Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

Within the framework of stimulating and developing the tourism sector, Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) has celebrated the official opening of the dual Zipline project in Khasab, Musandam. The Zipline, spanning over 1,800 metres, has officially broken the Guinness World Record for ‘The world’s longest Zipline over water’. The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of His Excellency Sayyid Ibrahim bin Saeed Al Busaidi, Governor of Musandam. The event was attended by Eng Mohammed Salim Al Busaidi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OMRAN Group, along with several officials from the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, sheikhs, and dignitaries of the region. Representatives from Guinness World Records were also present at the ceremony. The Zipline project is the first activity and a key component of Oman Adventures centre, which will serve as an integrated platform that offers exciting and enjoyable tourism experiences for adventure enthusiasts visiting the Governorate. This project will help enhancing the Governorate’s position as a prime destination for adventure seekers from within and outside Oman. Speaking at the project’s official opening, Daoud Sulaiman Al Rashdi, Director of Product Development and Tourism Experiences at Ministry of Heritage & Tourism said, “We are pleased to officially open Oman Adventures centre. The project has undergone extensive testing by specialised teams to ensure compliance with safety and security regulations specific to the adventure tourism sector. We are confident that the centre will be a valuable addition to Musandam’s tourism offerings and will cater to adventure enthusiasts visiting the Governorate. The entry of the Zipline project into the Guinness World Records today is a notable achievement. However, it is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting …

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) signed two Memorandums of Cooperation (MoC) with Tourism Malaysia, at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023. The MoC will provide a framework in which Tourism Malaysia will be able to collaborate with SAUDIA through its travel service provider “SAUDIA Holidays” and ultimately drive more tourism to the destination. The mutually beneficial agreement will help further advance SAUDIA’s objectives to strengthen its international presence and bring the world to Saudi Arabia, offering convenient connections and flexibility, increasing tourism to and from the Kingdom and generating greater awareness about Malaysia and its destinations to Saudi residents. This will include a one-year promotion on new products and destinations in Malaysia while Tourism Malaysia will provide 24/7 support and assistance for bookings through “SAUDIA Holidays”. Mrs. Manal Alshehri said: “It was important for us to be able to give more travel opportunities to Saudi nationals and residents to discover new destinations easily, and it is now possible thanks to Tourism Malaysia. We look forward to starting a fruitful with two eminent entities in the tourism industry.” Honourable Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia said: “This collaboration aims to boost the tourism industry and strengthen economic ties between Malaysia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We hope that SAUDIA continues to work together with Tourism Malaysia to promote Malaysia as a fascinating holiday destination, highlighting unique cities such as Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.” The MoC was signed between SAUDIA and Tourism Malaysia which took place at the airline’s stand at ATM, in the presence of Mrs. Manal Alshehri, VP Passenger Sales at SAUDIA and Dato’ Dr. Ammar Abd. Ghapar, Director General Tourism Malaysia.

Dubai welcomed 4.67 million international overnight visitors in the first quarter of 2023, compared to 3.97 million tourists during the same period in 2022. This marks a 17 % YoY growth and the city’s best Q1 performance since the pandemic, placing it firmly on track to becoming the most visited international destination, according to the latest data published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). The growth, which sets the city on course to full tourism recovery, contributes to the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai this January, to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three cities. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “The remarkable growth in international visitation achieved by Dubai in the first quarter of 2023 demonstrates the city’s emergence as one of the key destinations leading the way in the rebound of the global tourism sector. This achievement has been made possible by the far-reaching vision of the leadership to transform Dubai into one of the world’s fastest-growing metropolises and the globe’s pre-eminent hub for travel, talent, entrepreneurship and investment. The Dubai Economic Agenda recently launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, charts an ambitious new path for Dubai to enhance its contributions to shaping the future of the global economy. The tourism sector is not only the strongest pillars of our economy but also a key enabler …

Honourable Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia said during the launch, “In line with the Visit Malaysia in 2025, Tourism Malaysia will strive to attract more tourists from the Middle East to Malaysia. We are confident that we will be able to achieve our target to put Malaysia as the top destination for Muslim travelers,”. Tourism Malaysia’s efforts to publicize its comprehensive promotional activities continues to the Middle Eastern region. The Malaysian delegation is led by the The Honourable Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia, to participate once again in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai from 1st to 4th May 2023 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). The four-day ATM offers Malaysia as an excellent platform to market and promote the latest attractions and destinations for shopping, family fun, eco-adventure, honeymoon, luxury holidays, as well as safe travel destination. ATM 2023 also marks the 29th anniversary of Malaysia’s participation in this prestigious event, which is a strong testimony to the country’s support to the event and its commitment in attracting more Middle Eastern tourists to Malaysia. As in previous years, this prestigious annual event sees the participation of a strong Malaysian delegation from 76 organizations comprising hotels and resorts, travel agents, tourism products owners, representatives from various state governments, including Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Penang Global Tourism, Sabah Tourism Board, Sarawak Tourism Board, Tourism Melaka, Tourism Pahang, and Tourism Johor. The mission aims to reinstate and enhance the commitment to establishing good tourism cooperation, engaging in future collaborations, and cooperation with the travel and tourism industry in the region. Throughout the event, the Malaysian delegation …

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) presented a campaign update for their vision of ‘Making Tourism More Sustainable’ to GCC travel professionals at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023. Under the slogan, ‘Germany, simply inspiring’, GNTB is focusing on the sustainable related aspects across a number of tourism segments, which include: Embrace German Nature, highlighting natural landscapes and activity holidays; Historic Modern Germany, promoting cultural heritage and 51 UNESCO World Heritage sites, with a spotlight on traditions and customs of rural regions. And thirdly, their Feel Good – Sustainable Travel in Germany campaign, emphasising how to enjoy an environmentally friendly holiday in Germany. “We aim to make a meaningful contribution towards climate change mitigation, supporting Germany’s commitment to net zero, as well as driving increasing numbers of environmentally aware, inbound GCC tourists,” said Yamina Sofo, Director at the German National Tourist GCC Office (GNTO GCC), an affiliate of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB). “We want to present Germany as an all-year-round destination, that is not only sustainable, but diverse, accessible, inclusive, resilient and viable for the future,” she added. The GCC region is now Germany’s top performing inbound source market in Asia and Australasia, with 404,707 GCC guests generating almost 1.13 overnight stays during 2022, representing an increase of 117.6%, compared with the same period in 2021. “These figures confirm that Germany continues to be a preferred tourism destination for GCC visitors and unspoilt nature and careful use of resources are clearly becoming increasingly important to them. We also want to encourage longer stays in order to reduce the carbon footprint per travel day,” said Sofo. Germany boasts more than 350 spa and health resorts and the GNTB is focusing …

One of the key outbound destinations for Middle East travellers, Thailand held its press conference at the opening of Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. Speaking to media, Yuthasak Supasorn – TAT Governor reiterated, that responsible tourism and sustainability in tourism will be the main direction in the future. “Earlier this year, Thailand Tourism announced 17 sustainable tourism goals divided into four main categories to be incorporated and serviced over the year and beyond. From sustainable development goals it goes on to sustainable tourism goals, which focus on awareness, education and accessibility, the second main criteria is the socio-economic way in which the inclusivity and development of local sourcing to waste management play a key role. Thirdly the aspect of developing cultural strategies such as promoting sustainable destinations and local communities and the last segment which is the impact of environment a key factor in supporting tourism climate action and promoting land tourism ecosystems. The growing interest of the Middle East market in sustainable travel, shopping, health and wellness activities, we wish to deliver fresh travel experiences through Thailand soft power 5F: Food, Fight, Fashion, Film, and Festival, while highlighting Thailand’s strength in nature, and Thainess. TAT aims to create a meaningful travel experience that will not only be meaningful for travelers, but also for the local communities and the environment. In terms of the ATM exhibitors, we will have a total of 46 exhibitors from Thailand participating in the event.” He further shared the visitor numbers from the region, “In 2022, Thailand welcomed approximately 314,882 Middle East visitors, with nearly 100,000 visitors from Saudi Arabia, and around 66,000 visitors from the UAE. Visitors from the Gulf countries have a high average length …

The Ajman Department of Tourism Development (ADTD) and its partners in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors are set to present pioneering and secure tourism projects focused on sustainability at the upcoming Arabian Travel Market (ATM) held from May 1 to 4, 2023 at Dubai World Trade Center. These projects align with the sustainable tourism guidelines envisioned in Ajman Tourism Vision 2030 – which will see the emirate emerge as a major international tourist destination in the world with a focus on sustainable and eco-tourism projects. The recently issued regulations by ADTD on Holiday Homes, which come into effect this May, are set to boost the tourism industry and enable individual homeowners and corporates alike to register their properties for short-term leases to tourists. Ajman has been named the fourth safest city in the world for 2023, bypassing several regional peer cities by Numbeo.com, a global research portal, that will add to its tourism attractions, especially to international tourists who prefers to visit safest destinations for leisure travel. Tourism in Ajman has been growing steadily due to the emirate’s growing number of attractions that includes pristine natural beaches, mangroves, a growing number of hotels, resorts, restaurants, traditional markets, entertainment facilities and new tourism developments that cater to both domestic and international  tourists. The emirate of Ajman, hosts 44 hotel establishments ranging from 1-star to 5-star hotels, resorts and luxury hotel apartments with 3,997 hotel rooms and 250 tourism establishments that serve a growing number of regional and international tourists. Following a stellar growth in 2022, Ajman hotels and serviced apartments recorded a 3 percent growth in hotel revenues in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the corresponding period in 2022 …

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) will showcase the diversity of Dubai’s destination offering, shine a light on the city’s sustainability platforms and highlight new initiatives designed to further strengthen the tourism industry during the milestone 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market. This year’s ATM, from 1 – 4 May 2023 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, will focus on responsible tourism during the UAE’s Year of Sustainability with the event hosted under the theme ‘Working towards Net Zero’. During the event, DET will highlight how the city’s tourism industry is supporting the journey towards achieving the UAE’s Net Zero 2050, a strategic initiative with the ultimate goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, whilst further stimulating the positive tourism growth trajectory. More than 122 partners and representatives from government entities, hotels, destination management companies and tour operators will join DET at an expanded Dubai stand at ATM 2023 to welcome and interact with visitors to the region’s leading travel event. The Dubai stand will also be home to key government bodies and representatives of major industry stakeholders including Dubai Culture, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (DGRFA), Dubai Health Authority, in addition to Museum of the Future, Expo City Dubai and Majid al Futtaim. His Excellency, Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, commented: “This year’s ATM marks a turning point in terms of bringing sustainability to the forefront of the global tourism industry. Since the inception of ATM, Dubai has made extraordinary progress under the guidance of our visionary leadership in building the city’s global reputation as a leading tourism destination, offering an authentic, diverse and sustainable tourism proposition.  During the event …

An overall 106 plus partners from the four European destinations with 13 partners from Tourism Ireland, 27 from Germany, 45 from Switzerland and 21 from Austria attended the event to meet with over 110 plus travel trade from the GCC countries. The summit is the most important year on year as GCC’s most preferred summer escapes would be the European destinations and these four nations have equally enjoyed the best summers post covid and expect for this summer to be a record season. Speaking with tourismbreakingnews, Yamina Sofo Director German National Tourist Office GCC shared, “We had nearly 250 participants this year for the Discover Europe Summit, 27 from partners from Germany, we have more than 100 buyers from all six GCC countries. We are so happy that they all came together to Dubai to discuss business, get updates and support each other. Europe is an all year around destination but especially from this region summer is very popular we have a strong nature and culture focus, so that’s where all of us Switzerland, Germany, Ireland and Austria are very strong.” Aisling Mc Dermott, Manager Middle East and Asia, Tourism Ireland reiterated, “this is Tourism Ireland’s second time participating in Discover Europe Travel Summit and this is a fantastic showcase of Europe and this is why Tourism Ireland participates in it. We host 100 buyers from the Middle East for two days, with 13 partners from the island of Ireland along with our suppliers and partners from Germany, Switzerland and Austria. This is a very exciting event for us because we really draw on the attraction of Europe and Ireland as a beautiful destination in Europe.” Matthias Albrecht Director GCC …

CzechTourism in cooperation with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in the UAE will be participating at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) for its 30th edition that is taking place from 1st – 4th May 2023 bringing a delegation of eight Czech partners. Travel from UAE to the Czech Republic has seen a surge in 2022 with a year on year increase of 330.61% in average number of nights over 2022 and 2021. In 2022, Czech Republic welcomed over 84,000 number of overnight stays from travellers of Saudi Arabia for an average length of stay of 6 days. CzechTourism will be meeting and networking with representatives from top tour operators, airlines, media and key stakeholders from the travel industry to discuss cooperation and collaboration opportunities to promote Czechia in the Middle East region. Marek Kroutil – international markets manager, CzechTourism added “We are very excited and looking forward to being back at the global prestigious event – ATM 2023 after three years post the Covid-19 recession and be a part of the travel fair. We are very flattered to see the numbers growing back to the Czechia from this region. Travellers from the Middle East visit the destination for spa, summer holidays with family, MICE groups as well as with our efforts to promote other products like Christmas markets, we have noticed that winter activities are slowly gaining popularity too. I am proud that our spa towns were awarded with the UNESCO as the great spa towns of Europe and gulf travellers consider Czechia as a preferred spa and wellness destination.” CzechTourism in the Middle East is targeting the country in the region as a premium destination targeting families, experiential …