Tag Archives: Ramadan

Shangri-La Dubai extends a warm welcome to friends and families seeking an unforgettable Ramadan experience. This year, immerse yourself in the rich culinary heritage of Türkiye as guest chefs Murat Arslantas and Muhammet Göktepe from Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul showcase an array of authentic Turkish highlights. From mezze to mains and irresistible desserts, patrons can indulge in a delectable buffet-style feast at Dunes Café, from sunset to 8:30 pm daily, priced at Dhs250 per person. The culinary journey promises to be an exploration of the diverse flavours originating from different regions of Türkiye, ensuring a delightful and varied dining experience. Live stations and entertainment will add to the excitement during the Iftars. For those preferring an Al Fresco Ramadan experience, iKandy Ultralounge beckons with a poolside setting offering breathtaking views of the iconic Burj Khalifa. Guests can revel in a bespoke Suhour A La Carte menu, featuring a selection of Arabic mixed grills, cold and hot mezzes, soups, sandwiches and more. Adding to the lively atmosphere, iKandy Ultralounge will be screening sports matches, including all of the Champions League games and numerous other events, throughout the month of Ramadan. Furthermore, you can savour an unforgettable private Iftar or Suhour event while admiring the city’s skyline and iconic skyscrapers like the Burj Khalifa from our Level 42 terrace. Private dining packages start from Dhs5,500. For inquiries about private Iftar and Suhour events, please contact +971 4 405 2889 or email events.sldb@shangri-la.com. Ramadan Offers at a Glance: Dunes Cafe Iftar Buffet: Time: Daily from sunset Price: Dhs250 per person inclusive of soft beverages Child rate: 0-6 dine free, 50% off from7-12 years iKandy Ultralounge Suhour: Time: Daily from 09.00 pm Price: A La …

The Empire State Building (ESB) celebrated Eid al-Fitr on May 24, 2020, with a tower lighting in green – a colour that symbolises peace and purity in Islam – along with ESB’s signature “Heartbeat of New York” effect. This special tribute commemorated the end of the holy month of Ramadan, embodying the enduring spirit and joyous festivities taking place around the globe, and raising awareness about the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Eid-al-Fitr, or “the Festival of Fast-Breaking,” marks the conclusion of a month-long spiritual renewal for the global Muslim community. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world traditionally observe a strict fast from sunrise until sunset, participate in prayer, and gather together as friends and family to break their fast and share in acts of kindness. This year gratitude and appreciation are more important than ever as Muslims worldwide have experienced a Ramadan amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The heartbeat signature effect for Eid al-Fitr was meant not just to celebrate the holiday, but to also recognise Muslims in their shared global battle against the illness; and to extend wishes for health, peace, and connectivity during these unprecedented times. Additionally, the Empire State Building sparkled on the hour in yellow, blue, silver, red, white, and green in honour of first responders. A five-minute moment of darkness was observed in honour of those everywhere, who have lost their lives in the pandemic as well as those who grieve for them.  

Guy Hutchinson, President and CEO of Rotana, has issued a statement outlining his hopes for the future of the hospitality industry in the wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Hutchinson praised the region’s governments, frontline healthcare professionals and other key workers for their decisive response to the global crisis, and urged the public to adhere to social distancing guidelines during the holy month of Ramadan. “Although we will miss our traditional gatherings, this is a sacrifice we must all be prepared to accept for the greater good. By uniting behind this shared sense of purpose, we are coming together as a community in new and profound ways,” commented Hutchinson. He went on to share details of Rotana’s efforts to support guests, staff and communities across the region, which include the adoption of stringent hygiene protocols and extending the use of Rotana properties to governments to assist in their efforts to combat the spread of the virus. The statement ended on an optimistic note, as Hutchinson shared his vision for the industry in a post-crisis landscape, “The hospitality sector will surely recover. Whether our new reality will be the same as before remains to be seen. Speaking as a passionate hotelier, I would like to think there will be some differences. I believe the dark hours we have faced will lead to a heightened appreciation for the joy of travel, making us realise just how privileged we are to serve our guests through this incredible industry. Together, we will reach those brighter days ahead.”

Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) is offering Umra trips to 25 taxi drivers during this Ramadan. The step, which coincides with the Year of Tolerance, reflects the keenness of DTC to bring happiness to drivers during the holy month of Ramadan. “Since 2010, Dubai Taxi Corporation has been running this initiative, and about 1200 drivers have benefited from it so far. The initiative is part of DTC social responsibility to bring happiness to employees, especially taxi drivers,” said Adel Sharif, Director of Human Resources, Dubai Taxi Corporation. Priority in the selection of drivers was given to excellent-performing drivers who have made no offences this year, and winners of Dubai Taxi Corporation awards. DTC will cover all expenses of the trip, and educative lectures will be given about the rituals of performing Umra. “DTC is offering several initiatives to cement the relationships between employees, drivers and managers as well as educative programmes at its Training and Qualification Centre. It is offering rewards as part of its plans and strategic goals of happier employees, which will ensure delivering better services, trust and loyalty,” concluded Sharif.

Emirates has commenced its signature Ramadan service for customers during the holy month. Emirates’ Ramadan service consists of specially crafted iftar meals on board, relevant programming on its ice inflight entertainment system, and the distribution of dates and water on the ground for those breaking their fast. The airlines provides iftar boxes with a nutritional meal for customers breaking their fast on board. The boxes have been redesigned this year by local homeware specialists Silsal Design House. The designs are inspired by the Middle East, its people, places and culture. Silsal has also created bespoke Emirates Arabic Coffee Cups available at the Emirates Official Stores. The iftar boxes provide a nutritious meal for customers to break their fast and includes couscous salad & grilled chicken or moudardara & roasted chicken, sandwiches, spinach fatayer or tomato and onion fatayer, assorted sweets, dates, laban and water. The boxes have been designed for customers to take away if they wish. The menus will be refreshed mid-Ramadan. These special meals will be available to passengers across all cabin classes on select Emirates flights that coincide with iftar times. This includes flights to and from the Gulf region as well as flights catering to Umrah groups travelling to Jeddah and Medina during the month of Ramadan. During the holy month, cold meals will be served in lieu of a hot one on all flights to Jeddah and Medina, including Umrah day flights. Emirates utilises a unique tool to calculate the correct timings for imsak (the time to commence fasting) and iftar while in-flight.

Turkey has ranked fourth in the list of top 20 destinations for Muslim travellers during the holy month, as per the Ramadan Travel Report 2016. According to the recently released Global Muslim Travel Index, Turkey comes third on a list of top five destinations for Muslim travellers.“The trend for Muslims to travel to the GCC during the fasting period has been growing over the last few years – these countries offer them Muslim-friendly services and facilities such as Halal food, prayer rooms and post-iftaar activities. Turkey not only offers all of these, but serves up a world-class tourist destination, with popular sights to visit and activities to be a part of,” says Salih Ozer, Attaché of Culture and Information from Turkey to the UAE, on the nation’s unwavering popularity as a Muslim tourist destination during Ramadan. Turkey featured in the list of top five destinations for Muslim travellers in 2015 as well. The Ramadan Travel Report 2016 also forecasts that GCC destinations will rise further in popularity by 2023, when Ramadan will fall during the cooler winter months. Ozer further adds that Turkey is preparing to accommodate this projected surge in tourist numbers.