Tourism UAE announces multiple-entry visa for Qatar World Cup fans The United Arab Emirates will grant multiple-entry visa for ‘Hayya’ cardholders attending the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, WAM, the state news agency, reported. All ‘Hayya’ cardholders can enter and stay in the UAE for 90 days from the visa issuance date, which can be extended for an additional 90 days. The one-time visa fee […] August 31, 2022
Tourism Emirates and United Airlines set to announce codeshare pact United Airlines and Dubai’s Emirates are set to announce a codeshare agreement in the coming weeks, sources told Reuters. United on Tuesday sent an invitation to reporters to a “special event” on September 14 titled “Come fly with us” with Chief Executive Scott Kirby and Emirates President Tim Clark in Washington. The Air Current reported […] August 31, 2022
Tourism Dubai hotel rates surge by up to 75% during World Cup Dubai Marathon has been forced to move its upcoming race in December 2022 to February 2023, as organisers said the massive demand by football fans to base themselves in the emirate has resulted in a lack of hotel rooms, with average daily rates during the tournament rising by as much as 75 percent. “Thousands of […] August 30, 2022
Tourism UAE sees dramatic rise in flight bookings from Russia The UAE has seen a hefty rise in flight bookings from Russia as domestic tourists, shut off from most western countries, flock to the emirates for leisure and business. Air travel from Russia to the UAE during the first eight months of the year exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 27 percent, according to London-based ForwardKeys, a […] August 29, 2022
Tourism Turks frustrated by ‘deliberate’ visa rejection by European nations Turkish sports presenter Sinem Okten was surprised to see her visa application to Europe’s Schengen area rejected twice, having visited often to cover matches and interview figures like Italian keeper Gianluigi Buffon and Liverpool’s Juergen Klopp. “I applied first to Germany then to France. Both rejected my application,” she said. “I’ve travelled abroad numerous times […] August 29, 2022
Tourism Saudi introduces multi-entry visas for Qatar World Cup 2022 fans Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has introduced a new multi-entry visa for visitors holding the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Hayya card. The ‘Hayya’ card is required for all World Cup attendees and provides entry into Qatar and the stadiums. Holders of the card can apply for the new Saudi visa online and book […] August 28, 2022
Tourism Airlines using Mexico City hub agree to 15% cut in flights Airlines using the Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City have agreed to temporarily reduce flights at the hub from 61 per hour to 52 during peak hours, starting Oct. 31, the country’s transportation ministry said on Thursday. The cut, which is almost a 15 percent reduction and still pending final approval, follows previous flight […] August 26, 2022
Tourism Europe’s Wizz Air mulls Saudi operating license European budget carrier Wizz Air is considering basing an airline in Saudi Arabia as part an agreement signed with the government this year to develop the kingdom’s aviation sector, its chief executive said in an interview on Thursday. Wizz Air, which said in May it would explore opportunities in Saudi Arabia, announced on Thursday it […] August 26, 2022
Tourism Palestinians urged not to use Israeli airport for concessions The Palestinian Authority urged Palestinians not to take advantage of concessions promised by Israel that would allow them to travel through Ramon airport in southern Israel, saying they should have their own airport. Israel’s Airports Authority this month said Palestinians from the occupied West Bank would be offered special flights from Ramon, near the Red […] August 25, 2022
Tourism No flights yet from Israel for West Bank Palestinians A group of Palestinian passengers flew to Cyprus from an Israeli airport on Monday, but the flight was not organised under a promised arrangement easing travel restrictions for residents of the occupied West Bank, an airports authority spokesperson said. Israeli authorities agreed earlier this month, following pressure from the United States, to ease some of […] August 23, 2022
Tourism Foreign tourist arrivals to Turkey soar 53% in July Turkey’s foreign visitors jumped 53 percent in July from a year earlier, exceeding pre-pandemic levels and paving the way for $37 billion in tourism revenues sought by the government in support of President Tayyip Erdogan’s unorthodox economy policy. Foreign visitors to Turkey leapt to 6.67 million in July, mostly on the back of wealthy Russian […] August 23, 2022
Tourism British Airways to cut winter schedule capacity British Airways would make further cancellations up to the end of October and tweak its winter schedule, the airline said on Monday, following Heathrow airport’s decision to cap capacity to tackle widespread disruption. Sky News earlier reported that the IAG-owned carrier’s total capacity for winter schedule until the end of March would be reduced by […] August 23, 2022
Tourism UK rules out criminal action against DP World’s P&O Ferries The UK has announced it will not pursue criminal action against P&O Ferries over mass redundancies announced earlier this year. The company, owned by Dubai-based DP World, whose ships sail across the English Channel, North Sea and Irish Sea, laid off nearly 800 workers in March and then went on to hire cheaper agency staff, […] August 22, 2022
Tourism Tourism rebound to help Thai economy to grow 3-3.5% this year Thailand’s economy is expected to grow by three to 3.5 percent this year, helped by public investments and a pick-up in the vital tourism sector, the finance minister said on Monday. Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy will continue its post-pandemic recovery as state investment projects are accelerated, Arkhom Termpittayapaisith told a state agency forum. “The economy […] August 22, 2022
Tourism Wizz Air suspends relaunch of Russia-UAE flights amid criticism European budget carrier Wizz Air has suspended plans to resume flights from the Russian capital of Moscow to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, amid mounting criticism over the relaunch decision this month. In Friday’s statement deferring the flights until further notice, Wizz Air made no mention of the social media backlash, which included […] August 22, 2022
Tourism Ras Al Khaimah to add 57% more hotel rooms in next 5 years Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) aims to add 4,617 new hotel rooms over the next five years, a rise of 56.8 percent, CEO Raki Phillips said. The emirate currently now has more than 50 hotels, including 10 five-star hotels, nine four-star hotels, seven hotel apartments, and 24 other accredited accommodations, the CEO told […] August 19, 2022
Tourism DP World to invest $1.4bn as half year profit goes up 51.8% Dubai-owned DP World, one of the world’s biggest port operators, is planning to spend $1.4 billion on capital expenditure in 2022, as it reported a 51.8 percent rise in profit during the first half of the year. The company reported profit of $721 million for the first six months of 2022, as revenue rose 60.4 […] August 18, 2022
Tourism Emirates to suspend Nigeria flights over trapped funds Dubai’s Emirates will suspend flights to Nigeria from next month over an inability to repatriate funds from Africa’s most populous nation, the airline said on Thursday. The decision highlights the difficulties faced by international carriers that fly to Nigeria, which is one of the biggest markets in Africa for several of them. The country has […] August 18, 2022
Tourism Dubai airport sees Q2 passenger travel surge, hikes annual forecast The operator of Dubai International said on Wednesday over 14 million passengers had travelled through the airport in the second quarter, and raised its forecast for the year to 62.4 million passengers. That was the ninth consecutive quarter that saw greater passenger figures than the prior quarter as international travel demand ramps up amid an […] August 17, 2022
Tourism German airports hire Turkish workers to ease staff shortage Around 150 airport workers from Turkey will be deployed at German airports, according to an industry association, far fewer than initially expected despite staffing shortages that had caused travel chaos during the busy summer holiday season. In late June, the German government announced plans to fast-track work permits and visas for several thousand foreign airport […] August 17, 2022
Analysis Tourism Sharjah enters the fray as UAE holiday home market heats up The UAE’s fledgling holiday homes market will remain attractive to investors and could fuel consolidation among hotel operators, experts say, as Sharjah becomes the latest emirate to announce regulations to diversify its tourism sector. Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has launched an official framework – the Holiday Homes Project – which aims to […] August 16, 2022
Tourism PIF and Cain invest $900m in hotelier Aman Group Saud Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and London-based real estate investment firm Cain International said on Monday they had invested $900 million in luxury hotel group Aman, which Cain said valued Aman at $3 billion. The PIF and Cain said, in separate announcements, the investment would support Aman Group’s “global expansion of ultra-luxury hotels and […] August 16, 2022
