Tag Archives: Dubai

Jumeirah Group announced that it is set to operate a new hotel in Dubai under its Zabeel House by Jumeirah brand, having recently signed a management agreement with The Onyx for Development. The hotel, to be known as Zabeel House by Jumeirah–The Greens, is scheduled to open in Q4 2018 and will offer 210 guest rooms, two restaurants, terrace dining around the pool area, conference and business facilities, as well as a gym and spa treatment rooms. Designed to appeal to the curious traveller who wants to experience a city like a resident, guests to Zabeel House by Jumeirah can expect a four-star experience, brilliant basics and unexpected extras within an upscale, casual environment. Conveniently located to help guests experience Dubai, Zabeel House by Jumeirah–The Greens is well positioned at the heart of The Greens master development, and is part of a completed wider mixed-use development called ‘The Onyx’, which consists of residential, commercial and retail units.  The hotel has great connectivity with easy access to Sheikh Zayed Road and is within easy reach of some of Dubai’s best beaches, as well as public transport and the Dubai Metro.

Emirates is set to launch a new non-stop service between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Dubai from June 1, 2018, adding to its existing daily flight which operates with a stop in Athens, Greece. The new non-stop service will be operated with an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, offering eight suites in First Class, 42 seats in Business, 306 in Economy Class, and 19 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity. Flight EK223 will depart Dubai at 03:00 am and arrive in Newark at 09:00 am. The return flight EK224 departs Newark at 11:50 am, arriving in Dubai at 08: 20am on the following day. This new timing complements the existing Emirates service, as it provides travellers with a new option of a morning arrival in Newark, and a morning departure. Emirates’ non-stop service to Newark will offer travellers in northern New Jersey enhanced global connectivity, particularly those heading to Africa, the Far East and the Indian sub-continent. This is a boon for ethnic communities such as the nearly 700,000 Indian Americans residing in the greater New York area, who will have one-stop access to nine Indian cities on Emirates’ global network.

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) and Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) have signed an MoU to unite their efforts in positioning Dubai as the destination of choice for tourists from Middle East, Africa, and China. The MoU was signed by Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing and Gene Jiao, President, Huawei CBG, Middle East & Africa to support the strategic tie-up between DTCM and Huawei CBG. Under the terms of the MoU, Huawei will work with Dubai Tourism to create awareness of Dubai’s local culture and heritage across Middle East, Africa and China. Huawei will share information, images, videos, events information, online booking/ order services of Dubai Tourism with travellers (tourists, businessmen, residents) to provide a seamless online experience in Dubai. Kazim said, “We are fully committed to raising consideration of Dubai as the destination of choice for global travellers and constantly seek exciting opportunities to reach new audiences. This MoU with Huawei will help us achieve that goal by increasing awareness of Dubai’s key selling points including local culture and heritage, gastronomy, retail, entertainment and adventure across Middle East, Africa, and China travellers.”

Marriott International announced the opening of Aloft Palm Jumeirah, the first Aloft to open in Dubai. Located on the Eastern crescent of the Palm Jumeirah, the hotel offers 206 loft-inspired guestrooms with airy 9-foot-high ceilings and excellent views over the Arabian Gulf. All rooms feature the brand’s signature offerings, such as an ultra-comfortable plush bed, walk-in shower, Wi-Fi, 49-inch LCD TVs linked to a Plug & Play connectivity panel. Rooms are also equipped with SPG Keyless, the industry’s first truly mobile check-in system where guests can utilise their mobile phones as room keys. “We are thrilled to celebrate the opening of our first Aloft in Dubai, situated on one of the world’s most sought-after destinations – the Palm Jumeirah,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “We see a strong demand for Aloft properties in the region as the brand continues to redefine the traditional hotel experience with its vision and innovation.  In the UAE alone, the brand will double its portfolio in the next three years with five new openings,” he added.  

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai has launched Marmoom Reserve Project, the first unfenced desert conservation reserve in the country. Spanning 10 per cent of Dubai’s total area, the reserve will introduce more than 20 environmental, cultural and sports-related initiatives, sponsored by nine Dubai’s government agencies. Enjoying over 40 hectares of shrubland and fertile area, the reserve is home to several species of native and migratory birds. The new project will include 10 animal and bird observation platforms, star and sunset observations decks, areas for yoga, an outdoor theatre that can host 350-person events, and will be powered by a 5,000 megawatt solar power complex. Al Maktoum said, “The Marmoom Reserve is an environmental, touristic and sporting addition to life in the UAE.” He continued, “The desert provides a peaceful shelter to plants, birds and people. Our goal is to provide a fertile and robust environment for plants, natural reserve for animals and an important destination for tourists.” His Highness concluded, “When nine government agencies work as a team, the result will be exceptional, as reflected in the Marmoom Reserve.”  

Emirates is set to resume its flights between Dubai and Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport, starting June 8, 2018. The resumption of services on the route will allow customers two destination options when travelling to Istanbul. The flight will be operated five times a week by an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER in a three-class cabin configuration, with eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 310 spacious seats in Economy Class. Together with Emirates’ other service to Istanbul, the airline will offer 16 flights, catering to both tourism and business traffic. The aircraft allows for an increase in cargo capacity to Istanbul, with a weekly total of 100 tonnes, making Emirates the only airline operating a scheduled service with a wide-body aircraft at Sabiha Gokcen Airport. Emirates flight EK119 will depart Dubai at 10:00hrs and arrive in Istanbul at 13:45hrs. The return flight EK120 will leave Istanbul at 15:35 hrs and arrive in Dubai at 21:00 hrs. The new timing allows customers from Istanbul to seamlessly connect to Emirates’ flights at Dubai International Airport to popular destinations like Bangkok, Shanghai, Seoul, and cities across Australia.

The much-awaited Dubai Frame will be opened to the public as soon as next week. Visitors can pre-book their tour through the website or app apart from the paper tickets that will be available too. Only a specific number of people will be accepted at one time. The Dh160-million Dubai Frame will provide visitors with a 360-degree view of Dubai as they walk through a 93-metre glass bridge to see old Dubai from the north and modern Dubai from the south. The rectangular structure, consisting of two 150-metre towers, connects the past and present of Dubai. Visitors will enjoy a journey through time for only Dh50 for adults and Dh30 for children. Free tickets will be offered for children under three, people over 60 and people of determination.

Emirates is set to launch a new daily route from Dubai (DXB) to London Stansted (STN) on June 8, 2018. With its strategic position close to the tech and pharma hubs of Cambridge and Peterborough, Emirates will be the first Middle Eastern airline to operate out of the popular North East London airport. The daily route will be operated by the airline’s new three-class Boeing 777-300ER offering customers six  seats in First Class, 42 in Business Class and 306 in Economy Class. The aircraft is fitted with fully enclosed private suites in First Class, as well as refreshed Business and Economy Class cabins. Flight EK33 will depart Dubai at 09:30hrs, and will arrive in London Stansted at 14:10hrs. On its return, flight EK34 will depart London Stansted at 21:10hrs and arrive in Dubai at 07:05 on the following day. Opening the London Stansted gateway was a strategic decision by Emirates to serve the thriving business community in London’s north east and the wider 7.5 million population that fall within its catchment area. Hong Kong, Dubai, Shanghai, Singapore and Mumbai are the most popular business destinations from the East of England, which Emirates serves daily through its Dubai hub.

JA Bateaux Dubai, the five-star luxury floating experience is now ready in a new location with a revamped new menu for the upcoming tourist season. Set in the historical rejuvenated Al Seef area, the air-conditioned glass enclosed vessel is the ideal luxury cruise which would take guests through the leading trading routes and the historical Bastakiya district. Visitors can discover historical sights of Dubai on board JA Bateaux Dubai with their personalised service along with freshly prepared delectable gourmet cuisine while enjoying a 360-degree view of Dubai.

In a keynote address at the opening session of Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum, Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) confirmed that Dubai remains on track to receive one million cruise passengers by 2020. Addressing delegates, he also referred to DCTCM’s plan to ensure that cruise passengers felt the ‘soul’ of Dubai and there would be an extra concentration on excursions showing the heritage of the city and its older parts. Around 17 cruise line executives from 14 of the world’s leading cruise lines attended the annual two-day event held at Lapita, located within Dubai Parks and Resorts, Dubai. The programme focused on a number of key discussion points, including extending seasonality, opportunities for niche cruising, port and destination development, link with India, the Suez Canal and Red Sea, shore excursion offerings, supporting the needs of the crew and exploiting the potential for inbound Chinese tourism. The event’s return to Dubai reflects the regional significance for the future of cruising in the Arabian Gulf.