Experience Abu Dhabi, Find Your Pace will feature at World Travel Market (WTM), welcoming visitors and bringing the destination to life alongside 36 stakeholders and partners, from 7–9 November. The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) will sign a number of strategic partnerships during WTM, and delegates will have the opportunity to maximise their business potential by meeting partnering hotels and attractions. Visitors can unwind and enjoy Abu Dhabi’s living culture, with a celebration of Emirati craftsmanship at the House of Artisans zone, including a perfumery experience that introduces visitors to the fragrances of the emirate. There is also traditional Arabic coffee in the Bait Al Gahwa zone and the Abu Dhabi Senses Journey at the stand’s Cultural zone. Abu Dhabi will enable WTM visitors to experience the top sites and attractions throughout Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Al Ain, Al Dhafra region and beyond. Attendees will experience how Abu Dhabi offers something for every visitor, available 365 days a year, at your own pace – with rich cultural history, natural beaches, unrivalled family fun and world-class sports offerings. Enriching destination experiences that excite, inspire and restore are showcased within an immersive stand experience that will host Q&As with global sports partners, including Manchester City and the UFC – with a special guest appearance from Batman, courtesy of Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi. Also on display, Abu Dhabi Calendar has partnered with the world’s best artists, entertainers and sports franchises for a 2022/2023 winter season to remember. Events range from live concerts with international stars Sting and Andrea Bocelli, as well as urban music festival Wireless, making its Abu Dhabi debut in March 2023. Other exciting …
Read More »First Etihad flight using sustainable aviation fuel departs to Tokyo Narita
The first Etihad Airways flight to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) supplied by ITOCHU Corporation and NESTE took off from Tokyo Narita airport. The pioneering flight, EY871 departed Tokyo Narita at 1500, was the result of a partnership in which ITOCHU provided Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel to Etihad, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, making Etihad the first international airline to procure SAF in Japan. Cassie Mackie, Vice President Procurement & Supply Chain, Etihad Airways, said: “The aviation industry needs partnerships like the one we have created with ITOCHU and NESTE to bring widespread SAF adoption to the industry. We are extremely proud to be the first international airline to procure and use Japanese supplied SAF on flights departing Japan and to see this partnership take to the air.” “Etihad is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and reducing our 2019 emissions by 50 percent by 2035. The industry must get serious about decarbonisation and this type of collaboration between governments, corporates and the aviation sector, which increases SAF supply and availability at airports, helps pave the way for broader adoption.” Today’s flight operated on a ~40 per cent blend of SAF, representing the first delivery of some 50,000 gallons of SAF, to be used over a number of flights in coming weeks. It is the first time a non-Japanese airline has used SAF supplied in Japan. The flight reduced CO2 by approximately 75.2 tCO2, based on the estimated fuel volume (20,000 USG) at a blend of 39.66% SAF. The flight also managed non-CO2 environmental impacts through optimised flight planning for contrail prevention, deploying SATAVIA technology for a forecast net climate impact reduction of 71 …
Read More »DCT Abu Dhabi and Miral announce construction progress of the natural history museum
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences, have announced that the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi has reached 25% completion, with the UAE-based construction group ALEC having been appointed as the main contractor earlier this year. Located in Saadiyat Cultural District, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is anticipated to be the largest of its kind in the region, allowing visitors to travel on a 14-billion-year journey through time and space – from the earliest origins of our universe to a thought-provoking perspective into our Earth’s future. Due to be completed at the end of 2025, it will be a scientific research and teaching institution and an educational resource for learning about the evolving story of our planet, aiming to ignite a life-long passion for the natural world in visitors of all ages. H.E. Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi will bring a new dimension of educational discovery to the Abu Dhabi community, as an entirely unique cultural attraction that offers visitors and residents endless inspiration. With work now underway on this pioneering institution, the realisation of our vision for the Saadiyat Cultural District moves one step closer. When completed, Saadiyat will offer the highest concentration of cultural experience in the world, cementing Abu Dhabi’s position as an innovative global destination of choice.” Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral, said: “Through our partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi, we have been able to make strong progress on the development of this iconic cultural landmark. The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi will provide visitors with …
Read More »Etihad Airways to host Arab Air Carriers organization AGM
Under the patronage of His Excellency Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, Chairman of Etihad Aviation Group and Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Etihad Airways will host the Arab Air Carriers’ Organization (AACO) 55th Annual General Meeting (AGM), to be held in Abu Dhabi from 24 to 26 October. The opening ceremony will be held at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, welcoming senior aviation leaders and decision-makers with the participation of 34 airlines from across the region, as well as international and regional organisations in the aviation sector. His Excellency Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of Etihad Aviation Group, stated: “We are proud Etihad Airways is hosting the upcoming AACO Annual General Meeting for the second time since 2011. This highlights the vital role airlines have in supporting the economic development of the region, which became more evident with the challenges the pandemic imposed on the aviation industry. “The AGM is an opportunity to highlight the achievements we have accomplished together as an industry over the past years, as well as a chance to strengthen the existing cooperation on issues of common interest.” Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group, said: “Hosting the upcoming AACO AGM rounds off a great year, when we reported the most successful financial results for H1 our business has achieved in its history and were named the Environmental Airline of the Year for our relentless efforts in the drive for sustainability. “Thanks to the aviation infrastructure we have in Abu Dhabi, and to our continuous business transformation plan, we come out of the crisis with more flexibility and readiness to operate our business and connect our communities. The AGM will be an …
Read More »Travel trade from Abu Dhabi witnessed live entertainment from St. Petersburg tourism
Leading travel trade agents in Abu Dhabi attended the first ever roadshow from St.Petersburg recently with partners from DMCs, hoteliers, cruise/shipping companies and medical tourism specialists. The roadshow was divided into three main parts, the first was the one on one B2B sessions where the travel trade could spend time and get to know the destination, followed by detailed presentations by the partners. The final part of the event was the grand dinner with authentic St.Petersburg entertainment, which included a ballet performance as well. Ksenia Narvatkina, Chief Specialist of the development department from St. Petersburg City Tourist Information Bureau and Committee for tourism development of Saint Petersburg, opened the presentation sharing, “we would like to share with you the tourism potential of St.Petersburg and hope that today’s presentation will allow you to know more about our unique city and its many offerings. In 2018, committee for tourism development of St.Petersburg and city tourism bureau organised a roadshow to the cities of the United Arab Emirates. The presentation of tourism development was held with great success and the event aroused great interest among people of the United Arab Emirates.” Mahesh Perera – Travel Consultant – BCD Travels Abu Dhabi shared, “After the pandemic during the past two and half years we did have on and off a few events but this was the first in Abu Dhabi and this was a very well organised roadshow. It was interesting to meet many partners including cruise partners this evening at the St.Petersburg roadshow. For agents like us in Abu Dhabi it was really a very productive and interactive event which enabled us to meet many partners.” Kumar Jiandani Business Development Manager Over Seas …
Read More »Etihad Airways official partner for Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2022
Etihad Airways has been named the official Airline Sponsor of Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2022. The national carrier for Abu Dhabi will be the exclusive sponsor of the anticipated 18,000 attendee event. The airline will also support one of the key panel discussions: Making Aviation Green: Sustainability in the Aviation Ecosystem. The Abu Dhabi Air Expo supports development of Abu Dhabi as an aviation hub for general, business and commercial aviation. The conference will bring together insight and knowledge from local and international stakeholders to deliver engaging content, inspire new thinking and encourage aerospace development by attracting new players to the region. “As the ‘Environmental Airline of the Year’ we are proud to add our voice to the sustainability panel and this critical discussion around the decarbonisation of the aviation industry. We hope to influence others – from industry to individuals – to encourage everyone to play their part in protecting our planet,” said Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group. As the UAE’s national carrier, Etihad operates to more than 70 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with the backbone of the fleet being the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Earlier this year, Etihad also introduced the fuel-efficient Airbus A350-1000 to connect with New York, Chicago and London. In the first half of 2022, Etihad carried 4.02 million passengers, over 3 million more than the same time last year . ‘This has been an excellent year for Etihad with record-breaking results for the first half of the year. With this positive outlook, we’re looking forward to welcoming the aviation industry …
Read More »Visit St. Petersburg Road show to kick off in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, 20-21 September
St. Petersburg City Tourist Information Bureau and Committee for tourism development of Saint Petersburg organize the roadshow: presentation of St. Petersburg tourist programs and hospitality industry services in the cities of the UAE on 20-21 September 2022. Dubai’s roadshow will take place on 20th September at Park Hyatt Dubai and the one in Abu Dhabi on 21st September at Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche. St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful megalopolises in the world, which travelers from all over the world come to see. The list of attractions of St. Petersburg is so impressive that it is almost impossible to describe all of them in detail. According to statistics, in pre-pandemic times, the number of tourists in St. Petersburg reached 10 million people. And even more than 10 million! The goals of the event are to promote the potential of St. Petersburg as a world tourist center and to develop partnerships between St. Petersburg tourism enterprises and representatives of tour operators and travel agencies in the cities of the UAE. Presentation will feature new tourist and excursion programmes, standard and off-beat tourist sites, museums, historical and cultural monuments, events. Participants from St. Petersburg includes St. Petersburg tour operators, DMC, representatives of St. Petersburg hotels and representatives of cultural institutions and other tourist infrastructure of St. Petersburg.The program includes presentation of St. Petersburg’s tourism potential, B2B workshop and dinner with cultural program and raffle of prizes from St. Petersburg participants. To attend the “Visit Saint Petersburg!” roadshow, please register by this link: https://petersburg-roadshow.com Contact us: info@petersburg-roadshow.com +7 929 519-08-82 – Karina Rink; +7 903 665-12-52 – Julia Chibireva Contact in UAE: Jinki@gulfreps.com +971 47036333 – Jinkie Perez Official tourist portal …
Read More »Abu Dhabi Holiday Home Operators reminded to obtain licence before 1st August
Abu Dhabi holiday home operators are being reminded to register their properties in the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi’s (DCT Abu Dhabi) online system ahead of the final deadline of 1st August, to comply with regulations established to safely manage holiday homes in the local community. Individuals interested in renting out a holiday home should follow a simple online application procedure, which includes providing several documents, including a Licence application form, a photocopy of the passport or Emirates ID of the owner, the unit’s certificate of insurance, the unit’s deed, and any additional documentation requested by DCT Abu Dhabi. Hamad Mohammed Saeed Alsudain, Licensing & Regulatory Compliance Director at DCT Abu Dhabi said: “In line with international best practices, we are reminding holiday home operators that the deadline to obtain their licence and lawfully take part in the temporary home letting business is 1st August. Our aim is for residents and visitors alike to feel comfortable and safe at holiday homes across the emirate, making Abu Dhabi an even more attractive destination for business and leisure travellers. We thank all operators and members of the community for their cooperation and understanding.” The requirements for operating holiday home rentals in the emirate came into effect last year following a decision by the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The regulations ensure that private accommodation operators maintain a standard of excellence whilst providing a wide variety of safe and secure options. The system also serves to support the increased demand for alternatives to established hotels and hotel apartments. With this, DCT Abu Dhabi is safeguarding high-quality holiday homes by supporting residential communities. Existing holiday homeowners in the …
Read More »Dubai hotel bookings for FIFA on the rise
With FIFA 2022 a few months away, Dubai and Abu Dhabi seems the perfect hub to connect the fans to Doha. As airlines work on their special charter flights, hotels and agents from across the GCC are sorting out the bookings as they start rolling in. Nuran Kilani, Director of Sales and Marketing, The Tower Plaza Hotel, “Dubai being a cosmopolitan city, and we are blessed by being in a prime location with proximity to city touristic attractions and shopping spree so we are getting bookings from pretty much all countries like Brazil, Argentine, uk, Germany, france, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Israel, Egypt and many more. According to Qatar Tourism, there are just under 30,000 hotel rooms in Qatar. They has revealed that 80% of these rooms are already booked for FIFA players, referees, media and other official guests. A flight from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Doha takes a litter over one hour. About 1.5 million visitors are expected for the month-long tournament.” Jeannette Smit, Complex Director of Sales & Marketing, W Dubai – Mina Seyahi, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Waterpark and The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, shared “We’re seeing the most uptake from European countries such as UK, Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands being the most popular, while Serbia, South America, Brasil and Argentina are showing interest and we only expect this to increase over the coming months. We have three properties within our complex so we’re only taking reservations for W Dubai – Mina Seyahi, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Waterpark. However with these three unique products we can …
Read More »Etihad Airways to resume direct passenger flights from Abu Dhabi to Beijing
Etihad Airways will resume direct passenger flights between Abu Dhabi and Beijing from 29 June 2022, becoming the first regular direct international passenger flight to recommence for Beijing, under the latest mandate of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council. The airline will operate a weekly flight on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft in the world. Inaugural flight schedule (all times local): Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Date EY 888 (Inaugural flight) Abu Dhabi 18:00 Beijing 05:25+1 Boeing 787-9 Wednesday 29 June EY 889 (Inaugural flight) Beijing 02:10 Abu Dhabi 07:10 Boeing 787-9 Friday 1 July Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Cargo at Etihad Aviation Group, said: “Etihad Airways is delighted about the resumption of passenger services between Abu Dhabi and Beijing, our second service to resume to China. China has always been an important strategic market for Etihad and the resumption of direct flights between the two capital cities will further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the United Arab Emirates.” Etihad Airways scheduled service from Abu Dhabi to Shanghai resumed in July 2020 to meet the huge demand of passengers travelling between the UAE and China. Those wishing to book are advised to visit Etihad.com to view their options, and to remain informed on the relevant entry regulations at their end destination. Flights are also available for booking through the mobile app, by calling the Etihad Airways Contact Centre on +971 600 555 666 (UAE) or +86 400 8822 050 (Mainland China), or through a local or online travel agency. Important information: All passengers travelling on Etihad between Abu Dhabi and China must …
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