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April 14- Travelport, a global distribution system (GDS) provider, has announced the launch of Travelport Opinions, an online networking tool for the travel agent community in the Middle East. The networking site has been developed in collaboration with travel technology software provider Vinivi. The launch follows close on the heels of the launch of a similar website for UK and Ireland in March and in France…
April 14- Despite rioting in issued by the Emirates, travel to the country from the UAE remains unaffected, said industry sources on Tuesday. However, a significant decrease in tourists from the UAE is expected if the ‘red shirt’ protests in Thailand continue "We have had no cancellations or rescheduling of flights since the protests started last week in Bangkok," Manu Mehrotra, General Manager of Al Tayer…
April 13- Yemeni Minister of Endowments and Guidance, Hamoud Al-Hattar has called on Saudi Haj and Umrah companies to do business with his country, adding that problems that previously prevented them from entering the Yemeni market no longer exist. "We've been working with Haj and Umrah agents and companies with the support of the Ministry of Haj to tackle the issue of Yemeni pilgrims overstaying in the Kingdom…
April 13- The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has announced the opening of a tourism and antiquities office in Wadi Al-Dawasir, said Prince Sultan bin Salman, President SCTA. Wadi Al-Dawasir is situated near the Empty Quarter and has a great deal of potential with regard to tourism, he explained, adding that it is also alongside a road that is used by holidaymakers from all over Saudi Arabia…
April 13- The Chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Prince Abdullah bin Saud, has announced the launching of new system for the licensing of recreational centres and tourist resorts along the Corniche. "The new system will solve the current problem in getting licenses to establish tourism and recreational projects on the Corniche," he said, adding that the earlier system did not have a…
An official at the Qatari Consulate in Dubai has confirmed that all GCC countries residents will also have to apply for a visa prior to arrival in Qatar starting from May 1. The new requirement is in line with the revised visa regulations issued by Qatar recently. The official also added that the application process will take two to three days but did not know anything about the processing fee. British and…
Petra (Amman, Jordan) has reported an increase in tourism in the first quarter of 2010, a positive sign for the region, said officials. The numbers of tourists visiting Petra rose by 50 per cent in the first quarter of 2010, said the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA). From January to March, around 210,000 local residents and foreigners visited the city, as opposed to 140,000 visitors in the…
The Ministry of Hajj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), signed a SR200 million agreement with Angari Contracting & Trading Company to set up headquarters in Makkah. Spanning an area over 21,000 square metres, the building will have three towers and will be located at the entrance of Makkah on the Jeddah-Makkah Expressway. The project's first phase will be ready in 24 months."This is the second most important project…
British and American citizens can no longer obtain a visa on arrival in Qatar according to new rules effective from May 1st. British and UK citizens are now among the nationals of 33 countries that must apply for a visa prior to their arrival in Qatar. A single entry tourist visa will cost $30 for all nationalities. The new rules also mean that people wishing to travel to Qatar for business reasons must…
Government owned Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center plans to build a convention center in Al Ain at a cost of $953 million in order to develop the city into a business center. Al Ain is a located about 160 km northeast of Abu Dhabi, and is less developed and known for its greenery. Construction of the mixed use property has already started ADNEC said in a statement. The project will include hotels, a…
April 11- Samba Financial Group has signed a collaboration agreement with Sejel that operates and develops the Hajj and Umrah Information Center. As per the agreement, pilgrims can now opt for an automated payment solution for Umrah. The agreement was signed recently by Ahmed A. Ghumri, CEO of Sejel, and Anees Moumina, corporate banking head for Samba in the Western Region, in the presence of Eissa M. Al-Eissa,…
April 11- has opened up its first retail branch in Tanta, Egypt, it was learnt on Saturday. The branch is situated in the heart of the city with only five minutes away from its railway station. Travco hopes to open up about 20 branches across Egypt within two years. The Tanta branch will offer a diverse range of services including outgoing packages, domestic travel, ticketing, Hajj and Umrah, Nile cruises, and…
April 11- Jordan participated as an honorary guest in the International Natural Tourism Fair in Paris, said Commissioner of the fair Florence Lounge, pointing out that this is a positive step that will promote tourism in Jordan. Jordan has several interesting archaeological and historical sites and in this regard promotional material highlighting tourism in Jordan were distributed during the fair, she added.
April 8- The UAE Foreign Ministry has issued a warning on travel to Thailand, urging its citizens not to travel there because of the current security situation and the declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok. Emirati citizens currently in Thailand were urged to stay away from protest rallies and take extra precautions. Sultan Al Ali, Director of the Department of Information Affairs at the Foreign…
An international conference on recovering Egypt’s stolen artifacts opened yesterday in Cairo by Zahi Hawass, head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA). One of the keys points highlighted in the forum was that countries need to come together and cooperate with one another to recover their looted treasures. "We need to cooperate, we need a unification between our countries," Hawass told antiquities…
April 8- Erbil Citadel, Kurdistan has been temporarily listed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) World Heritage List in an official ceremony early last month. This milestone is the first of its kind for the region. “We dedicated a fund of US$13 million for Phase 1 of the rehabilitation and restoration of the Erbil Citadel, and will allocate $360,000 for Phase…
April 8- Representatives from the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) met with members of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) and tourist bodies in a bid to encourage tourist investment exchange between both countries earlier this week. In this regard, workshops were held at hotels Riyadh and Jeddah as well as discussions with the media and tourist agencies to boost trade and tourism ties…
April 7- Richard Riley, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) said the company will invest Dh2.8 billion developing hotels in Abu Dhabi. Riley said work on its first water resort, the Grand Canal, is progressing satisfactory and the project will be complete by the end of the year. The Grand Canal resort overlooks the sea coast near the Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan mosque. “This…
