In response to exceptional demand, Oman Air has increased flights between Muscat and its Turkish destinations (Istanbul and Trabzon). Based on the table below, the airline has increased frequencies between Muscat and Trabzon from 3 weekly flights to 5 weekly flights, and between Muscat and Istanbul from 7 weekly flights to 8 weekly flights. Additional Istanbul flights: Flight number From Departure Time To Arrival Time Days WY 165 Muscat 14:35 Istanbul 19:00 Sunday WY 166 Istanbul 00:55 Muscat 06:50 Monday Additional Trabzon flights: Flight number From Departure Time To Arrival Time Days WY 167 Muscat 09:35 Trabzon 12:45 Friday, Sunday WY 168 Trabzon 14:00 Muscat 19:05

From 1 December, Emirates will reintroduce its flagship A380 to Perth as part of the airline’s ramp up of services to Australia. The upgauge will increase Emirates’ seating capacity between its hub Dubai and Perth, with close to 500 seats available on each flight. EK420 from Dubai will depart at 02:45, arriving in Perth at 17:20 the same day while EK421 flight will depart from Perth at 22:20, arriving in Dubai at 05:25 the following day. The daily A380 service will replace the existing daily Boeing 777- 300ER operation between Dubai and Perth. The upgauge comes as Emirates proudly celebrates 20 years of serving the skies and communities of Perth, offering unparalleled connectivity to Dubai and across its global network. Since its inaugural flight to Perth back in August 2002, Emirates has flown close to 6 million passengers between Perth and its Dubai hub, travelling more than 220 million kilometres on over 24,000 flights. Initially starting as a four times weekly service, the airline expanded its Perth operations due to strong demand for travel, the seamless connectivity provided by the airline, coupled with its award winning product and hospitality. This grew to a daily operation in May 2003 and was followed by the opening of Emirates’ first Perth lounge in February 2006. In recognition of the demand for its premium offering, Emirates introduced its signature First Class Suites in March 2008 which was extended across multiple services. The airline touched down with its flagship A380 for the first time in May 2015, highlighting its ongoing commitment to the market, and putting its customers first with exceptional service and a premium travel experience across all classes. Emirates has also been a …

Dubai-based independent hotel management company, Aleph Hospitality, has signed a management contract with Congo-based Sokerico Group to operate Kertel Suites in Kinshasa. The boutique property, which is currently under development, is set to open in Q1 2023, and on opening the hotel will set a new benchmark for the hospitality sector in Kinshasa with its all-suites accommodations and state of the art food and beverage offerings. Aleph Hospitality’s portfolio now covers 12 properties across eight countries on the African continent. Located in the capital Kinshasa, in the heart of Gombe, a flourishing business centre and embassies area, Kertel Suites offers brand-new, contemporary accommodation. The hotel is conveniently located a 20-minute drive from the N’Dolo Airport. Popular tourist destinations in the vicinity include Picasso Beach, Central Station Square and the Jardin Zoologique. The premium hotel is positioned as approachable luxury with an elegant, classic design for a corporate lifestyle. Leisure facilities include an upscale rooftop resto-bar and a French bakery-bistro, a roof swimming pool, fully equipped gym and spa as well as three banquet halls. Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality said: “We are thrilled to have been entrusted with the management of Kertel Suites in Kinshasa and we are excited to be operating our first property in Africa’s largest city. It’s an interesting time to secure a presence in the heart of Africa, as The Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently investing in the hospitality sector, restoring historical sites and strengthening sustainability within their ecosystem. The development is quite unique in its location, and we look forward to bringing next-level hospitality experiences to the heart of Gombe.” Ritesh Hemnani and Kenny Rawtani, owners of Sokerico Group …

With the world’s most anticipated football event taking place in Doha this year, Capital Travel, a Travel Management Company and subsidiary of Tourism 365 as part of the ADNEC Group, have revealed exciting travel offers in partnership with Etihad Airways for fans visiting Qatar. Available in limited quantities, football fans can purchase economy class return flight tickets as well as purchase packages, which include flights and accommodation. Flight tickets are available at a fixed rate of AED 2,830 per person for economy class return flight tickets with Etihad Airways while a package which includes return flight tickets and hotel accommodation for a one-night stay during the world’s most popular sporting spectacle starts at AED 8,300 per person. Terms and conditions apply.

Gulf Air in co-ordination with Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RAK International Airport), will commence schedule services to Ras Al Khaimah on 3rd October 2022. The service will commence with a view to establish a year-round scheduled operation between the two airports connecting the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah beyond Bahrain to regional and international destinations on Gulf Air’s global network. The signing ceremony took place at Gulf Air Headquarters in Bahrain, represented by Chairman to the Board of Directors of Gulf Air H.E. Mr Zayed R. Alzayani, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport’s Chairman H.E. Eng. Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Gulf Air Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi, RAK Airport’s CEO Mr. Atanasios Titonis, and RAK’s CEO of Tourism Development Authority Mr. Raki Phillips; including Executive Management members from both companies. Commenting on the signing H.E. Mr Zayed R. Alzayani said, “As the region’s leading boutique carrier with a global footprint, we look forward to adding Ras Al Khaimah to our network of seaside destinations and increasing our UAE points to three (3) with Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Today we signed on the commencement of services to proceed with operations to Ras Al Khaimah, and I am confident our passengers will be impressed with all the facilities and services Ras Al Khaimah International Airport has to offer”. As for Captain Waleed AlAlawi, he commented, “We are delighted to add Ras Al Khaimah as third destination on our growing UAE network, and we would like to recognise and thank the proactive cooperation with Ras Al Khaimah International Airport as we provide our passengers with a new destination known for its quality tourism appeal and attracts tourists from the …

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) in cooperation with several government and private agencies and institutions in the emirate  has launched a regulatory framework – the Sharjah Tourism’s ‘Holiday Homes Project’ – which aims to offer an official framework of facilitation and control to Sharjah residents who wish to rent out places they own as holiday homes to tourists and visitors. According to the terms and standards approved by SCTDA as stipulated by the Holiday Homes Project, the residential units can be rented out on a rotational basis, regularly.  The project is successfully developing an official facilitation framework in line with international best practices for the operation of holiday homes, and to register them under a unified umbrella and database. The project will also empower prospective users with a new source of income recognised by the Government of Sharjah, offering them official guidance on operating requirements, classification criteria, violations and other mechanisms. His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, said: “With Sharjah Tourism’s Holiday Homes project, the emirate’s aspirations to continue advancing this sector has crossed a meaningful milestone, as the initiative not only introduces an innovative new service to the tourism landscape but also puts Sharjah’s home owners at the forefront of benefiting from a drive that is poised to drive more visitors from around the world to the emirate. Through the Sharjah Tourism’s Holiday Homes Project, we seek to maximise visitor experience by ensuring high-quality classification standards and offering additional staycation options across the emirate of Sharjah. It will further strengthen cooperation between the Authority and the providers of holiday homes by developing a system of legislation and regulations. This will contribute to diversifying the …

 Emirates is activating a new codeshare partnership today with AEGEAN, allowing its customers to benefit from increased connectivity to eight domestic Greek points via Athens, using a single ticket. Emirates will place its code on AEGEAN operated flights, providing customers with a convenient and seamless booking experience as well as one consistent baggage policy, to popular destinations: Kerkyra, Chania, Irakleion, Mikonos, Thira, Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Alexandropoulos. Under the codeshare agreement, AEGEAN will also place its code on Emirates-operated flights between Dubai and Athens for their customers to benefit from smooth connections to Dubai and onward. Travel itineraries can now be booked on emirates.com and aegeanair.com, with travel agents as well as online travel agents (OTAs), for travel immediately. Starting October 2022, Emirates and AEGEAN will further increase their joint codeshare network to include eight more European regional routes via Athens, including Bucharest, Belgrade and Naples, among others, as well as westwards on Emirates’ flights to New York Newark from Athens, and New York JFK from Milan. Emirates currently serves Athens with 12 weekly flights operated by a Boeing 777. These additional codeshare routes will be subject to receiving the necessary regulatory approvals. Through its codeshare agreements with more than 26 carriers, two rail partners as well as 110 interline partners worldwide, Emirates offers its customers truly global connectivity across 6 continents.  

To meet exceptional Khareef season demand for Salalah in Oman’s southern Dhofar Governorate, Oman Air has gradually increased daily flight frequencies on its Muscat-Salalah-Muscat sector to reach up to 30 flights a day on Thursday and Saturday and up to 22 flights a day on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. The additional flights on the sector reflect Salalah’s reputation as a top tourist destination during Khareef (monsoon) season. The airline will increase flights based on the schedule below: Flights a day Dates   20 Flights Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday Effective 14 August 2022 28 Flights Thursday, Saturday 22 Flights Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday Effective 21 August 2022 30 Flights Thursday, Saturday  

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), concluded its participation in the fourth edition of the Tourist Hospitality Initiative held in southwest region of Aseer. SAUDIA celebrated guests on flight SV1644, inbound from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, with a welcoming event and giveaways. Held under the theme of “1,000 Welcomes,” a phrase traditionally used as a greeting for visitors in the Saudi region of Aseer, and with direct support from the Governer of the region, the initiative is aimed at continuing to welcome a diverse range of visitors to the region. In recognition of the tourism campaign, the SAUDIA sales offices and the arrivals terminal at Abha International Airport were decorated with the initiative’s vibrant designs, highlighting SAUDIA’s role in connecting the capital of Aseer with the rest of the Kingdom. In addition to its scenic nature and charming ambiance, Abha contains a variety of ways to keep tourists interested. SAUDIA’s participation in the initiative is a continuation of the national carrier’s involvement last year and comes as part of its efforts to promote domestic tourism. The flag-carrying airline’s operations out of Abha are continuously being enhanced and scaled, with more seating capacity being made available as required by seasonal demand.

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) announced that it will be commencing services to Seoul, South Korea from 16 August 2022. SAUDIA will operate its state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner, configured in two classes with 24 flat bed seats in Business Class and 274 seats in Guest Class, featuring inflight television screens at every seat with up to 5,000 entertainment hours. Engr. Ahmed Alwassiah, the Acting Chief Executive Officer, SAUDIA said: “We look forward to welcoming guests onboard our flights to and from Seoul this summer. SAUDIA’s debut into South Korea will mean more choices for travellers from both countries and beyond to our far-reaching network, alongside our signature hospitality and award-winning onboard experience.” He added: “SAUDIA is committed to creating new opportunities for business and tourism and strengthening the bilateral ties between Saudi Arabia and South Korea. This direct route will have a positive impact not only on the tourism sector, but also the business, logistics, investment, and manufacturing sector as it aims to serve multiple segments of guests. The flight will takeoff from Jeddah on 16 August as SV898, leaving at 01:00hrs with a quick stop at Riyadh and arriving at Incheon International Airport at 19:50hrs local time. The return flight SV899 will depart Seoul Incheon at 21:40hrs, arriving in Riyadh at 02:10hrs and Jeddah at 04:45hrs on the next day. Flight schedules have been timed to provide convenient access to the Kingdom, and optimum connection opportunities to Middle East, Africa and European destination. SAUDIA Holidays, the tour operating arm of the airline will also provide travelers with personalized holidays to Seoul and across the SAUDIA network, with travel consultants that handpick hotels and experiences to suit the needs of customers. …