World Tourism Forum Lucerne’s next International Start-up Innovation Camp will take place from 18-19 January 2022 in Ras Al Khaimah. The two-day camp will include a series of private workshops in addition to a public conference with a line-up of insightful panel discussions. The aim of the event is to advance innovation for a more sustainable future in the tourism industry. Ras Al Khaimah, the most northerly Emirate, is considered as the fastest grouing destination in the Middle East, placing great value on sustainability and innovation by implementing a number of progressive initiatives. For this reason, World Tourism Forum Lucerne (WTFL) entered into a strategic partnership with Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) three years ago.   The strategic partnership with RAKTDA allows World Tourism Forum Lucerne to bring several of its industry initiatives, such as the Talent Boost, the Think Tank and the Start-up Innovation Camp to Ras Al Khaimah. “Innovations are a significant driver in the post-pandemic recovery phase. That’s why our initiatives aim to advance innovations in the travel, tourism and hospitality sector and facilitate a cross-industry dialogue”, explains Martin Barth, President and CEO of WTFL.   Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, added “We are honoured to host the International Start-up Innovation Camp with World Tourism Forum Lucerne. This event comes at a pivotal time as we focus on becoming a regional leader in sustainable tourism by 2025. Our culture of innovation, resilience and being a first mover in many areas makes us the perfect destination to foster the growth of start-ups within the Emirate. We look forward to welcoming innovators and investors who will drive positive change in sustainability across …

Over the last few decades, Dubai has grown in popularity worldwide as a family tourism destination with a wide range of exciting places to visit and things to do for the entire family. Underpinning this reputation is the variety of mega theme parks that offer everything from Guinness World Record holding rides to magical experiences for Hollywood and Bollywood fans. The emirate’s diverse theme parks are key attractions being highlighted by the #DubaiDestinations initiative launched by the Dubai Media Council to showcase the exceptional activities and experiences offered by the emirate. One-of-a-kind entertainment attractions Dubai’s theme parks give people an opportunity to come together as friends and families to have wonderful entertainment experiences in both indoor and outdoor settings. Dubai Parks and Resorts, the largest theme park destination in the Middle East offers an incredible scale and variety of entertainment.  Featuring Motiongate Dubai, Bollywood Parks Dubai, Legoland Dubai, and Legoland Water Park, all in one incredible location spread across 25 million square feet, Dubai Parks and Resorts offers endless fun with over 100 thrilling rides, record-breaking swing rides and enthralling live shows. Motiongate Dubai invites people on exciting rides with themes of Hollywood blockbusters like The Hunger Games, Ghostbusters, Step Up and more. It also brings to life some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster films from DreamWorks Animation and Columbia Pictures including the Smurfs and Lionsgate. Legoland offers over 40 Lego themed rides and shows where children can get creative as they build Lego structures, drive cars or steer a boat. The adjacent Legoland Water Park, the only water park in the region designed specifically for kids aged 2-12 and their families, provides the opportunity to go on a splash safari …

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Pavilion on Friday marked Saudi Day at Expo 2020 Dubai with a spectacular shows, performances and activities that highlighted the country’s rich cultural heritage. The celebration included an official opening ceremony attended by high-ranking Saudi and Emirati government officials. The January 7 occasion included a total of 18 events across the Expo site, all carefully curated to embody the Kingdom’s opportunities, innovation, culture, and creativity – exploring its heritage, celebrating the present and looking ahead to its bright future under the country’s ambitious national transformation program, Vision 2030. The remarkable celebrations are taking place at a time when the country is extending an invitation to the world to experience Saudi Arabia’s authentic culture first-hand through its state-of-the-art Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. The official ceremony saw the raising of the Saudi and the UAE flags at Expo’s Stage of the Nations, a moving spectacle for all in attendance. This was followed by a VIP visit to the Saudi Pavilion, which is among the most popular attractions at Expo 2020 Dubai. The Saudi delegation included H.E. Faisal Al-Ibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning; H.E. Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri, advisor to the Royal Court; H.E. Hamed Fayez, Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Culture; Turki bin Abdullah Aldakhil, the Saudi Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates; Amin H. Nasser, President and CEO of Saudi Aramco; and Hussain Hanbazazah, the General Commissioner of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. The members of the delegation received an exclusive tour of the building, which is Expo’s largest guest nation pavilion. The UAE delegation included H.E. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Commissioner General …

The Malaysia Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai celebrated Malaysia Day by paying tribute to the nation’s achievements and progress across key sectors including economic, social, cultural, science and technology, at the honour day accorded by Expo 2020 Dubai to participating countries. It is also the 100-day milestone of Malaysia’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai, which takes place from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. Leading the high-level delegation from Malaysia is Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), The Honourable Datuk Haji Ahmad Amzad Hashim, who was welcomed by His Excellency Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, UAE Minister of State. Bearing the ‘Energising Sustainability’ concept of the Pavilion, Malaysia Day illustrates the country’s commitment to international collaborations, long-standing interest in global conversations, and to participate in dialogues on important topics including climate change and sustainability. Through its Net Zero Carbon Pavilion, Malaysia aims to convey its success stories in adopting a resilient, low-carbon, resource-efficient and socially inclusive framework to address climate change and sustainability that are firmly anchored on the principles of sustainability and planetary health. “Expo 2020 Dubai, with the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, has unlocked many new and exciting market opportunities for Malaysia to enhance trade, investment and cultural exchanges. Malaysia’s participation at the Expo 2020 Dubai is a momentous platform for the nation and we are proud to be part of this historic event, as together with the rest of the world we are curating the future in an inclusive and sustainable manner,” said Datuk Haji Ahmad Amzad Hashim who delivered the speech at the ceremony on behalf of the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, The Honourable Dato’ Sri Dr. Adham bin …

Iraqi Airways has taken delivery of its first out of five A220-300 aircraft from Mirabel, Canada. Upon entry into service, Iraqi Airways will become one of the first airlines to operate the A220 in the Middle East region. With the A220, Iraqi Airways will benefit from the aircraft’s exceptional technical, economic and environmental performance. Iraqi Airways’ A220-300 features a modern and highly comfortable dual-class cabin that seats 132 passengers; 12 in business class and 120 in economy class. The state of the art aircraft will play an integral part of Iraqi Airways fleet renewal and modernization plan. The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market and brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines. Featuring a 50% reduced noise footprint and up to 25% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, as well as around 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards, the A220 is a great aircraft for regional as well as long distance routes operations. As of the end of November 2021, over 180 A220s had been delivered to 13 operators, from  Asia, North America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East – proving the great versatility of Airbus’ new generation single-aisle family member.  

Royal Jordanian and Tamatem Inc., a Jordanian based leading mobile games publisher in the region, sealed a contract to launch in-flight games on RJ flights, aiming to enhance passengers’ experience onboard. RJ Vice Chairman/CEO Samer Majali and Tamatem founder/CEO Hussam Hammo signed the agreement, whereby Tamatem will integrate several games on RJ’s wireless inflight entertainment system – SkyConnect, and set up arcade machines, tablets, and charging stations in the Crown Lounge at Queen Alia International Airport. Majali expressed satisfaction with such partnerships, through which RJ both exercises its corporate social responsibility by lending support to pioneering Jordanian companies as well as takes part in the scalability of innovative Jordanian companies.

The countdown has begun for the comprehensive webinar to be hosted on Tuesday 18th January 2022 from 12 noon GST about the pristine sandy beaches, white chalk cliffs, sophisticated Baltic seaside resorts, cozy fishing villages, sky high brick churches and fairy tale castles of Meckenburg-Vorpommem. Germany is one of the most popular vacation destinations for the travelers in the Middle East as it has a diverse offering catering to each traveler from the Middle East, whether it be family, millennial, leisure, MICE etc. Meckenburg-Vorpommem located between the metropolises of Berlin and Hamburg in the northeast of Germany, the federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has fascinated guests from all over the world for centuries. It is time once again for the agents in the region to take a quick peak at the destination to offer a new area to explore to those yearning to discover. The region welcomes its guests with 2,000 kilometres of Baltic Sea coasts and 2,000 glistening lakes. It is also known as the sunniest region in all of Germany with 2,000 hours of sunshine per year. Also more than 30% of the whole region is under conservation. The unspoiled nature of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern inspired famous painters throughout the centuries and is best explored by foot, bike or boat says the experts. In terms of local wellness they offer such as Thalassotherapy and the so called healing forests or for those who want to let loose with all kinds of activities on land or on water you can take up kitesurfing, stand up paddling or Jeep Safari on an island. Virtually you can immerse yourself in the culture of a historical region and enjoy the local cuisine with freshly caught …

FORM Hotel, the luxurious boutique hotel located in Al Jaddaf is offering a 25% discount for all Saudi Nationals along with other amenities. FORM Hotel, Design Hotel’s first property in the middle east is welcoming all Saudi Nationals to celebrate the upcoming holidays from January to March 2022. With a 25% discount on all stays during their visit at the hotel, all Saudi Nationals travelling to Dubai can look forward to exceptional service, high-quality amenities and a hand-picked experience with every stay. Located in the Al Jaddaf neighbourhood, FORM Hotel stands out in the market with luxurious amenities, contemporary surrounds and offers something for everyone. Whether it’s for family trips full of fun to entertain the kids, a romantic getaway for couples or a weekend escape with friends to get away from the busy city life, FORM Hotel is where you should be. Make every visit memorable at FORM Hotel with a temperature-controlled pool on the rooftop terrace accompanied by scenic views of the Dubai Creek, the Salus Housetop Lounge, a rooftop gym, tennis facilities at the Clark Francis Tennis Academy and other personalized experiences that help in customizing every stay. The 25% discount is valid only through phone call or email. For queries or reservations, please call +971 4 317 9000 or email reservations@form-hotel.com

Moscow City Tourism Committee is set to hold its first on-ground roadshow in the UAE after the pandemic, within an ongoing initiative to promote Moscow as a leading tourism and business destination to the region. The first roadshow will take place in Dubai on the 10th of January 2022, at the Shangri-la Hotel Dubai, followed a second roadshow in Abu Dhabi on the 11th of January 2021, at Sofitel Corniche Abu Dhabi Hotel. Each roadshow is expected to attract a total of 90 attendees, while making sure all health and safety regulations are in place, as required by the local health authorities. it is expected that the key players from Moscow will come to have one-to-one meetings with the best representatives of the UAE tourism, hospitality, and aviation industries. The roadshow will also demonstrate the tourist potential of Moscow in the gastronomic sphere: this fall, the capital of Russia became the first city in the post-Soviet space to be included in the Michelin Red Guide. Commenting on the upcoming roadshows in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Head of International Division Anastasia Popova said: “Moscow City Tourism Committee is really excited to host its first live roadshow since the breakout in the UAE, as part of our efforts to further engage with the GCC market and develop our connections with the region. As means to broaden the connections between the UAE’s outbound travel professionals, MICE specialists and Mosturizm travel industry partners, the roadshows will prove a great opportunity to enhance relationships, develop new opportunities, and provide more options for Emirati customers.” In addition to the two upcoming roadshows, the Moscow City Tourism Committee is continuously developing and implementing highly-targeted marketing and public …

IHG® Hotels & Resorts further expands its footprint with voco Bonnington Dubai, marking the brand’s second voco hotel in Dubai. As one of IHG’s newest hotel brands, voco combines the reassurance of a global brand with the informality and charm of an individual hotel. The former Bonnington Hotel Dubai rebranded recently under IHG’s upscale brand voco, offering a modern, stylish and unstuffy hotel experience for guests. The 208-room hotel embodies the characteristics of voco with exclusive features and distinctive hallmarks, setting it apart for a memorable stay. Every guest will experience the voco signature ‘come on in’ warm welcome, promising a swift and simple check in, with dedicated voco hosts available throughout the guest’s stay as resident experts, and a locally inspired welcome treat. As part of the transformational works carried out at the property, the refurbished guest rooms benefit from the voco design concept with thoughtful comforts like cosy bedding made from 100% recycled materials, Antipodes high quality organic amenities in larger dispenser bottles, and high-speed Wi-Fi, Smart TVs, executive desks and in-room refreshments. So, guests can relax and indulge in some ‘me time’ when they stay at voco. Business travellers can use an array of meeting rooms at voco Bonnington Dubai, that can easily cater to a wide range of events and conferences from small and smart meetings and workshops. The Leisure Deck offers sweeping views of the Dubai Marina skyline where guests can enjoy the swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna and steam rooms, and as an added perk our beauty salon and pool bar have enticing daily offers for guests. If you are craving for something special on the menu, voco Bonnington Dubai hosts a range of vibrant …