Revealed: Winners at the 2021 Gulf Business Awards

The awards lauded luminaries from across the region’s business ecosystem

Bahrain aims to attract 14.1 million tourists by 2026 as part of new strategy

The strategy seeks to increase the contribution of tourism to Bahrain’s GDP to reach 11.4 per cent in 2026

AlUla to welcome guests on ‘Museum in the Sky’ flight by Saudia

Visitors are invited to book a unique inflight experience on November 4

MICE industry’s future growth in the spotlight at Abu Dhabi Business Events Week

The inaugural trade event will provide a platform for industry leaders, companies and professionals in the MICE sector to exchange knowledge, discuss innovations and further collaboration to bolster the future of MICE travel in the region

Why subscription loyalty can be gold dust

Subscription loyalty programmes can be great for travel firms, especially in post-pandemic recovery

Sheikh Mohammed approves beach project as part of new Hatta Master Development Plan

The Hatta Master Development Plan covers four key strategic pillars: wellbeing, tourism, sports and activities, and sustainability

Dubai tourism

Dubai’s tourism sector won’t rebound until late 2022, S&P says

The city is hosting the World Expo 2020 this year, and it hopes to attract millions of tourists

Saudi wealth fund PIF announces oil platform themed tourism project, ‘The Rig’

According to PIF, it is the world’s ‘first tourism destination on offshore platforms’ 

Israel plans to reopen to vaccinated tourists in Nov, hopes to attract many from the UAE

Israel is hoping that its pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai will serve as a platform to attract visitors

Abu Dhabi Alhosn

Abu Dhabi updates green list, adds 27 destinations including US, UK

Last month, the emirate scrapped the quarantine requirement for all vaccinated travellers arriving into Abu Dhabi

In pics: Saudi reveals new luxury mountain resort as part of the Red Sea project

Work on the 60-key property began in July 2021

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways adds more flights to Seychelles

The airline will offer five weekly flights on the route from October 7

Dubai companies including Emaar, Emirates hiring again as Covid crisis eases

Businesses in Dubai’s travel and tourism industry in August saw the sharpest increases in activity and new work in over two years

Saudi Arabia: Paving the way for the future

With a young leadership at the helm, the GCC’s largest economy has embarked on a journey of growth, diversification and alliances

Dubai Arabian travel Market ATM

Arabian Travel Market confirms dates, theme for 2022 edition in Dubai

The in-person event will be held from May 8-11, 2022, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, while the virtual edition will be conducted the following week

Hotels

UAE records 62% hotel occupancy rate in H1 2021

The country’s hotel and tourism establishments attracted nearly 8.3 million guests during this period

UK to remove quarantine requirement for UAE travellers next month

The new decision is anticipated to take effect on October 4

Wasl hospitality

Wasl to open four new hotels in Dubai

Wasl hospitality and leisure has a portfolio of 6,885 hotel rooms

Emirates Dubai Philippines

Emirates resumes scheduled services between Dubai and Philippines

The airline will also operate special “Bayanihan” passenger flights to Manila this month

Dubai tourism

Dubai received 2.85m international overnight visitors from Jan-July 2021

Hotels in Dubai recorded overall occupancy levels of 61 per cent in the first seven months of the year

Abu Dhabi airport

Abu Dhabi updates travel green list, adds Indonesia

The revised list includes a total of 56 destinations

Abu Dhabi airport

Abu Dhabi revises green list, adds 23 destinations including Qatar and Oman

The updated green list, effective September 1, will include a total of 55 destinations

UAE tourist visas dubai aiport

UAE to open processing of tourist visas for vaccinated individuals from all countries

Starting August 30, the decision applies even to citizens arriving from previously banned countries

Hatta Dubai Tourism

Sheikh Mohammed approves six new development projects for Hatta

Tourists in Hatta have increased from around 60,000 in 2016 to a million in 2020

Pics: Work continues on SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, marine park on track for completion in 2022

Once complete, the park is set to be home to the world’s largest marine-life aquarium

Bahrain International Airport

Bahrain adds Georgia, Ukraine and Malawi to travel red list

Starting August 12, there will be 25 countries on the kingdom’s red list

Dubai Airport

UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and India removed from UK’s travel red list

These countries will be added to the UK’s amber list, with the changes coming into force from 4am BST on Sunday, August 8

Saudi Arabia airport

Saudi Arabia: Vaccinated tourists can now enter without having to quarantine

Saudi recognises the Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines

Covid-19: Saudi citizens will need to be fully vaccinated to travel outside the country from Aug 9

The only exemptions include children aged under 12 and those who have recovered from Covid-19 less than six months prior to the date of travel

Etihad begins operating direct flights to Vienna

The new service will be operated on Thursdays and Sundays using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft