Aloft Hotels announces plans to open Aloft Muscat in Spring 2023. The highly anticipated opening is expected to mark the brand’s debut in the Sultanate of Oman. Designed for the next generation of traveler the hotel will be a new vibrant destination and will feature eclectic spaces, distinctive design, live music programming, and 199 modern loft-style guestrooms complete with the brand’s signature amenities. The hotel is expected to feature three dining outlets, places for guests to come together, including a Californian style eatery, an international restaurant with a Mediterranean twist, and the brand’s signature bar W XYZ®.  Other facilities will include a rooftop pool and gym. Danny Al Chayeb will take the helm of the new hotel as General Manager. With more than two decades in hospitality across the MENA region, Al Chayeb brings a wealth of experience to Aloft Muscat, including a proven track record of creating new food and beverage concepts and providing the highest guest service standards. A hands-on GM, he aims to turn moments into memorable stays for guests, with a desire to lead by example while driving business. “We are thrilled to debut Aloft Hotels in Oman. A brand known for its design-driven and tech-savvy ethos, Aloft Muscat will bring a modern, friendly, and comfortable option for global travelers and a new hotspot for residents in the Sultanate,” said Danny Al Chayeb, General Manager. Aloft Muscat is located 10 minutes from Muscat International Airport and is nearby to the city’s attractions including The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Royal Opera House Muscat, Mall of Oman, Oman Avenues Mall, Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Oman Convention and Exhibition Center, and three major golf courses.

With concerted efforts to further enhance support services for travellers with hidden disabilities including Autism, Emirates has rolled out specialised training to more than 24,000 global cabin crew and ground staff, collaborated with Dubai Airport on a useful travel planner and autism friendly route to make the pre-boarding experience more seamless, and implemented additional thoughtful measures to ensure passenger comfort onboard. More than 24,000 cabin crew and ground staff globally have completed Emirates ‘Introduction to Autism and Hidden Disabilities’ training. The online course was first launched in 2022 and covers a range of topics from the UAE National Policy for People of Determination, recognising autism, practical tips on how to assist passengers with hidden disabilities, responding with empathy, and information on the official support systems to help passengers in the airport. Categorised as a hidden disability, autism spectrum disorder is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Known as a spectrum disorder because there are wide variations in the types and severity of symptoms people experience, a range of sensory needs can occur. For some travellers, the airport and aircraft experience may feel too noisy, too bright, too unfamiliar, or too busy – and these are some of the areas in which Emirates is striving to facilitate planned and positive travel experiences, for customers with autism. Emirates supports passengers with hidden disabilities by providing as much information in advance as possible, so that families can plan, rehearse, and be reassured about their upcoming travel. Passengers can check the Accessible Travel page on Emirates.com for information and contact their Emirates local office with queries. Passengers who declare a hidden disability will be …

London has long been known for its lavish five-star hotels and GCC travellers always seek for the ultimate luxury experience, and the city is set for a boom of new luxury accommodation openings in 2023. From international brands making their UK debut, to existing brands expanding their portfolio with new properties, there’s definitely no shortage of options for discerning GCC travellers. The latest additions to London’s luxury hotel scene promise to be truly spectacular. Visitors will be in awe of Europe’s art-inspired lifestyle hotel brand, Art’otel, which opened its first UK hotel in December 2022, right next to the revamped Battersea Power Station. Spring 2023 will see the opening of Britain’s first Raffles property in a Grade II listed landmark steeped in history, The OWO Residencies by Raffles. Also opening in spring is the much-anticipated 1 Hotel London Mayfair, which will debut overlooking Green Park as the brand’s flagship British hotel. In addition, Mandarin Oriental’s new Mayfair property and Britain’s first Peninsula Hotel will open in the heart of Belgravia. Later in the year, London will also open its doors to the UK’s first St. Regis hotel in Mayfair. Also adding to its luxury portfolio will be the Park Hyatt London River Thames and Six Senses London, which will mark the UK debut for the iconic wellness hotel brand. Finally, The BoTree Marylebone Lane is opening in summer 2023, within the Preferred Hotels and Resorts Legend Collection. Blending Marylebone flair and Mayfair chic, be immersed in an experience created through 199 bespoke guestrooms and suites, destination restaurants, bars, and nightlife. If you’re planning a visit to London in 2023, be sure to keep an eye out for these exciting new …

Wego brings you the best travel tips to plan your family holidays. Travelling is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable experiences one can have, allowing us to explore new places, cultures, and cuisines. However, planning a trip can be a daunting and exhausting task, especially when it comes to family vacations. These responsibilities easily double when you are traveling as a family. From selecting the perfect destination to comfortable accommodations and activities for everyone; it is not an easy task, but with Wego, planning family trips feels less stressful. Users can search for the top family-friendly destinations under the “Trip Ideas” section of Wego. The travel advisory feature that Wego provides also allows travelers to get all the necessary information on the places they wanted to visit, including COVID requirements and weather conditions. In addition, the platform offers the best flights based on families’ budget and schedule, allowing them to compare the airfares, dates and availability of flights from the UAE, and assess a range of family-friendly airlines listed on Wego. One of the top airlines that offer many services for families is Emirates airlines. It provides complimentary prams and family check-in desks at Dubai International Airport, along with dedicated ground staff and cabin crew trained to assist families. Etihad also offers perks for those traveling with children. This includes the Little VIP campaign, which provides families with dedicated check-in desks and priority boarding, along with complimentary bassinet seats and an additional baggage allowance that includes a 10 kg checked bag and a 5 kg cabin bag. Be it Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, Gulf Air, Saudia, Qantas and other family-friendly air carriers, Wego helps easily book the right type of trip …

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has been selected by Red Sea Global to manage Rosewood Amaala in the Red Sea Region of Saudi Arabia. An area considered to be at the center of the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism projects, the Red Sea is situated along the country’s west coast and is home to some of the most diverse and delicate natural environments. Rosewood Amaala will be part of Red Sea Global’s Amaala destination, an integrated wellness haven.  Phase One of Amaala – focused on the Triple Bay masterplan – is well underway, with the first guests set to be welcomed in 2024. It will consist of eight resorts offering upwards of 1,200 hotel keys. Once complete, Amaala will be home to more than 3,000 hotel rooms across 25 hotels, and approximately 900 luxury residential villas, apartments, and estate homes, supporting high-end retail, fine dining, wellness and recreational facilities. Sustainability will be at the cornerstone of the property’s entire design and the larger Amaala development has set meaningful targets toward zero impact. The entire destination will be powered by 100% renewable energy and aims to have zero-carbon footprint—with plans to be both zero waste to landfill. Additionally, the endangered Hawksbill and Green Turtles have many nesting sites around the Rosewood Amaala beaches, meaning all construction and design work has been centered around ensuring the turtles are left uninterrupted. For instance, no construction will take place around the nesting areas, and the lighting strategies has been designed to ensure no bright lights shine in the area to avoid disruption. “We are deeply honored to partner with Red Sea Global on Rosewood Amaala and work together to offer a more regenerative model of …

Jazeera Airways is gearing up for the 2023 summer season by restarting its flights to Prague, Czech Republic and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Flight bookings for all these exciting destinations are now open on the airline’s website (www.jazeeraairways.com), or on the Jazeera App. With the new cities added to Jazeera’s network, the airline now serves 62 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Central & South Asia and Africa. Rohit Ramachandran, Chief Executive Officer, Jazeera Airways said: “At Jazeera we always endeavor to expand our network and offer passengers more affordable choices for direct flights from Kuwait. This summer, we have these great destinations in Europe on offer for the leisure market in Kuwait, as well as connecting passengers from around our network. We expect there will be a strong demand for all of them.” Munich, the Bavarian capital is a very popular leisure and business destination in Germany and offers a variety of activities for different interests – both outdoors or indoors. One of Europe’s oldest cities, Belgrade is centrally located and one of the easiest places to reach in the Balkans. Tirana, the Albanian capital is also the country’s largest city. Known for its colorful architecture, Tirana extends at the Plain of Tirana in the center of Albania between a mountain in the east, hills in the south, and a valley to the north overlooking the Adriatic Sea. “The City of a Hundred Spires”, beautiful Prague lies at the heart of Europe and is full of great places to visit and delicious food to try. Sarajevo, a prominent center of culture in the Balkans, influences entertainment, media, fashion and the arts region-wide. Flights to Sarajevo will restart on 20 …

Chinese exhibitors and travel professionals are making a welcome return to Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023 which is being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) for its 30th edition from 1-4 May, for the first time in three years. China lifted its covid-related travel restrictions on 8th January 2023, allowing Chinese tourists to travel abroad, without having to quarantine upon their return.  Bookings for overseas travel during Chinese New Year, soared by 540% compared with the same period in 2022, according to data from the Chinese travel site Trip.com. Furthermore, in a CNN report, Steve Saxon, a partner at McKinsey, based in Shenzhen,  predicted the Chinese outbound market would recover to around six million per month by the summer of 2023, driven in part by the pent-up demand especially from young, affluent Chinese. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market commented, “China became the world’s top source market in 2019, with 155 million tourists spending more than $250 billion overseas. However, its isolation from the global market over the past three years has set the industry back by an estimated $840 billion, equivalent, to 16% of the $1.7 trillion spent annually on global tourism, according to UNWTO.” Dubai received almost one million Chinese visitors in 2019, which was an increase of over 15% compared with 2018. And while the 154,000 Chinese visitors Dubai welcomed over the first 11 months of 2022 was down 83% compared to the same period prior to 2020, it was up 115% year-on-year, which bodes well not only for Dubai, but also for the wider Middle East tourism sector. Popular destinations such as Dubai, Saudi’s AlUla, Egypt and Jordan, which have consistently marketed …

In anticipation of the surge of foreign tourists coming into the Philippines this summer season following President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s directive for implementation of electronic visa systems, Department of Tourism (DOT), led by Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, initiated a high-level convergence meeting with the heads and representatives of agencies such as Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Justice and Bureau of Immigration to discuss visa reforms to ease entry to the country’s tourist source markets. The event is in continuation of the talks initiated by DOT since September 2022 with the concerned agencies to take up visa concerns for key tourism markets in the hope of finding solutions affecting the flow of entry of international tourists. Addressing tourism bottlenecks While the Secretary has recognized tourism achievements made last year as the Philippines ended 2022 with 2.65 million international tourist arrivals, surpassing the targeted 1.7 million figures, she emphasized there are still bottlenecks, which prevent the Philippines from fully unlocking the global tourism potential.   “For this reason, our President has issued the directive to various government agencies to explore how the bottlenecks to travel into the Philippines may be addressed. He indicated one of the ways by which travel into the Philippines may be fully opened, especially to important markets. We must also explore the provision of electronic visas (e-Visa),” she said, citing the President’s directive that government agencies must explore the provision of e-visas to Chinese and Indian nationals. Indian tourist market’s potential Emphasizing the importance of the Indian tourist market, the DOT stated 58 per cent of the total Indian visitors are repeat travellers. Thus, the need to continue the efforts to …

Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has successfully concluded its first roadshow in China with 13 partners including DMCs, hoteliers and airline partners in attendance. The roadshow showcased the country’s rich cultural and heritage offerings and why Saudi is the perfect travel destination for Chinese travelers. A series of events, meetings, round table discussions and networking events were hosted, resulting in over twenty strategic partnership announcements. During the multicity roadshow, Saudi Tourism Authority held meetings with over 300 trade partners and travel buyers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to promote Saudi as a leisure destination, sharing insights into the emerging trends in MICE tourism. Saudi’s inclusion in the ‘Approved Destination Scheme’, alongside China’s inclusion in Saudi’s e-visa program and 96-hour Stopover Visa – where guests flying onwards on SAUDIA can avail a complimentary one-night hotel stay in Saudi – facilitates seamless group travel. Saudi’s presence in China is an indication of how important the Chinese market is for the Kingdom and its commitment to China as a key source market for Saudi. Saudi has witnessed incredible growth since opening to tourism in 2019 as its post-pandemic tourism recovery outpaced G20 countries with a 121% YoY growth according to UNWTO. As part of Saudi’s ambition to achieve 100 million visits annually by 2030, China represents immense potential as it is expected to be Saudi’s 3rd top source market by then. Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board at Saudi Tourism Authority said, “Our first roadshow in China has been a tremendous success and a testament to Saudi’s potential to become the region’s tourism hub and a gateway to the cultural and natural riches of Arabia for Chinese travelers. Supporting us in realising …

Travelport and Saudia Airlines announced that they have signed a new multi-year distribution agreement. Arved von zur Muehlen, Chief Commercial Officer at Saudia Airlines, commented, “We are pleased with the recent multi-year extension of our distribution agreement with Travelport. The company’s new  Travelport+ retailing platform will be a valuable asset in helping us expand our reach among the travel agency community while Saudi Arabia continues to develop as a top destination for tourism. Travel distribution is under rapid transformation and we are working to widen our network and product offerings. Travelport is an established partner to support Saudia’s growth and product differentiation and personalization strategy.” As part of the agreement, Travelport will continue to provide travel agencies around the world real-time access to Saudia Airlines’ wide selection of travel content, products and services. Travelport will also continue to collaborate closely with Saudia Airlines to execute Travelport Rich Content and Branding initiatives, streamlining service procedures, and delivering a world-class, modern travel retail experience. David Gomes, Head of Commercial, Air Partners EMEA at Travelport, said, “We are delighted to extend our decades-long partnership with Saudia Airlines. This deal is a testament to the strong relationship between Saudia Airlines and Travelport. With our Travelport+ platform, we are committed to work closely with partners like Saudia Airlines to deliver a superior, modern travel retailing experience with a wider range of choice and richer content for our customers.”