Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

Buoyed on by a steady increase in tourist arrivals, Sri Lanka, with confidence and pride, presented the country’s tourism roadmap on the Expo 2020 Sri Lanka National Day which was celebrated on Monday, 03 January 2022, at the Expo Media Centre in Dubai. Expo 2020 Sri Lanka National Day was led by Honourable G. L. Peiris, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honourable Prasanna Ranatunga, the Minister of Tourism & Aviation and Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism and Commissioner General for EXPO 2020 Dubai. The event shed light on Sri Lanka’s readiness for growth and revival of the Tourism industry post-pandemic. In addition, the National Day attracted visitors with colourful cultural performances performed at the Al Wasl Plaza situated at the Stage of Nations. Inbound tourism in Sri Lanka is booming due to the successful implementation of the vaccination programme. As a result, the country is witnessing a decline in COVID-19 infections, with over 85% of the eligible population from Sri Lanka’s 21.9 million being vaccinated. In addition, the administering of booster Pfizer vaccines is rapidly progressing, with priority being given to personnel from the travel industry. During the event, Kimarli Fernando quoted, “Sri Lanka has recovered post-pandemic with confidence, and the country is now steadily moving forward, prioritising its tourism sector in the interests of the country and travel-hungry tourists. We are honoured to be awarded the ‘Safe Travel Stamp’ by the World Travel and Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and World Travel & Tourism Council in 2021.” The destination is fully operational and delighting vaccinated as well as non-vaccinated tourists, with a set of health & safety protocols to follow: Vaccinated travellers do not need on-arrival PCR tests and …

A comprehensive webinar will be hosted on Tuesday 18th January 2022 from 12 noon GST about the pristine sandy beaches, white chalk cliffs, sophisticated Baltic seaside resorts, cozy fishing villages, sky high brick churches and fairy tale castles of Meckenburg-Vorpommem. Germany is one of the most popular vacation destinations for the travelers in the Middle East as it has a diverse offering catering to each traveler from the Middle East, whether it be family, millennial, leisure, MICE etc. Meckenburg-Vorpommem located between the metropolises of Berlin and Hamburg in the northeast of Germany, the federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has fascinated guests from all over the world for centuries. It is time once again for the agents in the region to take a quick peak at the destination to offer a new area to explore to those yearning to discover. The region welcomes its guests with 2,000 kilometres of Baltic Sea coasts and 2,000 glistening lakes. It is also known as the sunniest region in all of Germany with 2,000 hours of sunshine per year. Also more than 30% of the whole region is under conservation. The unspoiled nature of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern inspired famous painters throughout the centuries and is best explored by foot, bike or boat says the experts. In terms of local wellness they offer such as Thalassotherapy and the so called healing forests or for those who want to let loose with all kinds of activities on land or on water you can take up kitesurfing, stand up paddling or Jeep Safari on an island. Virtually you can immerse yourself in the culture of a historical region and enjoy the local cuisine with freshly caught fish and the 700-year-old brewing …

The Dubai Racing Club announced that its seventh race meeting at the Meydan Racecourse on January 1, 2022 dedicated to celebrate the #DubaiDestinations initiative that was launched recently to highlight the exceptional experiences, events and activities offered by the emirate. The move is part of the Dubai Racing Club’s efforts to support the initiative, which was launched in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance the UAE’s profile as a leading global destination and make Dubai the world’s best city to live and visit. The first race night of the new year featured a total of seven races including the ‘UAE 1000 Guineas Trial’, with the total value of all prizes exceeding AED800,000. Each of the day’s seven races will be named after one of Dubai’s iconic destinations, beginning with the ‘Etihad Museum’ maiden race followed by the second maiden race ‘Dubai Frame’, with both races being dedicated to Purebred Arabians horses. The Thoroughbred races will begin with the Al Jaddaf Mile presented by the ‘Museum of the Future’, followed by four races bearing the names of tourist destinations in Dubai such as ‘Ain Dubai’; ‘Burj Al Arab’; ‘Burj Khalifa’, and ‘The Palm Jumeirah’. Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Racing Club, said that Dubai Racing Club is keen to support the #DubaiDestinations initiative as part of its efforts to further raise Dubai’s profile as a leading global destination, in line with the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook Al Maktoum added that Dubai’s leading position in the equestrian …

The Honourable Minister Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri graced the occasion and officiated the launch of the Malaysian classic traditional trishaw, or locally known as beca, as well as several Malaysia packages highlighting new ecotourism products in various destinations in Malaysia. This week, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) through its agency Tourism Malaysia took over the Malaysia Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) between 26th December 2021 until 31st December 2021. Promoting Malaysia as the next Top of the Mind Ecotourism Destination in the World, the Ecotourism Week at the Malaysia Pavilion takes the call from Malaysia’s National Tourism Policy 2020-2030 which highlights the practice of sustainable and responsible tourism. Malaysia is joined by 16 organisations, consisting of five (5) state tourism boards, three (3) associations, one (1) hotel chain, one (1) product owner, and six (6) tour operators. Throughout Tourism Malaysia’s Ecotourism Week, participants get to learn more about different perspectives of ecotourism in Malaysia by Malaysia’s renowned speakers at the Expert Talk series, namely: Andrew Sebastian – Ecotourism & Conservation Society Malaysia, Syed Abd Rahman Syed Hassan – Diveheart Malaysia, Adj. Prof Anthony Wong Kim Hooi – Sustainability & Ecotourism Expert and Eric Sinnaya – Malaysia Nature Society. As part of her first Tourism Sales Mission to the Middle East, Dato’ Sri Nancy will also attend a networking dinner with members of the travel trade and media in UAE on 30 December 2021. The mission aims to reinstate and enhance the commitment to establishing good tourism cooperation, engaging future collaborations, and cooperation in the tourism industry. The Malaysian Government launched its first International Travel Bubble by reopening Langkawi Island to fully-vaccinated …

Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) continues to act on its commitment to build sustainable tourism in the country by joining the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI).  As the pandemic continues, ATB has been putting more and more emphasis on building responsible and sustainable tourism offerings as well as involving key local players in the process.  “Understanding the urgency to act for sustainable development, we are pleased to join an international initiative to reduce the environmental impact of the tourism industry in a collective effort with our esteemed stakeholders”, said Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board. By joining the GTPI, ATB commits to stimulating the elimination of problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging and items by 2025 and involving local stakeholders in this process through discussion platforms and meetings with key players such as industry experts and experts in plastic pollution.  ATB’s commitments within the initiative also include to encourage change in traveller behaviour on recycling and reuse during their journey in Azerbaijan through tour guides trained and educated in the matter in question. Developed within the framework of the Sustainable Tourism Programme of the One Planet network, the Initiative is led by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to drive the shift towards a circular economy of plastics.

As the Department of Tourism (DOT) launches the balikan.ph website – a one-stop shop for Balikbayan-exclusive promos with up to 50 per cent off hotel and resort rates and worry-free, value-for-money vacation packages – big discounts and great deals from airlines, accommodation establishments, tour operators, and travel agencies await Balikbayans who will return to the Philippines this season. The campaign of the DOT, ‘Balikan ang Pilipinas’, encourages overseas Filipinos (OFs) and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to return home for the holidays and rediscover the Philippines with their loved ones through the Balikan.ph website. “Through the balikan.ph website, we can offer great travel deals from airlines and DOT-accredited hotels, resorts, and tour operators to our Balikbayans and their families. This is one way to make their visit here more affordable and fun, especially after a long separation caused by the pandemic,” says Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Tourism Secretary, the Philippine Department of Tourism. The balikan.ph page serves as an information aggregator where different travel promotions and packages are posted for returning Balikbayans to avail. The posts will direct them to the merchant’s websites to learn more about the deals and discounts. The packages have been curated in collaboration with several airlines, DOT-accredited establishments, the Philippine Tour Operators Association Inc. (PHLTOA), the Philippine Hotel Owners Association Inc. (PHOA), and the Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International Inc. (HSMA). Balikbayans are encouraged to regularly check the site for updated list and details of travel deals. The campaign will run until March 2022.

Under the patronage of His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Nicholas of Montenegro, a special B2B workshop was held to the agents of the UAE. His Royal Highness thanked and welcomed everyone for taking time off their busy schedules to discover the many offerings in Montenegro. After the introduction, the agents were given a special tour of the pavilion. Ivana Karanikic, Prolingua Travel DMC, General Manager, Montenegro shared about the destination by sharing videos, and information and the various different experiences that one can make use of at the destination. She also shared some itineraries that has been done in the past and invited the agents to speak with her about tailor making experiences for their clientele. After the interesting features of the destination Bojan Kovacevic, Sales&Marketing Manager, Hotel Hilton Podgorica, Montenegro shared the most luxurious way to spend the holiday in the destination located in the capitol in Podgorica. Karanikic mentioned that apart from visiting Montenegro, if the clients would prefer to club in more experiences as DMC which looks after the Western Balkans they can assist and design the bespoke itineraries to accommodate the guests. A special quiz was held at the end of the presentations followed by a networking session and Montenegro delicacies served to all the agents that attended.

Gulf Air and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority announced the activation of a number of unprecedented offers for passengers of the carrier. These offers will give Gulf Air’s passengers the opportunity to stop in Bahrain, obtain hotel reservations, and use tourist facilities through various tailored packages and offers, before continuing on to their final destinations. In this regard, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Air, Captain Waleed AlAlawi stated: “The cooperation between the airline and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority comes within the framework of joint and integrated work to advance the tourism and travel sector as a whole in Bahrain, where Gulf Air will utilize all its capabilities and expertise to assure success of this cooperation and achieve its goals”. Captain AlAlawi added, “With the addition of more destinations on our network, these tourism packages will be promoted on a wider scale and attract more tourist travelers from various countries, especially with continuous updating and easing of restrictions on entry to Bahrain. Eligible passengers that can obtain visa on arrival for the Kingdom of Bahrain can book these packages on gulfair.com for a stopover of up to five nights whenever they fly through Bahrain International Airport”. Chief Executive Officer of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority, Dr. Nasser Qaidi said: “The aim of launching these offers is to attract more tourists and visitors to Bahrain, and to offer them a variety of tourism and entertainment activities that they can choose from to suit their tastes, needs and budget. We are pleased to cooperate with Gulf Air in order to achieve this goal, and to implement this exciting initiative that will revitalize the tourism sector in Bahrain …

Brgy. Bojo in Aloguinsan, Cebu bags UNWTO best tourism village award The United Nations World Tourism Organization awarded a local suburb the Best Tourism Village Award following successful tourism promotion among local communities. The Philippine Department of Tourism’s (DOT) Tourism Secretary, Berna Romulo-Puyat, expressed her delight at the latest development, commending the “remarkable work” of the local community in Bojo through the Bojo Aloguinsan Ecotourism Association (BAETAS) and the strong support of the municipality of Aloguinsan. “A local destination being inducted into the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages Program in its pilot year is a testament to the Philippines’ commitment to sustainable tourism development from the national level down to the grassroots. The wealth of our natural resources and unmatched hospitality remains our key strength as we strive for the reopening of the industry to international travellers anchored on the principle of safe and sustainable tourism,” said Puyat. On behalf of the Philippines, Verna Buensuceso, Tourism Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary, and Philippe Jones Lhuiller, Philippine Ambassador to Spain, received the award on December 2. The UNWTO’s pilot initiative recognised 44 villages from 32 countries for their natural and cultural resources, as well as innovative and transformative efforts, and commitment to tourism development in line with the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Similarly, the programme was launched to promote tourism as a tool for rural development, with the goal of valuing and safeguarding rural villages, as well as their accompanying landscapes and knowledge systems, among others. Bojo is known for its river, hills, underwater natural riches, mangroves, birds, and responsible locals, and its main tourism activity is the Bojo River Eco-Cultural Tour, which is managed by the BAETAS. BAETAS provides an eco-cultural river tour that …

Qatar expands its tourism proposition in line with Qatar’s National Vision 2030. Its tourism strategy puts the visitor at the heart of all new programmes and initiatives. As part of the ‘Qatar Tourism Strategy 2030’, the country has added a variety of exciting experiences, including a wave of new luxury hotels, theme parks, shops, and major leisure projects, that have recently opened, or are set to open in the lead up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM. Over 100 new hotels and serviced apartments are currently under construction which will add to Qatar’s already extensive portfolio of properties. Some of the new properties include a Raffles Hotel and Fairmont Hotel and Resort at Katara Towers, Rosewood Doha and the St. Regis Marsa Arabia Island. The hotels will broaden Qatar’s appeal to high value travellers, offering more choice to its existing 80 five and four star hotels. With the aim of raising the tourism sector to 12% GBP by 2030, Qatar will grow and improve assets and attractions, enhance the end-to-end customer experience, invest in Service Excellence and deploy a tailored marketing strategy to target point-to-point (P2P) and stopover visitors. Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “We are continuing to expand our tourism offering and are excited to introduce guests to the best of Qatari hospitality. In 2019, we saw over two million visitors to Qatar and we hope to see similar growth trends now that we are welcoming visitors back to the country again. “We are now less than one year until the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, so now is the perfect time in visit Qatar. Qatar is an accessible introduction to the Middle East, …