Category Archives: Agents

70 top travel trade agents and influencers were invited for the official kick start celebrating the legacy of Picasso in Dubai. Irina Sanchis Vives, Deputy Head of Mission, Political and cultural affairs, embassy of Spain in UAE graced the occasion and shared that in order to celebrate the 50th death anniversary of Picasso, the government of France and Spain have put together many events to celebrate this great artist’s legacy and from the embassy in UAE they will be working together with the tourism board of Spain in UAE to enable this celebration. The event was held in four parts, of which the first was involving the best Emirati travel influencers with travel trade partners, the Spain tourism Director and Marketing Manager who were engaged in painting an artwork provided for them to celebrate the legacy of Picasso. Second was the presentations by the key speakers, Tourism Director of Spain Tourism GCC, Daniel Rosado shared about the destination and on the celebration of Picasso. Thirdly was the surprise with a unique entertainment based on costumes which depicted the artwork of Picasso and finally was the delectable dinner which included some Spanish dishes enjoyed by all the trade partners. As Spain was one of the first countries to open hence, they received a high number of visitors especially from the GCC. This year was a record year for Spain tourism as they hit the 2019 numbers by GCC and considering worldwide they hit 90 percent of the 83 million received in 2019 which is a great start and a very positive recovery. Spain emerged among the top recovered destinations, as, instead of resting on its laurels, Spain has been proactively working …

New figures from the German National Tourism Board has revealed the number of travellers from the Gulf between January and August 2022 more than doubled* when compared to the same period last year, suggesting the country’s ongoing campaigns focusing on nature and sustainability are hitting the mark and driving post-pandemic recovery. The first eight months of 2022 saw an increase in overall foreign visitors to Germany rise 175 per cent compared to 2021, while the Gulf region led the charge for Asia with an increase of 263 per cent*. While the reopening of international borders and relaxing of stringent travel restrictions clearly plays a part in the rise, the fact travellers are choosing Germany over a range of other countries is testament to targeted campaigning by GNTB, who specifically created its Embrace German Nature and Feel Good campaigns following in depth research into what tourists want. “With the GCC being the second top overseas source market, it’s important for us to ensure that the campaigns we invest in align with market wants” said Yamina Sofo, director at the German National Tourist Office (GNTO), the regional office of GNTB. “We’re also looking at what’s coming up in the next two months, with the ever-popular winter and festive seasons to begin soon, and continuing to drive our ongoing campaigns, Feel Good and Embrace German Nature.” Both campaigns will continue into 2023 as Germany looks ahead to its winter season, with popular resorts including Zugspitze, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Black Forest, Harz Region, Taunus, Ore Mountains, all set to attract visitors to the incredible skiing and snow sports for all ability levels on offer. Festive markets are also set to start from the beginning from November, …

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 …

The Spain Tourism office in Middle East will be presenting a very exciting and interactive cultural programme in Dubai. Spain has put together this programme to celebrate the anniversary of the great legend Picasso. Trade partners will be invited to discover first hand all the activities created to explain and promote the legacy of this incredible artist. Daniel Rosado Bayon, Director Spain Tourism GCC reiterated,“We at Spain tourism board will be celebrating Picasso with our trade partners in the UAE,  where they will experience the life and work of the great artist. The picasso celebration 1973-2023 has programmed around 50 worldwide exhibitions, including 16 in Spain, with cities closely related to the artist. Spanish cities of Malaga, Madrid, Barcelona, A Coruña and Bilbao will be helding a wide and rich exhibition programme. Furthermore, Turespaña is preparing an international campaign aimed at reinforcing Spain’s positioning as a cultural leader destination, while inspiring people to explore Picasso´s legacy.”

Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences, unveiled its new visual identity and first brand campaign, signifying a new chapter of growth as it strives to be the region’s most impactful, influential leisure, tourism, and lifestyle entity. A key contributor to the diversification of Abu Dhabi’s economy, Miral also announced its portfolio of projects under construction worth over AED 13 billion on Yas Island and across the emirate, with three new projects coming soon. HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Miral said: “Miral delivers sustainable, long-term value, that contributes to the positioning Abu Dhabi as a global tourism hub. The new decade is set to be marked with accomplishments of great magnitude, that reflect a renewed promise through integrated destinations, underscored by a relentless commitment to evolving the capital’s tourism ecosystem and growth.” Today, Miral conceives, creates, develops, operates, and manages immersive destinations and experiences that attract visitors from across the world, creating unforgettable memories, that accelerate the realisation of the Emirate’s economic diversification. Its track record of excellence and success has positioned it as a trusted partner within the industry, while also creating over three thousand job opportunities within the leisure and entertainment industry. Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral, said: “Miral is committed to transforming the leisure and entertainment industry in Abu Dhabi and our rebrand signifies how we will aim to deliver on this promise and contribute to economic growth of the Emirate.  The new brand reflects the way we are reimagining and evolving an integrated visitor experience, creating unforgettable memories and moments of joy for both residents and international guests. With this, we will continue to position our destinations as …

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the not-for-profit travel trade association serving government, tourism offices, hotels, airlines and other travel-related companies within the Asia Pacific region, opened its annual summit in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE graced by His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) opened the summit officially as the host destination, welcoming all the delegates to Ras Al Khaimah, “We are delighted to host the Pacific Asia Travel Association for the first time in the Middle East. As a dynamic and forward-looking Emirate, we are placing all aspects of sustainability (environment, culture, conservation and livability) at the centre of our investment and development strategy. We look forward to driving the sustainability agenda with key opinion leaders from around the world to build a stronger and resilient tourism economy for the future.” Exploring the theme ‘Reconnecting the World Sustainably’, the programme covers critical industry topics such as destination resilience, sustainable travel recovery strategies, supporting women in micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs), global hotel industry trends, sustainable gastronomic tourism, the voice of the next generation, and the decarbonization of transport. This is the first time PATA’s Annual Summit takes places in the Middle East. Hosted by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) at the Al Hamra International Conference Center, the three-day event brings together international thought leaders, industry shapers and senior decision-makers who are invested in driving tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific. The PATA association network consists of both public and private entities representing every facet of the travel ecosystem – government, tourism …

Barceló Mussanah Resort has entered into two long-term agreements with Nowa Itaka and Cedok that will introduce additional flights from Poland and the Czech Republic to Muscat for the first time, commencing in October 2022. The agreement was signed between Barceló Mussanah Resort and Itaka Nowa during Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, UAE. The first flight coming from Prague, the Czech Republic landed in Muscat International Airport 24th October and this week flights from Warsaw, Poland will follow. The visiting guests will stay at Barceló Mussanah Resort, South Al Batinah for seven and 14 nights stay. The visitors will have a specially formulated itinerary that will give them a taste of Oman’s culture and heritage, as well as its famed hospitality. “These agreements with Nowa Itaka and Cedok are a significant milestone for our stakeholders and a valuable contribution to the tourism sector in the region. We look forward to providing an authentic Omani experience to our guests throughout their stay at the resort,” said Dermot Birchall, General Manager, Barceló Mussanah Resort. According to World Economic Forum, Oman is one of the safest countries to travel to and has been consistently voted as a must-visit destination by international media organisations. The number of visitors to Oman during 2022 has seen a substantial increase compared to previous years and is expected to grow even more. The new agreement includes weekly flights from Warsaw and Prague to Muscat till March 2023, welcoming 380 guests per arrival to the region. Speaking on behalf of Nowa Itaka, Piotr Wrześniewski emphasized “Muscat and Al Batinah are relatively unexplored destinations for Poland, we are very excited to open this new destination within our portfolio.”

Vienna records more than 112.231 bed nights in July and August 2022 from Arab countries in Asia, which is around 80% of its pre-Corona volume from 2019. The United Arab Emirates top the list with 41.191 bed nights spent in Vienna only, followed by Saudi Arabia with 30.885. While two thirds of the overnight stays are divided between these two countries, the last third is made up of the remaining neighboring Arab counties. During the summer months of 2022 there were again numerous direct flights from the GCC counties to Vienna. The airlines operated several times a week: the most frequent flights to Vienna were from Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with an average of between 10 and 14 connections/frequencies per country per week. Airlines from Kuwait also landed in Vienna on average 4 times a week. Around half of the overnight stays from the Arab region that are made in Vienna are generated in July and August. In total, there were 2.788.720 overnight stays in Vienna in the months of July and August. The strongest source markets are Germany, Austria, and the USA. “I am very happy about the excellent summer in Vienna, where overnight stays from the GCC region and its neighboring countries have already reached 80% of the 2019 volume again. The city highly values this group of guests who come to Vienna to enjoy its exclusive shopping opportunities, family friendly activities and unique flavours. Vienna offers as a year-round destination many new experiences for our guests from the GCC like the recently opened Mythos Mozart and the sightseeing platform on the Giant Ferris Wheel among others” says Matthias Schwindl Media Relations Manager Middle East, Vienna …

Coral Beach Resort Sharjah, managed by Hospitality Management Holding (HMH), announced the launch of market leading AMSAAN technology to ensure that the visitors with hearing disability can fully enjoy their exciting services and facilities. Gulf People of Determination Information Technologies launched their new platform AMSAAN that allows hard of hearing guests to select any of the available sign languages on the tablet and immediately connect with an online interpreter. The first step, which has already been implemented, includes Ukrainian and Russian sign languages, with Arabic, British, and international sign languages to follow soon. ‘People with hearing disability can easily communicate with other hard of hearing people but communicating with the hearing world can be more complicated. Ensuring that our hotel is hard of hearing friendly and barrier free is very important to us. We are committed to removing those barriers, so that our guests with hearing disability receive the same high-quality, personalised service we deliver for all of our hotel visitors,’ commented Iftikhar Hamdani, Area General Manager – Northern Emirates. ‘More than 9% of the world’s population suffers hearing loss of varying degrees,’ added Mr. Vitalii Mykhalchuk, CEO  of Gulf People of Determination Information Technologies. ‘Our company develops and implements complex IT solutions for deaf people and people with hearing loss that are easy to use. The key objective of AMSAAN software is to implement a distinctive approach for travellers who have hearing difficulties and promote tourism without barriers. Our global goal is to attract tourists with hearing loss from all over the world as well as to make the UAE as one of the most accessible and comfortable countries for the deaf people and we are delighted to have …

Global Village, the region’s leading family destination for culture, shopping, and entertainment, opened its doors yesterday, marking the official start of its 27th season. This year, Global Village brings together 27 pavilions, over 3,500 shopping outlets and more than 250 restaurants, cafes, and street food options. Featuring 40,000 shows, guests can experience a new lineup of some of the world’s best performers, famous characters, world-class concerts, street entertainment and the region’s only water-based stunt show. More than 175 rides, games and attractions are also available for guests to enjoy, including the new Global Village Big Balloon, a one-of-its-kind Helium Balloon Ride providing spectacular 360-degree views across Global Village and its wider surroundings. Mohamed Sharaf, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Holding Entertainment, said, “Global Village has been a regional and international phenomenon for close to three decades, helping cement Dubai as a global hub for entertainment and tourism. Since the end of Season 26, our teams have been using guest feedback and data to find new and unique ways to take the guest experience to the next level. This would not be possible without our extraordinary teams and partners, who work tirelessly to bring the beautiful cultures of the world to Dubai’s Global Village. We are delighted to welcome our guests from across the globe to the 27th Season of Global Village with another unmissable line-up of attractions, shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences.” Celebrating the opening of Season 27, Global Village is bringing a unique fleet of some of the world’s most recognisable and iconic cars to the streets of Dubai. The Global Village “wonder rides” feature taxis from New York, Cuba, Japan, Thailand, Mexico, and Lebanon. Global Village will also …