Marriott International, Inc. signed an agreement with Diriyah Gate Development Authority to open two luxury hotels as part of the Diriyah Project in Saudi Arabia. Located in Diriyah around the UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif, the properties will bring modern and distinct views on luxury to the historic town of Diriyah, set to become one of the world’s most forthright cultural and heritage cities. “We are delighted to be working with the Diriyah Gate Development Authority and look forward to elevating the luxury experience of the Diriyah Project with these two iconic and celebrated brands,” said Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International. The Ritz-Carlton, Diriyah, Riyadh – Renowned for its legendary service and refined design, the iconic Ritz-Carlton brand is the epitome of modern luxury. Slated to open in 2025, The Ritz-Carlton, Diriyah, Riyadh is expected to feature 195 guestrooms including 34 suites along with a specialty restaurant, an all-day dining venue, meeting rooms, an outdoor pool and fitness center. Ritz Kids, the brand’s signature kids club and programming is part of the vision, as is a signature spa and immersive guest programs. The Luxury Collection in Diriyah, Riyadh – The Luxury Collection offers global travelers a gateway to the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations, with each hotel serving as a unique and cherished expression of its location. Situated in the district of Samhan, the hotel is expected to welcome its first guests in 2022 with 141 guestrooms, including 27 suites. Design plans are slated to feature two signature restaurants, an all-day-dining restaurant, coffee and juice bar, fitness center, pool and spa. The property is also expected to offer meeting and event …

Delivering on its mandate to transform Abu Dhabi into a leading centre for maritime activities and to support the growth of the local marine community, Abu Dhabi Maritime, the primary custodian of Abu Dhabi’s waterways and marine ecosystems, has revealed it will now provide jet ski licencing services within the emirate. Assuming the role previously held by Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Maritime will assist members of the public and commercial marine service providers with the registration of new jet skis, annual license renewals, and booking technical inspections. As an added premium offering, the organisation’s inspection teams will also be able to conduct technical examinations of a user’s jet ski at a location selected by them, including from the comfort of their own home. Accessible via Abu Dhabi Maritime’s website and from a dedicated web portal, the new streamlined process will not only make licencing services more efficient and less time consuming, but it will also enhance maritime safety and security across Abu Dhabi’s waterways by ensuring all jet skis operating within the emirate are well-maintained and seaworthy. Capt. Saif Al Mheiri, Managing Director, Abu Dhabi Maritime, AD Ports Group, said: “As the primary custodian overseeing the management, regulation and safe use of Abu Dhabi’s waterways, it is only natural that the responsibility of handling jet ski licencing falls under our remit. “In addition to demonstrating our readiness to respond to the needs of Abu Dhabi’s long-standing and thriving maritime community, we are also keen to elevate our community’s overall user experience and streamline the process by which jet ski licensing is managed in order to be faster and more efficient. It is our strong belief that the provision of …

Expo 2020 Dubai visit numbers have increased significantly to a total of 7,167,591 visits in the period up to 20 December, as organisers continue to maintain robust COVID-19 measures, ensuring a safe and exceptional event for all attending. The largest major global event to be held since the start of the pandemic, Expo 2020’s latest COVID-19 measures include the expansion of the number of on-site PCR testing facilities to four, and free testing for all Country Pavilion staff. While all frontline workers and entertainers continue to be tested on a regular basis, some close contact events, such as parades and roving entertainers, have been temporarily suspended as a short-term precautionary measure. With more than 90 per cent of the UAE population fully vaccinated, Expo 2020 Dubai has required mandatory vaccination and boosters of all Expo and International Participant staff, volunteers, contractors and service providers. Visitors ages 18 and above are required to present proof of any vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within the previous 72 hours. In addition, Expo 2020 maintains on site sanitisation stations and mandatory face-masks both indoor and outdoor. Expo 2020 Dubai was honoured to receive His Holiness Sultan Al Bohra and members of the Bohra community, while other recent high profile events included an appearance from footballing great and Expo Ambassador Lionel Messi; a concert by multitalented Egyptian star Mohamed Ramadan; electrifying science show Brainiac Live and plenty more live entertainment, buoyed by enthusiastic uptake of the Expo 2020 Festive Pass. Knowledge & Learning Week, the latest engrossing Theme Week under Expo’s Programme for People and Planet, presented a three-day global education summit, a number of World Majlis events, an interactive workshop-style event around …

In line with the restoration of Emirates’ network and upsurge in travel demand, passengers traveling in premium cabins as well as Skywards members in select membership tiers will have access to more than 120 lounges by February. Emirates, which has resumed operations to over 90 percent of its pre-pandemic network, currently flies to more than 120 destinations worldwide via its hub in Dubai. Customers travelling in First Class and Business Class will be able to complement their travel experience with Emirates’ signature premium lounge service at over 20 airports in its network, comprising popular destinations across Europe, Africa, US and Asia. By late December, Emirates lounges at a host of airports in the UK will have re-opened their doors for customers to immerse themselves in the pre-flight premium experience, including London Heathrow, Birmingham, and Manchester while the lounges in London Gatwick and Glasgow will welcome customers in January 2022. In Europe, Emirates lounges in Germany, namely Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Dusseldorf, in addition to lounges in Milan and Rome, have already re-opened for passengers to enjoy their premium facilities, while the lounge in Paris is scheduled to open later this month. In the US, travellers on Emirates flights can access the premium lounge experience at Los Angeles International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport as well as New York JFK, with Emirates’ San Francisco lounge to re-start its services in February 2022. An additional Emirates Lounge, to serve passengers travelling through Cairo, has resumed operations earlier, while premium class customers and eligible Skywards members will soon be able to relax and dine in its lounges in Colombo and Bangkok prior to flights. At Emirates’ exclusive Terminal 3 at Dubai International airport, …

This newly built 20+ storey hotel is located in the upscale residential and diplomatic district of Maadi with direct access to the Nile Corniche. Hotel guests will be able to enjoy the spectacular views of the Nile river while sunbathing by the outdoor pool. Perfect for both leisure and business, Hilton Cairo Nile Maadi will feature a large health club and spa, an outdoor swimming pool, two restaurants, an executive lounge, as well as fully-equipped meeting and event spaces.

Following the opening of the final phase of Concourse A at Dubai International’s (DXB) Terminal 3, the world’s busiest international airport is 100% operational with all terminals, concourses, lounges, restaurants, and retail outlets now open. Terminal 3 is expected to serve more than 1.6 million passengers in the second half of December during the month’s peak seasonal travel period. Visitors to Dubai exceeded 1 million during the month of October and DXB reached the important milestone of 1 million passengers per week in November, with origin-destination passengers reaching 94% of pre-pandemic levels. “Reaching the point where 100% of our facilities are now open and serving customers, plus the huge resurgence in passengers arriving into Dubai marks an important milestone for the aviation sector as well as for the city of Dubai and its economic growth. We took early steps to implement best-in-class hygiene and health protocols, fast track PCR testing facilities, and enhanced customer service and guest support resources to ensure the comfort, convenience and safety of travelers – and this has resulted in a strong recovery towards pre-pandemic levels of passengers,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. He added: “This has been an enormous team effort and our employees and stakeholders have responded magnificently to the significant challenge of getting DXB back up and running at 100% capacity.” The journey back to full operations following the closure in March 2020 began with the reopening of Terminals 2 and 3 and Concourses B and C for normal inbound passenger operations from June 22, 2020, following the easing of international travel regulations for residents by UAE authorities. Outbound travel for UAE citizens and residents was opened on June 23 while …

Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, launched the region’s first cinema in the snow and the world’s only movie theatre in an indoor ski resort in Dubai, UAE. United Arab Emirates always takes the first step in introducing novel experiences to the travelers across the globe. As the first destination to open post pandemic and making sure that safety and health is high priority UAE has been able to attract over 4 million tourists over the past few months. From mid -December to end of January begins the ultimate winter season for the UAE, hence introduction of many attractions to increase families to visit a safe destination is a key strategy which enables the number of visitors. Earlier this month, the special winter wonderland with Santa’s village really kicked started the winter season and for the first time in the region the Snow Cinema was introduced parallel to the Christmas spirit. Snow Cinema by VOX Cinemas allows guests to experience the magic of movies on the snow-laden slopes of Ski Dubai, which has been crowned the ‘World’s Best Indoor Ski Resort’ for five consecutive years. During Christmas guests were able to experience the winter wonderland and the snow cinema together which included a special conversation and photo opportunity with Santa in his village, followed by scrumptious Christmas treats such as mince pies and hot chocolate. As the season continues guests can snuggle up and relax on lounge-style seating while watching Raya and the Last Dragon, Tom & Jerry, Maya the Bee, big-budget blockbusters such a Godzilla vs. Kong and Mortal Kombat as well as a slate of …

Emirates customers travelling from the UAE to EU member countries now have more opportunities to confidently make the most out of their travel journeys. The airline has been working closely with Alhosn National Health System team to enable the readability and recognition of customers’ health credentials with EU verified QR codes, including COVID-19 vaccine status and PCR test results, on the IATA Travel Pass. Emirates customers simply have to download the IATA Travel Pass, scan Alhosn App’s Travel Pass QR Code and load the results back to the app. UAE citizens and residents will also be able to upload their negative PCR test results and vaccination certificates performed anywhere in the country, without the need to visit specific labs. This health data is stored in the National Cloud per the highest privacy standards and policies set by the UAE Data Protection Law. The new enhancements make it easier for Emirates customers to benefit from the IATA Travel Pass and get their “Ok to Travel” prior to their departure to any EU destination on the airline’s network. By using the Alhosn App, Emirates customers travelling from the UAE to the EU can also reliably demonstrate their COVID-19 health status, and be able to easily enter hospitality and entertainment venues, attend events or embark on other experiences that require proof of negative test results or vaccination. This minimises the use of multiple apps to demonstrate testing and vaccination status while in the EU, and also allows for safer, convenient movement for Emirates customers. Adel Al Redha, Emirates Chief Operating Officer said: “As part of Emirates’ plan to implement digital travel verification and make the travel process more seamless, we’re boosting the customer …

Oman Air will continue to strengthen strategic codeshare partnership agreements to maximize its post-pandemic growth trajectory. The airline’s ongoing recovery calls for greater codeshare connectivity to offers passengers better connections and a wider choice of destinations from its hub in Muscat. Oman Air has built a healthy network throughout the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent, as well as several cities in Europe, South Asia and Africa in recent years and is focused on growing additional connectivity to North and South America and Australia through strategic codeshares with its 18 partner airlines. These include Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Garuda Indonesia, Gulf Air, Royal Dutch Airlines KLM, Kenya Airways, Kuwait Airways, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, SalamAir, Bangkok Airways, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Saudia, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, and Egyptair. Currently, Oman Air operates 46 codeshare sectors and markets an additional 219 codeshare sectors on six continents through its partners for a total of 265 sectors. “Providing access to more destinations underpins our business operations and growth strategy as we gradually emerge from the global pandemic and look for new ways to offer our valued guests greater travel convenience and connectivity,” said Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Air. “Together with our codeshare partners, we continue to grow our network reach out of Muscat while offering reciprocal connectivity for passengers flying to the Sultanate of Oman. Strategic codeshare agreements make sense at a time when airlines around the world are facing tremendous challenges, and Oman Air understands that now, more than ever, seamless connectivity is a deciding factor for passengers when it comes to booking.” To date, Qatar Airways remains Oman Air’s biggest codeshare partner. In …

Located along Al Fateh Highway, the 348-room Hilton Bahrain will feature studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments with all the comforts of home and a stunning view of the sea from each unit’s balcony. With six distinct restaurants and lounges, nine meeting rooms and a luxurious spa, the hotel promises an exceptional guest experience.