Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

The Department of Tourism (DOT) in the Philippines is keen to revive tourism numbers. In a bid to boost the numbers, the Department has charted out a strategic revival tourism strategy. The strategy will focus on educating the travel trade on all safety procedures to be adhered to when tourists visit the destination as well as sanitization of all key tourist attractions. Every important step has been looked into following global guidelines. Plans are being drafted to work closely with our partners across the world. The Middle East is an important market for us. The plans include conducting workshops offline and online, interacting with media outlets talking about the key destinations and their readiness and overall education of the travel trade. Recently, the Department of Tourism (DOT) along with the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) the Philippines, in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) organized a Philippine Food Festival in support of the country’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai. Several such activities are planned to increase awareness about the destination and prepare travellers for safer travel. Commenting on the plans, Mr. SanJeet, from Philippines Tourism said: “The Philippines as a destination is blessed with abundant nature. We want to give our travellers the experience that lasts as memories to be lived. Travel is all about experiences and the Philippines has that in abundance, from city life to local surroundings, there is always something for everyone.” Showcasing the destination beyond just sun and beach, there are several adventure, sports and eco-conscious activities. Elaborating on the plans for the Middle East, he said: “We are consciously working towards preparing our travellers for an experiential holiday in the Philippines. The pandemic …

As the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) prepares to welcome visitors once more, it is continually introducing new activities for tourists to enjoy while ensuring that all international safety regulations are followed at various destinations. Promotion of new attractions in various locations is one of these strategies. In the Eastern Visayas Region, the department recently launched its inaugural hybrid edition of its Regional Travel Fair, bringing together stakeholders through a tourism webinar, a one-day business-to-business (B2B) session, and live selling. A virtual business venue and onsite activities at Summit Hotel Tacloban allowed over 1,500 registrants to participate. The Philippines is a location unlike any other, with over 7,000 islands offering visitors a one-of-a-kind experience. Whether it is relaxing on the beaches or in the mountains, indulging in the vibrant life in the city, or immersing oneself in indigenous culture, the Philippines offers unique experiences for all types of travellers. “It is indeed more fun in the Philippines, with various activities being readied by the DOT to offer a new and unique experience for international tourists. At the same time, the Philippines government is also readying its welcome for travellers with infrastructure development, such as the improvement of our domestic and international airports and new roadways that will offer faster access to our regional destinations,” said Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Secretary, Department of Tourism. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has given the Philippines Department of Tourism a SafeTravels Stamp in recognition of its adoption of ‘health and hygiene global standardised protocols’ that will ensure safe travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Philippines Department of Tourism conducts thorough inspection and assessment to ensure that only those who are accredited are allowed to …

Spain Tourism is all set to host its first post-pandemic travel and trade roadshows in Saudi Arabia as part of its initiative to target travellers of the region. The first event will take place in Jeddah on the 25th of October 2021, at Jeddah Hilton, with a following one in Riyadh on the 26th of the same month, at Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya. This will be the first time Spain Tourism hosts such an event in Saudi Arabia after the pandemic, having stated earlier this year that the destination is set to strengthen its marketing presence in the region and expand its engagement and promotional activities within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia specifically. About 40 participants are expected to attend the events, provided that the total attendance does not exceed 50 people as demanded by health regulations in the Kingdom. The attendees will include key players from the Saudi tourism, hospitality and aviation industries, giving key agents in Saudi Arabia the opportunity to have one-to-one meetings with representatives from Spanish destinations, DMC’s and hotels. Speaking about the Spain Tourism Roadshow in Saudi Arabia and heading the Spanish delegation, Daniel Rosado, Director of Spain Tourism – GCC commented: “Spain Tourism is extremely excited to host its first post-pandemic roadshow in Saudi Arabia as part of our dedication to further engage and develop our connections with the Saudi market. As part of our continuous efforts to strengthen the connections between Saudi’s outbound travel professionals, MICE specialists and Spain Tourism’s travel industry partners, the event will prove a great opportunity to further develop new joint opportunities, create new holiday packages for Saudis and increase visitation from the Kingdom to Spain.” SAUDIA airlines currently …

Mark your calendars on November 23, 2021 at 11am UAE time, when we’ll be returning to Germany, this time with a special focus on its popularity as a shopping destination. The focus of this webinar will be on Breuninger, one of Germany’s most prestigious department stores. Travelers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have long sought out Germany. With the recent announcement that the limitations on GCC travellers have been relaxed, it is once again time to discover some of the destination’s new and renovated experiences. The German National Tourist Office will host a special webinar to highlight the various offerings, with a particular emphasis on Germany as a shopping destination. “I’m looking forward to refreshing our industry partners on destination Germany and informing them of the latest travel guidelines to Germany while also highlighting one of the most prestigious department stores Breuninger,” said Yamina Sofo, Director Sales and Marketing, German National Tourist Office, Gulf Countries. We’d like to invite you to pre-register for the event and come prepared with all of your questions.” Shopping Destination For a moment, everything was put on hold due to the pandemic, but now it’s time to revisit and rediscover the many shopping spots throughout Germany. Travellers and shoppers can find anything they want, from discounts to fine couture, from second hand knickknacks to futuristic treasures, from worldwide to traditionally German brands, always prompt, easy to find, and, at an unbelievable low cost. The unique selling characteristics of one such retail destination, Breuninger, will be highlighted in this webinar. It will be a chance for the travel industry to rediscover the destination after the Covid era. “For 140 years, the fashion and lifestyle company …

The improvement of the epidemiological situation and the developing progress in the vaccination roll-out, both in Spain and the Middle East has made it possible to ease the measures for entry into Spain for touristic purposes. The United Arab Emirates now joins the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait & Bahrain in the list of countries with low incidence. All passengers from these countries will be able to travel to Spain for touristic purposes without the need for a diagnostic test or a certificate of vaccination or immunity. i.e. tourists can travel regardless having any vaccination, diagnostic or recovery certificate. However, before travelling to Spain (even in transit) all passengers must have the QR code which is obtained from filling in the Health Control Form (FCS in Spanish), available in Spain Travel Health (www.spth.gob.es). “This is indeed a  great news especially for the GCC region as we have seen a significant  increase in numbers to Spain  in the past months and the trend continues . It shows that Spain is up to speed and the covid 19 situation is well contained .This update of reduced restrictions will definitely increase tourism numbers to Spain.We are happy to welcome GCC travellers to our beautiful country with open arms as always.Being a year yound destination , Spain has the added advantage to attract travellers for autumn and winter  & now the European Centre for Disease  and Control (ECDC) has listed Spain as one of the safest countries to travel which is even more assuring to travelers.  ” Daniel Rosado , Director – Spain tourism – GCC The FCS QR Code can be downloaded on the Spain’s Travel Health website or through the …

Wego is boosting tourism by attracting all Middle East travelers to visit this picturesque beach destination. Thailand has now opened up its borders for international tourists by easing some travel restrictions. On July 1st, 2021 the island of Phuket was reopened to all vaccinated foreign visitors without quarantine requirements. The unvaccinated travelers and those entering Thailand via Bangkok are still required to undergo 14-day mandatory quarantine at designated ASQ (Alternative State Quarantine). Through this partnership, Wego and Tourism Authority of Thailand will entice travelers to visit this country once again after the pandemic through targeted marketing campaigns and content featuring the finest things to do and the escapes that travelers have been longing for. “The Land of Smiles” has officially launched a nationwide vaccine program. Almost 46 million doses have been administered, and its aim is to vaccinate 70% of the population by the end of the year. Chaiwat Tamthai, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Middle East office, said: “We more than welcome vaccinated travelers especially from the Middle East Region. All travelers are requested to take adequate precautions while traveling to Thailand. This includes a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure. Those who wish to visit Thailand need to register and handover the Certificate of Entry (COE) at least 5 to 15 days before their scheduled departure as advised by the Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General application. Additionally, the hotels which to be booked should be certified by SHA+ (Amazing Thailand Safety & Health Administration) which is a certificate that represents tourism industry entrepreneurs’ readiness in improving their products, services and sanitation measures which is the crucial factor in preventing the spread of COVID-19 by complying with …

The German Federal Government has included Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to the German safe list, reducing COVID-19 implemented restrictions for travellers. The news follows the previous inclusions of Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to the list. The reduction in restrictions applies to all travellers twelve years and above regardless of individual vaccination status, with visitors now able to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of travel, a valid vaccination certificate, or proof of recovery. “The new travel regulations for GCC visitors makes travel to Germany easier and more appealing for travellers,” commented Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales and Marketing of the German National Tourist Office. “The winter season remains an important travel period for Germany, and this news will support regional travellers’ interest in exploring the array of festive seasonal markets, spa and wellness retreats, and outdoor sporting activities across Germany.” The EU issues and updates its recommendations to member states regularly. The safe list is reviewed and revised every two weeks by the EU authorities and members states. For full entry requirements to Germany, visitors are advised to refer to www.bmi.bund.de.    

Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) kicked off its participation at Expo 2020 Dubai this week (Sunday) with an event dedicated to encouraging travellers to take another look at what the country has to offer as the ‘new normal’ emerges for world travel. Taking place at the Azerbaijan’s nature-inspired pavilion in the Sustainability District, the event provided a unique opportunity to discover how the country has re-focused its efforts on the expansion of its burgeoning sustainable tourism industry. Inspiring travellers to turn over an eco-friendly leaf was the overarching message conveyed, with key spokespeople, including Florian Sengstschmid, Chief Executive Officer of ATB, underscoring how sustainable tourism policies are crucial to future-proofing the country’s tourism industry and boosting Azerbaijan’s COVID-19 recovery. “Borne out of the disruption caused to the tourism industry last year, Azerbaijan has sought to embrace the new opportunities presented by people looking to travel more safely. We are extremely fortunate that our climate and diverse landscape make socially-distanced travel experiences possible, celebrating the very best of what the country has to offer. In doing so, we have been able to unlock the full potential of Azerbaijan’s diverse natural and cultural offerings, as well as the great talent and resilience of its people”, said Mr. Sengstschmid. “Expo 2020 Dubai provides an ideal platform to share our long-term commitment to sustainable tourism and innovation in the heart of its Sustainability District, and we look forward to welcoming new and returning Middle East travellers to see a new side of Azerbaijan.” Among many sustainable tourism offerings introduced at the event, Slow Food Travel was emphasised with a key focus on inspiring visitors to indulge in the rich diversity of locally-grown food. As one …

Tourism Malaysia held its virtual press conference at the third edition of the Gulf Travel Show with the most exciting news that Langkawi hopes to open for international tourists by mid-November this year. It was discussed that Langkawi will be the first destination to open to international travelers and six others are to follow. In his opening remarks, Noor Azman Samsudin, Deputy Director International Promotion Division (Asia & Africa), Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board shared that West Asia and the Gulf region has been one of the most important markets to Malaysia. “Summer has always been a key driver of tourists from the Middle East, however in 2020 due to the pandemic and travel restrictions the numbers deterred. Since the government announced its four phase national recovery plan which included national vaccination programme and keeping a tab on the daily rate of infected persons etc, however as the numbers have seen a decrease the country is now gearing up to welcome international travelers again to kick start from the island of Langkawi. Before the pandemic we had 31 flights per week from all Middle Eastern countries from UAE, Oman, Qatar, Iran etc so we believe that we will cautiously get there.” Speaking about the exciting news announcement Nasaruddin Bin Abdul Muttalib Chief Executive Officer Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) reiterated, “Langkawi is currently open for domestic tourism since 16th September 2021. Within this 26 days after opening for the domestic market we have received around 82,000 visitors so far which is an indicator of success. There has been no infection during this time and we consider that since 92% of the people are vaccinated we are ready to open for international travelers, …

Russia’s two largest cities will have the opportunity to learn more about the delights of Sharjah when Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) takes its roadshow to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Visiting Moscow, the Russia capital on October 5 and St. Petersburg, the ‘Cultural Capital’ on October 7, the SCTDA roadshow will highlight Sharjah’s array of attractions, with the aim of increasing Russian visitors to the UAE’s third most populous emirate now that travel restrictions are being progressively relaxed.  His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, says that the roadshow aims to reinvigorate Russian tourism interest in Sharjah and the UAE, with the country having been in the top three of Sharjah’s leisure holidays and tourism markets for many years, and with numerous Russian ‘repeat visitors.’ “Russia was one of the first tourism markets the UAE reconnected with as the travel restrictions started to ease, with our emirate remaining a hugely popular destination for Russians. In August, the United Arab Emirates entered the list of the most popular foreign beach holiday destinations open to Russians, subject to a PCR test or vaccination certificate,” said His Excellency. Since autumn 2020, Sharjah has witnessed an upswing in airline passenger traffic, with more than 400 flights between Sharjah Airport and 10 cities in Russia. Carriers making regular weekly trips include Rossiya, Aeroflot, Ural Airlines, Nordwind, Royal flight and Arabia. June, to the end of August this year saw Sharjah Airport receive no less than 70 flights from Russian cities. Among the benefits and attractions of Sharjah that the SCTDA roadshow will be highlighting for the citizens of Moscow and St. Petersburg include its blend of sun, sand and sea, which …