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Visitors to Petra fell 30% in the first three months of 2009 compared to the same period last year according to official figures. Between January and March 2009 about 140,000 tourists visited Petra compared to 200,000 visitors for the same period last year. Petra reserve figures show entry fees generated JD2.7 million during this period. A Petra Hotels representative, Hussein Hilalat, attributed the…
The Tourism and Development Investment Company (TDIC) of Abu Dhabi presented a detailed update of 12 key projects. The projects include City Center, island retreats, luxury waterfront resorts, and downtown business tourist centers. The project update comes shortly after TDIC received a AA rating form Standard & Poors, Moody’s and Fitch rating, and demonstrates their commitment to keeping their announced…
Lebanese Ministry of Tourism released statistics on Sunday showing Saudi Arabian visitors in Lebanon account for 20% of all tourist spending, more than any other nationality. Emiratis followed with 13% of total spending, Kuwaitis account for 12%, Egyptians 8%, and Jordanians 6%. Arab visitors comprise 41.3% of the total number of visitors to Lebanon. During the first three months of 2009 Lebanon received…
Company chiefs for Dubai based Hospitality Management Holdings (HMH) said they are sticking with their plans to develop 100 hotels by 2012 despite the global economic slowdown. HMH has expansion plans in the Middle East and beyond, but their main focus is UAE, Bahrain and Qatar. HMH CEO Michel Noblet said they are committed to developing 100 hotels by 2012, that it will be challenging but it is achievable. He…
UAE travelers to Thailand are safe and not stranded according to Karn Chiranond, Thai ambassador to the UAE. Chiranond said the airport is functioning normally and there are no disruptions in flight. He said several Emirates visit Thailand annually for tourism or medical tourism, all are safe, and those that are travelling outside the country are safely accompanied to the airport. An Etihad Airways…
A burial ground containing dozens of brightly painted mummies was uncovered by archeologists near the llahun pyramid in Fayoum oasis south of Cairo, Egypt. The countries antiquities chief said the mummies date as far back as 4,000 years. Zahi Hawass said a mission found the mummies in 53 rock hewn tombs dating back to the Middle Kingdom between 2061 and 1786 BC. The mummies were wrapped in linen and painted in…
Saudi investors are now implementing several multi-billion riyad tourism projects as they view the tourism sector as one of the few bright spots during the global economic slowdown. Projects include the resorts in the Red Sea coast in the western region, the coast of the Arabian Gulf, southern Aseer region, and the tourist destination of Taif. A report by the Tourism Information Research Centre shows…
Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) reported that the number of visitors to heritage sites in Dubai increased 16% in 2008. The number of people visiting heritage sites operated by DTCM increased from 873,831 in 2007 to 1,009,848 in 2008. DTCM director of Heritage attributed the increase in visitors to aggressive promotion and marketing by their department. DTCM supervises the heritage…
Etihad Airways announced on Monday it has partnered with alternative energy initiative Masdar in order to reduce its global footprint. Etihad Airways said it will reduce emissions and use more environmentally friendly fuels. The aviation industry must comply with new European Union Emission Trading Scheme rules by 2012. Masdar will provide support for Etihad’s carbon management programs including its…
Prince Sataam pledged support for the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia after formally inaugurating the Saudi Travel and Tourism Investment Market (STTIM) 2009 event yesterday. The Prince said the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia will recover despite the global economic slowdown. He promised to support the local tourism initiatives of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities. SCTA President Prince…
The World’s biggest network of travel brands said they are focused on growing in the Middle East. Vice President, Middle East for Travel Port Rabih Saab said their fundamentals in the region are very strong, and they still believe in the economic growth potential here despite the economic slowdown. Mr. Saab said they announced further investments last summer and these were used to build up resources and…
Uzbek Tourism Chairman Zahid Khakimov said Uzbekistan wants more tourists from the Middle East to visit. He said currently they receive one million tourists each year but that isn’t enough. Khakimov said the government is currently developing a master tourism development plan for 2015, and a focus of the plan will be to provide favorable conditions for tourism, particularly tourists from the Middle…
Sri Lankan Airlines helped the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board (SLTPB) organize Middle East road shows promoting Sri Lanka tourism. The roads shows were held between 28 March and 5 April in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait. A team including SLTB officials, Sri Lankan Airlines Company Managers, Sri Lankan ambassadors from respective countries, and member companies from the Sri…
Dubai World has put forward a plan to save the financially troubled City Center project. The proposal requires that the billions of dollars necessary to complete the project be pledged. Dubai World is Dubai’s government owned investment agency. They partnered with MGM Mirage to develop the City Center Project, and recently sued MGM Mirage in order to protect its $4.3 billion investment if MGM Mirage goes into…
Pope Benedict’s XVI first stop on his religious pilgrimage is Jordan, where he will stay between May 8-11. The Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) Managing Director Nayef Fayez said 600 journalists from news agencies, satellite channels, magazines, radio, and other media outlets will cover the papal visit. It is expected more tourists visiting religious sites will be attracted during the visit and this will boost tourism…
More than 700 travel and media personnel have visited Dubai since the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) launched its “Keep Discovering Dubai Campaign” last month. The campaign was initiated to counter negative perceptions that developed in part due to reports of illegal sewage dumping on Dubai’s beaches. There was also a report of an outbreak of legionnaire’s disease at a local hotel but…
A Dubai based consortium has bid for British Airway’s seventh and last remaining fastest jet, the Concorde. BA’s seven concordes were grounded seven years ago and six were given to museums. The seventh, named Alpha Bravo was kept. Sources say that of the seven, Alpha Bravo would not ever have returned to service because it lacked safety modification needed after the 2000 Paris Crash. The Dubai based business…
Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council States (GCC) gave preliminary approval for development of a new railway system linking GCC states Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf said the final approval will depend upon on its feasibility. After announcing plans for the new railway system, Minister Al-Assaf signed contracts worth SR 2.39…
