As part of the group’s ongoing expansion strategy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) remains committed to upskilling Saudi nationals working in the hospitality industry. To further cement its intensive recruitment efforts in one of its key market feeders, the group has launched ‘A Brilliant Journey of Advance Development Programme’ (ABJAD), targeting employees within the Kingdom to develop their leadership profile and help them progress in their roles across its portfolio of 26 operational hotels. Alongside Radisson Hotel Group’s robust expansion plans, ABJAD aims to develop talents by producing skilled, well-trained and talented Saudi managers. The name “ABJAD” is derived from articulating the first letters of the Arabic alphabet in its original order, and is often used to symbolise the beginning of learning something new, which in this case alludes to leadership. Through ABJAD, talents from all departments currently on supervisory level will be provided with the tools, resources and guidance as they prepare for the next step in their hospitality career. ABJAD intends to flourish the talents with a focus on the following pillars: Own, Deliver, Collaborate, Lead. This initiative is also aligned with the Saudi 2030 Vision to raise the contribution of the tourism sector to the domestic product to more than 10% and to provide one million job opportunities. It further cements the group’s commitment to the region, in line with its new office in the Kingdom that is set to become operational at the end of the year. Basel Talal, Managing Director, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the Levant at Radisson Hotel Group comments: “Saudi Arabia remains to be a key market for us at Radisson Hotel Group and we aim to strengthen …

Turespaña, is the Spanish public body responsible for promoting Spain as a tourism destination, also part of the Spanish Embassy in the United Arab Emirates. The Spanish Business Council is a private non-profit organization acting as a corporate platform to strengthen business and cultural ties between Spain and the United Arab Emirates. For the past 16 years, their team has been introducing Spanish companies to the UAE market, both in the public and private sectors. This September, both organizations will launch the second edition of a thrilling gastronomic initiative, as a tribute to Spanish cuisine, the “Spanish Thursdays”. It will be hosted on September 8th and the operation will carry out a Thursday every two weeks, starting on Thursday, September 8th and ending on Thursday, November 24th. The “Spanish Thursdays” will take guests on a culinary tour of the SBC’s 7 member restaurants. · Thursday September 8th: Salero · Thursday September 22nd: Casa de Tapas · Thursday October 6th: Lola Taberna · Thursday October 20th: Central · Thursday November 3rd: 99 sushi bar · Thursday November 10th: Stage · Thursday November 24th: Seville´s The aim is to let Dubai residents discover the real Spanish culture and to ignite patrons appetite for its rich and flavourful cuisine. For those who have never visited Spain, this will be the opportunity to explore Spanish food and understand its relevant place in terms of culture and history. Hoping the experience will entice guests to travel to the sunny peninsula someday! During the “Spanish Thursdays”, exciting raffles will give the chance to win Taste of Spain and La despensa food hampers and Centaurus wine bottles. For those who unfortunately will not be able to attend, …

It was disclosed recently by Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and India of Wego, said: “With FIFA World Cup approaching, travelers have started planning their trips and booking their tickets. With that, they are also searching for nearby hotels in the UAE, where they can see the best of both countries. And Dubai hotel searches are on the rise in the period between November and December 2022. If we were to look at the hotel daily rates in November and December 2021, they were around $225 and 240$ simultaneously. Recently, the daily rate on average for November 2022 is $345 and for December 2022 $410. We may still see change in prices as we approach the event dates, but these are the current numbers based on the searches from September to December 2022. The hotel and flight searches to Dubai, around the period of the event recorded over 96,900 on our platform and we expect to see an increase in searches and bookings as we get closer to the event date.”

As part of its endeavours to enhance cooperation with various stakeholders and achieve comprehensive tourism development objectives, the Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Office of Al Dakhiliyah Governor to develop several tourism projects in numerous tourist destinations in the governorate. The agreement was signed by H.E. Hilal bin Saeed Al Hajri, Governor of Al Dhakiliyah, and Eng. Mohammed Abu-Bakar Al Ghassani, Vice Chairman of OMRAN Group, in presence of senior officials from both parties in dusitD2 Naseem Resort, Jabal Akhdar. OMRAN Group continues to explore tourism development prospects in collaboration with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and various stakeholders. As part of the National Tourism Strategy 2040, ongoing efforts are being made to increase the tourism offerings in the Sultanate and enhance the sector’s competitiveness. By introducing novel experiences offered by Al Dakhilyiah governorate through various projects, OMRAN Group continues to foster the tourism sector in the governorate since it is considered as one of the main tourist destinations. Furthermore, it strives to promote qualitative experiences in the group’s projects and investments in the governorate, including Alila Al Jabal Al Akhdar, dusitD2 Naseem Resort Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Nizwa fort, Al Hoota Cave, Harat Al Bilad and Bahla Fort and Oasis.  

For the eleventh consecutive year, Emirates is returning as Official Airline of the US Open Tennis Championships, running from 29 August through 11 September.  The world’s largest international airline continues to utilise its global reach to bring tennis fans around the world closer to the game, serving up world-class tennis action at the Grand Slam® tournament. Emirates’ ongoing partnership with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and the high-profile annual sporting event goes back to 2012. The airline’s portfolio of tennis sponsorships also includes three of the four Grand Slams in addition to 60 other tournaments throughout the year in partnership with the ATP, including the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, Miami Open and BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in the US. “Emirates has proudly supported the US Open for over a decade, born out of our commitment to connect people around the globe through a shared passion for sports. The US Open is one of the most highly-anticipated events on the global sports calendar and we are thrilled to be the Official Airline that brings worldwide audiences together to enjoy the game,” said Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Divisional Vice President, USA and Canada. “As part of our ‘Fly Better’ brand promise we continuously strive to delight our customers with a premium experience that is second to none, both inflight and at the tournament. We look forward to being part of the excitement and reaching tennis enthusiasts in the US and around the world,” he added. With the US Open back in full force, Emirates is set to deliver a full array of activities to engage with tennis fans, whether attending in person or virtually. The Emirates suite, …

Saudi Airlines (SAUDIA), the Kingdom’s national flag carrier, continues its partnership with the Air Connectivity Program through direct flights departing from Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport to Tunis and Kuala Lumpur. The collaboration on the two flights will commence on September 1, 2022, to welcome more pilgrims during the upcoming Umrah season. The national flag carrier operates its latest, industry-leading aircraft between the two destinations which feature an array of premium services including 5,000 hours of onboard entertainment content. SAUDIA’s flights are equipped with comfortable seating on all flight levels and a myriad of additional perks that ensure guests enjoy an unforgettable experience. During the first half of 2022, nearly 4.8 million international guests flew SAUDIA, an increase of 242%. SAUDIA operated 28,600 international flights during H1 2022, an increase of 156%. Recently inaugurated flights to Barcelona, Zurich, Amsterdam and Seoul which have come as a result of SAUDIA’s collaboration with the Air Connectivity Program, have proven to be very popular among guests. Thanks to a combination of new, in-demand travel options and enhanced ground services, the two sides are expected to announce new international destinations in the near future. Currently, SAUDIA transports guests to more than 100 destinations across four continents. Guests are free to book their flights and make travel arrangements out of the comfort of their own homes or workplaces through the www.saudia.com website. Travelers can also use the airline’s smartphone app, which provides multiple optional services as well as aftersales support.  

Expo City Dubai is gearing up to open on 1 October, building on Expo 2020 Dubai’s pledge to inspire generations of the future. Ahead of the official opening of the Expo City Dubai site in October, visitors are invited to experience two of its most popular pavilions from 1 September, with the re-opening of Alif – The Mobility Pavilion and Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion marking the first chapter of Expo City Dubai’s journey. Tickets, which cost AED 50 per person per pavilion, are available at www.expocitydubai.com, and can be purchased at four box offices at Expo City Dubai from 1 September. Garden in the Sky, with its breathtaking 360 degree views, will also open on 1 September, with tickets priced at AED 30 each. Attractions are free for children aged 12 and under and People of Determination. Terra – a world-class example of sustainable best practice in architecture and design – will encourage visitors to re-evaluate their relationship with the environment through an immersive journey through ocean and forest, while Alif will transport explorers through time and across new horizons to discover how mobility has driven human progress throughout history. Alif and Terra will be open daily 1000-1800, while Garden in the Sky will open from 1500-1800, extending to 1000-1800 from 16 September onwards. Other Expo 2020 Dubai favourites – including Al Wasl Plaza, the Surreal water feature, the Women’s Pavilion and the Vision Pavilion, as well as children’s playgrounds and the carousel – will open in October. Later this year, the Opportunity Pavilion will become the Expo 2020 Dubai Museum – a new addition highlighting the history and impact of World Expos and celebrating the success of Expo …

A steady surge of growth throughout the second quarter has propelled Dubai International’s (DXB) half yearly traffic to 27.9 million passengers, just 1.2 million shy of the airport’s total annual traffic last year. DXB achieved the milestone despite a significant reduction in capacity resulting from the 45-day closure of its northern runway in May-June for a major refurbishment project. Maintaining its growth recovery for the ninth successive quarter since the start of the pandemic, DXB recorded 14.2 million passengers in the second quarter of 2022, a year-on-year jump of 190.6%. The hub welcomed a total of 27,884,888 passengers in the first half of the year, up 161.9% compared to H1 2021. The traffic volume represents 67.5% of DXB’s pre-pandemic passenger traffic during the same period in 2019. India remained DXB’s top destination country by passenger numbers with traffic for the first half reaching 4 million passengers – driven primarily by top city destinations such as Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad. Saudi Arabia was second on the list with 2 million passengers, followed closely by the United Kingdom with 1.9 million passengers. Other country destinations of note include Pakistan (1.7 million passengers), and the U.S. (1.4 million passengers). The top three cities were London with 1.3 million passengers, Riyadh (910,000 passengers), and Mumbai (726,000 passengers). During the first six months of 2022, DXB handled a total of 154,993 flight movements, up 55.9% compared to the first half of 2021. The figure represents 87% of the pre-pandemic flight movements at DXB during the first half of 2019. “DXB’s recovery from the impact of the global pandemic has been spectacular, and that position has been strengthened during 2022, particularly during the second quarter. Not …

The fifth edition of the Gulf travel show will be held on 28th and 29th September 2022 with Tourism Malaysia as platinum partner. Sunway City Kuala Lumpur hotel is among Tourism Malaysia’s list of partners for the fifth consecutive time. Ahmad Faizal Iskandar – Director of Sales – Sunway City Kuala Lumpur Hotel, “This is going to be the 5th participation in Gulf travel Show since 2020, and it is a potent and important channel and platform to promote Sunway as a preferred and highly sought holiday destination in Malaysia. SUNWAY CITY KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA; In a bold drive to seal its position as Asia’s leading fully-integrated premier hospitality and entertainment destination, Sunway Resort located in the amazing Sunway City Kuala Lumpur unveils phase one of its once-in-a-generation transformation. Sunway City Kuala Lumpur’s transformation of its flagship property, Sunway Resort, began early 2020 – the most extensive renovation in its 25-year history. Phase one of our US$60 million project is now complete, and guests are welcome to experience eight (8) brand new rooms and suites.  We need to make this participation with this edition of Gulf Travel Show to make the most exposure and awareness of our latest transformation of the integrated resort as preferred and highly sought family destinations in Malaysia. The next phases of Sunway Resort’s dramatic transformation will be progressively revealed in 2022, where guests can expect more themed suites, dedicated family spaces, exciting new dining destinations, reimagined leisure facilities including the swimming pool, health club and more, securing Sunway City Kuala Lumpur’s position as Asia’s leading fully-integrated premier hospitality and entertainment destination.”  

Radisson Hotel Group announces the transformation and re-opening of Radisson Blu Hotel, Vadistanbul as a Radisson Collection hotel, following an extensive renovation. Located in one of the city’s prime residential and commercial districts, Radisson Collection Hotel, Vadistanbul will be the Group’s second Radisson Collection property in Turkey and the first in Istanbul. The opening of Radisson Collection Hotel, Vadistanbul follows the successful opening of Radisson Collection Hotel, Bodrum this past summer. Vadistanbul is a modern and dynamic residential area of wider Istanbul, nestled on the foothills of Vadistanbul Park which includes the Ataturk Arboretum, Belgrade Forest, and Göktürk Ponds National Park. Radisson Collection Hotel, Vadistanbul is situated on a main boulevard in Vadistanbul which will be home to the shopping mall with 270 retail shops and offices for 20,000 people. The hotel is located opposite the Turk Telecom Area, one of Istanbul’s major sports arenas, near the key business district of Maslak, and 30km from Istanbul’s new airport. Radisson Collection Hotel, Vadistanbul features 193 stylish rooms and suites in a relaxing atmosphere with the choice of either city or forest views and a relaxed urban vibe. The rooms offer a relaxing atmosphere, a stylish design, and thoughtful amenities like the Nespresso machine, personal device streaming to the TV, as well as the exclusive Radisson Collection bathroom amenities. The property transformation was aimed at improving the facilities and maximizing guest satisfaction by offering exceptional service. Upon entering the hotel, guests will be introduced to a modern design in the lobby area while guestrooms offer upscale, modern comfort. Photographs taken by local artists add a styling element that celebrates the character of the destination. The all-day-dining restaurant serves international delights made with …