The USD$1.6tn global travel market is about to get the greatest shakeup since the dawn of the internet. The major Online Travel Agents (OTAs) like Booking.com, Expedia and Airbnb are bracing themselves for a quantum change and it’s one they cannot control. As consumers move from booking travel through these...
ADNEC launches Tourism 365 to scale up tourism sector in Abu Dhabi
ADNEC is looking to create experiential travel opportunities for tourists coming to Abu Dhabi through a new company called Tourism 365 The company will aim to enhance the emirate’s regional and global positioning in the wider tourism sector The Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company is looking to create experiential...
Jordan approves a slew of measures to revive tourism in Petra
Once a great attraction for tourists, the region was badly affected by Covid-19 curbs Among the initiatives approved during a Cabinet meeting include full exemption from licensing fees Dealt a great blow by Covid-19, the Petra region of Jordan, once a great attraction for local as well as international tourists,...
Sharjah explores new avenues of cooperation with Guatemala
The focus of the discussions was particularly on renewable energy, culture, and tourism They also explored the opportunities available to Guatemala to participate in Sharjah’s year-round events Sharjah’s Department of Government Relations Chairman Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi and Guatemala’s Ambassador to the UAE Lars Pira Perez recently met to...
Dubai seeks new source markets to drive tourism recovery
Emirate attracted over 5.5 million overseas visitors in 2020 Visitor from newer markets in Europe, Africa and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are compensating for the shortfall from traditional markets Dubai is actively seeking travelers from the new markets to bolster its tourism industry reeling from the...
OPEC Fund grants $10m aid to Bank of Maldives to shore up tourism
The loan will be used for lending to small enterprises The lending is expected to drive the country's path to recovery The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has granted a $10 million private sector loan agreement with the Bank of Maldives, state news agency WAM reported....
Gulf residents can’t wait to visit Europe as travel curbs ease
EU to lift curbs on high-spending tourists from the GCC Thousands of travelers from the Middle East are expected to visit the continent European Union has agreed on Wednesday to ease COVID-19 travel restrictions on visitors from around the world ahead of the summer tourist season. Ambassadors from the 27...Why is Bahrain pursuing unconventional path of diversification?
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nation Bahrain is pursuing the path of diversification and has been able to diversify its economy quite efficiently in the last few years. Over the time, Bahrain has been able to cash in on the unexplored potential of sectors like tourism and technology. Owing to its...Increasing tourist footfall pushing GCC economy
Even as there’s pressure on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to curtail spending and prioritize projects, the tourism sector has remained above such considerations and is driving the diversification plan. In the run up to the mega-ticket events in the region, like the 2020 World Expo in Dubai, the...
2018 is expected to be the year of greater mobile-technology innovations, Mamoun Hmedan
TRENDS speaks to Mamoun Hmedan, Managing Director for MENA and India, Wego, about the major trends that will rule the tourism sector in 2018 and how technology has changed the way industry works. How has the year 2017 been for the tourism sector? The MENA region stood out for a...
