Tag Archives: UAE

According to the latest report from Skyscanner ahead of the Oman national day long weekend it was revealed that India emerged as the top destination country, with Mumbai leading as the most popular city. This trend is driven by the strong cultural and familial ties between Oman and India, as well as the diverse attractions that Mumbai offers. Oman itself ranked second, with Muscat being a favored destination, reflecting the growing interest in domestic travel and the rich cultural heritage of the capital city. The UAE, particularly the city of Dubai, continues to attract travelers from Oman due to its proximity and the allure of its luxury shopping, entertainment, and modern architecture. Thailand, with Phuket as a key destination, appeals to travelers seeking exotic beaches and vibrant street life. Türkiye and Egypt, with Istanbul and Cairo respectively, are seeing increased interest for their historical sites and unique cultural experiences. Italy and the United Kingdom round out the top ten, being perennial favorites for their rich history and cultural offerings. Based on the orders of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Wednesday and Thursday, November 20-21, 2024, have been declared official holidays for public and private sector employees to commemorate the 54th National Day. The data, collected from January 1, 2024, to November 1, 2024, highlights the most popular destinations and significant year-over-year (YoY) increases in search and redirect volumes, providing valuable insights for travelers planning their holiday getaways. Emerging travel hotspots with remarkable YoY search increases include Giza (1241%), driven by its iconic pyramids and historical significance, and Mopa (369%), likely due to new travel routes and increased accessibility. Yangon (268%) and Pristina (220%) are gaining popularity for their unique …

Rotana announced plans to open Bloom Arjaan by Rotana on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, and Yasmina Rayhaan by Rotana in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), in 2025. The latter will contribute to Rotana’s goal of tripling its current key count in the Kingdom to 6,000 over the next three years. In addition, work is also underway on another six Edge by Rotana properties in the MENAT region. Launched as a new brand in 2022, Rotana currently operates seven Edge by Rotana properties in the UAE and KSA, with plans on track to reach a target of operating 30 Edge by Rotana properties across the region by 2027. Rotana unveils its ambitious regional and international expansion plans at the World Travel Market (WTM) London. Driving the group’s global expansion is the development of 43 new properties in 24 cities in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Türkiye. The new properties will add 9,049 rooms to Rotana’s inventory, taking its total keys to 30,301 globally. Commenting on Rotana’s expansion plans, Philip Barnes, CEO of Rotana, said: “Rotana’s ambitious development plans underscore our commitment to expediting growth in the sector and developing offerings to suit ever-changing customer demand. Drawing on our rich heritage, we look forward to welcoming more guests to Rotana properties across the globe soon to experience our signature hospitality offering and enjoy moments of treasured times.”  

Hamad International Airport (DOH) has reported serving 13.7 million passengers in the third quarter (Q3) of 2024, reflecting a robust 7.9 per cent growth compared to the same period last year. Point-to-point traffic also experienced growth by 11.7 per cent, contributing to the airport’s overall performance. The passenger traffic growth was driven by strong demand for air travel, with July marking the airport’s busiest month ever, handling 4,742,068 passengers followed by 4,717,885 passengers in August and 4,246,742 in September. In the Middle East, the key growth countries were Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain while in Europe, the growth was led by Spain, United Kingdom and Germany. China market grew by over 43 per cent compared to the previous year. The number of aircraft movements at Hamad International Airport reached 71,425 during Q3 2024, which is 6.2 per cent more that the same period in the previous year. This included 24,179 take-offs and landings in July, 24,329 in August, and 22,917 in September. This strong performance highlights the airport’s growing role as a major global aviation hub, handling increased volumes of air traffic with efficiency and precision.

The National Aquarium, located at Al Qana, is thrilled to announce a spectacular Diwali celebration, presented by ‘Mermaids of Arabia.’ For the first time in the UAE, the event will feature ‘Hydroman’, the Guinness World Record-holding underwater dancer. From October 31st to November 3rd, visitors will have the unique opportunity to witness a mesmerizing underwater dance and acrobatic performance. Designed to enchant audiences of all ages, this Diwali celebration features a breathtaking underwater spectacle that combines artistry and acrobatics. It’s a one-of-a-kind event where families and friends can come together to share in the festive spirit, creating joyful memories in a vibrant and inclusive atmosphere. The National Aquarium offers visitors a blend of entertainment, education, and adventure. Home to a diverse array of marine life and engaging exhibits, the Aquarium invites families and the local community to explore the wonders of the underwater world through unique experiences that create lasting memories. With immersive displays and interactive activities, it stands out as a top choice for those seeking memorable outings, making it a must-visit destination.

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICA) showcased  6 innovative projects that reflect the authority’s leadership in the field of digital transformation and employing the latest technologies to develop the smart services system to meet the aspirations of customers and their current and future needs at the recently concluded GITEX Global event in Dubai. The list of projects that DEWA is participating in during the current edition of the exhibition includes 6 diverse projects, namely the Wired Your ID project, the Emirates Express Corridor, Smart Travel, Institutional Connectivity Services, Bureaucracy Zeroing Platform, and Digital Certification via Face Print. His Excellency Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of the Authority, stressed that  the Authority’s participation during the current session of the exhibition is characterized by the diversity of its displayed projects, the quality and leadership of the innovative ideas it contains, and its continuous endeavor to delight the beneficiary customers, in addition to that it reflects the Authority’s constant keenness and clear vision to develop the service system according to the pulse of the customer, foresee the future, predict developments and prepare for them by creating development projects that contribute to supporting the security of society and make its members happy by providing flexible proactive services that support security. Controlling border crossings enhances the economic growth of the state and attracts entrepreneurs and those with talent and experience. His Excellency added that DEWA’s participation reflects the advanced level achieved by DEWA in the field of digital transformation and the development of the smart services system that is provided to customers, community members and those wishing to visit the country, work, invest and live in it, as …

Speaking with TravelTV Middle East, Turab Saleem – Head of Hospitality – Knight Frank shared that 25million people in the region are somehow one way or another directly or indirectly engaged with travel and tourism sector, He further shared that in the UAE alone around 900,000 jobs are mainly in the travel, tourism and hospitality sector. He shared, “travel and tourism contributes to the revenue across the GCC with UAE  touching 220 billion worth towards the overall economy. The GDP contribution has now gone to 11.7 percent, which historically is one of the highest. Same goes to Saudi. Saudi has achieved milestone which has reached to 444 billion Saudi Riyal in 2023, which is also one of the highest one. And it is 11.7 percent of the total GDP contribution. So which shows how these economies are diversifying and moving towards hospitality and tourism reliance.” He further stated, “1 to 2 jobs out of every 10 jobs belongs to this sector. So this sector is helping in diversification overall in KSA, UAE, and rest of the region. Taking as an example of UAE, jobs around 890,000 to 900,000 jobs are contributed by travel and tourism. In Saudi, the numbers are very high. It’s now reached to 2.5 million of the jobs are from this sector. Regionally, it’s 25 million people in the region are somehow one way or another directly or indirectly engaged with travel and tourism sector.”

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council shared that UAE is looking at positioning itself as a leading global tourism destination and increase the sector’s contribution to the national GDP to AED 450 billion by the next decade. These were expressed by H.E. Bin Touq who represented the UAE at the G20 tourism ministers’ meeting 2024, held recently in Brazil. H.E. Bin Touq elaborated on various initiatives and policies implemented by the UAE to foster domestic tourism. These endeavours have played a significant role in establishing a distinguished tourism infrastructure in the country in line with international best practices. Additionally, the UAE has prioritised the development of premier and diverse tourism destinations and offerings, while also ensuring the provision of superior services. The tourism sector contributes significantly to the UAE’s economic diversification efforts, seamlessly aligning with the objectives outlined in the ‘UAE Tourism Strategy 2031.’ The strategy aims to position the UAE as a leading global tourism destination and increase the sector’s contribution to the national GDP to AED 450 billion by the next decade. H.E. expressed his appreciation to the Republic of Brazil for organising the G20 Summit and acknowledged Brazilian presidency’s endeavours in ensuring the event’s success. H.E. expressed his gratitude to the G20 members and international tourism organisations attending the ministerial meeting for their concerted efforts in promoting the sustainability of global tourism. In addition, H.E. Bin Touq highlighted the continuous growth in tourism exchanges between the UAE and Brazil. The total number of Brazilian tourists who visited the UAE in 2023 exceeded 183,000, reflecting a remarkable rise of 46.4 per cent when compared to the 125,000 visitors …

Starting 27 October, ITA Airways will be operating direct flights from Dubai to Italy with the state of the art A321neo, the new-generation aircraft that combines efficiency and style to make your travel experience truly unforgettable advised Mr. Mohamed Jassim Al Rais, Executive Director, APG Gulf, the General Sales Agent of ITA Airways in the UAE. He added that ITA Airways, Italy’s national carrier, is committed to providing exceptional service and connectivity as with a modern fleet and a focus on sustainability, ITA is well-equipped to offer travelers a comfortable and memorable journey between Dubai and Rome and on its vast network beyond. ITA will operate a daily service on DXB-FCO-DXB routes offering highly attractive fares (both in business and economy class) to Rome and beyond sectors, including points in UK/Europe and USA. ITA would operate to Dubai with A321 Neo with a 3 class figuration offering Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy, thereby offering full service product with aggressive fares. Schedule: Rome Fiumicino to Dubai: Starting October 27th, departing at 10:40 a.m. (local time) and arriving in Dubai at 7:50 p.m. (local time). Dubai to Rome Fiumicino: Starting October 28th, departing at 1:50 a.m. (local time) and arriving in Rome at 6:00 a.m. (local time). Mr. Mohamed Al Rais, expressed his enthusiasm about this new venture, “We are proud to partner with ITA Airways to bring this exciting route to Dubai. This collaboration not only enhances our portfolio but also enriches travel options for our customers. We look forward to providing outstanding service and showcasing the best of Italy to travellers in the UAE. We invite everyone to explore the beauty of Italy with ITA Airways. Stay tuned for …

According to Mabrian, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Egypt are becoming the most popular destinations for autumn travel by German travellers. In the findings it is shared that German travellers are increasingly looking beyond traditional European destinations for their autumn getaways, with a noticeable shift toward long-haul destinations, including alternatives in the Middle East. According to Mabrian, the global travel intelligence platform part of The Data Appeal Company, demand for autumn travel to the region has surged, with countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt seeing significant increases in flight searches and inspirational demand. These findings combine cyclical data about Germans’ autumn travel interests and motivations, along with inspirational travel demand data based on Mabrian’s Share of Searches Index, that reflects the strength of travel demand based on flight searches behaviour. Given a source market and a period of time, the Share of Searches Index is a percentage that correlates the total flight searches globally with spontaneous searches for specific destinations. For this analysis, Share of Searches Index tracked flight searches in Germany, made at least three months in advance, for trips between September and November 2024, focusing on top performing destinations for the German travel market. “Unlike confirmed bookings, this ratio shows the degree of market interest in certain destinations,” says Carlos Cendra, partner and director of Marketing and Communication at Mabrian. “Whether reservations are confirmed depends on many factors, from available connectivity, flight and accommodation prices, or other phenomena that may influence travellers’ willingness to purchase or spend.” Data also indicates that 2024 fall travel plans from Germans reflect a shifting trend, a slight readjustment of the yet strong demand to Mediterranean destinations, and …

Healthtrip has expanded its presence to the Middle East with fully operational offices in the UAE and Saudi Arabia to serve the rapidly growing demand of healthcare tourism services in the region. The expansion aligns with the region’s increasing focus on becoming the world’s leading health travel destination, attracting millions of tourists annually. The current health tourism market, generating over $1 Trillion each year, caters to those seeking superior and advanced treatments abroad. With a rapidly aging global population and wealth concentrated in the silver age segment, the sector is experiencing 18% annual growth, fuelled by increased access to information and awareness on improved health spans. Healthtrip is the fastest growing company in the global health tourism space backed by leading UAE based VC funds like Humania Capital, D-One investments and NB Ventures. The company offers a wide-reaching network through partnerships with 1,500 hospitals and sanatoriums in the US, UK, Germany, UAE, Saudia Arabia, Thailand, India, Singapore and Egypt. The company has served over 65,000 customers from 38 countries, through an AI driven platform that provides personalized and intelligent care by connecting individuals with providers based on treatment type, rating, cost, and location. The company also provides extensive destination services, including hotel bookings, airport transfers, concierge services, and interpreters. Danish Ahmed, CEO and Cofounder, Healthtrip, stated, “Our recent expansion into the Middle East aligns with the region’s mission to advance health, wellness, longevity, and anti-aging experiences for global travellers. Treatments such as longevity and aesthetics are rapidly growing in demand in the region’s destinations, complementing its well-established medical offerings. With its accessible travel options, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and streamlined processes, expanding our international network to the Middle East was a strategic …