Category: Middle East

Doha Festival City (DHFC), participating in Shop Qatar 2018, is preparing to host the closing ceremony raffle draw for the third consecutive year, it was announced yesterday. Shop Qatar organised by the Qatar National Tourism Council is an annual event that brings shoppers in Qatar massive discounts across various retailers and the opportunity to win extravagant prizes. This year, DHFC has been chosen to host the closing ceremony raffle to conclude the Shop Qatar festivities on January 20, 2019. according to a statement. “We are honoured to be chosen to host the Shop Qatar closing ceremony for the third year ... Read more

Oman tourism has established representation offices abroad to promote the nation’s tourism products abroad. These 14 offices of the Ministry of Tourism are targeting the most promising and competitive tourism markets of the world to Oman. These offices have been taking many significant moves to put Oman tourism on the world tourism map. They are introducing new tourism products among operators and tourists and trying to establish the Sultanate as an emerging destination. They have been organizing Meetings, conferences and exhibitions and offering incentives to attract tourists by various means, including cruise ships. Tourists in Jabal Shams, Oman These offices ... Read more

Etihad Airways is planning to introduce the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its daily scheduled service from Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong, effective 31 March 2019. The two-class aircraft will replace the Airbus A330-200 aircraft currently operating the route The new 787-9 Dreamliner service to Hong Kong will feature the airline’s next-generation Business and Economy cabins, configured with 299 seats – 28 Business Studios and 271 Economy Smart Seats – a capacity increase of six seats in Business and 31 in Economy in each direction, and an increase in belly-hold cargo capacity of four tonnes. The flight EY 834 will depart from Abu ... Read more

Photo Courtesy: SeeSaudi With an aim to boost tourism sector and increase tourist footfalls, Saudi Arabia has decided to open e-visa to its visitors. The service will be available to citizens of USA, Australia, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and all Schengen Area countries. “Its holders could travel throughout the whole desert country except for the holy cities of Mecca and Medina,” said Prince Abdul Aziz, a member of the Royal House of Saudi. The authorities haven’t yet revealed details related to the e-visa requirements, such as the price, validity etc. The introduction of the e-visa follows a ... Read more

The world’s first female-only trampoline park, BOUNCE Rawdah, has opened its doors in Riyadh. The indoor adrenaline-pumping venue, packed with activities is open for ladies and children (boys under the age of 10). BOUNCE Rawdah, the largest trampoline venue in Riyadh at 3,500 square meters, is a perfect place to have fun, get active, or just hang out. Located in Rawdah on the Khurais Road, the place is packed with over 80 interconnected trampolines, a dodgeball arena, slam dunk, super tramp, cliff jump and huge inflatable airbags. It also houses the high-energy X-Park Freestyle Playground, and also features a café for those looking for ... Read more

Gulf carrier Oman Air stated on Tuesday that it is in discussions with the Indian government for increasing the weekly seat entitlement to enable expansion of its services in the rapidly growing aviation market. The Oman’s flagship carrier, which has completed 25 years into the business, at present, operates 161 flights per week to eleven Indian cities, utilising the 27,000 seats allocated to airlines from each country. Oman is seeking an increase in seats and access to Ahmedabad and Kolkata, which will boost its Indian presence. Seat entitlements and access to destinations are negotiated between respective governments. “We are working with ... Read more

Emirates has announced plans to introduce the gigantic A380 on routes from Glasgow to Dubai, although on a temporary basis. This will be the first time the double-decker aircraft will have serviced any Scottish airport for commercial flights. A daily A380 service will replace the twice daily Boeing 777 service from April 16 to May 31, while Dubai International Airport’s southern runway is closed for upgrade works. The single runway operation during this period means airlines are required to reduce and adjust their operating schedules. Standing over 24 meters high and with a wing span of nearly 80 meters, the A380 ... Read more

Tourism Ministry of Jordan revealed on Monday that the revenue from tourism has reached USD 4.87 billion during the first 11 months of 2018. The revenue from tourism was USD 4.6 billion in 2017, while in 2016 it was USD 4.1 billion, as per records of the Central Bank of Jordan. As per the monthly statistical bulletin of the ministry, the number of inbound tourists during the month of November 2018 is showing an increase of 40.1 per cent, when compared to same period of 2017. The number of tourist groups visited the country during November of this year was ... Read more

With less than a month to go until the 24th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) has announced details of this year’s edition, featuring exciting events, promotions and opportunities to enjoy rewarding shopping experiences coupled with thrilling, world-class entertainment for all families. Running from 26 December to 2 February, this year’s festival will feature over 700 brands participating at 3,200 outlets across the city with deal-hunters able to enjoy 75 per cent off a wide range of products during the month-long sales. Extended for an additional week to give people even more reasons to ... Read more

Saudi is hosting Formula E – the mega event in the historic Saudi town of Ad Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The event is set to revolutionize motorsports by using only electric race cars. Officially known as the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, the race expects to draw 40,000 attendees, with access not only to the race but also to the Kingdom’s largest ever festival for music, entertainment and cultural activities. A first for Saudi Arabia and the region, the event’s magnitude reflects the Kingdom’s goal of hosting major events and promoting them domestically and globally. A milestone was ... Read more

Sharjah has always been known for its rich cultural heritage and its picturesque landscape, adding to this, the vibrant destination is also pocket-friendly and an ideal weekend getaway as it’s only a few hours’ flight time from India. Now, the ease of visa facility adds to the attractions of Sharjah. Post-arrival, experience a captivating blend of traditional and modern, as Sharjah offers a diverse variety of attractions, which caters to the needs of the leisure traveler. Visitors will find a lot can be packed into 48-hours. Begin your day with the Al Noor Mosque, which is designed in the classic ... Read more

Travel is expected to peak this weekend for Emirates, as the airline expects yet another busy period with over 100,000 passengers passing through Terminal 3 this upcoming weekend ahead of the winter holiday break. The busiest time for departures will be on Friday 14th December with more than 30,000 passengers scheduled to travel. Peak travel will continue throughout the month with high passenger traffic peaking again on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd of December. With road works and infrastructure enhancements happening around the main airport highways and roads during this time, Emirates urges customers to build in extra time to ... Read more

Lobby View – Main Entrance Moving into The Greens, Zabeel House by Jumeirah is the third hotel to open as part of Jumeirah Group’s upscale casual brand. Opening in the Onyx Towers, the hotel is high on design synonymous with other hotels within the Zabeel House by Jumeirah collection; but inspired by New York loft living, with contemporary art and design throughout. The Onyx is a stylish integrated community with three towers of residential, commercial and hospitality buildings, as well as a podium of 32 retail and F&B outlets located in the heart of Dubai. A hotel to appeal to ... Read more

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group today unveiled a specially commissioned art piece named ‘From the Heart of Zayed’. The art piece, designed and created by Elygraf, a Filipino artist based in Dubai, was commissioned by Emirates Group to pay homage and celebrate the legacy of the late HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates who continues to inspire present and future generations. The artwork will be on permanent display in the atrium at Emirates Group Headquarters and is part of ... Read more

Iranian-American chef Ariana Bundy is set to open her first restaurant at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences in Dubai in late 2019. Ariana’s Persian Kitchen will showcase the award-winning TV chef and cookbook author’s take on Persian food, with a twist in terms of textures, ingredients, and presentation. Guests will be able to sample Ariana’s Caspian-stype filet kabob, rose-scented sea bass, a colourful array of new mazzeh dishes, and her take on Persian ice cream with saffron, pistachios, and rose water “The stunning design of the resort convinced me that this was the ideal time and place to open ... Read more