Tag Archives: Dubai

Paramount Hotel Dubai, the first-ever property of Paramount Hotels and Resorts in the Middle East, is set to open in the third quarter of 2019. Developed using the same bold imagination, inspiring talent and creative process that has been perfected over Paramount Pictures’ 105-year history, the Paramount Hotel Dubai, located in Business Bay, is synonymous with entertainment and creativity. Offering timeless Hollywood elegance and an innovative guest experience, the hotel brings to life the contemporary Californian magic with their studio-inspired entertainment, sophisticated design, gourmet dining experiences, luxury shopping options, spa and additional world-class amenities. Following the true spirit of a movie set, the hotel staff are actually called ‘Paramount Cast Members’, for instance – the General Manager for the hotel is known as the Director. Transporting guests to the sets of Paramount Pictures’ timeless classics, Cast Members embody the different characters as they adapt and improvise off the service script to promise an impeccable experience. In true Hollywood spirit, the hotel houses 823 rooms and suites grouped into Studio, Scene and Stage Guest Rooms; Premiere Paramount Suites; one Producer Suite which comes with a private screening room and private hammam; and themed suites taking inspiration from Paramount Pictures. All 69 floors of the hotel have exclusive never seen before, behind-the-scenes photography from their movies. A true production, Paramount Hotel Dubai features exciting elements such as immersive video walls in the lobby, Paramount Screening Room, a Californian Pool Deck, PAUSE – a Wellness and Fitness Center, state of the art meetings and events facilities as well as their signature co-working Work/Play suites.

Two Seasons Hotel & Apartments Dubai is set to reveal updates on its four new upcoming properties at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) currently underway. The introduction of new living concepts was inspiration behind the foundation of Two Seasons Hotel Management Company — the one that reflects the ever-changing trends towards the specialisation of hospitality products catering to a variety of travellers including corporate guests, business and leisure groups, families and children, long-term guests and independent travellers. The Two Seasons brand represents deluxe hotels and guarantees guests fine accommodation, excellent services and unique atmosphere. The creation of the home-grown brand will certainly enhance guest interaction by offering personalised services and quality standards to guests. Following the same concept and guideline as the first hotel of the brand, Two Seasons Hotel & Apartments in Al Barsha boasts of 188 stylish lifestyle hotel rooms and is expected to open by 2021 with a swimming pool, all-day dining restaurant and a health club. New Seasons Resort and Spa in Dakhla City, Morocco boasts of a beachfront location and will house 120 supreme luxury rooms and suites, along with 24 villas of two-, three- and four-bedrooms. The resort is expected to open by 2022 and falls under a new concept of luxurious, trendy and charming that echoes a new season of lifestyle hotel start up. New Seasons Boutique Hotel, Rabat City, Morocco is a lifestyle property that will have 24 elegant and stylish units and suites with an organic farm is located in the capital of Rabat. Expected to open by 2022, this hotel also falls under a new concept of luxurious, trendy and charming that echoes a new season of lifestyle hotels start-up.

Dubai has moved up in the ranking of the world’s top 10 maritime capitals in 2019, the latest in its string of achievements that has made the emirate a globally competitive maritime hub. The emirate took the 9th spot this year, up from its 10th rank in 2017, according to a recent report issued by Menon Economics and DNV GL, the global organization that specializes in benchmarking top maritime capitals of the world. The report surveyed 200 experts and high-profile officials from leading maritime companies worldwide. Around 40 per cent of the experts were from Europe, 30 per cent from Asia, and 30 per cent from the US, Middle East, and Africa. H.E. Sultan Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DP World; Chairman of Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation and Chairman of DMCA, said, “We are delighted to achieve this new global achievement that demonstrates the progress of the maritime sector in Dubai led with a leadership vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, and his support to the industry and keen efforts to enable our teams to achieve better results in all areas related to the maritime sector. I would also like to thank the DMCA team for its work and dedication to ensure improved local maritime services at all levels.”    

Dubai’s annual entertainment calendar ushers in world-class international musical events and festivals – from unmissable concerts to stunning stage shows and legendary live performances, all weaving together a cultural tapestry that is unique to the city. The city’s buzzing music scene will once again come to life with non-stop entertainment and thrilling live acts this April. With Dubai Calendar’s top picks of musical entertainment, one can discover new sounds from across the Middle East, South Africa, and more this month. Dubai is set to host Wasla, the largest platform dedicated to Middle Eastern and North African musicians during its third edition this April. The music festival, derived from an Arab word used to describe a link or connection, is bringing its eclectic line-up to the city on April 5 with a specially curated set list of Arab artists including Massar Egbari, El Morabba3, Cairokee, 47Soul and Mashrou’ Leila. With an aim to bring together emerging talent from around the region to share a soulful stage, celebrating diversity, culture and alternative Arabism, Wasla is set to feature diverse cultural and artistic elements, with an array of great live entertainment and an immersive outdoor experience. Dubai is also warming up to host the Irish boy band, Boyzone, for the last time during a historical performance at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on April 12. The band is set to rock the audience with tunes from their final album ‘Thank You & Goodnight’ as they celebrate 25 years of the band’s journey to fame. Additionally, singer-songwriter Ard Matthews of ‘Just Jinjer’ will share the stage with rock band Watershed at Dubai Opera on April 18, bringing the contemporary rock landscape to life …

Emirates has resumed its operations to Zagreb for summer, serving the route until October 26, 2019. Its partner airline, flydubai will then begin to operate during the winter season. The strategic partnership between both airlines ensures capacity is deployed to best serve customer demand. Flight EK 129 will depart Dubai at 8:30 and arrive in Zagreb at 12:35 local time, utilising a Boeing 777-300ER. The return flight, EK 130 will depart Zagreb at 15:25 and arrive in Dubai at 23:00 local time. Due to the planned upgrade works on the southern runway at DXB from April 16 until May 30, 2019, Emirates’ flights to Zagreb will operate four times weekly on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. From May 31, 2019 onwards, the route will be operated as a daily service. Emirates’ daily service to Zagreb will operate in a three-class configuration with eight lie-flat seats in First Class, 42 seats in Business Class and 304 spacious seats in Economy Class. Passengers across all cabins can enjoy the airline’s 4,000 channels of in-flight entertainment, complimentary beverages and regionally inspired meals. They can also stay connected to family and friends during the flight with up to 20MB of complementary Wi-Fi. Known for its impressive 18th century architecture, Zagreb is a city with an extremely rich history and culture. Located in the northwest of the country – visitors can discover the upper and lower town areas that hold some of the world’s most iconic cathedrals and museums. Travellers can also discover popular Croatian cities located on the Dalmatian Coast, such as Split and Dubrovnik. Emirates’ partner airline, flydubai, offers travellers flight options to Dubrovnik twice a week on Sunday and Thursday. Flight FZ 719 …

Emirates anticipates high passenger traffic this spring break weekend with visitors travelling to and from Dubai. The busiest time for departures in Terminal 3 will be on  March 29 with more than 42,000 passengers travelling abroad. Customers are reminded to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight departure to avoid any delays. Peak travel is expected to continue until April 2, 2019 with more than 205,000 Emirates passengers travelling from Dubai to destinations beyond. During this time, Emirates will also be welcoming more than 160,000 passengers to and through Dubai. With road works continuing to cause delays around main airport highways and roads during this time, Emirates urges customers to build in extra time for their journeys to avoid potential delays. Passengers can physically check in at the airport as early as 24 hours before flight departure, and are requested to check in no later than two hours prior to departure, regardless of class of travel. Customers who check in less than 60 minutes prior to their scheduled flight departure will not be accepted for travel. Customers can also check in online on both their desktops and mobile devices from 48 hours to 90 minutes before flight departure. After checking in, passengers are also advised to make sure they get to their boarding gate on time. Gates open 90 minutes before departure, boarding starts 45 minutes before each flight and gates close 20 minutes before departure. If passengers report late Emirates will not be able to accept them for travel.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Dubai & Middle East Office in partnership with Royal Thai Embassy in Manama, Bahrain and The Gulf Hotel, Bahrain and Gulf Air will launch the Thai Festival 2019 on March 26 at The Gulf Hotel, Bahrain. The EATHAI VISITHAI 2019 promotion will run from March 26 to April 25, 2019 and will see the city come to life as people celebrate Thai culture and cuisine with incredible discounts on offer at 13 of Bahrain’s finest dining establishments. The participating venues will showcase their appetizing special Thai dishes with tasting and a live cooking show at the exclusive launch event on March 26. These include The BF Food Bahrain, Shada Restaurant, Tom Yum Kung Restaurant, Honey Restaurant, Monsoon Restaurant, Royal Thai-Gulf Hotel Bahrain, Wang Thai Restaurant, Thong Eak Restaurant, Som Tum Thai Restaurant, Thai Seafood Restaurant, Wok This Way Restaurant, Top Thai Restaurant and Ayothaya Restaurant. H E Thanis Na Songkhla, Ambassador, Royal Thai Embassy Manama, Bahrain, said, “We are thrilled to bring The Thai Festival 2019 to the Kingdom of Bahrain. Thai food is incredibly popular in the region and we are excited to showcase it further at this exciting festival.” Pichaya Saisaengchan, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand Dubai & Middle East Office, added, “The Thai Festival has been an ongoing success in the Kingdom of Bahrain and we’re excited to see it return for another edition. It’s an incredible way to showcase our world-renowned cuisine and guests will be able to avail incredible discounts and win fabulous prizes.”

The German National Tourist Office (GNTO) kicked off its annual worldwide marketing campaign ‘German Summer Cities’ with a successful brand activation event at City Walk Mall in Dubai, together with the campaign’s premium partner Lufthansa Group as well as UAE-based Al Rais Travel. In an objective to woo the Gulf travelling community to choose Germany as their preferred destination, visitors were offered a great mix of engaging activities such as VR installations, travel information through promotional staff and special promotional packages by Al Rais Travel as well as Lufthansa. The three-day event was designed to capture the essence and unique atmosphere of the many great German cities. The multi-channel ‘German Summer Cities’ campaign which is being rolled out throughout the GNTB’s 31 offices around the world includes comprehensive digital marketing, pop-up event scheme in 14 key source markets and a wide range of PR activities. The GCC is one of the Top 15 source markets for Germany and the third largest non-European source market, after China and USA. In 2016, Germany ranked top among GCC travellers, even ahead of UK, Turkey and France. According to German Federal Statistical Office, there were 87.7 million international overnight stays recorded in accommodation establishments with at least 10 beds in 2018. For the ninth consecutive year, the number of visitors to Germany in 2018 reached record levels, showing a 5 per cent increase overall to 2017.

The 7th edition of the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF) is set to take place in Dubai this year. One of the world’s most influential knowledge-sharing platforms for the airports industry, agenda for GALF 2019 taking place from April 29 to May 1 alongside the 19th edition of Airport Show reflects the changing aviation landscape and future technologies. Airport Show and its co-located events will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; Chairman, Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group. The knowledge-enhancement initiative is themed ‘Leading Collaborative Sustainable Aviation Growth’, reflecting the future growth path of the industry which supports US$2.7 trillion of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and carries over four billion passengers and 62 million tonnes of freight a year. At GALF, industry leaders and experts from around the world will gather to discuss common challenges, partnership opportunities and chart the way forward for the region’s aviation growth. The three-day event will feature pressing topics including smart airports and sustainability, airport privatisation models,  building non- aeronautical revenue systems and the future of blockchain in aviation, amongst other topics. Dubai has ambitious plans to be the world’s first city fully powered by blockchain by 2020 and the emirate is making persistent efforts to be a global leader in blockchain adoption. Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Exhibitions Middle East, organisers of Airport Show said, “The agenda for GALF 2019 undoubtedly reflects the direction the industry is going in and we are looking forward to seeing what interesting discussions take place to ensure our industry is at the forefront of digital transformation.”

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has commenced the operation of an exclusive Dubai Ferry route for Emaar’s visitors and residents, linking The Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina Mall. Inaugurated in the presence of senior officials of RTA and Emaar, the new service links two of the most popular lifestyle destinations in the city through an environment-friendly urban transport service. It also builds on an earlier agreement signed between RTA and Emaar’s At the Top, Burj Khalifa to promote the sale of Dubai Ferry tickets to the popular tourist attraction in the iconic tower. The ferry service, for a duration of about 1 hour 20 minutes one-way, will offer majestic views of the cityscape – from The Palm Islands to the skyscrapers along Sheikh Zayed Road and the Dubai Canal. It will ply between the Dubai Marina ferry station, located behind the Dubai Marina Mall, and Al Wajeha Al Maeyah station, from where a complimentary shuttle service will take guests to reach The Dubai Mall and back. Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO, Public Transport Agency, said, “The marine transport network of Dubai is gaining considerable interest among visitors and residents, especially following the ongoing promotion of the Dubai Ferry service by At the Top, Burj Khalifa. The new service will add to the delight of users, who can cover two of the most popular malls effortlessly while enjoying scenic vistas of the city.” Ahmed Al Falasi, Executive Director — Group Operations, Emaar Properties, said, “The new ferry service is a remarkable addition that will add to the touristic attractions in the city. Following the promotion of Dubai Ferry to visitors and tourist groups touring At the Top, Burj Khalifa, we had seen a …