Tag Archives: UAE

“Visit Saint Petersburg!” conducted a special roadshow showcasing its many offerings to the travel trade in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The two days included B2B meetings, presentation, classical music and Anna Pavlova dessert masterclass – all that was in the roadshow organized by the Committee for Tourism Development of St. Petersburg and the City Tourist Information Bureau in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, bringing 12 representatives of the travel sector – Pulkovo Airport, DMCs, hotels, Vodokhod river cruise company and Faberge museum – to present their programs and establish direct contacts with the local colleagues. In UAE’s capital city of Abu Dhabi, more than 65 representatives of local travel sector took part in the presentation of the first day of the road show and over 120 participants attended from Dubai from the region’s tourism industry, covering a wide variety of issues from the Russian recent e-visa program to the presentations of St. Petersburg major travel players. The representatives of the tourist business of the region got acquainted with the novelties of St. Petersburg, classic programs, the new tourist geography of the city on the Neva river. Road show visitors learned about the historical sights of St. Petersburg, architectural masterpieces, the event calendar, educational and religious routes, and much more. Particular attention was paid to the organization of direct flights to the northern capital. The presentation attracted the attention of representatives of tour operators and professional associations, airlines, organizers of MICE events and specialized media from the Middle East. The road show has become part of a holistic information campaign of the city’s Tourism authorities, which also included presence at travel exhibitions, running a Visit Petersburg representative office in Dubai and other …

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Aziz Abdel Hakimov, Minister of Environment, Environmental Protection and Climate Change and responsible for the tourism portfolio of Uzbekistan, and his accompanying delegation. It explored opportunities for cooperation and the development of partnerships in the areas of new economy, sustainability, circular economy, entrepreneurship, and SMEs. H.E. Bin Touq emphasized that the UAE-Uzbekistan relations are strong and characterized by continued growth in various fields, historical ties, geographical proximity, and shared cultural and Islamic values. H.E. Bin Touq said: “Both our countries boast geographical locations through which key markets in Asia and Africa can be accessed. In addition, both markets offer numerous promising opportunities in new and sustainable economic sectors that can be leveraged to build more economic partnerships at the government and private sectors, thus elevating our existing partnership to new levels.” He added: “Our meeting with the Uzbek delegation is an important step forward in strengthening economic cooperation, facilitating dialogue at the private sector level and unlocking new avenues for efforts that support bilateral cooperation in economic sectors of shared interest.” He noted that the meeting is particularly important as it comes ahead of the UAE’s hosting of COP28 in Dubai from 30 November to 12 December 2023. The meeting discussed strengthening of cooperation and exchange of experiences and expertise on sustainable policies for tourism, entrepreneurship, and SMEs development, in addition to exploring opportunities in these sectors that are key to economic growth. Furthermore, H.E. Bin Touq reviewed the advantages offered by the UAE’s business environment to investors and business owners. These include the substantive amendments to the Commercial Companies Law to create a flexible …

Air Canada has inaugurated its new four-times weekly non-stop service between Dubai International (DXB) and its hub at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), marking the airline’s first-ever non-stop flight between the two iconic, global destinations and the only non-stop service connecting the Middle East and Western Canada. The new route complements Air Canada’s daily year-round service between Dubai and Toronto. The new service between Dubai and Vancouver will be operated with state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 aircraft, accommodating 298 passengers, with a choice of three classes of service: Economy, Premium Economy, and Air Canada Signature Class, which offers customers superior comfort and convenience in an exclusive cabin, with spacious lie-flat seating, personalized service, fine cuisine, extra baggage allowance and access to priority airport services. All flights are timed to optimize connections with Air Canada’s extensive North American network and the vast network of Emirates beyond Dubai. Seats are available for booking at aircanada.com, via the Air Canada App, Air Canada’s Contact Centres and travel agencies. “We are excited to now offer not one, but two routes from the most populous city in the UAE to our Canadian hubs in Vancouver and Toronto,” said Mary-Jane Lorette, Air Canada’s Vice President of International Affairs, Network and Partnerships. “Our new Dubai-Vancouver flights will complement Air Canada’s daily service between Toronto and Dubai, broadening our presence in fast-growing international markets in the Indian subcontinent and Middle East regions. Air Canada’s recent move to Dubai International Terminal 3 underscores the significance of our strategic partnership with Emirates and the importance of our flights between the UAE and Canada, providing connections to over 200 destinations across the Air Canada and Emirates networks, with the added benefit of travelling on …

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy met with Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UNWTO, explored the means to enhance cooperation between the UAE and the Organization to support and further develop the country’s tourism sector and promote its sustainable growth. During the meeting, H.E. Bin Touq highlighted the importance of the strategic partnership between the UAE and UNWTO, as reflected by an array of joint innovative initiatives such as the “Innovation & Digitization in Tourism” forum hosted by the UAE in 2022. It discussed future trends to enhance the sector’s contribution to the growth of regional and global economies, in addition to discussing the Tourism Satellite Account project, which aims to strengthen the statistical system of the UAE tourism sector through training and qualifying nationals to work in this sector. He indicated the necessity to further develop this partnership to build a sustainable tourism sector with many promising opportunities, and bolster the UAE’s efforts to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development goals in line with the “We the UAE 2031” vision. The two sides agreed to continue cooperation by launching innovative initiatives that contribute to supporting the UAE’s leadership in tourism sector, and equipping professionals in this sector with the latest expertise in accordance with international best practices. The meetings saw H.E. Bin Touq, who also heads the Emirates Tourism Council, elaborate on the objectives of the UAE’s National Tourism Strategy 2031, which aims to raise the country’s position as the best tourism identity in the world, and consolidate its position as a leading tourism destination. It also aims to increase the tourism sector’s contribution to the UAE economy’s GDP to AED 450 billion by 2031, in addition to …

At the recently concluded TravelTech ME with TravTalkME as media partner the travel experts from various travel agencies, tourism boards, travel technology and metasearch companies etc shared some very important aspects in terms of the future of the travel and tourism sectors. Daniel Rosado, Director Spain Tourism GCC shared, “during travel tech we had the chance to discuss and learn about the new trends, challenges and solutions on the travel sector related to technology, where experts from different companies enlighten the attendees. But also, amongst the topics we discussed some other issues on a more general approach in order to give the frame and set the tone of the current situation of the region where these technologies are applied. We highlighted the importance of tourism in the region, with UAE and Saudi leading the way. We analysed the latest data and figures trying to understand where the near future will take us. Regarding the outbound market we also saw that its growing at a steady pace and travel to countries such as Spain has experienced an impressive growth.”

Cebu Pacific  hosted a thanksgiving dinner for their travel agency partners and Philippine government officials in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to celebrate the airline’s 10 years in Dubai. The event, held at Doubletree by Hilton M Square, is a celebration of CEB’s long-standing history of servicing the Dubai-Manila route and its partnership with the travel trade. It is also CEB’s way of expressing gratitude to its travel partners and Philippine government stakeholders for their support in the last 10 years. Philippine Consul General to Dubai Renato Dueñas Jr. graced the event along with representatives from the Al Rais Travel & Shipping Agencies LLC, and CEB’s General Sales Agent in Dubai and Northern Emirates. CEB flew its maiden Dubai-Manila flight on October 7, 2013, making it the airline’s first ever long-haul flight. It was also the first local carrier to land in Dubai in 15 years. “Cebu Pacific remains committed to continuously provide our kababayans in the UAE the easiest and fastest connectivity to the Philippines, and link tourists from all over the world to the best destinations in our country,” said Xander Lao, CEB President and Chief Commercial Officer. Arlene Tena, CEB Director for Passenger Sales and Distribution, recalled how the airline’s operation in Dubai has helped thousands of Filipinos to find greater pastures in the UAE and be reunited with their families and loved ones in the Philippines. “Indeed, Dubai holds a special place in our hearts. It is a city that embodies the spirit of adventure and the pursuit of dreams, and Cebu Pacific is proud to be a bridge that connects people to our beautiful homeland,” Tena said. CEB currently flies twice daily between Dubai and …

Visa and Etihad Guest have renewed their exclusive cobrand deal in the UAE for another 7 years. This partnership enables Etihad Guest to further grow its’ cobrand card portfolio with key financial partners in the UAE and drive innovation in the country’s payment ecosystem. Visa’s global platform, digital first approach, and unmatched card benefits will further augment the growth of the Etihad Guest programme. As global and UAE travel trends continue to be on the rise, this partnership will further provide Etihad Guest customers with market leading customer value propositions including a secure payment product with benefits of earning miles and enjoying rewards such as global lounge access. At the same time, cardholders benefit from convenient services like concierge and insurance. Etihad boasts six banking partnerships in the UAE which are enabled through its cobrand partnership with Visa. As a result, Etihad Guest cobrand cardholders can earn rewards through everyday spending on their credit cards, making travel even more attractive. The partnership complements Etihad’s current growth journey as the airline continues to expand its network, offering Etihad Guest members an even greater choice of destinations when spending their rewards. Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer, Etihad, said: “With more than 9 million members globally, the Etihad Guest programme offers our members and guests a richly rewarding travel and lifestyle experience. As two leading and trusted global brands, we’re proud to renew our exclusive partnership with Visa, giving us further ability to enhance and evolve the Etihad Guest programme for our members in the UAE both locally and as they travel the world with Etihad. These are part of the exciting array of offerings we are adding as we further cement Etihad …

In its latest campaign, Air India announced that it flies 79 times a week between the UAE and India. Apart from that a special promotional fare of AED 1430 (T’s & C’s apply)  on business class between the UAE and India on their latest dreamliner jets is the second campaign this week. There are several options travellers can pick from earning double frequent points to enjoying special fares on the UAE – India route. With its latest strategies Air India will continue its timeless hospitality with seamless connectivity and immersive experiences to all its passengers.  

Holiday Inn Dubai Business Bay will be the first in the UAE to bring to life the brand defining Open Lobby concept, which transforms the traditional hotel lobby into a flexible space, where the guests can connect, relax, socialise or work their way. IHG Hotels & Resorts will launch, by quarter four 2023, a new stylish dual-branded property in Dubai’s Business Bay. Located a short distance from key tourist and business spots, this cluster of hotels will offer modern and comfortable accommodations for travellers enjoying a short or longer stay in Dubai.The hotel will feature 275 rooms, modern meeting and recreational facilities including a fitness centre and an outdoor pool.  The naturally lit meeting and event spaces will offer state of the art technology with a capacity for up to 100 guests. The new Holiday Inn hotel will bring to Business Bay two new dining venues, a Mexican eatery, La Plancha – Terraza Mexicana, and a chic modern European restaurant and bar, Brasserie on One. It will embody all of its hallmarks, which our guests know and love us for including the brand’s signature “Kids Stay and Eat Free” program. The thoughtfully designed guest rooms will offer best in class features including a 55-Inch smart TV, contemporary furnishings, and high-quality bedding. Staybridge Suites is IHG’s upscale extended stay hotel brand that offers an elevated, residential-style hotel. The new hotel, Staybridge Suites Dubai Business Bay will offer 120 suites with options of studio, one, and two-bedroom suites to cater to varying guest needs. The all-suite hotel is perfectly designed to meet the needs of extended-stay travellers who seek a sense of community and home like warmth when traveling for days, weeks, …

Despite the widespread adoption of Airline Loyalty Programs (ALP), the results of the recent survey reveal passengers feel unable to make the most of them with over half (58%) unsure where they can redeem points and 64% unaware of the value of their points in the UAE and Singapore. A survey was conducted online by YouGov. The study polled 1500 travellers from Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore who have travelled by air in the last 18 months. In Dubai there is a high adoption of loyalty programs in general, with more than half of respondents here already a member of airline loyalty programs. More travellers prefer travelling for leisure with family/partners/alone. This market shows the highest willingness for ALP among the non-members, however, has the lowest awareness of the redemption process. There is a high adoption of loyalty programs in Dubai, with more than half of respondents are already a member of an ALP – with respondents citing class upgrades, discounts on travel experiences and exclusive lounge access as the most appealing elements of an ALP. However, of the markets surveyed, Dubai travellers were the least aware of the redemption process. Conversely, in Dubai non-members were the most willing to try an ALP. Infrequent flying and insufficient knowledge of ALP benefits were the top barriers to membership. Free seat reservation and great customer experience were deemed to be the main motivating factors to join. Overall, more than half of respondents said they are looking for more customised experiences – in particular flexible bookings, access to travel documentation and additional discounts. Almost six in ten (58%) agreed they are more likely to buy additional services from an airline when targeted with …