Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) is announcing a partnership with UAE-based dnata Travel to unveil new experiences and tailor-made offers to Mauritius for UAE holiday makers in 2022, with travel to the island nation in demand across the emirates. Experts at dnata Travel – the UAE’s longest-standing travel provider – are revealing that travel bookings to the Indian Ocean island have doubled in 2022 so far, in comparison to booking figures in Q4 2021, when Mauritius fully-reopened for tourism post the pandemic, following a partial re-opening in the summer. As demand for travel continues to increase, representatives from the official tourism authority of the Republic of Mauritius are identifying the UAE as an important growth market for tourism, and revealing plans to attract even more travellers from the emirates this year. Arvind Bundhun, Director at Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, commented: “We have always seen strong demand for travel to Mauritius from the UAE and it remains one of the most important source markets for us globally, while our countries share strong cultural ties. In 2022, we are partnering with dnata Travel to bring our experiences closer to UAE travellers than ever before, as we work to create tailor-made itineraries focused on families, romance, and those seeking grand, All-Inclusive offerings.” Representatives from the MTPA detail the top considerations for travellers booking holidays to Mauritius in 2022 so far, from the UAE and across the world, to be a want for new and immersive experiences, a balance of relaxation and outdoor activities, and sustainable travel options, all-important elements of the country’s tourism offering. Emily Jenkins, General Manager of dnata Travel Leisure, added: “Traveller demand from the UAE to Mauritius continues to …

The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has announced the appointment of Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer as its Acting Chief Executive Officer. In his new role, Al Qaseer will continue the ongoing concerted efforts to achieve Shurooq’s vision of developing world-class projects and bolster efforts to drive national and foreign investments into the emirate. He will also oversee the management and operational execution of all multi-sectoral projects under Shurooq’s portfolio, including its tourist and heritage destinations across the emirate. Al Qaseer made formidable contributions in fulfilling the goals of Shurooq’s plans and projects. He has facilitated the growth of businesses across sectors, in addition to strengthening Sharjah’s status as a key investment, tourist and trade destination in the region. Ahmed Al Qaseer joined Al Qasba Development Office in 2006 as Business Development Manager and was promoted to Director of Business Development in 2008. He was an integral part of the team that transformed Al Qasba into the popular leisure and tourism destination it is today. Following his highly successful track record with Al Qasba, Ahmed Al Qaseer played a key role in the establishment of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) in 2009. As Director of Property Management in 2010, he was entrusted with the responsibility of managing Shurooq’s properties as well as its operations, sales, and leasing. The following year, he was promoted as Chief Operating Officer of Shurooq, and in that capacity, was responsible for the operational execution of Shurooq’s portfolio of projects and destinations.

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has honoured members of the Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme – including healthcare professionals, scientists, industry experts, academics, business leaders and government officials – who have spearheaded successful bids to bring global business events to Dubai. Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau and a division of DET, presented awards to 20 member organisations at the Programme’s annual appreciation ceremony, held on 3 March at Dubai Exhibition Centre, within the Expo 2020 Dubai site. With Dubai continuing to lead the global recovery of the business events sector, the bid wins driven by the Ambassadors are contributing to the growth of the pipeline of conferences, congresses and meetings which will take place in the city over the coming years and provide platforms for the sharing of knowledge, professional development and networking. As the city continued to present a compelling proposition for international associations, societies and other entities for their major events, the Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme last year supported in securing 26 conferences and congresses to be hosted in Dubai over the coming years, set to attract over 35,000 industry-specific professionals and experts from around the world. Among the events won in 2021 thanks to the contributions of Ambassadors were: 27th General Conference of the International Council of Museums (2025), IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (2024), World Science and Technology Education Conference (2023) and Congress of the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (2024). Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: “In recognition of their commitment and vital contributions towards Dubai’s growing status as an international business events hub, we congratulate and express gratitude …

The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority recently signed a memorandum of understanding with a Dubai-based marketing and representation company to promote and market PNG’s tourism industry in the Gulf and Middle East regions. Minister for Tourism Arts and Culture Isi Henry Leonard and the chief executive officer of Across Borders Travel, Fabian Fernandes, signed the MoU in Dubai – UAE. The signing was witnessed by TPA chief executive officer, Eric Mossman Uvovo, and TPA director marketing, Alice Kuaningi. Minister Leonard said Papua New Guinea’s tourism industry has never penetrated the tourism market in the Middle East and that the MoU was a break through, and hopes that a market from the Gulf region can be secured. He said PNG’s participation at the Dubai World Expo2020 would provide the leverage to effectively market PNG as a tourism destination in light of the opening of international borders. Across Borders Travel looks after the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) which is a political and economic union of Arab states bordering the Gulf. GCC was established in 1981 and its members include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. Established and registered in 2013, Across Borders Travel is a Preferred Sales Agents(PSA)  for 7 Cruise Companies and 11 Destination Management Companies(DMC’s) around the world. Under the MoU, Across Borders Travel will provide tourism and marketing advice to TPA, and support in providing information about travel and tourism, and any related information throughout the United Arab Emirates, the Middle East and Arab region to TPA.

According to the latest figures released by Switzerland Tourism, UAE residents staying overnight in Switzerland have surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Comparing figures between July to December 2021 with the same period in 2019, the number of bed-nights recorded, increased 20.8% from 188,384 to 227,482. The number of UAE arrivals also grew from 75,084 to 85,632, during the same period, 2019 versus 2021. “These are extraordinary figures and underscores the popularity of Switzerland with Emirati nationals as well as residents. From the moment that UAE residents were allowed to travel to Switzerland (28th June 2021) we have seen a significant increase in the volume of visitors and the length of stay has also grown from an average of 2.5 nights per visitor to 2.66,” commented Matthias Albrecht, GCC director for Switzerland Tourism. The substantial increase in numbers is supported by a recent survey conducted by YouGov, which in its 2022 Travel and Tourism Brand and Destination Rankings Report, highlighted Switzerland as the top ranked overseas destination for UAE residents. YouGov’s index gave Switzerland a positive impression score of 31.6 a year-on-year increase of 17.9%, ahead of Singapore (30.9), Canada (28.6) and the Maldives (27.6). In further welcome news for UAE travellers to Switzerland, on the 17 February 2022, the Swiss federal government announced that visitors from the UAE are no longer required to provide an entry form, vaccine certificate, or negative PCR test. “UAE visitors can now enjoy the endless attractions Switzerland has to offer, from natural scenery and outdoor pursuits to delicious local cuisine and immersive cultural experiences. With regulations eased, masks and COVID certificates are not needed when entering shops, restaurants, cultural venues, and other public settings and events,” added …

One of the new emerging outbound destinations for the UAE, Brazil has initiated a new programme at Expo.  Embratur — Brazil’s Tourist Board — and the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, with the support of the Federal government, have recently launched the “Safe Tourism Program”. The initiative aims to develop actions and public policies to improve the security of tourists during their stay in Brazil. To create the program, Embratur and the Ministry of Tourism met throughout 2021, to develop proposals that, when implemented, ensure the safety of both domestic and foreign tourists. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of health and safety, especially when it comes to travelling and tourism. Tourist security is critical as it involves issues related to mobility, public safety, consumer relations, protecting childhood, human rights, gender equality, accessible information, physical integrity of agents, quality food,  and many others. Considering all these points, 59 actions were created, which aim to contribute to the positioning of Brazil as a safe destination. The areas of action include public safety, consumer relations in tourism, tourist transport, civil defense, health surveillance and positive communication. “We are implementing a thoroughly thought-out program that has a clear objective, to improve tourism security in our country. We want to give travelers the confidence to visit our country knowing that we are doing everything we can to give them a once in a lifetime experience. The Federal Government has prioritised tourist safety, and this program is sure to positively impact the already rapidly growing tourism sector,” says the Minister of Tourism, Gilson Machado. “We know more and more UAE tourists are considering visiting Brazil. This initiative intends to make sure that tourists vacationing in …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced the launch of the first Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, a youth basketball league for 450 boys and girls ages 11-14 from 30 schools across Abu Dhabi.  The league will begin play on Saturday, March 5 and run through the first Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League Finals on Saturday, May 21. DCT Abu Dhabi and the NBA held an opening ceremony and draft event that saw each school assigned an NBA team, receive corresponding NBA team-branded jerseys for games and participate in basketball development clinics, skills challenges and contests.  DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, NBA Europe and Middle East Managing Director Ralph Rivera, and 10-time NBA All-Star Clyde Drexler attended the draft event and interacted with the youth players.  As part of the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, yesterday 40 Special Olympics athletes from Abu Dhabi participated in a Special Olympics Unified Clinic. The Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, which is part of the league’s global Jr. NBA programme, will feature boys and girls divisions comprised of 20 teams and 10 teams, respectively, and will expand to include additional schools and leagues in future years.  The league is part of a groundbreaking multiyear partnership between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi that will see Abu Dhabi host the first-ever preseason NBA games in the Arabian Gulf in October 2022.  The partnership also includes a variety of interactive fan events featuring appearances by current and former NBA players, a series of NBA FIT Clinics promoting health and wellness, and an NBA 2K League exhibition event. Al Mubarak said: …

Emirates has pledged its support to promoting tourism in Thailand through a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Under the agreement, both the tourism body and Emirates will explore joint initiatives and opportunities for collaboration that will enhance each party’s marketing and promotional efforts to attract travellers to Thailand. The MoC was signed by Orhan Abbas, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations – Far East at Emirates and Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Deputy Governor for International Marketing (Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas), in the presence of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Group Chairman and HE Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports. Also present at the signing ceremony were Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, HE Chairat Sirivat, Consul-General of Thailand to the UAE and Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates. Through the MoC, Emirates will develop initiatives to boost tourism to the Kingdom by showcasing it to customers across its global network. The airline will also engage in efforts to promote the country through its network of agents in key strategic markets in addition to collaborating on joint familiarisation trips designed to appeal to various customer segments. Orhan Abbas, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations – Far East at Emirates said: “Emirates launched operations to Thailand more than 30 years ago, and its destinations are among the most popular in our Southeast Asian network, especially amongst holidaymakers from the US, Europe, and the Middle East. We are delighted to join hands with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to boost tourism to the country, and build on the success achieved over the years, thanks to our …

With momentum continuing to accelerate across Dubai’s tourism industry, the Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), a part of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), is ramping up efforts to increase the number of professional tour guides to cater to Dubai’s diverse visitor profile, further enhance the overall tourism experience and maintain the city’ position as one of the world’s most recommended travel destinations. The latest drive by DCT is to encourage talented individuals to pursue a career as a tour guide. The College runs a world-class year-round training programme for tour guides with the aim of helping prospective candidates obtain a valid Dubai tour guide license, which is a pre-requisite for those interested in taking up this occupation. The training programme hosted by DCT is delivered entirely online and designed to make the process of getting the Dubai tour guide license as convenient as possible, while teaching participants how to correctly present Dubai and its culture to international visitors, as well as key hospitality skills. As Dubai continues to lead global tourism recovery with campaigns and initiatives worldwide to further consolidate and sustain its global appeal in both existing and emerging source markets, DCT envisages that the arrival of visitors from a range of nationalities and cultural backgrounds will create high demand for tour guides, especially those with specific language skills including Portuguese, Spanish, Bulgarian, Serbian, Albanian, Slovakian, Czech, Poland, Romanian and Hungarian. Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager, Dubai College of Tourism, commented: “With the steady increase in global travellers making Dubai their destination of choice and with the in-dustry continuing to regain its vibrancy, it is crucial to deliver exceptional visitor experiences across the board in line with …

Mosques around the Emirate of Sharjah are offering spectators a glimpse into Islamic designs and patterns as they host enchanting light shows during Sharjah Light Festival 2022, organised by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA). The festival is set to continue until February 20 and cover various regions of the emirate, transforming Sharjah’s landmarks into a canvas for dazzling shows that reflect the emirate’s history and chart its path for the future. The displays highlight the architectural aesthetics of Sharjah’s mosques, famed for their stunning Islamic designs. The renowned Al Noor Mosque is hosting a show titled ‘Beauty by Contrast’, which recounts how art – and particularly, Islamic art – has been a universal language and a powerful tool for communication throughout history. The display blends geometry, architecture, physics, mathematics, and philosophy to tell the story of art’s influence on the world. The show culminates in a modern and digital interpretation of the universal language, dramatically contrasting shapes and sequences to explore art’s role in the future. Meanwhile, Sharjah Mosque serves as the backdrop for ‘The Harmony of Islamic Motifs’, a show that brings attention to the beauty and harmony of timeless Islamic motifs, underlined with fast digital designs that infuse the show with a contrast of evolution and speed. Act 1 represents the ‘initial vision’ of the emirate with a spiral of light that appears from shifting sands, while Act 2 focuses on the ‘present’ with digital lines, bright colours, and calligraphy representing progress and development. Finally, Act 3 uses simple lines to delineate the platforms of the mosque – an assured, harmonious introduction to the ‘future’. Rounding up the list is the Rashid bin Ahmed Al …