Category: Middle East

Oman Air has announced its plan to add Athens, the capital of Greece to its expanding network. The airline said this was first of its several new routes to be launched in 2019. The daily flight to and from Athens will be operated with the new-state-of-the-art Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Oman Air flight WY 191 will depart Muscat at 2.45 pm and reach Athens at 7.50 pm, while on return it will take off from Athens airport at 12.20 am and reach Muscat at 6.35 am. “We are extremely proud and happy to add Athens to our rapidly growing network, as ... Read more

Beaches in Dubai are more accessible for people of determination and the elderly, as the municipality has provided dedicated walkways for them in almost all the key beaches. These special pathways have been built to help them cross the beach and reach the sea easily. “The special pathways have been built for the People of Determination and the elderly to enable them to cross the beach and reach the sea easily. We have provided them at Al Mamzar Creek Beach, Al Mamzar Corniche Beach, Jumeirah 2 and 3 beaches, Umm Suqeim 1 and 2 beaches. They are built meeting international standards ... Read more

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has marked the opening of the new runway at Velana International Airport in the Maldives by operating one of its Airbus A380 aircraft to the island nation. The new 3,400 metre-long and 60-metre-wide runway is the first in the Maldives capable of supporting an A380. The special Etihad operation was piloted by First Officer, Ali Ahuson, who is from The Maldives. Etihad Airways’ A380 features a total capacity of 496 seats – up to two guests in The Residence, nine First Apartments, 70 Business Studios and 415 Economy Smart Seats.

Emirates will operate a special one-off A380 service on 23 September to the capital city of Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in celebratory participation of the country’s 88th National Day. “The UAE enjoys a strong relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through fraternal ties and constructive cooperation, as well as a shared vision for the future. Bringing the Emirates A380 is a fitting way to support the National Day celebrations, and for customers in Riyadh to try the superior A380 product for themselves. King Khalid International Airport is also well equipped to handle the A380 and we ... Read more

Photo Courtesy: The National Dubai is strengthening its ties with China for boosting tourism. It was announced by Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai Tourism, while talking in the Dubai China Conference, which is attended by more than 900 local dignitaries, stakeholders and Chinese partners. The tourism ministry is planning various activities to lure Chinese tourists to the country,  including city-wide Chinese New Year celebrations. Earlier this year, the Dubai Tourism authority has inked an agreement with one of China’s largest smartphone manufacturers, Huawei, to pre-load devices with both user-generated and official cinematographic content of Dubai. As per an ... Read more

Nestled between two coasts, Sharjah is a lively forward-thinking emirate of modern business and vibrant culture. It shares its heritage through its 20 museums and galleries, local architecture and culture-packed leisure activities that are perfect for families! Sharjah is home to a wealth of noteworthy sites, museums, beaches and fun indoor and outdoor activities. Al Montazah Waterpark Newly renovated Al Montazah Amusement and Water Park is Sharjah’s newest family entertainment destination. The 126,000-square-metre amusement park offers thrilling water rides, a leisure park and green space in the heart of the city. Al Montazah has rides and recreation options that tourists and ... Read more

National Museum of Beirut, Lebanon Avedis Guidanian, Caretaker Tourism Minister of Labanon, urged the government to allocate an open budget for investment in the tourism sector in the country, as reported by local media. “Lebanon is not less attractive than Egypt, Jordan and Turkey, but their inbound tourist’s number is much more than that of Lebanon. The reason is, they are well aware of promoting their tourist attractions,” said Guidanian. “What we need in Lebanon is enough budgets to promote our tourism sector and attract more tourists to our country,” he added. He was talking in a workshop held at ... Read more

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has announced that the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has been selected as the latest flight destination by, a reputed European tour operator. From October 24, 2018, LuxairTours will fly every Wednesday directly to Ras Al Khaimah airport from Luxembourg, offering tourists from European markets a direct, more accessible and hassle-free journey to one of the fastest growing holiday destinations in the region. “As we are on track to exceed our projection of 1 million visitors by the end of the year, we’re very pleased to see an ongoing growth of strategic partnerships ... Read more

Dubai International Airport (DXB) has retained its position as the world’s number one international airport for the fourth consecutive year in 2017 with annual passenger traffic exceeding 88.2 million passengers. The airport connects 240 destinations around the world through about 140 airlines and is expected to serve 90.2 million passengers in 2018, said Dubai Airports’ CEO Paul Griffiths, providing an update on the first half of 2018. Of the two runways of DXB, one needs a total refurbishment and during a 45-day period starting in April 2019, the runway will be closed for a full redevelopment programme. “We are working ... Read more

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is planning a three-city roadshow in India, along with partners and stakeholders, to help promote the emirate and encourage more Indian visitors to explore Abu Dhabi. The delegation includes UAE’s national carrier Etihad Airways, Jet Airways, Yas Experiences, Dusit Thani, Royal Arabian, Air Travel Enterprise, Sofitel and Rotana. The delegation will be visiting India from September 17–21. The roadshow will commence in New Delhi, and then proceed to Chennai and concludes in Bengaluru. “India is a vital tier one source market for us, which is providing more and ... Read more

Tomb of Mehu Egypt has allowed the public to visit a 4000-year old tomb in the Saqqara necropolis near Giza on Sunday, 9th September, for the first time, as part of tourism promotion. The tomb was discovered in 1940 by Egyptologist Zaki Saad, which is said to be belongs to an ancient Egypt high-ranking official named Mehu who was related to the first king of the 6th dynasty. “It is a beautiful tomb, and it was discovered in 1940. We are making sure to persistently to showcase our cultural contents for tourists. This is why we open tombs for visitors ... Read more

Etihad Airways has launched a new hand baggage only ‘Deal Fare’ across selected destinations, allowing travellers to purchase lower fares in Economy Class if no checked baggage is required. The ‘Deal Fare’ includes a complimentary carry-on baggage allowance of 7kg and is available on flights between Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Azerbaijan. “After a successful trial of the ‘Deal Fare’ late last year, purchasing behaviour demonstrated guests appreciate having more choice and like to be able to select the travel option that best meets their needs. We are enhancing our product offering to align with ... Read more

Emirates celebrated a double win this week at the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards, after being named ‘Best Business Airline’ and ‘Best Airline – Long-Haul Holiday’. The airline won the prestigious accolades based on votes from Condé Nast Traveller readers’ for the best travel experiences in the world. The Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards 2018 questionnaire ran online from 4th March 2018 to 3rd May 2018. “We are honoured to have been recognised by the readers of Condé Nast Traveller as one of the world’s best airlines. We are committed to delivering the best possible experience both in ... Read more

If you are travelling to UAE this summer, you don’t need to pay visa fees for dependents aged 18 years or below. The fee exemption will be applicable between July 15 and September 15 every year , the UAE Cabinet announced recently. The new decision is expected to boost tourist footfall during the off peak season. UAE has earlier exempted transit tourists from visa fees for the first 48 hours. A 14-day express tourist visa costs Dh497 per head and a 30-day multi-entry tourist visa costs Dh917 if the traveller purchases it online. However, according to tour operators, the most popular tourist ... Read more

To celebrate Emirati Women’s Day, the Emirates Group unveiled a special video tribute to the late HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, who was a driving force in supporting the advancement of women in the country. Released on Emirates’ social media platforms, the one-minute video draws a parallel between Sheikh Zayed’s vision decades ago and the pivotal roles occupied by Emirati women today. The video concludes with a heartfelt declaration affirming Emirati women’s pride and determination to continue on the path of success as ‘daughters of Zayed’. “I’d like to take ... Read more