Tourism Bahrain sees 984% rise in tourism There has been a 984 percent increase in the number of tourists arriving in Bahrain in the first quarter of this year, compared with the same period last year. The Gulf kingdom received nearly 1.7 million visitors in Q1 2022, against 152,000 in Q1 2021, according to the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA), The jump follows […] July 1, 2022
Opinion Food & Drink Being Michelin rated is more than just an accolade Dubai's fine diners are not the only people to benefit from Michelin star quality June 29, 2022
Tourism Hotelier recruiting 12,000 workers for World Cup Hotel operator Accor is recruiting 12,000 temporary overseas employees to operate 65,000 empty rooms in apartments and homes in Qatar as temporary fan housing for the 2022 soccer World Cup, its chairman and CEO Sébastien Bazin told Reuters. Qatar is working to avoid an accommodation shortage during the tournament and has hired Accor, Europe’s largest […] June 29, 2022
Tourism UK’s offer of visa-free travel to UAE hailed as ‘historic’ step The addition of the UAE to the list of countries eligible for visa-free travel to the UK is “historic” and will drive further growth in both economies, officials and experts have told AGBI. The British government announced on Monday that the UAE would be added to its new electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system in 2023, […] June 28, 2022
Tourism Diriyah aims to be ‘shining example’ of sustainability Diriyah, the $50 billion giga-project on the edge of Riyadh which is scheduled to open by 2024, will be a world leading example of sustainability, according to its CEO. “With regenerative tourism and a people-first development at the epicenter of our philosophy we want to ensure that Diriyah is a shining example when it comes […] June 28, 2022
Tourism Sanctioned Russian’s superyacht docked in Dubai A luxurious superyacht belonging to a sanctioned Russian billionaire parliamentarian featuring six suites, an elevator, its own beach club and a helicopter pad is anchored in Dubai where Russians have sheltered wealth since the invasion of Ukraine. Andrei Skoch’s blue and white “Madame Gu” was docked at Port Rashid on Friday, where Dubai’s Ruler Sheikh […] June 25, 2022
Tourism Saudi adventure tourism climbs to new heights Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambition to diversify into tourism has added the action sport of climbing to its offer, a way for adventure holiday enthusiasts to explore the kingdom’s natural landscape. Climbing is a new concept for the country, only born locally from young Saudis who studied or worked abroad and then returned home with […] June 23, 2022
Tourism Universal Beijing Resort to reopen on June 25 as Covid cases drop The Universal Beijing Resort said on Wednesday it will reopen on June 25 after being closed for nearly two months, as the number of new COVID-19 cases in the Chinese capital falls. The resort said on its official WeChat account that after it reopens, all visitors must show a negative PCR test taken within the […] June 22, 2022
Tourism Return of the superjumbo: A380 set for a dramatic comeback? Two years ago, dozens of Airbus A380s set course for storage sites in rural France from the Gulf as the outbreak of COVID-19 accelerated the demise of the world’s largest jets. Now, the iconic European double-decker is gaining a new lease on life as airlines scramble to cope with rising demand and shortages of newer […] June 21, 2022
Tourism Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh reels from Ukrainian, Russian exodus On Sharm el-Sheikh’s sandy beaches many of the sun loungers lie empty. At a central promenade packed with shops, cafes and nightclubs, crowds are thinner than usual. The resort on the southern tip of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula is reeling from the impact of the war in Ukraine, which has seen Ukrainians and Russians – previously […] June 21, 2022
Exclusive World Cup 2022 Most lavish World Cup package costs $1.6m – hotel not included UAE residents have bought 7,500 hospitality packages for the Qatar World Cup, with the most expensive option costing an eyewatering $1.6 million. Football fans wanting to attend Qatar 2022 matches have two routes: FIFA's ticket lottery, where prices start at 40 riyals ($10.99) for Qatar residents or 250 riyals for international supporters, or one of the official hospitality packages, which begin at $950. June 21, 2022
Tourism Airlines upbeat on recovery but labour shortages may hurt growth Global airlines battered by COVID-19 seem confident of narrowing their losses but still face challenges such as labour shortages at airports which could restrict post-crisis growth, industry executives at a summit in Doha said. Recent flight delays and cancellations have been widely blamed on a lack of staff as an increasing number of people desert […] June 21, 2022
Exclusive Tourism Dubai unveils plan to transform Expo 2020 site into free zone The Expo 2020 Dubai site is to be transformed into the emirate’s newest business free zone – and is being lined up as a possible venue for more of the world’s biggest events, executives have told AGBI. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice president and prime minister of the UAE and the ruler […] June 21, 2022
Tourism Airbus in talks with Qatar Airways ahead of $1bn legal battle Airbus is in discussions with Qatar Airways to try to resolve a bitter legal and safety dispute over the A350 passenger jet, the planemaker’s chief executive said on Sunday. “There’s progress in the sense that we are communicating; we are working with each other,” Guillaume Faury told Reuters on the sidelines of an airlines meeting […] June 20, 2022
Tourism Air New Zealand ramps up capacity as demand recovers Air New Zealand Ltd expects to reach 75 percent of its pre-COVID-19 international capacity and more than 100 percent of pre-pandemic domestic capacity by the end of 2022, as travel demand recovers, its Chief Executive Officer Greg Foran said on Monday. The New Zealand national carrier is operating at 50 percent of international and nearly […] June 20, 2022
Tourism Turkish Airlines mulls IPOs, joint ventures for cargo business Turkish Airlines is considering joint ventures and initial public offerings for its cargo business and regional carrier as it weighs up options to grow both internally and through deals, the chairman of Turkey’s national airline said. The airline also plans to participate in international bond markets, including issuing Eurobonds, to finance future investments and growth, […] June 20, 2022
Tourism Qatar Airways posts first annual profit since 2017 Qatar Airways today posted its first annual profit since 2017 following years of losses blamed on a regional political dispute and the pandemic. The airline, which only operates international flights, said it made a profit of 5.6 billion riyal ($1.5 billion) in the year to March 31, compared to a year ago loss of 14.8 […] June 16, 2022
Aviation 58 million travellers expected at Dubai airport in 2022 Dubai International Airport (DXB) is set to serve over 58 million passengers this year, more than double the amount in 2021, as the UAE’s aviation sector continues to rebound from the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic. The figure was revealed by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman […] June 16, 2022
Analysis Economy UK targets Gulf for growth post-Brexit and Covid Rocked by the double whammy of Brexit and the global pandemic, UK businesses have endured a tumultuous two years. As European trade battles sharp retrenchment – UK-EU exports dropped by 12 percent last year, a loss of £20 billion – British companies are pursuing new growth avenues and the Gulf is proving to be a […] June 16, 2022
Tourism Business travel lagging behind tourism as Gulf goes virtual An estimated 115 million more passengers in the Middle East and Africa will fly during 2022 compared to last year if flight booking trends continue at their current pace, according to new research. However, business travel in the region is returning at a much slower pace with medium/long-haul and domestic bookings remaining well below 2019 […] June 15, 2022
Tourism Qatar to pitch up 1,000 ‘Bedouin tents’ for World Cup fans Qatar plans to pitch 1,000 “Bedouin style” tents in the desert for World Cup soccer fans, organisers said on Tuesday, as the state hopes to attract 1.2 million visitors, nearly half of its population, for the 28-day tournament in November and December. Tents will spring up on the stark desert landscapes surrounding Doha, to offer […] June 15, 2022
Tourism EU regulator dismisses Qatar Airways Airbus paint safety claims Europe’s top aviation safety regulator said on Tuesday he had seen no evidence that paint or surface erosion on A350 jets, which are at the centre of a legal dispute between Airbus and Qatar Airways, represented a safety issue. The two companies are at loggerheads over the airworthiness of Europe’s newest long-haul jet after damage […] June 15, 2022
