Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

The German National Tourist Office in Dubai, together with its partners Emirates, Münich Tourism and Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay, brings some of German cuisine’s delicious flavours at Steigenberger Brothaus Bakery – Bistro in Dubai to inspire guests to visit Germany. Sigrid de Mazieres, Director — Marketing and Sales Office Gulf Countries, German National Tourist Office Gulf Countries stressed the importance of the GCC as being the third-largest non-European feeder market for Germany. She reiterated that the number of travellers to GCC from 2009 has been increasing year on year and in 2017, it witnessed 4.5 per cent increase. Annually, the theme to attract international tourists changes in the sector. This year is about the culinary journey which is quite interesting for the visitors from the region as food and shopping are two main areas that they focus while travelling to Germany. Shaz Peshimam, Emirates Senior Manager for Dubai and the Northern Emirates addressed the audience and stated that the new visa-free facility to all the UAE nationals has made a great impact for their flights as earlier it was seasonal. Emirates has been serving Germany for the past 31 years and they fly to four main areas — Frankfurt, Düsseldorf , Munich and Hamburg with 70 weekly flights.

Hala China has announced that the first Chinese Film Week in Dubai will commence on October 1, 2018, screening some of China’s most popular blockbusters. The event will also bring some of the biggest celebrities and directors in Chinese cinema to the city. China’s cinema audience this year became the biggest in the world, and an unprecedented growth in the past decade has been driven by rising demand for quality entertainment among China’s middle class. In seeking to build on this trend and growing tourism numbers from China, the Chinese Film Week in Dubai will commence with a spectacular red-carpet event on the opening night at Roxy Cinemas in City Walk. Following this, movies to be played during the week include Dragon Blade, Po Feng, Twenties Once Again, The Nightingale, American Dreams in China, Wolf Totem, Monkey King: Hero Is Back, and Big Fish & Begonia. Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Chairman, Board of Directors at Hala China, said, “The Chinese Film Week in Dubai is one of the first events to take place as part of the Hala China initiative, and is fully aligned with the commercial and tourism objectives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai. We are confident that the event will appeal to Chinese visitors as well as to Dubai’s resident population. It is also a big opportunity to showcase the city’s world-class infrastructure and facilities as the ideal destination for Chinese movie directors and film production houses to base their future projects.” Her Excellency Li Lingbing, Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai, said, “China’s film industry, with decades of …

As part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi’s (DCT Abu Dhabi) mandate to promote Abu Dhabi as a world-class destination of distinction, the capital city welcomed tour operators from the Egyptian Tourism Board from September 3 to 6, to highlight key tourism offerings in the emirate.  The 14 Egyptian tour operators along with other members of the Egyptian Tourism Board were treated to a tour of Abu Dhabi’s most impressive cultural and touristic sites as part of their trip, including Louvre Abu Dhabi and the recently opened Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi as well as many more sights. The trip included a networking session held on September 4, which commenced with a welcome note from Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director of Promotions and Overseas Offices at DCT Abu Dhabi, followed by a presentation about Abu Dhabi as a destination and its product offerings. The day concluded with a networking session where top travel agents from Egypt had a chance to connect with local stakeholders in Abu Dhabi to share opportunities for exchange and collaboration. “Egypt is one of our important overseas markets for guests and has recorded significant increases over the past years,” said Al Nuaimi. “The first seven months of 2018 has reinforced this upward trend which reflects our efforts to attract more Egyptian visitors to our capital. Coupled with our marketing and promotional campaigns, this networking session helped showcase our world-class destination and rich diversity of cultures and attractions.”

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed an agreement with ‘At the Top, Burj Khalifa’, developed by Emaar Properties which aims to support RTA’s Ferry service through promoting the sale of Dubai Ferry tickets amongst Dubai visitors, residents and tourist groups received by Emaar. Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of Public Transport Agency, signed the agreement on behalf of RTA and Ahmed Al Falasi, Executive Director of Group Operations, signed on behalf of Emaar, in the presence of officials from both parties. “The agreement is the first phase of an ongoing scheme between RTA and ‘At the Top, Burj Khalifa’ to improve the marine transit network and enhance the experience of customers using water transport. According to the agreement, ‘At the Top, Burj Khalifa’ will promote the Ferry service amongst visitors and residents of Dubai as well as the tourist groups. The promotional campaign will highlight the mesmerizing features of the Ferry along with the cruise services provided, besides supporting ticket sale at the ticket booths within Ferry stations. RTA has six Ferry boats in operation and three others as standby for any surge in demand or private chartering. The Ferry has made 3700 voyages used by 105.5 thousand riders during the first half of this year, which warrants supporting the service. The Ferry shuttles between eight stations namely Ghubaiba, Marina Mall, Jaddaf, Water Canal, Sheikh Zayed Road, Water Front, Marasi and the Dubai Design District.

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) is providing various options for students this year with its innovative programme of vocational education offered at its Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), that was established to lay the groundwork for talented Emiratis and expatriate residents in the UAE to join the city’s rapidly evolving tourist-facing workforce. The college will commence its range of courses on September 9, 2018 and admissions for the new intake are still open. The vocational courses offered by DCT have been designed to bridge the gap between hands-on training and a conventional university degree, preparing students for exciting and rewarding career opportunities. DCT’s courses are focused around five core programme areas – Tourism, Events, Hospitality, Retail and Culinary Arts – and will help young people learn from established professionals in the industry. The programmes also include internships in the industry to provide students with valuable real-world skills and practical applications. Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of DCT said, “Students are often faced with grave academic pressures during this nerve-wracking period around results day, with some often finding themselves in a predicament about the future of their careers. As such, it is crucial to remember that there is no right way or shortcut to success – especially in Dubai’s fast-paced tourism and hospitality industries. Dubai College of Tourism is committed to helping students develop their practical skills, industry talents and self-confidence by supporting and empowering young talent. This forms the basis of our practical courses and active industry collaborations, both aimed at providing students with a transformational educational experience that is tailored to meet the needs of future employers”.

Attracting visitors from across the region and beyond, the Abu Dhabi Summer Season (ADSS) will continue this week with an interactive and exciting programme offering both residents and visitors prizes, F&Bs special deals, shopping offers, line-up of events and shows, and amazing hotels deals. Due to popular demand, the summer bonanza will be now extended to 1st September, now taking in the Eid al Adha holiday. The ADSS Unbox the Amazing campaign will also be extended until September 1st, starting next weekend with Al Ain Mall on August 24 & 25. Relax and cool down for the rest of the summer in Abu Dhabi! Plan your staycation extravaganza with amazing hotel deals for an escape right on your doorstep. Enjoy your Eid holiday with the emirate’s most exclusive hotel deals and promotions, including savings on room nights, spa experiences, fitness centres, pool access, F&B and activities. Check out Tilal Liwa Hotel, Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas, Yas Island Rotana and Centro Yas Island, Al Seef Resort & Spa by Andalus, Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana, Emirates Palace, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi and Bab Al Qasr Hotel, and more! Celebrate Eid Al Adha at Yas Marina, Yas Island and watch the spectacular fireworks at 9pm daily on the first three days of Eid. Exciting performances and games will be live across malls in Abu Dhabi and kids and families can experience circus parades, magic shows and more at Abu Dhabi Mall on 22 and 25 August; visit a four-day stage show and participate in activities from 21 to 24 August from 6pm-10pm at Bawadi Mall.

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has successfully participated in the ‘Recycle Reforest Repeat’ campaign, launched by the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), to contribute to the national objective of reducing the level of wasted paper consumed. This, in turn, helps combat wide spread desertification, with colleagues at the department achieving results above and beyond their target, responsible for recycling 280 kg of paper during the course of one month. As an accredited UN organisation, Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) has collaborated with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in its efforts to restore degraded soils. The project has reinforced the need to preserve the environment by constructively engaging the community, challenging companies, academic institutions, families and individuals to a month-long mission “Recycle. Reforest. Repeat.” to collect as much wasted paper as possible to contribute to an overall campaign target. Commenting on the programme, Yousuf Lootah, Executive Director – Tourism Development & Investments, Dubai Tourism said, “Supporting initiatives such as ‘Recycle. Reforest. Repeat’ is a key enabler to help transform Dubai into a more sustainable working environment. Encouraging effective resource management by reducing the amount of wasted paper is the first step in empowering employees towards more sustainable business practices and we were delighted to extend our support to the Emirates Environmental Group to help achieve this shared vision.”

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has published the first interactive, web-based, manual under the Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) Initiative to help hotels and hospitality establishments map out a sustainable journey and trigger a positive impact on the environmental performance of the tourism industry. This has been designed in line with the Department’s commitment to ensure that the emirate takes the lead in promoting sustainable best practices and green initiatives, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into a leading sustainable city globally. By identifying the collective environmental impact in the tourism industry, the guidelines provide practical and cost-effective solutions around four key themes: energy conservation, water conservation, waste management and sustainability engagement of staff and guests. These form the basis for key objectives that the Manual sets out to achieve, including the promotion of energy and water conservation measures by benchmarking activities that help to identify and implement effective policies and incentives; the development of training programs, communications campaigns and events to promote sustainability initiatives to all staff and guests; and the further development of Dubai as a “smart city” by extending the use of new technologies in daily operations, e.g. remote load control, Building Management Systems (BMS), and control sensors. Commenting on the launch of the industry standards, Yousuf Lootah, Executive Director – Tourism Development & Investments, Dubai Tourism said, “Reflecting outstanding work in the field of green tourism, this pioneering document published by Dubai Tourism under the DST initiative serves as a valuable guide to help create a sustainable future for our …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Airbnb have teamed up to promote the UAE capital’s offerings. DCT Abu Dhabi’s already established Emirati Experiences initiative offers visitors to the emirate a selection of 20 different tours and experiences designed and led by Emirati nationals which provide firsthand insight into Emirati culture, heritage and history. These tailor-made experiences are echoed by Airbnb’s own ‘Experiences’ – unique excursions and activities designed and led by local hosts – which Airbnb offers across 800 cities worldwide. This new joint initiative means all 20 Emirati Experiences will now be included on Airbnb’s popular global platform for the first time. “This collaboration with our friends at Airbnb to showcase Emirati Experiences on their hugely popular service makes perfect sense and is in line with our mandate to promote our emirate to the widest possible audience. Each year, millions of tourists come to Abu Dhabi to experience our history, traditions and heritage and there is no better way for visitors to experience the uniqueness of Abu Dhabi and its districts, and to learn about our rich history than by spending time with an Emirati tour guide, which is what Emirati Experiences offers. With this new initiative, the demand for these unique experiences should increase as more potential visitors are exposed to the wonderful things on offer in Abu Dhabi. This co-operative initiative will no doubt result in greater visibility of our emirate to an international audience, which can only positively impact visitation numbers going forward,” said HE Sultan Al Mutawa Al Dhaheri, Executive Director, Tourism Sector, DCT Abu Dhabi.

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) recently hosted an immersive workshop to provide hotels with a refreshing outlook of its innovative Sustainability Board Game and encourage hospitality stakeholders to enrol their properties in the Carbon Calculator, to further enhance Dubai’s position as the world’s leading sustainable tourism destination. The Board Game and Carbon Calculator have been created specifically for the hotel industry and serve as integral awareness tools used by the Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) initiative, launched by Dubai Tourism to support and encourage hotels to actively drive sustainable tourism practices, efficiently manage their resources and reduce the collective carbon footprint of Dubai’s tourism industry. 74 hospitality professionals from 51 hotels attended the workshop in addition to representatives from Dubai Municipality who presented the Dubai Lamp, the world’s most energy efficient lamp designed by Philips Lighting and Dubai Municipality. The industry event held at Zabeel House by Jumeirah, Al Seef was hosted by Tourism Development & Investments at Dubai Tourism. Yousuf Lootah, Executive Director – Tourism Development & Investments, Dubai Tourism, explained the mechanics of the Board Game and highlighted DST’s Carbon Calculator programme, emphasising the ways in which private sector collaborations can be key to achieving the wider objectives of DST and further raise awareness of adopting eco-friendly practices in hotels across Dubai.” Ahmad Saeed Al Badwawi, Director of Applied Sustainability and Renewable Energy Department, Dubai Municipality, said, “The applied sustainability and renewable energy department at Dubai Municipality participated with Dubai Sustainable Tourism by presenting “Dubai Lamp” the most efficient lamp in the world.”