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June 3 - Tourist agency Atout France, earlier known as Maison de la France, is trying to promote France as a tourist destination in the UAE. In this regard, the agency will introduce an online training course in the UAE at the end of the year for travel agencies and tourist operators. "The main objective is to create a tool which will allow people to gain in-depth knowledge about France as a destination. There is…
June 2, 2010 - The King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah has launched an Institute of Tourism, it was learnt on Tuesday. The institute has the patronage of Prince Mishaal bin Majed bin Abdulaziz, the Governor of Jeddah. According to details, classes in the institute will commence in the second semester this year and the faculty will comprise academics and instructors from top hotels in the kingdom. Around 14…
June 02, 2010- The five finalists for the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, have been asked to quote their prices for district cooling, said an industry source on Tuesday. The closing date for this particular tender is June 21. "They have asked us to revise the tender and include district cooling in the tender," said one of the sources. "Maybe, the client was dealing with it directly…
June 1 - Festivals in Dubai have helped bring 57 million visitors with a total spending of Dh102 billion to the region in the last 15 years, it was learnt on Tuesday. The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) brought in 40 million visitors, with consumers spending Dh80 billion in the last 12 years. Prizes such as cars, gold and cash, all worth around AED 1.5 billion, were given away. Meanwhile, Dubai Summer Surprises…
June 1 - The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR) are looking into collaborating for events, and culture and cruise tourism, it was learnt on Tuesday. Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi managed to avoid the falling tourism trends globally with the special administration region receiving 29.5 million visitors – a rise of 0.3 per cent as compared to 2008 – while Abu…
Hamburg, June 01 – During a Roofing ceremony that took place on 28 and 29 May, Hamburg presented with the “Elbphilharmonie” (Elbe Philharmonic Hall) its new concert house to the public. More than 5000 guests gained an insight into the making of this unique concert house. Designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, the magnificent building is to become Hamburg’s newest landmark. The daring harmony of…
May 31 - Private jet flights are becoming more affordable, and some one way flights can be booked at discounts of nearly 50 percent. The charter brokerage company Air Partner launched their new EmptySectors website, which allows passengers to review a list of private jets that have already been chartered and have seats available onboard. The EmptySectors.com website will help companies limit the cost of…
May 31 - A vast tomb that belonged to a pharaonic army commander was discovered by Egyptian archaeologists on Sunday, said the Supreme Council of Antiquities. According to details, the commander also oversaw the kingdom’s treasures. Known as the tomb of Betah Mes, a royal scribe and in charge of the state granaries, the find goes as far back as the 19th dynasty. Mes ruled Egypt between 1320 and 1200 BC. The…
May 30 - During 2009 126.6 million tourists visited China, a 3 percent drop from 2008 figures of 130 million visitors. The China Tourism Authority (CTA) forecasts that 130 million visitors will come to China this year. Outbound tourism has been growing rapidly in China, and 2009 is the first year the country has had a tourism deficit since 1984. Chinese tourists spent about $43.7 billion oveseas last year,…
May 30 - CEO of Boeing, the world’s second largest plane maker, said China is its largest export market, “Not by a little, but by a lot”. James McNerney explained “A growing middle class in China is dramatically reshaping the country’s domestic economy and having a major global economic impact as well.” China’s economy expanded by almost 12 percent in the first three months of 2010 and Boeing expects new Chinese…
May 30 - Yemen's tourism industry, estimated to be worth Dh3.3 billion ($900 million) in 2009, is suffering as tourists are reluctant to visit after the recent bombing and tourist kidnappings that have been reported in the country. "That's it – 99 per cent of tourism has stopped as a result of the kidnappings," said Sanna-based tour guide Mohammad Al Hubaishi. Around 40 per cent of the 23 million Yemenis make…
May 30 - DP World’s Dubai Cruise Terminal has won the World Travel Award for “Middle East’s Leading Cruise Port 2010”. This is the third consecutive year that the terminal has won this award. Talking about the award, Tariq bin Khalifa, Account Director, Account Management, General Cargo, DP World, UAE Region said: “Receiving this award for three successive years proves that Dubai Cruise Terminal remains…
May 28 - The President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), Prince Sultan Bin Salman, referred to buildings with an architectural heritage as "dormant oil wells" that need to be exploited as "historical hotels and museums". Prince Salman was speaking at the opening of the International Conference on Architectural Heritage in Islamic Countries in Riyadh earlier this week. "Buildings of…
Sharjah, UAE; May 27, 2010: Cozmo Travel, a UAE-based travel agency providing a wide range of innovative individual and corporate travel solutions, announced today the official launch of its operations. The company, which offers business, leisure, health and religious travel services across the Gulf Cooperation Council states (GCC) and wider Middle East and North Africa region, was launched today under the…
May 27 - Saudi citizens may be issued multiple-entry temporary resident visas for Canada soon with a validity of five years, it was learnt on Wednesday. The new ruling will also include people going to Canada to work or study. "The new visa regulations will greatly facilitate movement between our countries, promote better understanding and bolster our strong relationship. It will be easier for Saudis studying in…
May 27 - The Ministry of Interior on Wednesday advised Saudi citizens travelling to Egypt not carry more than 5000 Egyptian pounds. According to a statement issued by the ministry, Egyptian exchange law allows for the confiscation of any sums of money in cash over 5000 Egyptian pounds in local currency carried by visitors during entry or exit of Egypt. Travellers can transfer money through their bank accounts,…
May 27 - The Emirates Palace Hotel will sell small souvenir gold bars engraved with the Emirates Palace logo through the world's first gold ATM machine, it was announced on Wednesday. The "Gold To Go" vending machine project was launched by Hans Olbertz, General Manager of Emirates Palace and Thomas Geissler, Chief Executive of Ex Oriente Lux AG, the inventor of the "Gold to Go" machine."We seized upon this…
May 26- Prime Minister HE Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of Thailand, issued the following statement regarding the political developments in his country: Ladies and Gentleman, We have restored order in the capital of Bangkok and the provinces of Thailand. We have been able to do this with the cooperation of government officials, volunteers, and, of course, the people of Thailand. We will continue to…
