The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is continuing to try to create a stronger foothold in the tourist market in Northern Europe. In 2020, SCTDA will launch a number of new attempts to entice more tourists from the region, beginning with its participation in Finland’s upcoming Matka Nordic Travel Fair, which is being held in Helsinki. The latest edition is running from 15th to 19th January, marking the second year in a row…
Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre will be hosting this year’s Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) annual summit, it has been announced. The event will run from 31st March to 3rd April. PATA officials are hoping that the event will see over 250 international industry shapers, senior decision-makers and thought leaders brought together, all of whom are concerned with driving tourism around the Asia Pacific region. The three-day event, which the…
Tourism body the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) believes that the Middle East is an important emerging market for tourists looking for luxury and one-of-a-kind travel experiences. In 2013, the number of international tourists heading to Japan reached 10.3 million, and by 2018 that figure had actually tripled. More than 31 million international tourists went to Japan in 2018, an 8.7% year-on-year increase that saw the nation come in fourth place for its competitiveness in…
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2020 has been marked by Etihad Airways with the operation of a special eco-flight from the capital of the United Arab Emirates to Brussels. The flight includes a wide array of new initiatives that are intended to show the depth of the commitment of the airline to implementing sustainable practices both on the ground and in the air. On 13th January at 2.20am, Flight EY 57, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft,…
On Saturday, flooding and heavy rain resulted in chaos for travellers in the United Arab Emirates with roads being closed and a number of flights being cancelled. One of the busiest airports in the world, Dubai International, had to cancel, delay and divert many flights, according to Dubai Airports. Delays carried on throughout the day and some had to be diverted to the nearby Al Maktoum Airport or cancelled altogether. Cloud seeding, the programme intended…
Although Brexit continues to feed uncertainty in some quarters, officials and experts in the tourism industry believe that any impact on tourism from the UK to the United Arab Emirates will be limited and have a short-term impact. The UAE remains a favourite destination for UK travellers, and the country’s withdrawal from the EU is not expected to change that. 27% year-on-year growth was seen in outbound and inbound traffic alike between the UAE and…
The new five-year multiple-entry tourist visa to the United Arab Emirates, which was announced earlier this week, has been called a “game-changer” for the tourism industry in the country by the UAE branch of OYO Hotels & Homes, the Indian hospitality giant. OYO UAE says that enquiries from tourists in a number of different countries began from the moment the announcement was made. Those who are granted the new visa will be able to remain…
Nordic tourists heading to the United Arab Emirates are likely to be spending as much as $718m in the country within four years, according to a new report released in advance of the Arabian Travel Market 2020, which will be held in Dubai later this year. Colliers International conducted the study, which found that a 36% surge in tourism spending by Nordic tourists will be experienced by the UAE between 2018 and 2024. Spending per…
On Monday, the first United Arab Emirates Cabinet meeting of 2020 revealed the country’s first multi-entry five-year tourist visa. The visa will allow tourists to enter the UAE on multiple occasions over the course of five years, according to the Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. No other details have so far been released, and it is unclear if there will be a fee to apply for the new visa. Tourists…
More than two billion people all over the world were wowed by an astonishing pyrotechnics display on the tallest building on the planet on New Year’s Eve. The New Year was rung in by the show, which was staged by Emaar, Burj Khalifa’s master developer. Lights, sounds, a synchronised fountain show and even animation were used to transform the Burj Khalifa to take viewers on an incredible journey at the commencement of a new decade.…