Tag Archives: Dubai

Jet Airways has launched a fourth daily service from Dubai to Delhi, and has also rescheduled the flight to Mangalore from Dubai. The new schedule provides a more convenient night flight, arriving early in the morning in Mangalore. Shakir Kantawala, Vice President, Gulf, Middle East and Africa, Jet Airways, said, “The new service will further enhance the strong economic ties between the UAE and India and support the increase in demand for tourism for both the cities. The new flight timings are also of interest for business travellers, who now have the convenience of day return flights. We look forward to providing greater convenience and choice to our guests travelling to Delhi.”

Global Village has opened its 23rd season in Dubai on October 30, 2018 under the theme ‘Explore, Experience, Enjoy. This Way!’ and runs until April 6, 2019. It has also unveiled an expansive programme of entertainment, events and cultural activities. Global Village provides world-class shopping, unlimited entertainment, tantalising international cuisine, and features a newly-expanded Carnaval funfair area during the 159-day long season that runs from October 30, 2018 to April 6, 2019. Commenting on the occasion, Bader Anwahi, CEO, Global Village, said, “Global Village brings on its 23rd season with a wide range of exciting shows and special features to impress guests. This time, we have enhanced the entire park for greater thrills and a refreshed experience. We enter a world of exploration filled with adventures and fun for families as we host even more exciting events and huge international shows to entertain our guests.” Anwahi added that Global Village has become the most important tourist destination for visitors to the UAE and is a popular destination with residents from all walks of life. Global Village returns this season with 27 new pavilions representing 78 countries with stunning exteriors reflecting the world’s most beautiful landmarks whilst bringing global cultures to guests. The lively atmosphere is enhanced by music, markets, street food and local handicrafts as well as vendors dressed in authentic costumes. Each pavilion showcases its country’s or region’s most beautiful monuments and landmarks with popular markets, authentic products, heritage corners and cultural performances.

Dubai International Hotel has been officially certified by Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) as a five-star hotel in accordance with the standards set by Dubai’s principal tourism authority. The 5-star rating is a reflection of the high standards of features, facilities and services offered at the 530-room hotel located with Dubai International Airport. Khalid Hussain Mohammad – Supervisor, Abdulla Abbas Saleh – Inspector, Abdul Rahman Khalifa Alsuwaidi – Head of Inspection Unit and Bader Abdulla Mohammad – Deputy Director of Dubai Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) presented the plaque to Ranjan Nadarajah Managing Director and Avinash Menon, General Manager, Dubai International Hotel. Dubai Tourism recognises Dubai as a leading tourism destination and a global commercial hub, and Dubai International Hotel continues to substantially contribute to this world-class standard. Part of Dubai Airport Authority, the multi-award winning luxury hotel caters to a myriad of international travellers each day, offering the finest hospitality standards and state-of-the-art facilities. The hotel features eight restaurants and bars, Ahlan Business Class and First Class Lounges, Timeless Spa treatment rooms and bespoke Ahlan Meet & Greet Services. Ranjan Nadarajah, Managing Director, commented at the ceremony, “We are honoured to receive this recognition. Being located within Dubai Airports, Terminal 1 and 3, we are the window to this multi-cultural city and a traveller’s first and often, only impression. For the past 18 years, we have worked in tandem with Dubai Tourism and Dubai Airports to keep Dubai relevant on the world map.”

Emirates is gearing up to launch the world’s first “biometric path” that will offer its customers a smooth and truly seamless airport journey at the airline’s hub in Dubai International airport. Utilising the latest biometric technology – a mix of facial and iris recognition, Emirates passengers can soon check in for their flight, complete immigration formalities, enter the Emirates lounge and board their flights, simply by strolling through the airport. The latest biometric equipment has already been installed at Emirates Terminal 3, Dubai International airport. It can be found at select check-in counters, at the Emirates Lounge in Concourse B for premium passengers, and at select boarding gates. Areas where biometric equipment are installed will be clearly marked.  Adel Al Redha, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Emirates, said, “Guided by our chairman His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates continuously innovates and strives to improve our day-to-day business. After extensive research and evaluation of numerous technologies and new approaches to enhance our passenger journey, we are now satisfied with the preliminary work we have carried out and are ready to commence live trials of the world’s first biometric path at Emirates Terminal 3. These ground-breaking initiatives are a result of close collaboration with our stakeholders – particularly GDRFA who have been instrumental in the programme to bring the biometric path to fruition.” Major General Mohammed Ahmed Almarri, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), Dubai,  said, “We are pleased to roll-out these new initiatives at Terminal 3 in collaboration with Emirates and our airport stakeholders. The Smart Tunnel tests are running smoothly, and we are now preparing to mobilise the other biometric systems at the other areas …

Majid Al Futtaim celebrated the opening of Aloft City Centre Deira, Dubai, at an event attended by VIPs, media and influencers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The opening of the event took place in the presence of Alain Bejjani, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim – Holding, and Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International. Operated by Marriott International, Aloft City Centre Deira is the first hotel in the region to offer movie-themed suites, alongside a VOX Cinemas’ outdoor screen and the Aloft brand’s signature programming. The urban hotel is a lifestyle destination catering to both leisure and business travellers. Aloft City Centre Deira delivers a fresh approach from the traditional hotel landscape with its emphasis on a lively, in-hotel social scene, modern design, innovative music programming and thoughtful technology incorporated to enhance the guest experience. Jalil Mekouar, Chief Executive Officer – Hotels, Majid Al Futtaim – Properties, said, “I’m delighted to announce the official opening of Aloft City Centre Deira, our 13th hotel in the region, to the public. Majid Al Futtaim strives to create and deliver compelling experiences through our unique destinations, and together with Marriott International, we have launched a concept that is an integrated lifestyle development aimed at establishing a new benchmark for experiential travel in Dubai’s hospitality sector, offering more authentic and personalised experiences within one destination.”

The 57th ICCA Congress is set to take place from Nov 11-14, 2018 at Dubai World Trade Centre under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince, Dubai and Chairman, Executive Council of Dubai. The event will be familiarising delegates with the ICCA “Outside The Box Sessions” by introducing them to curated tours and site visits, showcasing the city’s cultural offerings, ground-breaking innovation and talent development. Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, “The 2018 ICCA Congress is a key event for the global business events community and provides Dubai a platform to showcase itself as a business and knowledge hub. We hope these experiences, which involve some of our key stakeholders and partners across the city, will inspire delegates and allow them to consider future opportunities in the Dubai. They will also complement the strong core educational programme that ICCA has put together for delegates, as well as the networking and social events throughout the congress.” To help delegates build a more cohesive picture of Dubai, delegates can expect to explore the Expo 2020 Dubai site and see first-hand the scale of the global event and how it is set to provide opportunities for meeting industry professionals. The “Outside The Box Sessions” will also see delegates take a tour of the Emirates airline crew training academy and experience the development of skills as well as the importance of aviation to the city’s development. During the tour, delegates will have a first-hand look at the Emirates airline’s safety and emergency evacuation simulators, service training simulators, as well as the A380 cabin service simulator, among many others.

Uni-top Airlines is planning to operate B747 freighter flight between Kunming in China and Dubai, according to Yang Fan, Vice President, Uni-top Airlines. Addressing an air transport cooperation promotion conference held by Chinese Yunnan provincial delegation in Kempinski Hotel Mall of Emirates in Dubai, Fan said, “In order to support the development of civil aviation and trade between China and the UAE, Uni-top Airlines is planning to operate B747 freighter flight with three flights per week between Kunming and Dubai.” The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the Yunnan Provincial Government have jointly signed ‘The Kunming International Aviation Hub Strategic Planning’, in order to build Kunming Changshui international airport into an international hub that is safe, efficient, accessible, integrated, green and intelligent.  It is planned that by 2030, there will be 500 air routes, including 200 international and regional ones with 120 million passengers and 1.78 million tonnes cargo by running five runways in Kunming Changshui international airport. Zhang Changsheng, Deputy Director, Yunnan Provincial Development & Reform Commission and Director General, Yunnan Provincial Civil Aviation Development Administration, said, “Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the UAE in July, and the leaders of the two countries unanimously decided to upgrade bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. We expect to strengthen joint marketing promotion for airline flights, tourism market and especially air cargo market in order to push the development of bilateral economy and trade, and we also expect to promote abundant green agricultural products with Yunnan plateau characteristics to the UAE for sharing.” Khalil Lamrabet, Director – Aviation Business Management, Dubai Airports, said, “Strengthening the tourism, trade and commercial links between China and Dubai is a key strategy for Dubai Airports. We …

Dubai World Trade Centre welcomes The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) after it relocates its Dubai office to One Central. The consulting firm will continue to serve its clients from the public as well as private sector. BCG’s newly-designed 66,000 square foot offices will occupy the 6th and 7th floor of One Central’s Offices 3, with exclusive access to a large terrace with views of Burj Khalifa, DIFC and The Museum of the Future. His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA) and Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) said, “The DWTC Authority is delighted to welcome BCG to the One Central development. By attracting one of the world’s leading advisers on business strategy to establish their Dubai office in One Central, we are reiterating both, the development and Dubai’s attractiveness to international corporates and businesses as an unrivalled platform. Through our business-conducive free-zone ecosystem, uniquely complemented by One Central, DWTCA delivers a distinctive destination proposition that emphasises Dubai’s global status as a progressive, hyperconnected, competitive hub for international business.” Joerg Hildebrandt, Managing Partner, The Boston Consulting Group Middle East said, “With this new home, we are at the epicenter of business districts. The move is of strategic importance and will provide our dynamic organisation with a more centralised position for future growth and development within world-class facilities.”

Golden Sands Hotel Apartments is looking forward to an increased share of travellers from Russia after a successful roadshow in St Petersburg and Moscow. The team of Golden Sands Hotel Apartments joined the 2018 Dubai Tourism Russia Roadshow held from September 3 to 6, where they received great interest from travel agents and tour operators who were interested to learn about the services offered by mid-scale and budget hotels, including hotel-serviced apartments. “The Russian market is an emerging market for Golden Sands Hotel Apartments. The trip to two major cities in Russia opened a huge opportunity for the property. We received a huge number of enquiries and interests from the travellers from Russia who are looking for more affordable deals and value-based option. Dubai has traditionally been a popular tourist destination among Russians and majority prefers the beachfront properties when staying in Dubai but we saw a new segment of visitors who are willing to stay in city hotels that offer shuttle buses to take them to the beach and other popular attractions in the city,” the team said. Visitor numbers from Russia visiting Dubai have continued to rise, delivering 405,000 visitors for the first half of 2018, a growth of 74 per cent over the same period in 2017, according to figures released by DTCM. Mohammed Khoori, General Manager, Golden Sands Hotel Apartments, said, “We hope to get a share of the market, especially the Russian travellers. Based on the feedback received from our participation in the Russia roadshow, we look forward to reaping the results of our hard work this coming tourism season.”

The German National Tourist Office in Dubai, together with its partners Emirates, Münich Tourism and Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay, brings some of German cuisine’s delicious flavours at Steigenberger Brothaus Bakery – Bistro in Dubai to inspire guests to visit Germany. Sigrid de Mazieres, Director — Marketing and Sales Office Gulf Countries, German National Tourist Office Gulf Countries stressed the importance of the GCC as being the third-largest non-European feeder market for Germany. She reiterated that the number of travellers to GCC from 2009 has been increasing year on year and in 2017, it witnessed 4.5 per cent increase. Annually, the theme to attract international tourists changes in the sector. This year is about the culinary journey which is quite interesting for the visitors from the region as food and shopping are two main areas that they focus while travelling to Germany. Shaz Peshimam, Emirates Senior Manager for Dubai and the Northern Emirates addressed the audience and stated that the new visa-free facility to all the UAE nationals has made a great impact for their flights as earlier it was seasonal. Emirates has been serving Germany for the past 31 years and they fly to four main areas — Frankfurt, Düsseldorf , Munich and Hamburg with 70 weekly flights.