and international visitors. The opening, which coincided with the global celebration of World Tourism Day on September 27, was held in the presence of Sheikh Saeed bin Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Chief of Emiri Court in Khorfakkan; His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, SCTDA Chairman, along with various representatives of government departments from the East Coast region, industry leaders and prominent figures. Al Midfa said: “The opening of this new tourism information office falls in line with the SCTDA’s policy to promote Sharjah and its local tourism sector, especially in the efforts to showcase the East Coast as a highly attractive tourist destination of the emirate. Sharjah is a member of the Cruise Arabia Alliance and has positioned itself as a world-class maritime tourism destination that has attracted around 63,000 tourists recorded by six marine transport lines during 2015 to 2016.” The SCTDA has attached great importance to the East Coast area, giving emphasis on its rich natural resources and considerable economic potentials. Part of SCTDA’s efforts is to conduct workshops and partner with important tourism organizations to develop the infrastructure within the area and improve all tourism-related services such as cruise tourism. With the inauguration of the new office coupled with robust public and private partnerships, H.E. Al Midfa is confident that all concerned entities will be able to produce the best solutions to promote the East Coast as one of the country’s most attractive tourism destinations.

Scheduled to open in the beginning of 2018, Al Bait Hotel will be preserving the majority of the traditional houses in the area which were exclusively chosen to build and shape the hotel. Managed by GHM hotels, the this AED 100 million Al Bait Hotel has been designed to provide guests with a unique and unrivalled experience of the best Sharjah has to offer. These houses will keep the names of its original owners and rooms so as to highlight the environment and lifestyle of the Emiratis who lived in these houses in the past. Located in the heart of Sharjah, the hotel brings to light Sharjah’s legacy and thoughtful vision to revive the heritage in the region by the protection and restoration of the historic fabric within the city and the Emirate at large. This will allow guests to experience the atmosphere of the past through elements that are in harmony with culture, society, history and civilisation as well as the hospitality and etiquette of the United Arab of Emirates.    

Indian passport holders, with residence visa from either the UK or EU, can now avail visa on arrival for travel within the UAE. In a cabinet meeting chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, it was announced that the government had approved the decision to grant visa to Indian passport holders with residence visa from either UK or EU. Earlier this year, UAE cabinet approved to grant visa on arrival to Indian passport holders with either a valid US visa or a Green Card. This will strengthen ties between the two countries attracting more visitors to the destination.