Tag Archives: Dubai

Air India Express  introduces Vijayawada and Kannur as new destinations starting winter 2022 Schedule

Air India Express will be the only airline operating direct services between UAE and Vijayawada starting 31st Oct 22. Effective 31st Oct 22 Sharjah to Vijayawada will be operational twice a week on Monday and Saturday at 11:00hrs. Effective 01st Nov 22 Dubai to Kannur will also be operational four days a week on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday at 18:40hrs Air India Express offers introductory fare of AED399 to Vijayawada and AED300 to Kannur with additional 5kgs Baggage Allowance. Flight Schedule will be as under: Flt No. Frequency Departure Airport Departure Time Arrival Airport Arrival Time IX976 Monday …. Saturday Sharjah 11:00 Vijayawada 16:25 IX975 Monday…..Saturday Vijayawada 18:35 Sharjah 21:30 IX748 Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday Dubai 18:40 Kannur 23:50 Ix747 Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Sunday Kannur 0:50 Dubai 03:15 Air India express encourages all the expatriates to take advantage of the new flights and fly direct to their home. Air India Express would like to sincerely thank the Civil Aviation Authorities of Dubai and Sharjah for their support for these operations.

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AVIAREPS Middle East Travel Caravan 2022 Sees Leading Tourism Brands Gather to Target UAE & Saudi Travellers

AVIAREPS successfully relaunched its in-person AVIAREPS Middle East Travel Caravan after a 2-year hiatus following the Covid pandemic. Over 110 key travel industry professionals, media and travel influencers attended the Dubai leg of the event which was held on October 11th, 2022 at the Shangri-la Dubai Hotel. The travel roadshow saw key international travel brands and destinations gather under the one roof to meet with the UAE’s and Saudi Arabia’s key outbound travel agencies and meeting and conferencing professionals, to meet one to one to develop new travel packages, itineraries and events tailored for UAE and Saudi Arabia-based travellers. A total of 27 key international partners joined the 2022 edition of the AVIAREPS Caravan including Qatar Tourism Board, The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Malta Tourism Authority, The Royal Commission for AlUla, Visit California, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and a host of international hospitality brands, airlines and destination management companies. In addition to meeting leading travel agencies, partners also had the opportunity to meet with popular travel influencers from the region, as well as join an intimate panel discussion industry thought leaders, that included representatives from Emirates Holidays, ITL World and Al Rostamani Travel, where they were updated on the latest travel trends and consumer travel requirements from the region. Glenn Johnston, Vice President Middle East & Global Public Affairs, AVIAREPS commented: “As we head towards a post pandemic world outbound international travel from the Gulf Countries continues to demonstrate a remarkably strong and quick return compared to all other major travel regions around the globe. Within this context it is extremely important and timely to hold such an event. By bringing the UAE and Saudi Arabia’s travel professionals …

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Dubai reinforces position as a global destination for food tourism

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has launched the inaugural Dubai Gastronomy Industry Report, a comprehensive study of the city’s gastronomy scene, further reinforcing Dubai’s position as a much sought-after global destination for food tourism. The special report was unveiled at the first gastronomy industry briefing hosted by DET at the W Dubai  Mina Seyahi, and was attended by more than 100 restaurateurs, culinary specialists and key stakeholders from the food and beverage sector, to share seasonal highlights in relation to the ever-expanding gastronomy sector, and reveal industry insights from the city’s inaugural gastronomy report. The event was hosted as part of Dubai’s efforts to build upon the destination’s year-round programme of key foodie events, gourmet showcases and culinary platforms, to further strengthen the city’s dynamic ecosystem of around 13,000 restaurants and cafés. During the briefing, opportunities in the gastronomy sector and forthcoming calendar highlights were shared with partners to get their support to further enhance the city’s reputation as a year-round global gastronomy hub. Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) revealed key findings from the newly commissioned annual industry report during the event, showcasing the gastronomy activities and initiatives which continue to be a driving force behind the steady growth in both domestic and international tourists, in line with the visionary leadership’s goal to make Dubai the world’s best city in the world to live in, work and visit.  This insightful research has reaffirmed Dubai’s standing as an international hub for gastronomy, and a beacon for visionary restaurateurs, chefs, discerning foodies, epicurean travellers and culinary aficionados. The inaugural ‘Dubai Gastronomy Industry Report’ highlights that Dubai’s vibrant and stimulating food scene is a direct reflection …

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Dubai at the forefront of sustainable and accessible tourism

Celebrating World Tourism Day, Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, commented, shared about Dubai’s continued commitment to sustainable and accessible tourism. “With tourism being one of the key pillars of Dubai’s economy and central to the city’s DNA, World Tourism Day is a day of great importance to Dubai as it provides a time for reflection on Dubai’s remarkable turnaround and its pioneering role in providing a blueprint for the recovery of global tourism.  Inspired by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the most visited and liveable city in the world, we can also look ahead to the new era of tourism development for Dubai, particularly the massive expansion of the tourism landscape, infrastructure and offering under the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, that lays the groundwork for Dubai’s sustainable development for the next two decades, further reinforcing its position as a global destination for business, investment and tourism. As we look to the future of travel, we will continue to collaborate and work alongside our valued city stakeholders and partners to rethink how we do tourism and to become more sustainable, accessible and responsible as we evolve our offering and remain at the forefront of the world’s widely recommended travel destinations.”

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Spain Tourism Office in UAE celebrates the World Paella Day

The Spain Tourism office in Abu Dhabi celebrated an event to celebrate the World Paella Day. The event was held in El Sur restaurant – The Westin Mina Seyahi , Dubai with trade partners from different sectors, including travel trade profesionals , influencers and media. The objective of this event was to promote and to share with the world the iconic Spanish dish, its different variations and its origin. For this reason, everyone was able to see the chef prepare and cook the different types of paellas (seafood, chicken, vegetarian & black paella ) while also sharing some insights about the history of this special dish. The menu also presented typical spanish starters (croquetas, cheese) and ended with some “churros”  . Invitees could also enjoy a traditional show of our typical Flamenco dance, which was one of the key moments of the evening. This year was quite special as this year was the first time a chef represented UAE at the Paella World Cup. This years’ edition has taken place from the 16 to 20 of September, gathering the best chefs  from all over the world in Valencia, Spain. Representing the United Arab Emirates-our candidate, Chef Piedade Fernandes along with Mariano from Sevilles . He was just 20 years old when he switched  from playing  football to cooking. Since then, he has been working for 22 years at the Seville’s Restaurant in Dubai, where he is in charge of the paella section, among other activities. Our representative was able to attain the final quarters elaborating a “classic paella”. Piedade was able to return with the 4th position for best paella chefs in the world. The World Paella Day aims to …

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Visit St. Petersburg Road show to kick off in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, 20-21 September

St. Petersburg City Tourist Information Bureau and Committee for tourism development of Saint Petersburg organize the roadshow: presentation of St. Petersburg tourist programs and hospitality industry services in the cities of the UAE on 20-21 September 2022. Dubai’s roadshow will take place on 20th September at Park Hyatt Dubai and the one in Abu Dhabi on 21st September at Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche. St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful megalopolises in the world, which travelers from all over the world come to see. The list of attractions of St. Petersburg is so impressive that it is almost impossible to describe all of them in detail. According to statistics, in pre-pandemic times, the number of tourists in St. Petersburg reached 10 million people. And even more than 10 million! The goals of the event are to promote the potential of St. Petersburg as a world tourist center and to develop partnerships between St. Petersburg tourism enterprises and representatives of tour operators and travel agencies in the cities of the UAE. Presentation will feature new tourist and excursion programmes, standard and off-beat tourist sites, museums, historical and cultural monuments, events. Participants from St. Petersburg includes St. Petersburg tour operators, DMC, representatives of St. Petersburg hotels and representatives of cultural institutions and other tourist infrastructure of St. Petersburg.The program includes presentation of St. Petersburg’s tourism potential, B2B workshop and dinner with cultural program and raffle of prizes from St. Petersburg participants. To attend the “Visit Saint Petersburg!” roadshow, please register by this link: https://petersburg-roadshow.com Contact us: info@petersburg-roadshow.com +7 929 519-08-82 – Karina Rink; +7 903 665-12-52 – Julia Chibireva Contact in UAE: Jinki@gulfreps.com +971 47036333 – Jinkie Perez Official tourist portal …

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Dubai firmly on course to achieve tourism goals as city welcomes 7.12 million international visitors in first half of 2022

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 …

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Air Astana marks 20 years of flying to Dubai

Air Astana launched in May 2002,with Dubai being amongst its earliest international destinations. Initial services from Almaty to Dubai started in August 2002 with twice weekly flights and followed with additional services from Nur-Sultan commencing in 2007. The number of passengers travelling on flights between Kazakhstan and Dubai has dramatically increased over the past 20 years, with less than 7,000 carried in 2002 and over 101,000 already carried during the first half of 2022. A similar jump can be observed in cargo volumes, with 54,000kg being uplifted in 2002 and reaching over 730,000kg during the first half of 2022. Flights to Dubai are currently operated by state-of-the-art Airbus A321LR aircraft, which are configured with 16 Business class seats and 150 Economy class seats. “The UAE offers a wide range of leisure attractions and business opportunities, with Dubai proving to be a very popular destination for Kazakhstan travelers over the past 20 years,” said Adel Dauletbek, Vice-President, Marketing and Sales, Air Astana. “Passenger traffic from Almaty and Nur-Sultan continues to grow strongly, and we plan to restore pre-pandemic frequencies from both cities later this year.” In the coming winter season, flight schedules to and from Dubai will be improved for passenger convenience, with departures from Almaty and Nur-Sultan in the morning and arrival at lunchtime, with the return departure from Dubai just after lunch and arrival back in Kazakhstan in the evening. Frequencies are scheduled to peak at 17 per week by the end of 2022, with ten services per week from Almaty and seven from Nur-Sultan. Kazakhstan has re-established a visa-free regime for citizens of 57 countries, including the UAE, for up to 30 days to enter-exit and stay. Passengers …

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Future hospitality debuts in Dubai with 50 leading speakers

The Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) will debut in Dubai this September, bringing together the Middle East and Africa’s industry leaders for discussions, deals and insight on the continued growth of the region’s hospitality and tourism sectors. Hosted by Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts and co-organised by The Bench and MEED, FHS brings together the investment communities of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF) and AviaDev under one roof. Other conference tracks include Sustainability & Innovation, Startup Den and The Future of Human Capital. The three-day summit takes place at Madinat Jumeirah from 19 to 21 September 2022, uniting government leaders, hotel investors, owners, developers and operators to discuss the industry’s hot topics, set the scene for the future and network with elite players in their field. 50 leaders from some of the world’s most dynamic hospitality brands who have confirmed to speak include José Silva, CEO of Jumeirah Group Hotels & Resorts; Puneet Chhatwal, MD and CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited; Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO Minor Hotels; Guy Hutchinson, President and CEO at Rotana; Sandeep Walia, Chief Operations Officer at Marriott International; Khalid Anib, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Hotels; Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality; Haitham Mattar, Managing Director MEA & South West Asia at IHG Hotels and Resorts; Dimitris Manikis, President EMEA at Wyndham Hotels, Jochem-Jan Sleiffer, President Middle East, Africa & Turkey at Hilton as well as Chris Newman Executive Director Hotel Development at Neom; Agnès Roquefort, Chief Development Officer at Accor and Elie Younes, Chief Development Officer at Radisson. Among the names representing the global food & beverage investment community – coming together on the first day of FHS for the …

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Dubai to become the first destination with autonomous taxis and e-hail services

In implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council, to proceed with the partnership agreement signed between the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Cruise to operate Cruise autonomous vehicles to offer taxi and e-Hail services in Dubai. Cruise will start this month the operation of two Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles (EVs) to prepare digital maps for Cruise’s self-driving vehicles. The process is a prelude for the launch of the actual service by 2023 rendering Dubai the first city in the world to commercially operate Cruise self-driving vehicles outside America. The two Chevrolet Bolt EVs will be initially deployed on Jumeirah streets and driven by specialist drivers. Cruise’s technology uses a high-resolution map of the physical environment, which is created using specialised mapping vehicles equipped with a suite of sensors including LiDAR, camera, and others, and are driven throughout the city to collect data, which is then used to create and maintain a navigable map for autonomous vehicles (AVs). Cruise, General Motors’ majority-owned autonomous vehicle subsidiary, shares the same vision as GM that AVs can help lead to a safe, less congested future for all, delivering enormous benefits for society in the form of increased safety and access to transportation. These efforts will clearly advance General Motors’ vision of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion. His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, said: “Preparing digital maps is an essential step in the process of operating self-driving Cruise Origin vehicles, which will be deployed in limited numbers next year to offer taxi …

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