NH Collection Dubai The Palm announces its opening in February 2023 and will be the first NH Collection property to launch in the United Arab Emirates. The new-build 533-key property is located beside the lagoon of Palm Jumeirah with direct beach access and spectacular views across the Dubai skyline and is set to become a singular new location for exceptional hospitality in Dubai. The property features 227 hotel guest rooms and suites and 306 studios and apartments across 11 room categories. The bold, original décor of the interiors and accommodation reflect local colours and the vibrancy of the destination, something guests will feel each time they step into their elegant room or suite with captivating views of the Marina skyline and Arabian Gulf. Higher room categories, including the Premium Sea View Room, the One Bedroom Sea View Suite, and Superior One Bedroom Sea View Apartment, will feature exclusive access to the NH Collection Premium Lounge. NH Collection Dubai The Palm will have five distinctive dining venues, set to become favourites with guests, Dubai residents, and visitors. Maiora, where an abundance of dishes from around the world are served for all-day dining. Te-Lounge, for those who need refreshment after the gym or a light, healthy bite. Seven Sports Bar, where friends can catch up in an informal setting or watch the big event over classic snacks and drinks. Revo Café, a chic urban hangout where creative and healthy dishes are crafted, and SEEN, a modern multi-sensory rooftop venue with spectacular sunset views and expertly mixed cocktails. From the 45-metre rooftop infinity pool, fully-equipped fitness centre, kids’ club, and NH Collection Spa, to the selection of eclectic dining venues, when NH Collection …

JW Marriott announced its debut in Saudi Arabia with the opening of JW Marriott Hotel Riyadh. The highly anticipated luxury hotel welcomes guests for a transformative and elevated stay to nourish the mind, body and spirit. Spanning 349-rooms, the property is the ideal choice for travellers seeking a refreshing stay in the heart of Riyadh’s new commercial and residential district. “We are excited to debut JW Marriott, an iconic legacy brand,in Saudi Arabia with the opening of JW Marriott Hotel Riyadh,” said Bruce Rohr, Global Brand Leader, JW Marriott Hotels. “JW Marriott combines personalized, luxury service with principles of mindfulness that are integral to today’s business and leisure traveler. Those seeking a retreat from the hustle and bustle of this dynamic city will find JW Marriott Hotel Riyadh the perfect place for a modern, wellness-focused and balanced stay.” “The opening of JW Marriott Hotel Riyadh marks the brand’s long awaited debut in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Guests will be encouraged to experience every moment to the fullest at this luxurious new destination that follows      the JW Marriott’s philosophy to provide guests the ideal haven to recharge and reflect,” said Candice D’Cruz, Vice President – Luxury Brands, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International. A sense of luxury is present from the first moment of arrival as guests are welcomed into a lobby adorned with an emerald-green wall accented by unique light fixtures and textured furnishings that give a nod to the aesthetic of a wadi environment. Leveraging the natural wonders of the local surroundings, the guest experience begins with a reception area inspired by the capital’s desert sand dunes, from the curved reception desk that reflects the movement of …

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi announced the launch of its two new routes from Abu Dhabi to Kazan and Yekaterinburg in Russia. The new direct flights will connect Abu Dhabi International Airport to both Koltsovo International Airport and Kazan International Airport, effective December 29, 2022. Schedule to Yekaterinburg, effective December 29, 2022 (all times local): Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Frequency 3L 756 Abu Dhabi 09:05 Yekaterinburg 15:20 Airbus 320 Monday/Thursday 3L 757 Yekaterinburg 16:25 Abu Dhabi 20:50 Airbus 320 Monday/Thursday   Schedule to Kazan, effective December 30, 2022 (all times local): Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Frequency 3L 788 Abu Dhabi 09:00 Kazan 13:05 Airbus 320 Tuesday/Friday 3L 789 Kazan 14:05 Abu Dhabi 20:05 Airbus 320 Tuesday/Friday Customers can now book their direct flights between the cities by visiting Air Arabia’s website, or by calling the call centre or through travel agencies. With the edition of its new routes to Kazan and Yekaterinburg, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi currently serves 28 routes from the capital Abu Dhabi including Alexandria, Sohag, Cairo, Dhaka, Khartoum, Chittagong, Kathmandu, Muscat, Salalah, Sarajevo, Trabzon, Tbilisi, Faisalabad, Multan, Cochin, Calicut, Trivandrum, Istanbul, Sabiha, Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bahrain, Beirut, Kuwait, and Moscow. Air Arabia Group operates a fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 neo-LR aircraft, the most modern and best-selling single aisle aircraft in the world. The cabin configuration across Air Arabia’s fleet provides added comfort with one of the most generous seat-pitch of any economy cabin. The aircraft is also equipped with ‘SkyTime’, a free in-flight streaming service that will allow passengers to stream a wide selection of entertainment directly to their devices. Customers can also enjoy a wide variety of delicacies between snacks, meals, …

Vienna Tourist Board showcased how its coffeehouse culture contributes to the city’s quality of life at the ‘Sip of Vienna’ barista masterclass hosted in collaboration with Julius Meinl in Dubai. The Masterclass experience included a tasting session and a discussion about the process of selecting and roasting green coffee beans as part of the learning experience. The highly trained baristas at Julius Meinl demonstrated how to prepare the “Wiener Melange”, a typical Viennese coffee speciality and showcased how to grind the beans, measure, and brew coffee using a variety of different methods. With around 2,200 coffeehouses in Vienna, ranging from elegant traditional cafés to simple bistros with standing room, from spacious café-restaurants to cosy café-patisseries, the Viennese coffeehouse culture inspires artists and guests. As a result of Vienna’s coffeehouse culture fulfilling an invaluable social function, UNESCO added it to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2011. Throughout Vienna, people meet in coffeehouses to philosophize, relax, meditate, read the newspaper, gossip, flirt, play billiards and chess, and talk with friends and strangers. Matthias Schwindl, Media Relations Manager Middle East at Vienna Tourist Board, said: “The Viennese coffee house is known around the globe for its informal pleasantness, as an oasis of gemütlichkeit. Gugelhupf, Sachertorte, and many other tarts and cakes seduce with the promise of sweet pleasure. Vienna embraces international coffee trends like different flavour profiles and new and old preparation methods, from cold brew to drip filter, while incorporating sustainability, natural purity, fair trade, and direct trade.” During the event, Vienna Tourist Board also showcased the reasons why Vienna has the highest quality of life in the world. Schwindl added: “Viennese coffeehouse culture plays a significant role in enhancing the …

dnata announced its partnership with American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT), the world’s leading B2B travel platform. The agreement sees Dubai-based dnata Travel Management, the region’s leading corporate travel provider, become Amex GBT’s preferred travel partner in the Middle East. dnata will provide full end-to-end travel and meetings management services to Amex GBT’s customers in the region. Rashid Al Awadhi, Senior Vice President – dnata Travel Group, Middle East & India, commented:  “We look forward to working with Amex GBT and its clients as the region sees strong growth in corporate travel, fuelled by mega-projects and companies that are seeking to expand. Our team’s extensive regional experience goes back to dnata’s GSA and travel agency roots in 1959. Through the years, dnata has continued to build its expertise and network to earn its position as the largest travel management company in the UAE, and one of the largest and most successful in the Middle East. With our broad expertise and 24-hour support function, we will work hard to ensure Amex GBT customers enjoy a quality experience throughout their journey.” Jason Geall, Amex GBT Senior Vice President & General Manager for the EMEA region, said: “We believe our current and future customers will benefit from best-in-class services with dnata as our preferred travel partner. dnata has a proven reputation for trust and transparency that supports Amex GBT’s commitment to service, governance and compliance.” A dnata Travel Group brand, dnata Travel Management is built on a client-focused approach, where people, technology solutions, processes, and procedures revolve around corporate travellers’ needs. The dnata Travel Group represents the travel division of dnata, a leading global air and travel services provider. Amex GBT works …

SAUDIA Group and the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Culture signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on promoting the nation’s distinctive culture throughout the world while enriching the cultural experience of the Kingdom’s guests. This agreement is in line with the Group’s commitment to achieving the goals of Vision 2030 to promote the Kingdom’s cultural sector by creating exceptional cultural experiences that touch the senses of guests on board being the first gateway for the traveler to Saudi. This partnership reflects SAUDIA Group’s efforts to create exceptional cultural experiences to more than 60,000 passengers daily. The role of the group is not limited to only creating these cultural experiences, but it also extends through its sponsorship and support for cultural events and festivals such as the first edition of The Red Sea International Film Festival, Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, and the support it has extended to the Ministry of Culture in celebrating the ‘Year of Arabic Calligraphy’ by adorning two of its aircraft with a special livery marking the initiative. And its support to the ‘Year of Saudi Coffee’ initiative. For 77 years, SAUDIA has strived to bring elements of Saudi culture to the destinations it serves. With the establishment of the Kingdom’s Ministry of Culture in 2018, coupled with SAUDIA’s significant network expansion, Saudi Arabia is primed to impart its fascinating customs to a wider audience. This is in line with Vision 2030 which looks to celebrate the nation’s rich and unique dialect, culture, tradition, heritage, and culinary identity as shaped by the diversity of its people.   His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of SAUDIA, said on the occasion of the MoU signing: “We firmly believe …

This month marks five years since Emirates and flydubai activated their extensive partnership and joined forces to offer customers unrivalled travel options to every corner of the globe. They’ve certainly delivered on their promise. The carriers’ joint route network has significantly expanded, enabling more than 11 million customers to connect on over 250,000 flights and benefit from seamless travel since the partnership launched in 2017. The innovative partnership goes beyond the standard codesharing model and today includes integrated network collaboration, schedule optimisation, seamless connectivity at Dubai International airport (DXB) between Terminals 2 and 3, baggage transfers on a single itinerary, as well as reciprocal loyalty benefits under the joint loyalty programme, Emirates Skywards. Here’s five key highlights of Emirates and flydubai’s partnership and the benefits it offers to customers: Joint network offers unrivalled choice:  Today, customers have access to 215 destinations across 98 countries, with over 250 codeshare flights to choose from on an average day. Emirates customers can book flights to over 80 unique flydubai destinations and flydubai customers can choose from over 99 Emirates destinations. Popular customer favourites, whether travelling for business or leisure include: Kathmandu, Kuwait, the Maldives, Tel Aviv, and Zanzibar.   Joint loyalty programme maximising customer rewards: More than 8.5 million members have been able to enjoy joint Emirates and flydubai frequent flyer programme benefits, earning 150 billion Skywards Miles in the last five years through the partnership. Seamless connectivity at DXB: Customers enjoy seamless check-in, efficient baggage transfers, passenger access to Emirates’ lounges at Terminal 3 and the flydubai lounge at Terminal 2, reduced connection times as both airlines expand their flight schedules, and convenient connections to 33 flydubai destinations operated from Emirates Terminal …

Oman Air  officially inaugurated its highly anticipated route to Phuket, celebrating the first flight with a ceremony at its First and Business Class check-in counter at Muscat International Airport. The airline has introduced four direct flights a week to the popular resort island, which boasts many of Thailand’s most famous and beautiful locations. Guests can enjoy their holiday from the moment they fly with Oman Air’s award-winning on-board amenities, including in-flight entertainment, quality meal service and comfort touches, all designed to make every journey more comfortable, refreshing and seamless. Aboudy Nasser, Chief Commercial Officer of Oman Air, said, “As part of our network expansion programme, our new flights will address the huge demand for passenger travel between Muscat and Phuket, especially during the peak winter season. With nature, culture and plenty of activities, Phuket is an ideal family destination and, just five hours away from Muscat, it offers a great option for a getaway. Meanwhile, we continue to stay attuned to our guests needs, connect them to destinations they want to go, and elevate their travel experience.” Oman Air’s Muscat/Phuket flights will operate on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The Tuesday flight from Muscat will depart at 09:40 and arrive in Phuket at 18:50. The Thursday flight from Muscat will depart at 22:50 and arrive in Phuket on Friday at 08:00. The first flight on Saturday will depart Muscat at 09:40 and arrive in Phuket at 18:50, while the second flight will depart at 22:50 and arrive on Sunday at 08:00 Guests travelling to Muscat and Phuket should ensure they are aware of official requirements to enter or transit through the country. To make a booking, visit omanair.com Guests can also …

‎Qatar Airways’ inaugural flight from Doha to Düsseldorf in Germany landed at Düsseldorf International Airport recently marking the launch of the airline’s latest German destination. The flight was welcomed with a water canon salute upon arrival. Operated by a Boeing 787 aircraft, flight QR085 was welcomed with an opening ceremony attended by Qatar Airways VP Sales, Europe, Mr. Eric Odone and Düsseldorf International Airport’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Thomas Schnalke. Qatar Airways currently offers services to Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin, making Düsseldorf its fourth destination in Germany. In July 2022, the award-winning airline increased its flight frequency from Frankfurt to three times a day. The move into Düsseldorf further demonstrates Qatar Airways’ commitment to the German market. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are delighted to launch direct services to Düsseldorf, expanding our services in Germany, and marking our entry to the Ruhr region – just in time for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. With this new service, not only will German passengers enjoy daily flights from a new location, but customers in the nearby countries of Belgium and the Netherlands will also have access to over 150 destinations across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.” “As of today, Düsseldorf Airport has one more great long-haul flight connection,” explained Thomas Schnalke, Chairman of the Airport Management Board. “Qatar Airways is one of the most renowned airlines worldwide. Their decision to include Düsseldorf in their route portfolio is a confirmation for our location. For business travellers as well as for vacationers, the new route is an asset. We look forward to many years of successful cooperation.” The new direct services to Düsseldorf will …

Pioneer in hosting large-scale international events in the region, city of Baku will once again take a central stage by hosting the 74th International Astronautical Congress on October 2nd-6th 2023. Being the main event venue, Baku Convention Center will be the hub for global space communities to exchange the most recent space developments and discuss the global challenges and opportunities for the space industry. The ultra-modern halls of the Baku Convention Center will bring together more than 5000 international and local official delegates and high representatives, space academia scholars, students and association members in a comfortable ambiance and professional setup. With its dazzling architecture and cutting-edge solutions to any arising issue, BCC will pave the way for the Congress/IAC to celebrate its event success again following its first visit to Baku right 50 years ago organizing 24th edition of the IAC. Known for its potential in managing loaded traffic flow and phenomenal flexibility, Baku Convention Center is excited to host the world’s premier global space event, bring together like-minded space actors and celebrate space triumphs altogether!