Tag Archives: Dubai

With the opening of the 21st season at the entertainment destination Global Village with the concept of a new world every day, the visitor numbers for the first two months from November 1 to December 31, 2016, have gone up to 2.3 million. It was stated at a recent press meeting with the CEO Ahmad Hussain Bin Essa that over 250,000 tickets were sold at the smart solutions with smart gates which was just introduced during this season and as the social media presence had been extremely active they have been able to sell the tickets in various new and innovative ways such as special family packs at the fuel stations which would increase the awareness amongst the residents living around and they have determined that the current length of stay of the guests on average is about six hours. He further stated that this season they signed an MOU with 42 top travel agents in order to increase the number of tourists visiting the destination.  They have been very active in most road shows alongside DTCM with a focus on Russia, Africa, India and China markets. Their main aim is to improve the guest experience and ensure that they have the happiness meter at a very high level.

Emirates will resume its flagship A380 service between Dubai and Narita from March 26, 2017. This follows the airline’s recent A380 deployment to Moscow, and will take place after the upcoming launch of A380 services to Johannesburg. It will also coincide with the launch of A380 services between Dubai and Casablanca. Emirates will deploy its three-class A380 on the Narita route, offering a total of 489 seats, with 14 private suites in First Class, 76 mini pods with lie-flat seats in Business Class and 399 spacious seats in Economy Class, increasing capacity per flight by more than 135 passengers compared to the current Boeing 777-300ER. Flight EK318 will depart Dubai at 02:40 and arrive in Narita at 17:35 daily. Return flight EK319 will depart Narita on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 22:00 and arrive in Dubai at 04:15 the next day, while on Tuesday and Wednesday, it will depart Narita at 21:20 and arrive in Dubai at 03:35 the next day. All times are local. Narita will join more than 40 destinations on Emirates’ extensive global network served by its A380 aircraft, including Paris, Rome, Milan, Madrid, London and Mauritius. Emirates currently operates a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on its daily flights between Narita and Dubai. The resumption of Emirates’ A380 service to Narita makes it possible for Japanese travellers to fly only on A380s to their final destinations, particularly when travelling to European cities, via Dubai.

Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai, has announced the completion of phase one of its AED70 million extensive renovation programme which has been undertaken across its public areas including the Lobby Lounge and Dunes Café. The renovation project, which began in June 2016, has taken over 5.5 million minutes of man-time from the start to the end of phase one.  Phase two includes the renovation of 302 rooms and suites to be completed in 2018. A stunning ‘wave’ chandelier designed by bespoke chandelier designers, Lasvit, hangs in the entrance of the hotel weighing the equivalent of over 700 bags of sugar. Another spectacular chandelier hangs in the two-storey staircase connecting the lobby and dining outlets. In the lobby itself, plentiful flashes of gold and ruby red detailing reflect the jewels of traditional Arabian souks. In addition, 4,212 hand-cut, blue, tiger’s eye stone tiles have been pieced together to form the entry walls to the six lobby elevators. The stone is also featured on the tables in the Lobby Lounge. Tiger’s Eye is a semi-precious stone believed to hold soothing qualities and has been introduced to bring a further sense of calm to the surroundings.

Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director-General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners’ Affairs in Dubai, revealed that Dubai International airports received 105, 326 passengers in one day for the first time. Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri expressed his happiness about this achievement consisting of receiving this huge number of passengers to UAE, which reflects UAE’s vision to make of Dubai a place where the world’s cultures meet and interact. Major General Al Marri made this statement as he presented statistics about the numbers of passengers coming and traveling from Dubai on New Year’s Eve. He stated that the total number of passengers during the period from December 28th to December 31st 2016 reached 669,093 passengers, noting that the numbers of travelers coming to Dubai reached 389,290 while the travelers from Dubai reached 288,803. He said that Dubai seeks to accomplish the entry and departure procedures for travelers according to the best standards to guarantee their satisfaction. He also noted that a special team was assigned to facilitate these procedures during holiday’s period to guarantee speeding the process.

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has announced the development of ‘Dubai Harbour’, a unique new waterfront destination that will feature the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s largest marina. The announcement was made in the presence of Crown Prince of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum; Chairman of Dubai International Marine Club HH Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; Director General of Dubai Protocol Department H.E. Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman; and Group Chairman of Meraas HE Abdulla Al Habbai. The project, located on King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street, in the area between Jumeirah Beach Residence and Palm Jumeirah, also known as Mina Al Seyahi, will be developed by Dubai’s leading holding company Meraas. The iconic luxury waterfront destination, spread over 20 million sq. feet, will include a 1400-berth marina as well as a cruise ship port and terminal, a shopping mall covering 3.5 million sq. feet, an events arena, luxurious residential buildings, hotels, offices, retail stores, public services, restaurants and cafes and ‘Dubai Lighthouse’. The masterplan of the new destination integrates Skydive Dubai, Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) and Logo Island into a single community. To be developed in phases, the ‘Dubai Harbour’ project will be completed in four years once ground has been broken.

Lapita Hotel officially opened its doors to receive its first guests. A part of Dubai Parks and Resorts, the region’s largest integrated theme park destination, Lapita is an exotic Polynesian themed resort hotel with 504 rooms, including 60 suites and 3 private villas. Room tariff may range from AED 1400 to AED 4500. Drawing its inspiration from the exotic Polynesian tropical landscapes, the hotel features colourful flowers, lagoon style pools, luxurious guest rooms and themed children’s activities. It is centrally located and easily accessible from Dubai and Abu Dhabi and only 63km from Dubai International Airport, 69km from Abu Dhabi International Airport and 23km from Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport. Within walking distance, hotel guests can have access to three department stores, family attractions, international dining and over 125 brands.

The official Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) has kicked off under the slogan – ‘Shop. Win. Celebrate.’ The festival will end on January 28, making this edition one of the longest in its history. The arrival of DSF 2017 also kicks off the new Retail Calendar of Dubai, with the festival starting earlier than in previous years to take advantage of the holiday season retail buzz. As part of the exciting line-up of activities, one of DFRE’s Strategic Partners, Dubai Festival City (DFC), an Al Futtaim Group development,  launched a stunning new waterfront attraction that is set to rival popular waterfront shows in other global destinations worldwide. The DFC launch event will culminate in a spectacular fireworks show celebrating the start of DSF 2017. To make the shopping experience even more rewarding, thousands of retail outlets will be offering discounts of up to 75 per cent on a range of merchandise including apparel and fashion, consumer electronics, watches, perfumes, furniture, home appliances, and much more. DSF 2017 promises a lot of entertainment programs and events for their visitors. There are innumerable programs that have been organized for different segments of people. Special efforts have been taken to ensure that every guest is well taken care of throughout their visit to the festival. This is because of their impressive and exclusive festival ideas people around the globe eagerly wait for celebrating this festival. It is known to be the most successful and largest entertainment and shopping programs that are conducted every year. Thankfully, with flexible Dubai tourist visa options, you can easily travel to Dubai to be part of this astounding shopping festival. An experienced visa specialist will carry out all legworks, …

Dubai has again been ranked the most expensive place to celebrate New Year at Dh2,240 per person in an annual survey of seven popular global cities, with Edinburgh, Scotland, rated the best value for the second year in a row at Dh725, a difference of Dh1,515. In its annual research the company measured the average cost across selected establishments, with results reflecting expected costs for a partygoer buying food, entertainment and refreshments. Sydney offers an affordable option for UAE residents wanting to get abroad for the holiday and Paris is cheaper than New York by Dh700 to ring in 2017. The full listing (from cheapest to priciest) is as follows: Edinburgh (Dh725) Sydney (Dh950) Amsterdam (Dh955) Paris (Dh1,170) London (Dh1,435) New York (Dh1,870) Dubai (Dh2,240) Errol Fonseca, head of retail at Travelex, explained New Year is a busy time for Travelex, with customers flying off for city breaks to enjoy the festivities. “We always see an increase in orders of foreign currency in the run up to the new year, so it’s our pleasure to put these figures together for our customers. Exchange rates can also play a big part in decision-making and up to date figures can be found our website,” he said.

Emirates launched the world’s shortest scheduled A380 service, flying a distance of 379 kilometres with a total travel time of 1 hour and 20 minutes from Dubai to Doha, and 1 hour 10 minutes on the return journey. Outbound flight EK 841 departs Dubai at 0745hrs, arriving in Doha at 0805hrs. The return flight, EK 842, departs Doha at 0950hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1200hrs. The timing of the A380 service means customers from Doha flying to popular destinations like New York, London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Manchester, Dusseldorf, Milan, Paris, Rome and Amsterdam, can now enjoy a seamless A380 experience and also have a wider choice of “all A380” flight itineraries for their journeys. Emirates has steadily grown its presence in Doha and now operates with nine daily flights, making it the most served destination in the airline’s network. Demand between Dubai and Doha is strong, and in the last five years Emirates has carried over 3.7 million passengers between the two cities. The Emirates A380 serving Doha operates in a three-class configuration, with 429 generously pitched seats in Economy Class on the main deck, 76 flat-bed seats in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites on the upper deck. Passengers in all classes can enjoy Emirates’ exceptional hospitality as well as its multi-awarded Ice Digital Widescreen in-flight entertainment system with a choice of over 2,500 channels on-demand, including a wide selection of Arabic programming. The double-decker A380 is the world’s largest commercial aircraft in service, and has been tremendously popular with travellers across the globe with its spacious cabins and quiet journeys. Emirates is the largest operator of this aircraft and currently has 87 A380s in service and 55 …

IMG Worlds has launched its latest project IMG Worlds of Legends. With nine unique zones spread across over 2 million square feet, IMG Worlds of Legends will feature some of the most exciting and popular brands in the world, making it one of the biggest global licensing deals of its kind. Attractions will include characters from global brands, such as Nickelodeon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants , Ubisoft®- Assassin’s Creed, Raving Rabbids, Just Dance, Saban Brands – Saban’s Power Rangers, Pokémon, Mattel – Barbie® doll, Hot Wheels, Bob the Builder, Thomas & Friends, Mega Bloks; The Animé Zone – Toei Animation: Dragon Ball Z and One Piece, TV TOKYO: Naruto, Cartoon Network (a partner in IMG Worlds of Adventure), We Bare Bears, Other hit and classic brands to be revealed;  IMG Worlds’ proprietary brands – Legends of Arabia, Lost Valley – Dinosaur Adventure. IMG Worlds of Legends, situated adjacent to IMG Worlds of Adventure, will feature futuristic interactive rollercoasters, state-of-the-art rides, breath-taking water-based attractions, and spectacular live entertainment. With its temperature-controlled environment and retractable roof, guests are offered the choice of enjoying the thrilling rides safely protected from the desert heat in summer or basking in the sun on the sky-high coasters in winter as IMG Worlds of Legends is open 365 days a year, offering the best of both worlds. Owned and operated by IMG Worlds, IMG Worlds of Legends will offer a fully immersive experience, with each zone in the theme of a different imaginary world, complete with  104,000 square feet of food and beverage space and 102,000 square feet of retail space.