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Abu Dhabi targets 39.3 million visitors by 2030
Emirate's new tourism strategy aims to increase the sector’s contribution to GDP from $13.34 billion in 2023 to $24 billion by 2030.
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Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum to begin Nov 24
SHARJAH, UAE - The 9th edition of the Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum (SITTF) is set to kick off at the Sharjah Expo Centre on November 24, 2022, under the theme 'Building a Resilient Future for Tourism'. The forum will be held under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan bin... -
Dubai starts issuing multiple-entry visa for Qatar World Cup fans
Dubai, UAE— Dubai has begun to give out multiple-entry tourist visa for "Hayya cardholders" traveling to Doha for the World Cup this month. In this regard, Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) issued the first 90-day multiple-entry tourist visa to Mohammed Jalal, a Jordanian football fan. This... -
Air travel rebounds but still suffering from pandemic
Air travel rose sharply in the northern hemisphere summer, traditionally the peak vacation travel season, but still remains considerably affected by the pandemic, industry data showed Thursday. -
UAE, Japan sign comprehensive strategic partnership pact
Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE Special Envoy to Japan Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber and the Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida have signed the UAE-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership agreement. -
Arab youth prefer UAE over home country to live, work
Key attractions in the UAE include economy, secure environment, rewarding salary packages, a wide range of job opportunities, and the wise leadership, says a survey. -
Air passengers number up, reveals global aviation meet in Dubai
Some of the greatest minds in the aviation industry took to the stage at this year’s Global Aviation Conference in Dubai, UAE. -
Joe Biden says Covid pandemic in US “is over”
Although people are still testing positive for Covid in the country, US President in an interview declared that pandemic in US is over. -
PIF to buy stake in Seera
PIF will pick up $1bn stake in Seera Group's travel unit. -
Hotel occupancy rate points to UAE tourism recovery
The total number of hotel guests in the UAE rose to 10.5 million during the first half of 2022, up from 8.3 million during the same period last year, latest research by Colliers suggests. -
Saudi Arabia eases visa rules for GCC, US, UK, EU residents
The regulations came into effect after the minister of tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb signed on a ministerial decree, making it easier to visit the oil-rich kingdom. -
Alhokair trims H1 loss by 49%
It cut down the loss to $18m from $35.39m posted last year. -
Seera sees 43% slide in loss
The Saudi travel group saw its loss fall to $35m in H1. -
Airfares increase as demand soars for flights to UAE
Demand for air tickets to destinations outside the UAE also surged in June and July, even as the travel costs grew sharply due to the rising oil prices and global inflation. -
UAE, Saudi achieve above 60 percent pre-Covid travel recovery
Travel recovery witnessed in the UAE and Saudi Arabia has been very strong, according to a survey of nearly 2,000 travel enthusiasts conducted by Collinson. -
IHG H1 profits surge to $216mn
IHG said it would resume its interim dividend -
Global H1 air cargo demand up 2.2 percent over pre-Covid levels
Global air cargo demand rose by 2.2 percent in H1 2022 as compared to pre-COVID levels (H1 2019), according to data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). IATA figures indicate a healthy and stable performance across global air cargo markets showing. Global demand sunk by 6.4 percent compared... -
Airbnb revenue tops $2 billion
The company logged a net income of $379 million. -
Jordan’s Tourism income up 242% in H1 2022
The number of tourists visiting the kingdom rose by 1.4 million to 1.9 million. -
GCC nationals can now visit Bahrain with just ID cards
Bahrain will permit nationals of the Gulf Cooperation Council to enter into the kingdom with just an identity card or a passport, according to the Bahraini Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA). A statement carried by Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said the move follows the decision of GCC countries to... -
Free of travel curbs, GCC residents fly away for a break
In spite of high inflation, residents of the GCC countries are seeking newer destinations in Europe and beyond to travel to, Trupt Shah of Musafir.com tells TRENDS. -
Staff shortages and strikes threaten pandemic recovery for airlines
Desperate to put the coronavirus pandemic behind them, airlines will hold talks on Sunday ahead of a potential summer of chaos with shortages and strikes that could threaten their recovery. While trade is roaring back to life, representatives from the aviation sector meeting for three days in Qatar have a... -
Tunisian court imposes travel ban on former speaker
A Tunisian court has imposed a travel ban on the speaker of the country's now-dissolved parliament, a court spokeswoman said. -
Saudi crown prince plans Turkey visit
Saudi Arabia's crown prince expects to travel to Turkey next month, a Saudi official told AFP Wednesday. The trip by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, will also include stops in Egypt, Cyprus and Greece, said the official, who requested anonymity because he was not permitted... -
Emirates, Jafza sign MoU
They will explore ways to offer travel incentives to SMEs. -
UK gives visa waiver to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain
The UK Home Office affirmed that “an electronic visa waiver allows the holder to travel to the UK without obtaining a visa provided they complete an online waiver for each visit. -
Arabian Travel Market 2022 kicks off in Dubai
The Chairman of Dubai World Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, inaugurated the 29th edition of the Middle East’s largest travel and tourism exhibition Arabian Travel Market (ATM) on 9 May 2022. -
Abu Dhabi tourism department readies to launch summer campaign
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) will announce its summer campaign at Arabian Travel Market (ATM), alongside a series of new initiatives and global partnerships. Sharing the best of Abu Dhabi with the world, travel partners and some surprise guests, DCT Abu Dhabi will... -
Algeria slaps travel bans on diaspora activists: rights groups
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch on Friday called on Algerian authorities to lift "arbitrary travel bans" on activists from the diaspora. The watchdogs singled out the cases of three Algerian-Canadians prevented from returning to their homes in Canada between January and April. "Although one of the three was finally... -
Record Airbnb bookings in Q1
The firm says results signal travel rebound. -
Eid holidays boost Gulf tourism as COVID curbs ease
From overseas to the domestic circuit, the tourism industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council is witnessing a welcome resurgence, especially after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. -
Booking volumes up 195% YoY for Eid, says dnata Travel
The top five most-booked destinations this year so far with dnata Travel include the Maldives, the UAE itself, Turkey, Mauritius, and Oman. -
Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority on Best Workplaces List
Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has achieved sixth place on the Best Workplaces List of 2022 – Small & Medium Organizations. The ranking is awarded by the Great Place to Work, the global authority that recognizes high-trust, high-performing workplace cultures. RAKTDA is the category’s highest placed government entity... -
Air travel recovery gathering steam as Covid restrictions eased: IATA
The accelerated growth recorded in February 2022 compared to a year ago, is helping passenger demand catch up to 2019 levels. -
Liberal young flee to Turkey’s ‘Little Russia’
Thousands have left Russia for Turkey, many paying exorbitant airfares to reach one of the last accessible destinations as Western sanctions tighten. -
Security eyed as more Arab nations adopt epassports
Arab countries that offer electronic passports include Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, Algeria, Kuwait, Morocco, Comoros, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia and Sudan. Countries in the region that don't have a microchip in their passports include Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, the Palestinian territories, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen. -
UAE citizens can travel visa-free to Israel
Israel has announced that all UAE citizens can now travel visa-free to Israel. The move is part of a wider strategy developed by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism to tap the UAE as a new market. -
Lebanon bans top officials of five banks from travel
A prosecutor in Lebanon has issued travel bans against the heads of the boards of five Lebanese banks as a precautionary measure as she investigates transactions by their banks, according to the media reports. -
Iran FM willing to travel to Vienna if nuclear deal reached
Iran's foreign minister said Friday he was ready to travel to Vienna if a deal is reached to revive the 2015 nuclear accord, as the US suggested an agreement is possible. -
Gulf travel industry rides on frequent innovations
While biometric identity management systems have helped improve the pandemic-like situation to some extent by enabling officials at border gates to verify the identity of passengers at a faster rate, this sector demands frequent innovations. -
Air travel momentum up as countries lift Covid restrictions: IATA
Air travel recovery was gaining momentum as countries were lifting restrictions, with a sharp 11-percentage-point increase for international tickets sold in recent weeks, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Data released by IATA said that in the period around 8 February (seven-day moving average) the number of tickets... -
Valid PCR requires to travel through King Fahd Causeway
The Police Directorate of Causeway has asked travelers to follow precautionary measures that are mandatory. -
UAE lifts curbs on travel to 12 African countries
The United Arab Emirates has lifted curbs on travel to twelve African countries for citizens fully vaccinated and who have received a booster dose of the approved COVID-19 vaccines. -
IATA urges governments to accelerate lifting of travel restrictions
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urges urged governments to accelerate the relaxation of travel restrictions, saying evidence suggests a minimal impact of travel restrictions on the spread of the virus. IATA called for removing all travel barriers (including quarantine and testing) for those fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccine,... -
UAE resumes entry for travelers from 12 African countries
The countries comprise Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe. -
Passport strength: Where do Arab countries stand?
The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 passports, based on how many countries and territories their holders can travel to without needing a visa. -
Gulf watch: Sectors that will grow most in 2022
The business environment in the region will experience a transformation that will have a far-reaching impact on economic trends and social dynamics. -
UAE tops list of safest travel destinations in 2022
After the progress and setbacks to travel and tourism in 2021, enthusiasts are looking to make the best of 2022. -
Kuwaitis told to avoid European travel over Omicron surge
Kuwait has called on its citizens to avoid travel to several European countries hit hard by the Omicron coronavirus variant. In a series of statements overnight Sunday, the oil-rich Gulf state also urged Kuwaitis already there to return home because of the surge in cases on the continent. The foreign ministry... -
Expatriate remittances to Morocco exceeded $9.32bn till Nov 2021
Expenses stood at 9.8 billion dirhams at the end of November 2021, against 9.58 billion dirhams a year earlier and 19.26 billion dirhams during the first eleven months of 2019. -
Iran making efforts to ease travel of expats to country: Ebrahim Raisi
Iranian expats are free to travel to and from the country and the government's plans and decisions should ensure that the travel of the citizens should be trouble-free, President Ebrahim Raisi has said. Raisi was speaking at the newly established Iranian Expatriates Supreme Council. He said the government's efforts are...