Category Archives: Govt

Saudi Arabia sets up $4bn fund to develop tourism industry

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has announced the formation of the Tourism Development Fund to boost growth across the sector. The fund will launch a range of equity and debt investment vehicles, with an initial $4bn (SAR 15bn) capital and $45bn (SAR 165bn) in memorandum of understanding(MoU) already signed with private banks.The Tourism Development Fund, which has been approved by Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers, will collaborate with private and investment banks to support private-sector developments and incentivize further investment across the industry. “The Tourism Development Fund will play a critical role in developing outstanding tourism experiences and unlocking the full potential of Saudi Arabia as a destination. The launch of the fund at this time, as the tourism sector faces unprecedented global challenges, is testament to investor and private-sector confidence in the long-term outlook for tourism in Saudi Arabia. The social and economic importance of the sector cannot be understated: it drives growth and diversification, attracts international investment, creates job opportunities and enhances quality of life for millions of Saudis,” said His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism. The National Development Fund, chaired by His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, has approved the appointment of five board members, who will bring a wealth of experience and investment expertise to the Tourism Development Fund. Board members are: Her Highness Princess Haifa Mohammed Al Saud, Vice Minister of Strategy and Investment at the Saudi Ministry of Tourism; His Excellency IhsanBafakih, Governor of the Real Estate General Authority; Mr. Stephen Groff, Governor of the National Development Fund; Mr. Mohammed Omran Al Omran, Member of the Board of Directors at Saudi British Bank; and Mr. Mohammed Al-Hokal, Member of the Board …

Read More »

UAE allows citizens and residents to travel from June 23

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, and the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority announced that starting on the twenty-third of June this year, allowing specific groups of citizens and residents of a country The United Arab Emirates, to travel to specific destinations, according to conditions and procedures that will be announced later, in light of the preventive measures and precautionary measures taken by the UAE in the face of the emerging corona virus (COVID-19). According to the recent tweet and WAM news agency. From March 24, 2020, commercial passenger flights in and out of the UAE were suspended and currently only the repatriation flights and cargo flights have been operational. All passengers/travellers need permission to return to the UAE from the federal authority for identity and citizenship before they can book a flight home and in some instances the residents need to register with their relevant high commission. At present bookings are accepted online in certain airline websites. According to some travel agents travel will pick up once again around August or September this year. Some tourism board officials stated recently that Middle East travellers are awaiting the opportunity to travel again.

Read More »

BTEA launches new #WeWillMeet campaign

Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) is set to launch its brand-new campaign #WeWillMeet; as a part of its efforts to increase the number of tourists coming into the Kingdom of Bahrain with a special focus on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia post COVID-19. The campaign, which will be spread over the span of a year, will be launched in three parts, which will first kick off with the ‘Inspirational’ phase connecting with followers digitally through interactive posts and live sessions, move on to the ’Encouragement’ phase which will focus on the promotion of the islands activities, and ends with the phase of ‘Transformation’ which involves face-to-face interaction with visitors once events are safe to host once again. “We wanted to launch a proactive campaign to increase the number of visitors coming into the Kingdom from all around the world and specifically target those in Saudi Arabia, which shapes a significant part of the total inbound tourism coming into Bahrain each year. Once the situation allows, we expect to attract more visitors as Bahrain has always been considered an ideal and convenient weekend getaway for Saudis due its close proximity to multitude of attractions and experiences we have to offer,” said Nader Al Moayyed, Chief Executive Officer of BTEA. “We opted for an end to end digital campaign, to not only target the masses that have shifted online as a result of the epidemic, but also to directly tap into a new segment and appeal to the millennials and Generation Z’s that are online,” Moayyed added.

Read More »

Ajman Tourism launches new safety campaign for visitors

Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) has launched extensive inspection campaign across the emirate’s tourist establishments to ensure compliance with safety guidelines, in line with the strengthening of precautionary measures taken by the UAE and in response to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. The inspection campaign includes daily and continuous visits to the tourist establishments in the Emirate to assure their commitment to following ATDD precautionary guidelines that were recently launched to combat the spread of coronavirus by applying a series of preventive measures related to maintaining the highest hygiene levels, periodic sterilisation, training staff to handle suspected coronavirus cases. The measures also included food serving requirements and salons bookings guidelines. Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director of Licensing & Tourism Standards Department at Ajman Tourism said, “This campaign comes as part of ATDD efforts to adopt the best preventive and precautionary measures. We are delighted to see a strong commitment among Ajman hotels to strictly follow the safety and preventive guidelines and we look forward to taking all the necessary measures to ensure the continuity of services and maintain the safety and health of the emirate’s guests and visitors.”

Read More »

DTTAG new executive committee to manage post COVID-19 return to normalcy of travel

Dubai Travel and Tour Agents Group (DTTAG) has been restructured with the appointment of Asim Arshad, CEO, Orient Travel, as the President of the group along with Sumit Acharya, Managing Director BCD Travel, as the Vice President. The group has also revamped the Executive Committee to include industry stalwarts from leading travel agencies, namely Jamal Abdulnazer -CEO Cozmo Travel, Aubrey Heldt – General Manager Kanoo Travel, SavioVaz – Vice President Dnata Travel, Nasir Khan – CEO Al Nabooda Travel, JayaramIyer – Managing Director Sharaf Travel, Narendra Bhatia – Managing Director Team Travel, Santosh Cheriyan, Regional General Manager Akbar Travel. The groups Executive Committee members have been actively working closely with many travel companies and entities in order to coordinate and devise the best strategy to steer their businesses out of the challenges they are currently facing due to COVID-19. Managing the impact of the post COVID scenario on the travel industry and meeting potential changes to consumer behaviour and expectations are key areas of focus for DTTAG and its members in the immediate future. Therefore, DTTAG is playing a pivotal role in facilitating a forum for travel agency members to interact with one another with the goal of meeting needs of a variety of consumers and simultaneously achieving their own business goals through support and cooperation offered by the group’s members and government organisations involved with the Travel and Tourism industry. DTTAG, which enjoys the ongoing support of Emquest a division of the Emirates group and other associate members, has embarked upon an aggressive membership drive among the travel agency community by demonstrating value and effectively representing them with various airlines, government departments, IATA and other partners in the travel …

Read More »

Shurooq re-opens its leisure and eco-tourism destinations across Sharjah

Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is going the extra mile to ensure that all its hospitality, ecotourism and leisure destinations, which are scheduled to open in a phased manner, will strictly adhere to the UAE government’s health and safety protocols to ensure the highest levels of protection of all their visitors, residents and staff. Shurooq has announced the completion of a sterilisation and disinfection drive across its properties, and has opened its doors to their popular leisure and entertainment destinations, Al Qasba, Al Majaz Waterfront, Al Noor Island, The Flag Island, Heart of Sharjah, Mleiha Archaeological & Ecotourism Project, Khorfakkan Beach, Maraya Art Centre and 1971-Design Space In addition, its state-of-the-art City Sightseeing Sharjah (CSS) buses have begun to ply, transporting guests to tourist sites across the emirate. Shurooq’s hospitality offerings including The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah and all three Sharjah Collection properties – Al Badayer Retreat, Al Faya Retreat and Kingfisher Retreat – are offering attractive staycation packages for individuals, couples and families, and will be offering these hotel stays in line with the UAE’s precautionary health instructions and guidelines aimed at combating the spread of COVID-19. According to Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, COO of Shurooq, “We are therefore working closely with the government authorities to ensure that the highest standards of hygiene are maintained, and that all recommended precautionary and preventive measures are in place for our guests to enjoy a well-rounded destination experience. Shurooq has a single-minded approach in enforcing these protocols and expect our guests to fully cooperate and take individual responsibility for their own safety and well-being while visiting all our destinations. We look forward to welcoming them again.”

Read More »

Dubai Tourism outlines steps for post-pandemic recovery plan

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) held a virtual meeting with key aviation and hospitality partners to discuss current and post-pandemic strategies and joint initiatives aimed at ensuring the tourism industry’s gradual return to normalcy. The meeting also discussed global efforts to minimise the transmission of COVID-19 and precautionary measures deployed to safeguard the health of communities across the UAE. His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, commented, “It must be emphasised that the health and safety of our residents and guests will always remain our top priority as we continue to work with the industry and our government partners not just during this critical period but beyond, to develop innovative approaches, real-time responses, and proactive yet prudent initiatives to ensure that Dubai remains at the forefront of the world’s leading destinations in line with our strategy.” Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said, “As health and hygiene standards will play an influential role in encouraging people to travel, we have put in place a set of health and safety protocols at our airports including all necessary quarantine arrangements and the implementation of sanitisation and disinfection measures to reassure tourists that Dubai is one of the safest destinations to visit. We will also continue to receive incoming flights from select destinations, operate cargo flights, as well as flights to repatriate expatriates and guests to their home destinations.” Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates Airline, said, “Emirates commences passenger flights between Dubai and nine destinations from 21 May – London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne, and we will also offer connections in Dubai for customers travelling between the UK and …

Read More »

Dubai College of Tourism offers e-learning & virtual wellness support to students

Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), an institution established by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), is helping students to stay focused and engaged during the current period of self-isolation and social distancing through its interactive online learning programme. Ensuring there are no gaps in their learning, the motivational programme enables students to continue building key industry skills and knowledge whilst studying towards their chosen course and preparing for remote internships upon the completion of the semester. By introducing virtual learning techniques, the college’s inspirational instructors have been able to minimise disruption to student development by following the same schedule as if they were in the classroom, with virtual interactive sessions that include a mix of practical demonstrations, live guest speakers, Q &As, group presentations, role-plays and assessments, which are then presented online. Commenting on the programme, Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of DCT said, “The situation we are facing today is unprecedented, but we have endeavoured to adapt to the new reality with our distance learning initiative. By developing a comprehensive and integrated electronic learning and training environment, we are able to empower our students to continue their education with as little disruption as possible, and remain resourceful and fully engaged at this time. The initial response from our students has been very positive and we commend both them and our highly professional instructors for embracing this new system so seamlessly.” DCT’s distance learning programme also goes beyond practical and theoretical learning to provide mental health support including yoga, nutrition, and tips for remaining motivated. The ‘Wellbeing Challenge’ was introduced to provide students with a holistic package over the Spring break to help combat the disruption to …

Read More »

IATA calls on KSA government to support aviation in the face of COVID-19 crisis

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is calling for aviation-specific financial relief measures from the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to address the severe impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the air transport sector. IATA estimates that revenues generated by airlines in the Saudi market will fall by $7.2 billion in 2020, 35 per cent below 2019 levels. That puts at risk nearly 287,500 Saudi jobs and $17.9 billion of Saudi’s GDP, which is generated by aviation directly and aviation-related tourism. In response to the impact of COVID-19, the Saudi government has introduced broad economic relief measures in excess of $32 billion in financial support for the private sector. It has also provided support for air transport by suspending the airport slot use rules for the summer season and extending licenses and certifications for crew, trainers and examiners. We urge the government to build on this and implement specific financial relief measures for aviation to ensure that the sector will be capable of driving the recovery. “Saudi Arabia has announced financial relief measures for sectors affected by COVID-19, but not specifically for aviation. Given the industry’s role in social and economic development as well as achieving the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, it is important the government prioritises aviation and provide urgent financial relief,” said Muhammad Albakri, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East. “Without a viable air transport sector, we can expect a slow and painful economic recovery. Before the crisis, Saudi Arabia was moving at full speed and achieving tangible results in modernisation, infrastructure development and economic growth,” said Albakri.

Read More »

RAK Tourism goes all out to ensure safety of guests at hotel pools and beaches

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) is working closely with hospitality partners and government authorities to safely welcome guests back to the Emirate as restrictions are gradually eased, and hotel pools and beaches become accessible to visitors. To ensure the wellbeing and safety of visitors and employees, the Authority is in ongoing dialogue with hotel partners to ensure they are strictly adhering to government and public health guidelines and complying with all social distancing advisories from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the UAE Federal Authorities. RAKTDA is also working closely with the Public Service Department (PSD) to oversee a dedicated certification process – the RAK ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification – whereby hotels are required to fulfil a detailed set of measures to attain the certification. Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority comments, “We are working closely with our hospitality partners and Government Authorities to ensure the highest standards of hygiene are maintained and that all social distancing advisories are strictly adhered to across the Emirate. Detailed guidance has been shared with our industry partners indicating best practice measures to be implemented across all operations and divisions.” He added, “To help reassure our guests, colleagues and residents, we have also introduced the RAK ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification that, once awarded, hotels can use to demonstrate their adoption of all the measures in place to protect everyone’s wellbeing. We know that many people are looking forward to what we’ve termed a ‘shortcation’ or longer holiday and our aim is give them the confidence that they can comfortably enjoy their time in Ras Al Khaimah.”

Read More »